DNC Charging McCain with violating McCain-Feingold

[ChamberedRound]

Gotta love this one, from Sebastian's site Snowflakes in Hell:

http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008...just-desserts/

The Democratic National Committee is charging McCain with violating McCain-Feingold.

McCain spokesman Brian Rogers responded that “Howard Dean’s hypocrisy is breathtaking given that in 2003 he withdrew from the matching funds system in exactly the same way that John McCain is doing today.”

Dean and the DNC sought to emphasize that when Dean was running for president, he never hinged his loan on a promise of public financing.

You made this bed Johnny boy, and now you can sleep in it.

Hat tip to Of Arms and the Law

Corresponding article from TheHill.com:
http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/dnc...008-02-24.html

DNC to file FEC complaint against McCain
By Sam Youngman
Posted: 02/24/08 03:26 PM [ET]

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) will file a complaint against Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Monday, charging that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee is breaking the law by trying to get out of a public financing agreement.

In a Sunday afternoon conference call with reporters, DNC chairman Howard Dean said McCain's attempt to withdraw from a loan agreement that hinged on an acceptance of public financing speaks directly to McCain's "integrity."

"This is a classic example of someone who talks one way and does another when it benefits him," Dean said.

On the call, Dean repeatedly criticized McCain for allegedly violating a law he helped reform with the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 -- generally referred to as McCain-Feingold.

"They might as well just call it the Feingold law," Dean said.

The DNC has made clear in recent days it plans to paint the prohibitive Republican nominee as a hypocrite, someone who decries Washington politics while enjoying the support and aid of lobbyists.

McCain spokesman Brian Rogers responded that “Howard Dean’s hypocrisy is breathtaking given that in 2003 he withdrew from the matching funds system in exactly the same way that John McCain is doing today.”

Dean and the DNC sought to emphasize that when Dean was running for president, he never hinged his loan on a promise of public financing.

One McCain aide recently told The Hill that the Democratic Party is afraid of McCain because he is its "worst nightmare."

Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant said “Dean’s misguided attacks in no way excuse Obama’s vacillations on his pledge to the American people.”

[billamj]

The funniest part to me is that Dean did the exact same thing in 2004 but according to him then it was legal and now it isn't. What a freaking putz. Like we can't tell that it is a politically motivated attack?

[ChamberedRound]

What isn't politically motived, especially in an election year? I just love the idea that the guy is being charged with a violation of the law named after him. I mean, what ever happened to leading by example? By pushing such a law, it implicitly required him to be above reproach on this issue, and he's failing miserably.

[billamj]

Actually, he hasn't violated that law in the least. He is simply opting to not accept government matching funds. I have more respect for him for that than I do for his work on McCain/Feingold. The others want some of our tax money so that they can try to run our lives.

[ChamberedRound]

Originally Posted by billamj

Actually, he hasn't violated that law in the least. He is simply opting to not accept government matching funds. I have more respect for him for that than I do for his work on McCain/Feingold. The others want some of our tax money so that they can try to run our lives.

Maybe my understanding of this issue is incorrect, but I thought a campaigner (as per his law) couldn't hinge financing on the promise of government funds, which he did, and now is trying to back off by telling the bank to remove that condition from the terms of the loan.

[Sebastian]

I think Dean might have a point here. Either way, it's definitely politically motivated, but John McCain is the one that made the club the Democrats are now beating him with.

[billamj]

Originally Posted by ChamberedRound

Maybe my understanding of this issue is incorrect, but I thought a campaigner (as per his law) couldn't hinge financing on the promise of government funds, which he did, and now is trying to back off by telling the bank to remove that condition from the terms of the loan.

We'll find out one way or the other but my understanding is that if you aren't taking governement funds(read that as public funds) then you are not subject to the rules as Dean is twisting them.

[ChamberedRound]

Originally Posted by billamj

We'll find out one way or the other but my understanding is that if you aren't taking governement funds(read that as public funds) then you are not subject to the rules as Dean is twisting them.

Fair enough, as I said my understanding of the situation could be incorrect.