CREW files FEC complaint against Palin and the RNC for violating federal election law by spending $150,000 on clothing
Today, CREW filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, the Republican National Committee (RNC) and several other political operatives associated with the RNC, for improperly spending $150,000 on clothing for Palin and her family, in violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA). The complaint and exhibits can be found here.
According to news reports, the clothing and accessories purchases for Palin and her family included a whopping $49,425 spent at Saks Fifth Avenue, and a $75,062 spending spree at Neiman Marcus.
These shopping excursions violate campaign finance law.
FECA specifically prohibits a candidate for federal office from converting campaign funds to personal use.
FEC regulations make clear that the prohibition applies to clothing purchases, such as those made for the Palin family.The RNC implicitly admitted that the clothing was purchased with campaign funds by stating that it will be donated to charity after the campaign. The RNC also relies on this prospective contribution to explain why the personal use prohibition is not applicable as FEC regulations provide that donations by candidates to charitable organizations are not for personal use. It does not appear, however, that this exception would apply to the clothing worn by Palin’s family, even it does apply to her own.
Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW, said:
It is ridiculous that RNC would spend $150,000 to outfit a vice presidential nominee and her family at any time, but it is more outrageous given the dire financial straights of so many Americans and the state of our economy. As if that isn’t bad enough, the expenditures violate campaign finance law. The FEC should investigate immediately.
If the RNC had an extra $150,000 to throw around, there were better alternatives than pricey designer clothes. For example, $150,000 could fund three Alaska teachers’ yearly salaries; library books for the Juneau, Alaska School district for nearly two years; health care premiums for 31 working Americans or 12 families; flu vaccinations for just over 6000 people, or pay the heating bills for 131 low-income households this winter.
With personal assets worth $1.2 million
With her personal assets worth $1.2 million, why did anyone other than Sarah Palin have to foot the bill for her personal clothing? Even if her wardrobe needed to be spruced up, she has and had the necessary financial resources.
Obama spending 650 mil
Melanie, 650 mil, that Obama is spending, planning his victory party, est. at, 2 mil. 2 mil + on 30 min. of TV time, next week, trying to look all-presidential is outrages and sickens me. Have you checked on how much he spends on suits, shoes, etc? Have you looked into Michelle Obamas exp. on her clothes? Have you looked for any thing, dug deep, like you have Sara Palin??? No, You cannot possibly expect us to believe you are not pushing Obamas agenda, with remarks about 150, 000.00 on clothes.
Have you checked to see if he is getting money from other countries, like has been reported?
If the GOP, have over 6 mil to throw around, there were better alternatives than, building a big stage, with high price fancy food, elaborate settings, Champaign and caviar and a band, just to plan his victory party on election night, expensive clothes for his wife and children. 2 mil on 30 min of TV time. For example, 6 mil would pay way more than three American teachers' yearly salaries, many books for libraries in Americas schools for more than two years, health care premiums for a lot more than 131 working Americans or more than 12 families. Flu vaccinations for over 600 people, or pay the heating bills for way more than 131 low-income households this winter and a few more years after that. He has and is spending more than any other presidential candidate, in our history. That’s not worth looking into. Something is very wrong in our society today.
Expenditure is "legal"; funds were not in account of a candate
As briefly explained at Legal and Illegal Ramblingsa the following address, the expenditure is technically legal
href="http://legalramblings.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/rncs-payment-of-palins-shopping-spree-violates-spirit-but-not-letter-of-law/
Would it still be a violation...
...if the RNC designed some clothing by stapling McCain/Palin yard signs together and let her wear those? I'm almost kind of anxious to see that put in practice. Oh, by the way CREW, it was pointed out that Hillary's pantsuits valued at $6000 were a violation of campaign contribution laws too. Have we reported on this yet? (Source: Rush Limbaugh Show, 10/23/2008 I believe.)
Palin clothes
All of the millions being wasted on this campaign, and you're concerned with 150k. What about the 2 million dollar party being planned by obama, or the millions being spent by him that could aid the poor or elderly. You have misplaced your priorities.
Obama Campaign Illegally Pays $800,000 to ACORN!
I'm sure you guys will be all over this since it is much more serious that someone's wardrobe.
When you have a candidate who is contributing to a corrupt organization that files fraudulent voter registrations on that candidate's behalf I think you have a much bigger story.
I'll be watching to see your follow up on that one, maybe a lawsuit? Oh, what's that? The law only applies to those other than liberals? Democrats can do anything they want to get elected? Shhh, maybe it will just go away, Like Ted Kennedy's responsibility for a young girls death.
Link Please
Brian
Could you give a reliable link to this information. Everything I've found is the same regurgitated misinformation. I read foreign news mostly, though, so they might have missed it. So a link would be very nice.
Gwenny, Brian will have a
Gwenny,
Brian will have a hard time providing a decent source for these claims because they are untrue.
Really, Hard to prove? Nope Not Really!
A Hard time? Try Google "Obama and ACORN"
Here's the first 3:
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NDZiMjkwMDczZWI5ODdjOWYxZTIzZGIyNzEyMjE0ODI=
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122394051071230749.html?mod=most_viewed_day
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/rnc-obama--acorn-fact/story.aspx?guid=%7B29569FA1-136D-4B95-9D51-4EF9E87ED547%7D&dist=hppr
"U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign paid more than $800,000 to an offshoot of the liberal Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now for services the Democrat's campaign says it mistakenly misrepresented in federal reports. An Obama spokesman said Federal Election Commission reports would be amended to show Citizens Services Inc. -- a subsidiary of ACORN -- worked in 'get-out-the-vote' projects, instead of activities such as polling, advance work and staging major events as stated in FEC finance reports filed during the primary." (David M. Brown, "Obama To Amend Report On $800,000 In Spending," Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 8/22/08)"
campaign money.
Melanie, you are unreal. Sarah Palin's $150.oo (which she neither asked for, or shopped for, or even used most of it) could fund school teachers is right. How many people could be fed in Africa with what Barack Ombama lavishly spent on his campaign & celebration party?. Oops, did I step on your Liberal Democratic toes? Sorry.
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Ethics
Where are you people now that Obama is buying his wife a 20,000 ring, a guy who was complaining that he couldn't pay his college loans back or had to get deals on his property from convicted felons? Quite as usual typical liberals