The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday the questionable tactics used by McCain supporters to circumvent current campaign finance laws. (You may have heard of McCain-Feingold?) The story comes days after Senator Obama took some flak for opting out of the public financing system, when his initial comments in the campaign seemed to indicate he would participate. Well, right choice to opt out.
“In one method, a Republican Party fund aimed at electing governors has started marketing itself as a home for contributions of unlimited size to help Sen. McCain.
The Republican Governors Association isn’t subject to those limits, and has long gathered up large donations from individuals and companies. Now it is telling donors it can use their contributions to benefit Sen. McCain in some key battleground states.
That makes the group “the best way to help McCain,” says donor David Hanna, who gave $25,000 — more than 10 times the legal cap of $2,300 for direct gifts to presidential candidates.”
It was so thoughtful and classy for Senator McCain to oppose any independent 527 groups (like the “Swift Boat Veterans”) working in his favor. But guess who the big donors are to the Republican Governor’s Association? The same people funding the smear swift boat ads from 2004. And there’s more:
“In another Republican strategy, the McCain campaign itself last month began soliciting its biggest donations yet — up to $70,100 per check. The technique is to establish a joint fund-raising account that brings together the legal maximum gifts for the candidate, the national party and four state parties with contests pivotal to the outcome. The combined maximum is the most that any presidential candidate has solicited since the 2002 McCain-Feingold reforms. The campaign raised $3 million for the fund in a matter of days during a string of fund-raisers last month.”
$70,100 is a lot of money, and a considerable amount higher than the legal maximum (set by Senator McCain) of $2,300. The richest of the rich and giant corporations donate dollars to the Republican funds, all in an effort to help Senator McCain win the White House and keep their incredible tax breaks and influence in the United States government. Democrats should be proud of Senator Obama’s choice to opt out. Republicans should be scared. Here’s hoping true public financing takes down corporate influence in 2008.