The Politico
ROBIN BRAVENDER
Comment by Jim Campbell, Citizen Journalist
With the current administration “ruling Washington,” can there be much doubt if Dianne Feinstein had been the Republican incumbent senator the commission would be leaning right? That of course would depend upon the readers belief that Attorney General, Eric Holder doesn’t selectively prosecute cases based on race. A strong belief in Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny would also be a bonus.
Seriously, why should CA voters trust the 78-year-old Feinstein to another term managing their tax dollars when she can’t manage her own? It is well past time for a change, that is why Elizabeth Emken will be battling the incumbent for her senatorial seat. Elizabeth brings a fresh new look with up to date credentials. She’s worked for IBM in the private sector while being involved in Autism Speaks the past 10 years. Please visit Elizabeth here.
Please remember the most important election is on June 5th. That is when Elizabeth will clean the playing field filled with 27 candidates in the California Primary. If you are not registered to vote, you may go directly here to do so. If you prefer to vote absentee by mail, please click here
Sen. Dianne Feinstein may soon be able to ask top donors for more cash to make up for the millions allegedly embezzled from her campaign.
The Federal Election Commission issued a draft opinion on Tuesday that would allow the California Democrat to solicit replacement funds from donors who had already contributed the maximum amount allowed under campaign finance law.
The campaign committee could only go back to donors whose cash wasn’t deposited into the committee’s accounts or otherwise used by the committee, the draft opinion says.
Feinstein and her attorneys in February asked the FEC to allow the campaign to ask maxed out donors for replacement contributions after former treasurer Kindee Durkee allegedly embezzled $4.5 million from the Senate campaign. Feinstein’s lawyers have argued that some of the embezzled contributions may never have been deposited into the campaign’s accounts.
The FEC is set to take up the issue at its next open meeting on Thursday, but it appears as though the commission is divided on the matter. The panel issued a separate draft opinion last month stating that Feinstein wouldn’t be allowed to replenish funds that were deposited into any bank account, not just those used by the committee.
Several commissioners meanwhile, have expressed concerns about the broader implications of making exceptions for campaigns to solicit contributions from maxed out donors.
The danger of corruption “not disappear because some of the committee’s funds were embezzled,” the April draft opinion said. “To the contrary, if a campaign committee were to accept second contributions to ‘replace’ those that were made, deposited, and then misappropriated, the candidate’s indebtedness to those contributors would increase.”
Approval of either draft would require at least four votes of the panel with three Democratic and three Republican commissioners that often splits along party lines.
Durkee, a longtime Democratic treasurer with ties to hundreds of state, local and federal campaigns, admitted in a federal court last month to stealing more than $7 million from roughly 50 clients during an 11-year period from January 2000 to September 2011. She was charged with five counts of mail fraud, and is scheduled to be sentenced in June. She is also being sued by Feinstein and other California Democrats.
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Elizabeth Emken US Senate CA 2012 