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Judicial Watch Announces FEC Gives McCain Campaign a "Pass" on Foreign Campaign Fundraiser
FEC Notes Questionable Invoicing; Concludes No Legal Violation Occurred
| Source: Judicial Watch
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - November 25, 2008) - Judicial Watch, the public interest group
that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today
that the Federal Election Commission has decided to "close the file" on an
April 22, 2008 Judicial Watch complaint related to a fundraising luncheon
held at London's Spencer House to benefit Senator John McCain's
presidential campaign, despite noting questionable delays in billing for
the event.
In its "factual and legal analysis," the FEC noted that the McCain campaign
was invoiced for the event one week after Judicial Watch filed its
complaint, which "could raise a question as to the commercial
reasonableness of Spencer House's extension of credit to the campaign."
However, the FEC ultimately decided nonetheless that no violations of the
Federal Election Campaign Act had occurred.
The McCain fundraiser was held on March 20, 2008 at London's Spencer House,
billed as "London's most magnificent 18th century private palace." The
McCain campaign distributed an invitation indicating that the site for the
luncheon had been provided "by kind permission of Lord Rothschild, OM GBE
and the Hon. Nathaniel Rothschild," who are both foreign nationals. In
statements to the press, the McCain campaign referred to the luncheon as a
"fundraiser."
Judicial Watch filed its complaint with the FEC on April 22, 2008, noting
the McCain campaign, "may have accepted an in-kind contribution from
foreign nationals Lord Rothschild OM GBE and the Hon. Nathaniel Rothschild
of Great Britain in contravention of federal election laws." On April 29,
2008 -- one week after Judicial Watch's complaint and 40 days after the
event was held -- the Spencer House finally invoiced the McCain campaign
for the event. The invoice was paid three days later. The Spencer House
claimed the billing delays resulted from the fact that Spencer House
"needed to consult with 'advisors' to ascertain whether Value Added Tax
should be added to the charges since the committee is located in the United
States."
"This McCain foreign fundraising event was only cleaned up after we filed
and publicized our complaint. We're not convinced by the 'after the fact'
invoices and excuses about taxes, nor should the FEC," said Judicial Watch
President Tom Fitton. "The FEC had better start taking seriously the
threat posed by foreign nationals who seek to corrupt our election process.
The McCain campaign fundraiser is just the tip of the iceberg. What about
all of the foreign Internet contributions allegedly flooding into the Obama
campaign? Foreign influence in U.S. elections is a serious problem and it
deserves the FEC's (and law enforcement's) full attention."
According to 2 U.S.C. § 441e, it is illegal for any foreign national to
"make a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value" to a
Federal, State or Local election. (Judicial Watch filed a similar
complaint on April 14, 2008, concerning a fundraiser by Elton John for
Hillary Clinton's campaign.)
To read Judicial Watch's FEC complaint and the FEC's response go to
www.judicialwatch.org.