Clark Speeches May Violate Election Law

[pruner]

By Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 8, 2003; Page A06

Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark may have violated federal election laws by discussing his presidential campaign during recent paid appearances, according to campaign finance experts.

Clark, a newcomer to presidential politics, touted his candidacy during paid appearances at DePauw University in Indiana and other campuses after he entered the presidential race on Sept. 17. Under the laws governing the financing of presidential campaigns, candidates cannot be paid by corporations, labor unions, individuals or even universities for campaign-related events. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) considers such paid political appearances akin to a financial contribution to a candidate.

Clark is getting paid as much as $30,000 for speeches, according to people familiar with his arrangement. He has two more scheduled for next week.

Clark, like any other candidate, would likely be permitted to deliver the paid speeches only if they did not "expressly" cover his campaign or his political opponents, the experts said.

But in his speeches, Clark has talked about his campaign positions and criticized President Bush's policies. At DePauw, during a question-and-answer session after the speech, Clark "absolutely" covered his political views on everything from education to the economy, said Ken Bode, a visiting professor of journalism who moderated the session.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58717-2003Oct7.html

[dsc]

1. The simple solution is to stop taking money

and give back money he has already taken. That is an impressive honoraria BTW one wonders where universities find that kind of money in Bush's America.

[cprise]

2. We've got some fast-n-loose action going on here

Maybe his ex-campaign manager knew this was going to break.

[Julien Sorel]

4. And maybe his campaign manager was responsible

for not stopping it, and that's why he was forced out. Since he was forced out, it seems like a much more likely explanation.

[bicentennial_baby]

5. Good point

You have to wonder, with both stories coming out so close together

[pruner]

7. at least one person in Clark's campaign should've known better

The FEC dealt with a similar case in 1992, when Republican candidate David Duke requested permission to allow Vanderbilt University to pay him an honorarium and cover his travel expenses for a speech on affirmative action.

In an advisory opinion, which reflects the view of the FEC at the time, the commission said if Duke discussed his campaign or the "qualifications of another presidential candidate, either during the speech or during any question and answer period will change the character of the appearance to one that is for the purpose of influencing a federal election."

Brad Litchfield, who helped draft the 1992 FEC advisory opinion as head of that department, is now working for the Clark campaign.

[Pastiche423]

17. Given that it was Brad Litchfield

who is working for the clark campaign that helped draft the FEC advisory opinion, clark should have known better. That he din't or ignored it, shows how poorly prepared he was to run.

[pruner]

8. I haven't seen anything to indicate Fowler was forced out

all indications seems to be that he quit as a result of dissatisfaction with the way the camapaign was being run.

if you've got a link to something that indicates otherwise, please post it.

if it's just your opinion that he was forced out, please indicate such.

[KittyWampus]

14. Reuters:Different Spin Entirely

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic
presidential contender Wesley Clark's
campaign manager quit on Tuesday after
being asked to take a reduced role in the
fledgling operation, two Clark campaign
sources said.

Donnie Fowler left the three-week-old
campaign rather than take over the political
operation for Clark, whose early
performance has been plagued by
missteps, including his reversal over
whether he would have supported a
congressional resolution authorizing war in
Iraq.

Fowler "was asked to take a lesser role but
still an important role" but declined, one
Clark campaign source said.

Fowler also had clashed with Clark
advisers over the role of Internet activists
who pushed Clark into the race through a
draft movement. Their role has been
eclipsed under the influence of some of
former President Clinton's top advisers.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[pruner]

19. thanks cryingshame

I think you might need to take out a few paragraphs in order to comply with copyright laws/DU policy.

can you also post a link to that please.

[Julien Sorel]

20. Common sense should do here.

If you leave willingly, you tend not to badmouth your former employers publicly -- it gains you nothing except a bad reputation.

I realize you were desperately hoping for some kind of coup here that would help Dean, but this ain't it. This was someone (Clark) taking forceful action to make certain his campaign is run the way he wants it run, with the best people he can find at the helm.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Pastiche423]

3. Ah, so that's how he's "raising" funds

[LTR]

6. Irony

Bush was here in Milwaukee last week for a campaign luncheon.

Price per plate? A cool $2000.

Now tell me this is any different?

[cprise]

10. It's different

Unless you consider Clark to be in the employ of the Mr/Ms Moneybags at the luncheon. In reality, the 'employee' thing would only come in if he won the election.

[robbedvoter]

9. You never answered my question - are you one?

Dean has done other things to maximize his online fundraising punch,
like reinvesting money into expanding donor lists and paying “bloggers”
or professional Internet surfers to keep the enthusiasm up on his
website.
http://www.thehill.com/news/100803/growthpains.aspx

[pruner]

11. are you talking to me?

n/t

[robbedvoter]

16. Yes. Other DU-ers post on other subjects too (other than

promoting their candidate/bashing competition). And you provided us with the beautiful source for this. I see that you have the finger pointing tecnique mastered as well.

[pruner]

18. who the fuck are you to decide what threads people oughta post in

I'll post in whatever threads I damn well fell like.

sorry you chose to support a candidate who can't bother adhering to federal campaign finance laws. that ain't my fault.

FYI, I believe that reference to "paid bloggers" was talking about Dean's blogmaster, Matt Gross, and the other staffers responsible for the blog.

[w4rma]

12. IMHO, you need to quit shooting the messinger, robbedvoter. (n/t)

[pruner]

13. does Clark pay you to bash Dean with the $ he gets from giving speeches?

n/t

[KittyWampus]

15. Are You A Five Year Old???

That is one of the most childish posts in a longtime.

I swear DU gets to be like grade school sometimes.

[pruner]

24. Dean's blogmaster's response

Hey all,

The Hill article is confusing. The only paid bloggers are me and Zephyr-- which the author must be referring to.

We certainly don't pay anyone to post on the threads, which is how some people read the article. When you have up to 2,200 comments a day, that would be an incredible waste of money.

Posted by Mathew Gross at October 8, 2003 12:53 AM

[Demobrat]

21. I sure hope his speech writers don't quit.

He needs a couple of good new speeches, stat.

[Pastiche423]

25. Maybe he needs

another campaign stasffer to quit? It doesn't sound like he's been given good advice.

[revcarol]

22. Calm down people.

He can always return the money and REFUSE any more engagements that pay him. Or he can talk about the price of tea in China and not take any questions.

Not getting my vote anyway. I'm with old Bennie Franklin: I don't believe in giving up civil liberties just for "safety" and Clark does.

Disclaimer: DK supporter here.

[imhotep]

26. Im getting tired

of always being right about politics.
I wish I would be wrong about politicians for once.