Cindy McCain's Jet Used In Fundraising, DNC Cries Foul

Cindy McCain's corporate jet use on the campaign trail straddles the line on campaign finance laws, according to a report in today's Wall Street Journal. The WSJ story focuses on several trips McCain made in her company's jet that included stops at fundraising events for her husband's campaign. From the article:

The campaign didn't reimburse Cindy McCain for the March 7-9, 2007, trip, which included the event near Times Square that brought in an estimated $100,000. Should it have done so?

According to federal campaign finance rules, the answer is yes -- and no, depending on which portion of the code is applied.

Mrs. McCain's trip offers a good example of the complex and sometimes contradictory ways that post-Watergate regulations have evolved to dictate what is considered proper use of campaign funds. Sen. McCain is one of the leading champions of such rules, but critics charge his campaign has applied them liberally in a number of instances.

Quickly reacting to the report, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued a statement:

John McCain's refusal to pay for his campaign's use of a corporate jet is the latest evidence that Senator McCain thinks his campaign is above the law. Senator McCain poses as a reformer, but time and time again he has chosen to ignore the rules when they are inconvenient to his campaign. America cannot afford another four years of A Bush Republican President who thinks the law applies to everyone but him. Illegal corporate contributions are not what the American people thought Senator McCain had in mind when he promised to bring a new standard of accountability to government.

McCain's use of his wife's corporate jet on the campaign trail has been questioned before.

Comments

[lochnessmonster]

the answer is yes -- and no, depending on which portion of the code is applied.

Isn't that convenient!!! The foxes (who wrote these laws) are guarding the hen house.

[RememberTheAlamo]

Hi All!

The drilling issue seems to have knocked the Obama campaign off-stride . . . so . . . to get back on-stride you complain about McCain flying a jet?

Am just a low educated, faithful, rural, value-driven voter . . . and I don't get it?

Instead of the jet . . . it would have been more entertaining and newsworthy to roll out the come-back tour of "Obama and the Wackadoodles" . . . surely that would have distracted us folks from Obama's drilling fiasco.

But then, intellectuals have never been an interesting crowd to hang with and I avoid the big urban cities . . . so maybe there are folks who think flying a jet is a "big issue" . . . go figure.

Simply,

Texas Proud

[liberaldemdave]

...and the talking heads have the cojones to call our candidate an "elitist"...last i heard, there was only one candidate with a corporate jet in the family.

[Joeblue]

Quite the physical contrast between the Obamas and the mcbushes eh, Obamas young and vibrant, mcbusheses ready for the grave.

[savertime]

I certainly hope it is just a poor picture; they look like wax museum figures.

[VOTER]

Watch and listen for the MSM to investigate McSame on this and so many more issues.......

just don't hold your breath!

[KarateKid]

What a weasel, a typical Republican, the do as I say, don't do as I do party.

[incontempt]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#25252591

Fix this before summer recess!

[strifeknot]

Does anyone know where I can find a photo of Cindy McFlipflop without all the botox in her face?

[Dave01]

Sorry. I'm sure you would have to go back 20-30 years.

[VOTER]

I love this profile of the Old Man and the Botox Witch. : - )

[tinarm]

Why is no one on the MSM reporting this about McCain, oh yeah I forgot they love the old jerk

[Hawkeye17]

Love that picture. Looks like the something from "The Bride of Frankenstein"

[nonofyabusiness]

Yeah but Scarrier!!!!!

[PioneerKing]

corruption is the way Bush/Cheney and the republicans abuse our troops through sweetheart deals to Haliburton/KBR that put our soldiers at risk.

[edwarvir]

coloradofeminist Two wrongs don't make it right. He is not suppose to break
the law It is wrong no matter who does it
.

Mcbush.

[LeftLeanWing]

.

H a s . a n y o n e . e l s e . n o t i c e d . t h a t . y o u . c a n . n e v e r . f i n d . a . p h o t o .
w h e r e . t h e . M c C a i n s . a r e . a c t u a l l y l o o k i n g . a t . e a c h . o t h e r ?


E v e r ?

[huffyISaHottie]

i've said that very thing to my wife a few times...also, have you ever noticed how awkward they appear to be with each other when on occassion they hug on stag.

[huffyISaHottie]

opps..."stage"

[lunaoscura]

He has a frigging COMB OVER in that photo! Jeeeezzz a president with a comb over!?! But of course Cindy better not tell him it's obvious and that everyone knows it's a comb over because he might get pissy. Only deluded men think a comb over hides anything!

[desertdweller]

Maybe he c*nt afford to pay...