Obama likely to escape campaign audit

Politico.com ^ | 11/11/08 | KENNETH P. VOGEL

[Species8472]

The Federal Election Commission is unlikely to conduct a potentially embarrassing audit of how Barack Obama raised and spent his presidential campaign’s record-shattering windfall, despite allegations of questionable donations and accounting that had the McCain campaign crying foul.

Adding insult to injury for Republicans: The FEC is obligated to complete a rigorous audit of McCain’s campaign coffers, which will take months, if not years, and cost McCain millions of dollars to defend.

Obama is expected to escape that level of scrutiny mostly because he declined an $84 million public grant for his campaign that automatically triggers an audit and because the sheer volume of cash he raised and spent minimizes the significance of his errors. Another factor: The FEC, which would have to vote to launch an audit, is prone to deadlocking on issues that inordinately impact one party or the other – like approving a messy and high-profile probe of a sitting president.

[stockstrader]

McCain faced an overwhelming Obama fundraising machine: While McCain accepted public financing and was limited to spending $84 million during the general election, Obama declined public funds and raised a record-breaking $640 million. National and state Democratic parties also outstripped Republican spending, hiring five to 10 times more paid staff than Republicans in swing states.

If that doesn't highlight the incredible stupidity of McCain and the Republican Party nothing does.

And then to think that McCain tried to make a campaign issue out of that? That just showed his stupidity AGAIN.

LIKE ANYONE CARED!

[Tidbit]

Somebody come up with a pithy bumper sticker for this one. Let’s make it equally embarassing for him to not be audited.

[Timocrat]

Public financing is dead.

As it should be. It was a farce from the beginning.

[Cicero]

Not a surprise. Harry Reid has refused to bring up Bush’s nominees for the FEC for the past year. The FEC currently lacks a quorum.

As soon as Obama is enthroned, the Senate will doubtless appoint three or four left wing tools to the vacant positions, and the FEC will be his loyal servant.

Customarily, there are slots for both parties on the board of the FEC, but I’m sure Obama will throw that custom out, and I doubt whether the Republicans will have the guts to block it—assuming that by that time they haven’t stolen enough of the remaining senatorial elections to have a filibuster proof majority.

[My Favorite Headache]

LOL! “My friends...have I told you about McCain/Feingold and CFR? No? Well let’s have a discussion...or 10 townhall meetings...”

Idiot.

[My Favorite Headache]

He accepted it because he wasn’t sure he could get anyone to support him behind closed doors.

We were screwed either way with McCain and Obama knew it.

[uncommonsense]

Don’t forget - the Russian mafia hacked Obama’s web site. They’ve got the data on all the doners. Like I said before - he’s in for a long string of blackmail efforts - most likely compromising national security to ward off impeachment.

[top 2 toe red]

I’m really not sure obama CAN be embarrassed.

[houeto]

as I have constantly typed, THE FIX IS IN.

Yep, and I got me a new tagline.

[Edizzl79]

Hey, what Palin is wearing is very important..I cant think of anything thats more important than what Palin is wearing. (HEAVY sarcasm)

[tomnbeverly]

So its true the WORLD can BUY the White House....

[Logical me]

No investigation. The fear of the communists elect will trump any effort. America is in real trouble thanks to the brain dead nitwits that voted this insane ruler in.

[lonestar]

The FEC is useless!

[John W]

“The FEC is obligated to complete a rigorous audit of McCain’s campaign coffers....”

Good, I want to know where that last minute-last week-last two weeks-last month expenditure of -fill in the rumored amount- went.

[Ulysse]

NO QUESTION,if this happen DEMOCRACY IS DEAD IN USA....
All consequences must be drawn from that fact if it is upheld

[McGruff]

McCain, on the other hand, accepted the $84 million in taxpayer money, which not only barred him from raising or spending more – allowing Obama to fund many times more ads and ground operations – but also will keep his lawyers busy for a couple years explaining how every penny was spent.

OUTRAGEOUS! STUPID!

[cgk]

We don’t even know that they were strongly worded. This is an embarrassment as much as an outrage.

And totally expected.

[phothus]

one more pathetic incident.

As another article suggested:

- Bush needs to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the campaign donation irregularities by Obama.

- And another to investigate voter registration fraud - specifically Acorn.

And a third one would protect us all from Obama protecting his friends in Illinois - giving Fitzgerald a job as a special prosecutor into Illinois corruption.

we have better learn how to play hardball or we will keep losing.

[Michael Barnes]

If the tables were turned and McCain had been victorious with hundreds of millions in shady campaign money, the Democrats in congress, even if they were in the minority, would be screaming about “no one is above the law” and “culture of corruption.” And the media would be picking up every screaming voice and amplifying it from every orifice.

In my opinion, that is *almost* the deal..Except, without the tables being turned, watch how many republicans will be investigated after Jan. 20 and watch how loud the media trumpets the party line eviscerating Republicans. It will be cover as the new administration toils away at liberal/marxist causes.

[americanophile]

This just disgusted me beyond words. I give up.