SC: Sanford called on to turn over campaign money [to SC GOP establishment]

CNN - Political Ticker ^ | 2009-07-02

[rabscuttle385]

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) – Former South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson is calling on Gov. Mark Sanford to cut a check from his campaign war chest to help repair the "serious damage" he has done to Republican fundraising efforts in the state.

Sanford, a prodigious fundraiser, is sitting on nearly $1.69 million in his gubernatorial election account, and he still has roughly $128,000 in his congressional account, according to his most recent campaign finance reports. New financial reports are due later this month.

But now that Sanford's political career has collapsed, his money is in limbo.

Under South Carolina law, Sanford could technically hang on to that money by transferring it to a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization of his choice or to a state-level political action committee.

But Dawson said Sanford should contribute a chunk of the money directly to the state Republican party, which would also be legal. He said he "guarantees" Sanford's donors would support the idea.

"This is a catastrophic event that we will have to get over," Dawson told CNN. "Whenever you have a public official who falls so publicly from grace in a manner that is as indefensible as this, it takes the donors and puts a huge question mark up."

Republican donors around the country have been scared off by Sanford's indiscretions, Dawson argued.

[rabscuttle385]

But Dawson said Sanford should contribute a chunk of the money directly to the state Republican party, which would also be legal. He said he "guarantees" Sanford's donors would support the idea...Republican donors around the country have been scared off by Sanford's indiscretions, Dawson argued.

If Sanford must donate funds from his election accounts, he should refrain from padding the pockets of South Carolina's RINOs and instead pass the torch to DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund, the Republican Liberty Caucus, and other genuinely conservative political organizations.

[rabscuttle385]

I wonder if the real reason SC’s RINOs turned on Sanford so quickly was to get at his money.

[Wisconsinlady]

How about returning it to the donors and letting them decide who they want to give it to?

Also, the GOP doesn’t get it. I have stopped giving money to them and told them why. It does not have anything to do with some idiot who threw away his political career.

I have written Michael Steele and told him I am not donating one more thin dime to the Republican party until they get their RINOS under control, and they start voting conservatively.

Here’s the address if you want tell Mr. Steele where the Republican party is “missing it” in your opinion.

RNC
Michael Steele
310 First Street S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003

email also at www.gop.com

[fieldmarshaldj]

Return it to the donors, period.

[Devils Avocado]

WTF? Dawson is being completely incoherent — it’s the donors’ money. If they want it back, give it to them. This just seems like a clumsy money grab by the S.C. GOP. If the donors wanted their money going to the state party, that’s who they would have made the check out to in the first place. They may want to shift it there now, but it ought to be their choice (though I doubt Sanford will be giving it back anyway from the looks of things).

[Mark was here]

The money was given to him as a gift. How others can say what he does with his money is beyond me. If people want to control what is done with their contribution, they should have the receiver of the contribution sign a contract detailing the expected behavior.

[xjcsa]

I wonder if the real reason SC’s RINOs turned on Sanford so quickly was to get at his money.

I'm sure it had nothing to do with Sanford's serial cheating, or the revolting public displays he's been putting on since getting caught.

[Navy Patriot]

But Dawson said Sanford should contribute a chunk of the money directly to the state Republican party, which would also be legal. He said he "guarantees" Sanford's donors would support the idea.

My goodness, it seems the RNC is badly in need of money, and desperate as well.

I guess all those cuddly RINO's have caused most donors to blow up in their faces. Far be it for them to move back to truth full conservative values, no, sham lip service, and when that doesn't work, try to pirate conservative donations by manipulating Sanford.

This confirms that withholding donations to the RNC RINOs is beginning to get pain full for them.

Sanford deserves to go, but I hope he screws the RNC out of spite.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Was Sanford caught, or did he just decide to go national all by himself, and confess his sins?

[upchuck]

Methinks Mr. Dawson is full of BS. His claim that this is putting up a huge question mark among donors is completely worthless as he offers no backing documentation to this claim.

I agree with rab in reply #1. If Sanford is going to give away the money, give it to, “genuinely conservative political organizations.” Amen! Jim Demint’s PAC would be an excellent choice.

[Impy]

I think it’s because they don’t like him (he vetoes pork and they had to force him to take the stimulus money).

Most moral outrage from other politicians is 100% fake. Half of them or more cheat on their spouse.