Playing politics with the FEC has left campaign finance controversies surrounding presidential candidates unanswered. That has to end as Melanie Sloan stated very clearly today:

The FEC chairman’s letter warning Senator John McCain that he cannot leave the presidential public financing system should convince President Bush and the Senate that it is time to get off the dime and reach a compromise to get the FEC back up and running. Smack dab in the middle of the presidential election is not the time to play politics with the FEC, the enforcer of the nation’s campaign finance laws. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell must allow individual votes on each of the four FEC nominees so that the FEC can be reconstituted and rule on issues such as whether or not Senator McCain can withdraw from the presidential public financing system. By blocking the vote on the four nominations, Senator McConnell has left the FEC paralyzed. This impacts not only Senator McCain, but leaves other important campaign finance controversies unanswered as well such as the legality of the ads being run in Texas and Ohio by the recently formed pro-Clinton 527 organization.