Ohio Election Agency Needs Better Priorities--Daily Campaign Finance Reform thread-day 23

Wheeling News-Register ^

[Valin]

Some state officials in Ohio seem to have strange ideas concerning political campaign finance reform. Apparently, they're content to harass low-budget political amateurs.

At least they could get it right.
As 2003 was ending, Jeff McNeely, a telephone company technician in Cleveland, finally was being granted some peace by the Ohio Elections Commission and the state Attorney General's Office.

In 1996, McNeely campaigned as a Democrat for the Ohio House. He lost, in more ways than one.
It seems that McNeely, who spent a total of $150 on his race, forgot to list a $32 expenditure on his official campaign finance report.
Well, now. The state's enforcement machinery swung into action. He was notified that for each day he failed to file papers correcting the error, he would be fined $25.

Even after McNeely filed the correction form, fines kept piling up due to an error at the elections commission. Then an attorney trying to collect the fines miscalculated the amount owed.
Eventually, the state was trying to collect $59,000 from McNeely.
After the fiasco was publicized, the state settled - for a $500 fine.

Even that is absurd. Ohioans ought to be asking how much energy spent harassing McNeely could have been dedicated to more important priorities.

[nuconvert]

So, how's the thread going?

[Valin]

Yesterdays Thread
'Shadow' funding endures scrutiny Daily Campaign Finance Reform thread-day 23
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1050327/posts


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[Valin]

Remember better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

Hugh & Series, Critical & Pulled by JimRob
Special to FreeRepublic | 17 December 2003 | John Armor (Congressman Billybob)

This is nothing like the usual whine by someone whose post was pulled. JimRob pulled my previous thread for a good reason. "If direct fund-raising were permitted on FR, it would soon be wall-to-wall fund-raising."

So, let's start again correctly. This is about civil disobedience to support the First Amendment and challenge the TERRIBLE CFR decision of the Supreme Court to uphold a terrible law passed by Congress and signed by President Bush.

All who are interested in an in-your-face challenge to the 30- and 60-day ad ban in the Campaign Finance "Reform" Act, please join in. The pattern is this: I'm looking for at least 1,000 people to help the effort. I will run the ad, and risk fines or jail time to make it work -- AND get national support.

But there should be NO mentions of money in this thread, and not in Freepmail either. This is JimRob's electronic home, and we should all abide his concerns.

Put your comments here. Click on the link above, and send me your e-mail addresses. I will get back to you by regular e-mail with the practical details.

This CAN be done. This SHOULD be done. But it MUST be done in accord with JimRob's guidelines.


Fair enough?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1042394/posts

[Valin]

Well enough for me to keep it going.

We need to keep this on the front burner. As this is an election year we have a golden opportunity to put the pols. feet to the fire.

[Eastbound]

Keep it going, Valin. Thanks. and Bump

[Congressman Billybob]

This is NOT an atypical story, I have practiced before the Federal Election Commission, and I have followed its activities and antics for decades.

The simple truth is that the enforcement types at the FEC, and at most government agencies at all levels, tend to resemble bulldogs. They are single-minded, persistent, tenacious, and dumb. And that makes for a truly dangerous creature to have pursuing you.

Hell hath no fury like an aggrieved bureaucrat, to coin a phrase.

Congressman Billybob

Click here to stick a thumb in the eye of CFR, "Hugh & Series, Critical & Pulled by JimRob."

[The_Eaglet]

Thanks for your daily effort in posting this thread and important articles like this one. It's another case of government interference in speech, even more subtil than the open prohibition on political speech by issues advocacy groups 60 days before an election.

[The_Eaglet]

bump

[Valin]

Well we can't have just anybody running for office. We need "skilled professionals" to run, backed by money from the correct sources. Otherwise who knows what could happen, why if you're not careful you could have everyday citizens in office!

[Federalist 78]

single-minded, persistent, tenacious, and dumb.

Nuclear Regulatory Commissioners after Clinton '92.

[Who is John Galt?]

Bump!

;>)

[DustyMoment]

It occurs to me that we need to up the ante and apply more pressure. If anyone on this thread knows any veterans groups such as VFW or any other veterans group, we need their involvement. We veterans didn't serve our country to have our rights eroded by a RINO as big as McCain and a President who fell asleep at the switch.

I think that if Bush and the members of Congress start receiving letters of protest from veterans groups, they might be a little more concerned about taking acvtion against CFR. If you have an "in" with any veterans groups, start talking and get them involved. We need their participation to get more action and more attention paid to this issue.

[The_Eaglet]

Judge Sets Dates for Lawsuit Against FEC-Campaign Finance Reform thread-day 31