Evidence point to filer of campaign financing complaint

[radfringe]

Evidence point to filer of campaign financing complaint
Publishing date: 11-11-2003 5:11 PM
http://www.kaaltv.com/article/view/36281/

(KAAL) -- Republican Party Chairman Ron Eibensteiner and executives from American Bankers have been indicted on ten counts for allegedly funneling illegal corporate campaign contributions from the National Republican Party to Governor Tim Pawlenty.

Mower County took up the case after an unidentified Austin citizen filed a complaint. Six News Reporter Kyle Bosch, who has been closely following the case, has new information tonight as to who that Austin citizen might be.

The indictment in the case, which was unsealed yesterday, doesn't specifically name who filed the original complaint. However it does point to one person, Austin attorney Lee Bjorndal.

Bjorndal is one of five people who testified before the grand jury in the case and the only who lives in Mower County.

That's key, because the reason the case is on trial there is because the complaint originated there.

Bjorndal also has several ties to the DFL party including working as campaign treasurer for former state representative Rob Leighton.

Leighton tells Six News he and Bjorndal spoke about alleged campaign finance violations, but was unaware whether Bjorndal actually filed the complaint.

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While channel surfing I caught a bit of George Will on Campaign Financing last night . He's "outraged" by what he coined as the "SOROS EFFECT" - wealthy billionairs financing campaigns through private groups

He "wailed" about how "special interests" will be running the elections....then proceeded to take a few more pot shots at Soros and Dems

What was missing was the wailing about Congressman Rep (R-Vista) Darrell Issa financing the California recall, or how energy, prescription drug and other legislation were written by "special interests" or how Haliburton, Bechtel (etc.) are getting sweetheart no-bid contracts or how much "special interest" money is being dumped into Baghdad-Bush's coffers or just the fact that Baghdad-Bush opted out of public funding during 2000 campaign and is doing the same now...

be that as it may - look for more "wailing" about "special interest" money and Dem candidates to grow louder. Don't be surprised to see more than one commentary/editorial on this

[radfringe]

1. opensecrets.org

good site to see where the money is coming from: http://www.opensecrets.org/

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.asp?Ind=E01
2004 election cycle
oil & gas - to Dems: $824,596 to Repugs: $4,009,680