by Mark Silva
The "campaign accessories'' that the Republican National Committee has purchased for Sarah Palin, the vice presidential nominee, have become fodder for a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.
That would be the more than $150,000 in clothing which the RNC has provided for Palin - all of which the McCain-Palin campaign says will be going to charities when the campaign is finished.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) argues that the shopping spree which the party made for Palin violates the Federal Election Campaign Act.
The law prohibits a candidate from converting campaign funds to personal use, the group contends. The party maintains that the clothing is within the bounds of the law.
Even if the FEC doesn't agree, and don't count on any snap rulings before Election Day, the group figures there still is political hay to be made.
"It is ridiculous that RNC would spend $150,000 to outfit a vice presidential nominee and her family at any time, but it is more outrageous given the dire financial straights of so many Americans and the state of our economy,'' Melanie Sloan, CREW's executive director says. "As if that isn't bad enough, the expenditures violate campaign finance law. The FEC should investigate immediately."
Comments
Hey....it aint cheap gettin all mavericky and everything.
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | October 23, 2008 3:08 PM
Repugs would have gotten more mileage with the red-meat crowd if they'd decked her out in BDU's "accessorized" with an assault rife (cheaper, too).
Posted by: dt | October 23, 2008 3:15 PM
Like I said before - was Macy's closed that day??
Plus look at who bought the clothes - the guy who is in charge of McCain's robocall campaign!!!
Posted by: Bob "Hussein" inATL | October 23, 2008 3:21 PM
Poor ms sloan. Reduced to filing what even she admits is a frivolous lawsuit. See page 4 no 15. ms sloan knows the rnc is not a candidate for office so her argument is 'we'll let the FEC decide.' So much funny stuff happening with obama donations but sloan focuses on the frivolous. Shameful.
Posted by: hadenough | October 23, 2008 3:41 PM
She could have used her gun & supplied her own clothes, like a sheep in wolves clothing!
Posted by: Patricia Nigro | October 23, 2008 4:01 PM
gosh-darnitt...a girl has to look good for when Putin rises over ANWAR!!!!!
Posted by: jimbob | October 23, 2008 4:09 PM
This is a campaign that seems to have never read the Constitution to know what the role of the Vice President is. Does anyone really think they'd know what the campaign finance law says?
Posted by: Paul | October 23, 2008 4:23 PM
pallin is a celebrity she making the most of her fame she actress at heart.
Posted by: dweetta adams | October 23, 2008 5:19 PM
Unmentioned in the above story is that CREW is a Democratic Party front group.
Funny how the Swamp reporter would leave that fact out. But leaving facts out is standard prodedure for Obama's media buddies.
The real story should be headlined "Dems attack Palin." Which by any measure wouldn't be much of a story.
Posted by: Disgusted | October 23, 2008 8:03 PM
No one should be spending on a shopping spree more than the average household makes in a year. That is pretty sickening, aka mavericky!
Posted by: Greg | October 23, 2008 8:22 PM
Clearly, the RNC didn't get their money's worth for these outfits. If they were trying to make Palin look competent, they messed up big time!
Posted by: athena | October 23, 2008 9:06 PM
Give us a break Bruce, aka disgusted, bemused, JFK Democrat, former leftist, damon, etc. Every organization that isn't a house organ for the repukes is a "Democratic Party Front Group" to you. The professor is a one-trick-pony, and it ain't workin'.
Posted by: dt | October 23, 2008 9:19 PM
And the outrageous Obama Food Bill is within FEC regs?????? LOL
Such targeted and ridiculous biasness
Let's audit the democrats fundraising spending too LOL
What a waste of time to argue this junk.
Posted by: val | October 23, 2008 9:23 PM
Unmentioned in the above story is that CREW is a Democratic Party front group.
Posted by: Disgusted | October 23, 2008 8:03 PM
Bruce...great googly moogly son...don't you ever get tired?
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | October 23, 2008 9:43 PM
Polarized again, huh, folks? I've come to the conclusion that saying anything about Palin's disregard for the law as it pertains to her use of power is a waste of time. She doesn't have to obey the law, she's cute.
Posted by: Glacier | October 24, 2008 11:56 AM
When I read comments from REPS supporters excusing Sarah's spending and all the dishonest --if not illegal-- acts the REPS do, I think they deserve each other.
Good! 8 years or crockery was enough. Let us have a government for the people now.
If you all think Sarah really needs help buying clothing, YOU can always start collecting money to keep her well dressed...
Posted by: Juan | November 6, 2008 9:10 PM
Yall all are sick to me. Palin wasn't nothing but a show anyway. Yall so smart{smart ones}, it doesn't have to be a law stating how much money to spend, it's common sense. I notice she didn't speak after the election. She went against her own mother, what make you all think she gives a damn about yall? To Juan, you collect her some money. Repub., get Palin and Mcain out of ur minds- It's "OBAMA" time. CHANGE IS HERE!!
Posted by: sweetness | November 7, 2008 8:59 AM