McCain, Bush and the FEC - Do you know what happened yesterday?

[Coexist]

Throwing FEC Commissioner Mason Under the Bus to Help Senator McCain?

http://electionlawblog.org/archives/010756.html

As a political junkie, I've been focused on the close race in Indiana tonight, but another important political story, perhaps not coincidentally, dropped tonight: President Bush has made a move to break the impasse over FEC nominations. But rather than jettison the controversial nominee to the FEC, Hans von Spakovsky, which would surely break the impasse, the President has dropped Commissioner David Mason, the Republican member on the now two-member FEC. The new Republican nominees are Don McGahn and Carolyn Hunter, who is currently a commissioner on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

What's going on? I don't always agree with Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21, but this time I agree entirely with his insight: "The only apparent reason for President Bush to drop Commissioner David Mason at this stage, an FEC candidate he had twice proposed for the Commission, is to prevent him from casting an adverse vote against Senator McCain on important enforcement questions pending at the Commission. The questions deal with Senator McCain’s request to withdraw from the presidential primary public financing system and the consequences of a loan the McCain campaign took out and the collateral provided for the loan."

For Democracy 21 to be coming to Commissioner Mason's defense is extraordinary; Mason is no supporter of reform. But the other FEC nominees are going to be much more likely to tow the Republican party line on the commission. Commissioner Hunter has been one of more partisan members of the EAC, and likely will continue in that direction if confirmed to the FEC.

This move could well break the impasse over the FEC, but maybe not. Note that a vote on von Spakovsky would apparently be paired with a vote for Steven Walther, who is close with Senator Reid. If Sen. McConnell insists on a vote for the two of them as a package, it might not happen.

and from Bob Bauer

http://www.moresoftmoneyhardlaw.com/news.html?AID=1256

These are the probable reasons for the curtain falling on the Mason years. The reason for the White House to act now is to restore the FEC to full voting power, which is not usually a Republican priority but now serves the immediate need of giving Senator McCain the most direct, statutorily routine access to public funding for the general election. In this one move, the White House ended McCain's accountability for his use or abuse of the primary public financing system while putting him in position to take money for the general.

For this maneuver to have been arranged for the benefit of Senator McCain, of all people--the John McCain who has regularly, severely criticized the FEC as a "corrupt" agency--is a remarkable turn in his career as a reformer. A Commissioner who acted to enforce the law, to just raise an important question of enforcement, has been stripped of his post. This was clearly in Senator McCain's interest, this raw power play. It is also in his interest to have the FEC, back in business minus Mason, arrange for his money for the fall campaign.

It is inconceivable that McCain was not informed of the plan. In fact, it is highly probable that he was in involved in its formulation or its approval. In the days ahead it will be seen whether he will be asked about his role.

It is an obvious question and a fair one. This development at the FEC, after all, is one of a kind. For all the time that McCain has savaged the performance of the FEC, he has led the sizeable crowd of critics who believed that the agency is too beholden, on the whole, to the narrow interests of parties and their candidates. Yesterday, Republicans could not have acted more narrowly in just this vein: effectively firing a Commissioner to immunize their Presidential nominee from enforcement action in a pending case but making sure that there is enough of an agency left to get him the money needed to finance his campaign.

Bob Bauer

and from the Wall Street Journal

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121012979211473181.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Democrats grumbled about the White House's decision to pull Mr. Mason's nomination. The FEC chairman had angered some Republicans when he wrote a letter questioning whether Sen. John McCain could legally drop out of the public campaign-financing system for the primary election.

After Sen. McCain became the expected Republican presidential nominee in February and his fund-raising improved, he notified the FEC he would drop out of the public system, avoiding its spending caps. Mr. Mason responded that Sen. McCain couldn't drop out without FEC approval and the FEC couldn't do that without a quorum.

"By abandoning Mr. Mason and instead sticking by Mr. von Spakovsky, the White House has abandoned experience and independence for partisan loyalty," Mr. Manley said.

See - I can't wait until we put our full attention on this man and his antics.

[Coexist]

1. .

[Coexist]

2. really? nothing?

[Egnever]

3. well it aint as sexy as clinton beating her head against the wall

but I agree with you whole heartedly soon as we can dump this womans distraction we can concentrate full time on these sort of shenanigans.

[Egnever]

4. not even close aparently

but way more important to the future race.

Thanks for posting it Fl