DNC files complaint about McCain contravening McCain-Feingold

[anitram]

From CBS News:

The Democratic National Committee will file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission challenging Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) attempt to withdraw from the presidential matching-fund system.

McCain wants to exit from the matching-fund system in order to get out from under the primary spending limit of $54 million, even though in January he used the promise of federal matching funds to get a $1 million bank loan when his campaign ran into financial difficulties prior to the Super Tuesday primary contests. McCain's victory in South Carolina that day thrust him into the role of GOP frontunner and millions of dollars of donations have flowed in since then, alleviating the financial crisis that the Arizona Republican faced last year when his campaign bottomed out.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean said McCain benefited from his application for matching funds beyond the bank loan, pointing out that participating in the system helped McCain get automatically on the presidential ballot in key states.

FEC Commissioner David Mason has publicly stated that McCain cannot unilaterally withdraw from the system without commission approval, which is impossible for the Arizona Republican to do at this moment because a partisan dispute between the White House and Senate Democrats has left the FEC without a working quorum of commissioners in place.

If McCain cannot get out from under the spending limit, he could be severely hamstrung in responding to Democratic attacks in the period leading up to the GOP convention. McCain's campaign has already raised $49 million, and Dean and other Democrats are convinced that he may have already broken thought the $54 million limit. If the FEC refuses to let McCain exit the voluntary matching-funds system, he could be held personally liable for violating the cap, which would a criminal charge.

 

[Diemen]

Is that a... flip-flop?

 

[Dreadsox]

I am thinking it is. I actually was hoping this was not true. Appparently back when he was not raising money it looked like a good deal.

His own bill may be his undoing.

 

[deep]

I am thinking it is. I actually was hoping this was not true. Appparently back when he was not raising money it looked like a good deal.

Is any other major candidate back peddling on this?

 

[anitram]

Did anyone aside from Edwards take the matching funds for the primary?

 

[Dreadsox]

Originally I beliebve Obama had agreed to it, but his campaign was never in a position fiscally to have to worry about it so they did not apply for it.

In McCain's situation, he had originally applied for it I believe a year ago, when he was carrying his own bags through the airport. It looked like a good deal.


I am typing this without having had the time to go back and thoroughly research it. It is off the top of my fried head, having been in budget meetings all day. I am tied up for the next three nights in budget meetings, so I doubt I can do this any justice.

I think he regrets applying for the funds because it ties his hands fiscally for the general election, while Obama is now no longer interested in keeping his word on the issue. Obama has not violated any rules because he did not apply for the funds.

I hope I am not confusing two issues.