FEC Dismisses Complaint Against Wal-Mart

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission has dismissed a complaint accusing Wal-Mart of making an illegal corporate donation to then-Senate candidate Elizabeth Dole by providing shoppers with a company publication featuring the Republican.

Three Republican commissioners who backed the dismissal argued that the publication qualified for a press exemption that lets news organizations run articles about candidates without violating a ban on corporate contributions to federal campaigns.

snip>

Democrats describing themselves as North Carolina voters and Wal-Mart customers filed the complaint during last fall's Senate race, saying they wanted Dole to repay Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for the cost of mailing 7 million copies of a customer newsletter with her photo on the cover and a story about her inside. They estimated the cost at $2 million to $2.5 million.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-dole-wal-mart,0,3520913.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Rashind]

1. Yay!

Incoming message from Coca-Cola: The official drink of George W. Bush, and all true patriots.

[hatrack]

2. Of course it was dismissed!

Of course! Nothing to see here, move along . . .

[impeach the gop]

3. Well, it just fucking figures

n/t

[yankeeinlouisiana]

4. So, when did Wal-Mart

become a news organization? Just one more reason not to shop there!