Palin and RNC squirm through campaign spending loophole on wardrobe spending spree

[nichomachus]

The Federal Election Commission today threw out a watchdog group's complaint against Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, the Republican National Committee, and several political operatives associated with the RNC, alleging that they improperly spent $150,000 on clothing for Palin and her family.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics cited news reports that clothing and accessories purchases for Palin and her family included $49,425 spent at Saks Fifth Avenue and $75,062 at Neiman Marcus. The group said the shopping excursions violate campaign finance law because the law specifically prohibits a candidate for federal office from converting campaign funds to personal use, including clothing.

But the law has a loophole for money raised, not by individual candidates, but by political parties. The FEC ruled that the clothing purchases were permitted as “coordinated party expenditures.”

"In effect, the FEC is claiming its hands were tied and it could not penalize the RNC or Governor Palin," CREW said today.

The article goes on to note: "Still, Palin's wardrobe malfunction did help cost her in popularity after an initial burst of enthusiasm, especially from the Republican rank-and-file. The Alaska governor is still in the conversation, however, for 2012."

So, take that all you people who said in November that we'd never hear from Sarah Palin again. I said at the time and still say that we are stuck with her for a long time.