DNC: Investigate McCain For Election Law Violations

WASHINGTON — Democratic Party officials plan to file a new lawsuit to compel federal regulators to investigate whether Sen. John McCain violated election laws by withdrawing from public financing.

The Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday it will sue next week in U.S. District Court. It will ask the court to order the Federal Election Commission to examine, within 30 days, the legality of McCain's decision to reject $5.8 million in taxpayer funds.

By turning down the money, the presumed Republican nominee was able avoid strict spending limits between now and the GOP's national convention in September.

At issue is a $4 million line of credit the McCain campaign obtained late last year. While the loan was not secured by the promise of public funds, his agreement with the bank required McCain to reapply for public funds if he lost early primary contests and to use that money as collateral.

The DNC filed a complaint with the FEC in February, arguing that the bank arrangement violated federal regulations. But the six-member FEC has been unable to act because it doesn't have a quorum. Four nominees are awaiting Senate confirmation.

In throwing out an earlier DNC lawsuit, a federal judge pointed out that federal rules give the FEC up to 120 days to act on a complaint. That deadline expires next Tuesday.

McCain's campaign and his bankers adamantly deny that they used the public funds as collateral. On Tuesday, Republican National Committee chief counsel Sean Cairncross called the suit "meritless," and noted that McCain was entitled to withdraw from the public finance system because he did not receive any public funds during the primary.

Still, FEC Chairman David Mason in February asked McCain to explain the terms of the loan and informed McCain that he would need approval from the full FEC before withdrawing from public financing. McCain's campaign said it did not need such approval.

Comments

[papla]

this guy is not even in office yet and his under investigat­ion..wow!! One word Deja-vu

[Blutus]

A waste of time.

Let the campaign do its work.

Let the reporters dig up McCain's past as the campaign unravels.

There is dirt, acres and acres of dirt on what he has done in Arizona. Start there.

You won't even need to mention his wife's mobbed up bunch and her bootlegging
family.

McCain makes Bush look like Doogie Houser.

[brendanm]

Oh yeah, the media are really interested in holding McCain accountable. Good call. [I'm making a derisive hand motion now]

[TheOneironaut]

...or any republican for that matter...*­sighs and repeats derisive hand motion*

[scooperss]

What reporters? Those suck ups on the evening news do some investigative journalism or ask some tough questions from mccain?

WAKE UP! You're asleep just like "reporters" have been for the last 8 years.

[ohnoyoudidnot!]

Well, McCain certainly acts like Bush in his regard for the rule of law.

[KSFARMBOY]

So the DNC is a little pissed McCain won't take 5.8 mill in taxpayer funds....?
And then they want th FEC to look into it....... oh but by the way there are not enough people in the FEC to do that..... why?..... "the six-member FEC has been unable to act because it doesn't have a quorum. Four nominees are awaiting Senate confirmati­on.".....t­hats right not one of our elected officials has to follow the FEC laws, cause no one has been hired to do the job....... GOOD JOB SENATE....

[HST]

KSFARMBOY

Yeah you're right -its much better if McSame gets his money form lobbyists.
No one's been "hired " by the senate cause all Bush does is appoint incompentent cronies who won't investigate anything.
Heckofa job Bushie!!!!!!!!!

[the964kid]

Is it possible that McCain is even sketchier than Bush?? Even Bush didn't look like this big of a criminal in the run-up to the 2000 election.

John McCain - worse than Bush.

[Superbus]

Oh Lord, is that the best the DNC can do?

[MsLiz]

No.

[ShamelessdeParis]

The DNC should keep its powder dry.
McCain is going to lose with or without a dirty tricks campaign. This is already becoming clearer.
But one of the things that can go wrong is that McCain retires / is retired from the race and replaved by someone a little "fresher".

[research]

How many crimes does McCain have to commit before you learn?

[cindy4america]

Is there any lie that McCain won't tell?
Is there any position that he will not change?
Is there any limit to the flip flop, flop flip, turn over on your back and spin quickly?
Oh course McCain probably lied to get the loan. There is nothing new about a republican lying.
Even so, why sue the guy for lying? If we want to sue somebody or get legal on a problem, start with George W. and work your way down.

[abby4ever]

At least George Bush sticks to his position, however wrong or misguided it may be. McCain moves this way and that with every political wind, he is the epitome of what most hate about most politicians: their insincerity.

