.... that's kind of illegal!
Danny Tarkanian: Sue Lowden breaking campaign law by accepting donated RVBy J. Patrick Coolican (contact)
Published Monday, May 17, 2010 | 3:15 p.m.
Sue Lowden, a leading Republican contender to challenge Sen. Harry Reid, is being accused by a chief competitor of breaking campaign finance law for accepting a luxury campaign bus as a campaign contribution.
A campaign contributor is “leasing” to Lowden the RV she is using as her campaign bus, according to her campaign. But Lowden’s name is on the title along with the name of the supporter, Carl Giudici, seemingly indicating they co-own the bus.
Campaign finance rules allow in-kind contributions of $2,400 — equal to the cash limit. The contribution of a luxury RV, which commonly costs more than $100,000, would be a violation of the law.Danny Tarkanian, who narrowly trails Lowden according to polling of the Republican U.S. Senate primary field, has called into question whether Lowden is breaking the law.
“Like a typical insider, Sue Lowden doesn’t think the rules apply to her,” said Brian Seitchik, a Tarkanian spokesman, who referred to the bus as a “free ride.”
The tan 2001 Monaco, complete with kitchen, shower and bed, was bought by Giudici, a former casino owner, in May 2009 from a Montana dealer, according to a public database of vehicle registrations.
A few months later, Lowden entered the race and became the front-runner, a status assured in part by the big bus that the campaign had wrapped in a colorful advertisement for her.
In a recent TV appearance, Lowden said a supporter had donated it to her.
For Lowden, the controversy comes at a bad time, just days before early voting and after a rough several weeks in which her lead in public polls has narrowed sharply. She only recently had tried to put behind her provocative remarks in which she defended the idea of bartering — trading goods and services — as a way for people to obtain health care.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/may/17/danny-tarkanian-sue-lowden-breaking-campaign-law-a/