BREAKING: Audit uncovers 2004 federal election law violations by Sen. Mel Martinez (also RNC head)

[seafan]

From today's Orlando Sentinel:


Mark K. Matthews | Washington Bureau
April 19, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida repeatedly violated federal election law during his 2004 campaign, including accepting donations that exceeded legal limits, a new audit shows.
The Republican's campaign also failed to report enough information about its donors nearly half of the time, according to a survey that was part of a broad Federal Election Commission probe released Wednesday.

The Martinez campaign attributed the violations to poor bookkeeping, but a spokesman for Florida Democrats called the mistakes an example of bad leadership.
Researched for more than a year, the FEC audit details four violations committed by Martinez during a campaign that raised about $12 million to narrowly defeat Democrat Betty Castor.

.....

The FEC found that the "Martinez for Senate" committee accepted more than $300,000 in donations that exceeded legal limits. Most of these 186 violations were the result of improper filing.

.....

The audit also said Martinez did not properly disclose proceeds from fundraising efforts with other politicians and did not keep complete records on the identity of many contributors. Campaigns are required to disclose a contributor's occupation or employers. Martinez did not report these facts about 46 percent of the time, according to a FEC test sample.

His campaign released a statement that said Martinez had learned from the mistakes and would adjust for the future.

Florida Democratic Party spokesman Mark Bubriski said it's another sign that Martinez could not manage his staff -- citing one incident in which a Martinez staff member wrote a memo detailing how the Terri Schiavo controversy could be used for political gain.
"This guy doesn't know what's happening underneath him, and that's especially concerning because he has two jobs now, as a senator and head of the (Republican National Committee)," Bubriski said.

And from the Tampa Tribune:

April 19, 2007

This year, at the behest of President Bush, the first-term senator also became chairman of the national Republican Party.

The Tampa Tribune revealed the problems with Martinez's campaign finances in a November 2005 story.

According to notices sent by the Federal Election Commission, the Tribune reported then, it was impossible a year after the election for the campaign to accurately report how much money it had raised, spent and owed. At that time, an attorney representing Martinez acknowledged that the reports to the commission were "not done with the precision that was required." Martinez also hired a Tampa accounting firm with expertise in campaign finance laws to redo financial reports to the commission.

Such audits can lead to a fine or other penalty by the commission.

Why does the specter of money laundering influencing elections come to mind?

[The Count]

1. I'm sure a loyal bushie didn't think it worth investigating

I do remember when Schumer was needlessly harrassed though about some donations - and that proved bogus. It's how it all ties up with Gonzo/Rove/Bush?

[donsu]

2. Martinez is a neo con criminal

nt

[caligirl]

3. don'tthink he'll loose his seat over this. Too bad too.

[ooglymoogly]

7. Minor point

Loose; loose woman, loose shoe lace, loose tie. Lose; lose an election, lose the war. Google tool bar W/spell checker priceless....though it would not have caught this since both are words....mistakes we all have made in our posts.

[caligirl]

8. Hmmm, good point. LOL.

[calimary]

12. Even if he did, doesn't Florida have another republi-CON governor

who could just appoint a partisan pal to take his place?

[caligirl]

14. most certainly, and still too bad. But it is still another dishonest repug. to add to the pile.

[calimary]

16. Anything that adds to the stench is fine with me!

:toast:

[fooj]

4. I'm sick of these f*cking Repubs.

Anyone who supports these rat bastards at this point has lost ALL respect from me.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Mel, Mel, Mel. What the hell?

[Bandit]

6. Just turn it over to Gonzales and I am sure Justice will be done..

Are there any Republicans at all that are not criminals?

[WiseButAngrySara]

13. I think Gonzo is Gone Zales. But I don't relish the thought of

who might replace him.

[magellan]

9. Those loveable Repugs, always making (and learning from) mistakes

Funny, though, they never seem to enter the learning phase until they're CAUGHT.

[seasat]

10. He ran a particularly disgusting campaign with all that money

He tied Betty Castor to Sami Al Arian and tried to make it like she favored him. Al Arian had meetings with Rove at the White House but the media ignored that.

It's interesting that this is coming out now as the next election cycle is gearing up. I wonder if the Repugs are trying to remove *'s guy as RNC chair and put someone in more favorable to one of their candidate's positions. I'm suspicious that they're going to make illegal immigration their scare tactic for the next election and have to get rid of a pro-amnesty RNC chair like Martinez.

[seafan]

15. Yes, the media conveniently overlooked the Bush-al-Arian photo from 2000.

(Courtesy of Al-Arian family via AP)
Former University of South Florida professor Sami al-Arian, center, and the rest of his family meet President Bush and first lady Laura Bush during the 2000 presidential campaign in Plant City. Local Muslims think al-Arian is innocent of charges he has ties to terrorists.


Martinez very cynically used this man against Betty Castor's campaign for Senate.

Mel is a bad joke.

[WiseButAngrySara]

11. ANOTHER? This is too much. They are going to implode

upon themselves because of greed and corruption. What Black Holes.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

17. kick