Posted by The Crux |
Yesterday, partisan political activist Lane Hudson filed an FEC omplaint against almost-presidential-candidate Fred Thompson. You may remember Hudson's name, from last year, when he helped expose former family-values-Republican Congressman Mark Foley's inappropriately sexual emails to a 16-year-old boy (Time).
Lane contends that Thompson violated the "testing the waters" exception to election law, which allows almost-candidates to dodge reporting requirements and public scrutiny while they consider whether to run. Once they've decided, they're supposed to go through the same grind as other candidates.
ABC's Jake Tapper explained:
"This is not without precedent. Previous pre-candidates who tried the "testing the waters" committee -- including Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., Rev. Pat Robertson, and Rev. Al Sharpton -- invited FEC scrutiny....
"In 2004 the conservative National and Legal Policy Center filed a complaint with the FEC (link here) alleging Sharpton was using the "testing the waters" committee to run an "off-the-books campaign," not declaring his candidacy officially while clearly a candidate, thus avoiding disclosure rules....
"When Thompson filed his disclosure form with the IRS, he revealed that $72,000 of the $3.4 million raised is to be used for the general election. (link here)
That does sound like Thompson has already decided to run for president. So, why doesn't he just declare it and start reporting? Jane Hamsher answered the question this way:
"As candidates go Thompson seems a bit of a duffer, but in typical GOP fashion he’s got to break a few laws even when he’s half-assing it."
Comments