Posted on 10/28/2003 6:17:07 PM PST by HAL9000
Wesley Clarks presidential campaign and Acxiom Corp. disagree on whether the campaign paid for the use of a corporate airplane in time to meet federal election-law requirements.Their differing accounts involve $11,133.50 that the campaign paid to fly an Acxiom jet Sept. 18 the day after Clark announced his run for president. The plane carried Clark, members of his staff, news reporters and two Acxiom employees to Florida and back.
The Federal Election Commission requires presidential campaigns to pay for the use of corporate aircraft before a flight, the fee to be based on the price of first-class seats or, if no commercial service is available, on the charter rate.
Acxiom, a data-services company for whom Clark served as a director, says it was unable to calculate costs until after Clarks trip and that it sent the campaign a bill Sept. 22. Clark paid by mail with a check received Oct. 14, Acxiom said.
Clark spokesman Kym Spell says Acxiom quoted Clarks campaign a price Sept. 17, the day before the flight, and that the campaigns check is dated Sept. 18. The campaign reported that payment date in the quarterly financial report it filed with the FEC last week.
But Spell said the campaign was in such disarray in the first few weeks that there was no way to verify when the check was actually sent.
"If all this was that they did not pay for the plane trip for a month, that is a violation of the law, but it happens, and the FEC has seen it before," said former FEC general counsel Larry Noble.
/sarcasim
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ping
BUMP for an up-date!
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OH MY, THIS story just won't go away, boys....sawway!! eh
/did he ever pay for this trip, yet. I doubt it! eh
bump to the top
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did Wesley reiburse Acxiom for his free jet flights??!
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