[Davis Democrats] Howard Dean, DNC: John McCain is breaking the law

[John Chendo]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Joe Sandler <democraticparty at democrats.org>
Reply-To: <democraticparty at democrats.org>
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:13:30 -0500
To: John Chendo <jac07 at dcn.davis.ca.us>
Subject: RE: John McCain is breaking the law

> 
> John --  I'm Joe Sandler, General Counsel for the DNC.  Yesterday we filed a
> complaint with the FEC after John McCain decided to break the law by ignoring
> the rules laid out as part of the federal matching funds program.  I don't
> know if you saw the news, but the press covered the complaint all day.  John
> McCain himself directly responded to Governor Dean at a press conference,
> saying "We're doing exactly what Howard Dean did in a previous election and
> what the FEC ruled in the case of Congressman Gephardt."  But that's a lie --
> John McCain isn't doing what Governor Dean and Congressman Gephardt did at
> all.  Governor Dean and Congressman Gephardt followed the law and were granted
> written permission by the FEC to withdraw from the federal matching funds
> program.  To prove it, we have a copy of the letter Governor Dean received
> from the FEC in 2003 granting him permission to drop out.  If McCain is doing
> "exactly what Howard Dean did," he'll have no trouble producing a letter of
> his own.  But you and I know McCain's lying -- he doesn't have a letter like
> that from the FEC.  Not only has he refused to get permission, he's been
> warned by FEC Chairman David Mason that he can't unilaterally drop out of the
> program.  That's why we filed the complaint in the first place, and it's why
> tens of thousands of Americans like you signed your support.Read Governor
> Dean's letter from the FEC, and sign your support for our complaint right
> here:http://www.democrats.org/McCainBusted
> <http://www.democrats.org/page/m/6f004e6a0145b693/QQrgYO/>  John McCain abused
> the system to keep his campaign afloat until he could raise more money from
> special interests and lobbyists.  Taxpayers don't want their money to be used
> by Washington politicians to help raise more money from lobbyists -- is this
> McCain's idea of ethics and reform?  Thanks to you, this "maverick reformer"
> is feeling the pressure of his own hypocrisy.  From staffing his campaign with
> a team of lobbyists to breaking campaign finance laws, his total lack of
> integrity has never been more clear.  Keep it up,  Joe Sandler
>  General Counsel
>  Democratic National Committee  -------- Original Message --------
>   
> Subject:John McCain is breaking the law
> Date:Mon, 25 Feb 2008 03:50:11 PM
> From:Howard Dean 
> To:Joe Sandler   
> 
>     
>         
>           Dear Joe,
> <http://www.democrats.org/page/m/6f004e6a0145b693/QQrgYO/> There was a lot of
> talk last week about John McCain's blatant hypocrisy on ethics and integrity
> in Washington.   Here we go again.   McCain is now breaking the law by
> ignoring the campaign spending restrictions for the Republican primary that
> came when he asked for federal matching funds -- funds he used as collateral
> on a loan that helped keep his campaign going.   But now that the lobbyist and
> special interest money has started pouring into his campaign, he's trying to
> back out of the promise he made just a few months ago.  They're feeding so
> much cash into his bank account, this "reformer" wants nothing to do with
> federal campaign finance laws anymore.   That's why today, we're filing a
> formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission demanding that John
> McCain be held to the campaign finance laws.   Trying to back out shows a
> total lack of integrity and honesty -- he made a deal with the American people
> to to abide by the law, and in return, he was guaranteed taxpayer money that
> he used to back a loan.  Joe, I'd like you to add your name in support of our
> complaint, and ask as many people as you can to sign on.  American taxpayers
> made a deal with John McCain -- now that he's flush with lobbyist cash, he
> wants to pretend that it never happened.  Sign on right now:
> http://www.democrats.org/McCainBusted
> <http://www.democrats.org/page/m/6f004e6a0145b693/QQrgYO/>   Here's the
> background on the situation.   A few months ago, John McCain applied for and
> was approved to receive federal matching funds.  Because he couldn't find
> enough people to fund his campaign, he was also forced to apply for a $4
> million line of credit, which he secured by using the federal matching funds
> as collateral.   By taking the federal funding, he agreed to spend no more
> than $57 million until the Republican convention.  But so far, his campaign
> has spent at least $49 million -- leaving him with less than $10 million to
> campaign with through September.   Now that he's won the nomination and has
> the support of the Republican lobbyist and special interest machine, he's
> trying to ignore that the whole thing ever happened.  He recently wrote a
> letter to the FEC telling them that he was backing out, even though the FEC is
> very clear that any request to withdraw from the agreement must be approved;
> you can't just change your mind and take it back -- legally, you have to be
> given permission.   McCain isn't asking because he knows he'll never be
> granted permission, and he doesn't want to have to accept the funding
> restrictions he agreed to when he used the money as collateral for a loan.
> He's ripping a page right from George Bush's playbook: ignoring the laws when
> they aren't convenient and hoping no one will notice.   Stand up and show him
> that hundreds of thousands of people have noticed -- he can't change the rules
> in the middle of the game because he doesn't like how things are going for
> him:  http://www.democrats.org/McCainBusted
> <http://www.democrats.org/page/m/6f004e6a0145b693/QQrgYO/>   Using government
> programs when it's politically convenient and breaking the rules when it's not
> ... remind you of anyone?   Just like George Bush, John McCain thinks he's
> above the law.  McCain poses as a reformer, but seems to think reforms apply
> to everyone but him.   Time to send him a message.   Howard Dean
> 
>  <http://www.democrats.org/page/m/6f004e6a0145b693/qz0SsT/>
> 
>          
>             
>             
>      
>     
>     
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>           
> Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee,
> www.democrats.org <http://www.democrats.org/page/m/6f004e6a0145b693/yLLFGi/> .
> This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's
> committee. 
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> Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not deductible
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