Audit: Specter campaign violated FEC rules

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Allentown Morning Call

Sloppy record-keeping blamed, but large fine is still possible.

By Josh Drobnyk

Call Washington Bureau

January 3, 2008

Sen. Arlen Specter's 2004 re-election campaign collected more than $1 million in excessive contributions, failed to properly disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in receipts from political party committees and political action committees, and missed a key reporting deadline before the primary election, according to a Federal Election Commission audit.

The findings are laid out in a 15-page report completed last month that accuses the campaign of neglecting to follow many basic FEC requirements during the Pennsylvania Republican's re-election race, first against fellow Republican Pat Toomey and then Democrat Joe Hoeffel. Specter spent more than $20 million during the campaign and eked out a victory in the primary against Toomey before easily defeating Hoeffel in the general election.

The FEC does not immediately issue penalties along with audits but said in the report that the commission may do so later. Because of the magnitude of the violation, the matter is likely to be referred to a dispute resolutions office or the general counsel's office where a fine would be handed down, a former commissioner said.

Any fine -- a large one would amount to $100,000-plus -- would have little impact on Specter's 2010 campaign war chest, which ended September with $2.8 million. Still, the campaign had spent more than $58,000 in legal fees on the audit through Sept. 30.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/state/all-a8_5specter.6210077jan03,0,3046957.story

[salin]

1. it took three years... call me skeptical

but it seems like a very long time to bring these "findings". I am not a Specter fan, but have to wonder if the timing has anything to do with his more recent vocal opposition to the WH that seems to indicate more likelihood to act on the opposition (by joining with dems) than his previous 'empty suit' opposition (say something critical, but then vote in-line like a good soldier.)

Then again, this just could be my gut cynical reaction borne out of watching the admin these past seven years.

[rodeodance]

2. as Keith O. says--in the end Specter always caves to the WH/Bush

[pacalo]

3. Is this how Cheney & the boy king squash any threats to their dirty business?

[harmonicon]

4. what crap - a fine?

What's the point of having to follow election laws if you can break them to win and then just pay a fine? The bum should be removed from office, pay a MASSIVE fine, possible criminal prosecution - if he gets through all that, he could then run again in a special election - this time a fair one.

[Robbien]

5. The FEC has rules which apply to GOPers?

That is a surprise.

Even though they are toothless rules resulting in minuscule fine penalties, it is a surprise the FEC bothers to go after GOPers when they are so busy investigating their hated enemy, Dems.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. The FEC is run by a board with an equal number of Democrats and Republicans

[damntexdem]

7. Ah, a Specter is haunting Pennsylvania?

;-)