June 09, 2008
Campaign Finance Group Targets McCain
Campaign Money Watch, a non-profit campaign finance watchdog group, filed a complaint with the FEC today against John McCain. The group is also launching a television ad (above) on cable and broadcast in Washington, D.C., that focuses on the work McCain did to secure a defense contract for Airbus, a French company, over Boeing.
David Donnelly, director of Campaign Money Watch, said on a conference call with reporters that the complaint focuses payments made to Susan Nelson, formerly a lobbyist with The Loeffler Group, and more recently McCain's finance director. Donnelly said Nelson was paid $15K a month last year, as supplement to her regular salary, for work done on behalf of Airbus. Tom Loeffler, who stepped down recently as McCain's national finance co-chairman, also worked on the Airbus account.
Campaign Money Watch also includes in its complaint concerns about McCain campaign manager Rick Davis' work negotiating payment reductions for work done for the GOPer's campaign by 3eDC, Davis' firm. Any discount, Donnelly said today, amounts to a corporate contribution, which is illegal.
"This is not a trivial amount of money, and there are serious principles at stake," Donnelly said.
Donnelly wouldn't provide specifics about the ad buy, but said the group is considering running the spot in other markets, notably MO and WA. He said McCain once a crusader for campaign finance reform has "retreated" from such advocacy.
The Republican National Committee said in an email to reporters that Campaign Money Watch is a partisan group that "has accepted contributions from radicals like George Soros and has a connection to the Obama campaign."
"Campaign Money Watch is a Democrat-front group doing the Obama campaign’s dirty work," said RNC spokesman Danny Diaz. "Instead of launching fictitious and scurrilous attacks against John McCain, Obama should explain why the guy leading his vice presidential selection team got a sweetheart loan deal that any average American would never see."
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Posted at 11:14 AM
Comments
If you are going to give away a quote like the sweetheart one above you should explain whether there is any validity to the accusation. Just letting them get that line in without any links or explanation gives them innuendo with no validity.
NaR | 06.09.08 12:21 PM
 |
Re: Diaz. Laughable. Just because it is predominantly the GOP who gets caught with finance shenanigans doesn't mean that CMW is a partisan org. Jeez. What pathetic whiners. How bout trying this for a change: DON'T USE SHADY CAMPAIGN FINANCING AND FINANCIERS!!! Duh.
And I love how the RNC and Diaz both have the same whiny talking point "it's Obama's fault" message without providing any evidence as to how CMW is connected to Barack.
While concurrently AVOIDING the substance of the complaint about McSame's CAMPAIGN MANAGER and FINANCE DIRECTOR! Both bigtime LOBBYISTS! Haha. Laughable. They don't even TRY to hide the impropriety.
The "say anything, do anything" GOP at it again.
This is precisely WHY we need change.
Thanks for the post Jen.
Ethan | 06.09.08 01:12 PM
|
Too funny, the author of the repressive bill gets hoisted on it. Thank you God.
Jeffrey | 06.10.08 04:44 AM
|
Hmm, my first reaction was that CMW, which has usually done shill work and is well-recognized in D.C. as overtly partisan (it was started as an anti-DeLay push), has a sponsor interested in the tanker deal. Don't think the script has any more impact than that.
But Jeffrey has the right point. One of the most entertaining aspects of this season is the twists and turns forced by McCain-Feingold on both candidates. Remember Obama's: "the American people have created a new campaign financing scheme"? He's right: the candidates are stuck with McCain's signature legislative effort, and it IS effective. Just not in the way they thought it would be.
Pining for Chuck Todd | 06.10.08 10:07 AM
|
Post a comment
The Watergate · 600 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-739-8400 · fax 202-833-8069
NationalJournal.com is an Atlantic Media publication.
