Clark Speeches May Violate Election Law (The Weasel's Screwup du Jour)

The Washington Post ^ | October 8`, 2003 | Jim VandeHei

[Timesink]

Clark Speeches May Violate Election Law

By Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 8, 2003; Page A06

Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark may have violated federal election laws by discussing his presidential campaign during recent paid appearances, according to campaign finance experts.

Clark, a newcomer to presidential politics, touted his candidacy during paid appearances at DePauw University in Indiana and other campuses after he entered the presidential race on Sept. 17. Under the laws governing the financing of presidential campaigns, candidates cannot be paid by corporations, labor unions, individuals or even universities for campaign-related events. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) considers such paid political appearances akin to a financial contribution to a candidate.

Clark is getting paid as much as $30,000 for speeches, according to people familiar with his arrangement. He has two more scheduled for next week.

Clark, like any other candidate, would likely be permitted to deliver the paid speeches only if they did not "expressly" cover his campaign or his political opponents, the experts said.

But in his speeches, Clark has talked about his campaign positions and criticized President Bush's policies. At DePauw, during a question-and-answer session after the speech, Clark "absolutely" covered his political views on everything from education to the economy, said Ken Bode, a visiting professor of journalism who moderated the session.

[Timesink]

BWA-HA-HAAA!

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[HAL9000]

Little Rock TV news reports disarray at Union Station tonight.

[tioga]

Just another sign that this one is a loser and needs to be thrown back.....

[jern]

Mary, Help

[eddie willers]

Just another sign that this one is a loser and needs to be thrown back.....

Manager leaves....."buzz" is gone.

Jeeze....what a flash-in-the-pan.

[Ronin]

Not quite ready for prime time, is he?

Seems to me he is either getting very bad advice or too stupid to listen when someone tells him something he doesn't want to hear.

How did this idiot ever make General?

[Shermy]

We discussed this a while back...why the secrecy about the speeches...was his failure to register as a dem in concern about him being able to pocket speech money directly into his pocket rather than to his campaign???

His speech in Texas...who was that to?

[jmstein7]

Good thread!!! Keep it live!

[ThinkDifferent]

Funny, but it also shows how much campaign finance "reform" blatantly violates the 1st Amendment.

[Mo1]

Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark may have violated federal election laws by discussing his presidential campaign during recent paid appearances, according to campaign finance experts.

Good Going Clark .. ROFL!!

[tioga]

How did this idiot ever make General?

He rose to the level of his incompetence!

[prairiebreeze]

Perhaps this has something to do with Clark's campaign manager resigning earlier today....

Prairie

[ConservativeMan55]

LOL! Mary Help! Help!

[dighton]

"Mary, help!"

[Libertina]

As if anything will be done about it...

[MJY1288]

"Mile High" Clark is accustomed to ignoring authority

[smith288]

Ok, this guy is a class A dipstick. Clark should just prevent anymore embarrasment.

[Mo1]

Naaa .. I think he was pushed out because he wasn't part of the Clinton Crowd

Now we know why Clark wanted to keep that speech hush hush

[JulieRNR21]

Clark's proves his ineptness.....again........BUMP