[robotfog]

let it go.

let's just beat the guy and then throw lawsuits at him.

[sanywhere]

i hear you.

[1099]

All right!

Frivolous Lawsuits - The weapon of choice for the hysterical left!

[DrDemon]

Because the Democrat's are extremely TAFF (Terrified, Afraid, Fearful & Freightened) of the Repugnicans, this investigation will GO NOWHERE FAST!

Why/. Because they are a bunch of WWwwwwweak Wussies!

FYI - I'm a Democrat
-

[nodonjuan]

FYI- I doubt it.

[DrDemon]

No need to lie to you or anyone else... I'm a true democrat and I will most certainly be voting for Obama...

If you were to view my profile, I'm sure you would not, "doubt it" any longer!

It's my chosen party, but I do think they are wimpish... no balls! I truly believe they have a fear of the Repugnicans.

[Tommygun264]

Not even elected to the office of there is already talk of indictments. Who is it that says John McSame isn't a real Republican?

[DrDemon]

So if the FEC has been unable to act, then what happens with this investigation? Who's doing it? I'm in spin-dry with this topic.

[TheHandyman]

Since the FEC did not investigate within the 30 days the law requires the DNC can now sue McCain in federal court to demand answers to the compliant. Because the FEC did not have the required number of members Congress itself can take up the investigation.

[DrDemon]

Hmm.. interesting, thanks. Now the question is, will the Dem's have the will to pursue? You do know they have no spine right?

[incontempt]

Ask him about his oath from military service to "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America from all enemies, foreign and domestic" he failed....­worse...fa­iled in a treasonous matter and is currently proposing breaking the laws of these United States.

[JacksGramma]

Not sure what they hope to achieve with this. Seems like they are just trying to deflect attention away from themselves. Makes me wonder what the DNC is trying to hide now.

Obama doesn't need to repeat his Alice Palmer, Jack Ryan, and Hillary Clinton push them off the ballot tactics. Is it just such a habit he doesn't know how to win a race if there is a competitor in the game?

[MsLiz]

Here's a brand new poster! Did you see your friend Harriet Christian on Fox News today? She said she's met with McCain about working on his campaign.

You can do some research on this issue regarding public financing in regard to McCain. It's been an issue for months, and the suit would have been filed regardless of who the Democratic nominee is.

[shelobo]

I see Obama winning the election ,you know why,because SOME people dislike the fact that he won ALL of his elections LEGALLY .Disgusting isn't it ,a POLITICAN winning honestly !! McCain IS competition ,hes just NOT competent !

[notthistime]

JacksGramma - how did Obama push Alice, Jack and Hillary off the ballot?

[noop]

HuffPost's Pick

Alice Palmer got knocked off the ballot because she made a rushed effort to jump into the State Senate race after loosing the primary for a US House seat. And the truth is that people in Illinois saw it as Palmer being the latecomer who was trying to use name recognition to muscle Obama out of the race. He just happened to have an effective counter by sticking to the process.

The other two you mentioned have nothing at all to do with "ballot tactics." Jack Ryan was pressed out of his Senate run by his own party. The Republican leadership in Springfield was too uptight to support him after the whole divorce scandal. So, they made him drop out.

And no one muscled Clinton out of this primary. She started the race with poor management and a shortsighted strategy. She ignored the early states and caucuses, and had no game-plan for a post Super Tuesday fight. I admit that she really improved her campaign by the end, and probably would have won if she'd played it that strong from the start. However, that's not what happened, so she's not the nominee.

[pupbayer]

Why does the DNC act like they are afraid of McCain? Do they know something we don't?

[DrDemon]

"Why does the DNC act like they are afraid" OF EVERY F***in THING?

[PaxChristi]

Crook ring any bells?

[psnyder]

Afraid? They'd be showing fear if they we're afraid to point out the obvious, that McCain has broken the law and should be held to account. I'm afraid...t­hat you have it backwards.

[MsLiz]

The point is to weaken McCain by preventing him from opting out of public financing, which would limit the amount of money he could spend. Oh, you can be assured the DNC knows plenty that we don't know.

[adzeman]

He has shown a callous disregard for the McCain-Feingold law. Like most of his career,its polish the facade wile servicing the money boys..