|
|
|||
|
|||
|
|
Obama Supporters Exploit Donation Limit Loophole
California supporters of presidential hopeful Barack Obama have set up a so-called 527 group - an unregulated committee - as a centerpiece of political fundraising for the California Democratic primary in February, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle. These groups aren't subject to the Federal Election Commission's legal limit on contributions of $2,300 per donor per election -- and are proving a boon to the candidate. According the Chronicle report, donors have written checks in the amounts of $90,000 and $50,000 to "Vote Hope 2008," the Obama supporters' 527 group, federal records show. The same Obama supporters have also set up a political action committee, also called "Vote Hope 2008,” and used it to raise money for Obama's California campaign, records indicate.
Story Continues Below The Vote Hope Web site says their goal is to "deliver California for Barack Obama" by mobilizing 500,000 Democrats to cast absentee ballots in the primary. According to the site, the political action committee and the 527 group hope to raise and spend $3 million on a grassroots campaign to increase voter turnout. Political activists and wealthy donors -- liberal and conservative alike -- look to 527s to sidestep a law enacted by Congress in 2002 to try to soften the influence of big money on national politics. The law capped contributions to political action committees. Since then, millions in political money have begun flowing to 527 groups, according to the Chronicle report. "The 527s obviously are a challenge to the system, but the Supreme Court has said they're permitted, and there's no way to impose (donation) limits on them," said Robert Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles. There are rules to consider, however. For instance, a candidate like Obama cannot personally have anything to do with either the Vote Hope PAC or the 527. For its part, the political action committee is allowed by law to electioneer for Obama, but the 527 group cannot expressly advocate Obama's election. It may, however, pay for voter outreach. The Chronicle reports that through July 31, the Vote Hope 527 group had raised $210,000 from seven big donations. San Francisco lawyer Steve Phillips, son-in-law of wealthy financier and Democratic political donor Herbert Sandler, gave $94,000. His wife, liberal activist Susan Sandler, whose father founded Oakland's World Savings, gave $5,000. Oakland developer Wayne Jordan and his wife, philanthropist Quinn Delaney, each gave $50,000. The four also gave $2,300 each to Obama's presidential campaign committee when he visited the East Bay in June for fundraising events, records show.
Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics: Inside Cover Stories
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Print Page 
Forward Page 
|
| All Rights Reserved © 2008 NewsMax.Com |