A blockbuster piece from Daniel Bice at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The article is long and detailed - check out for the specifics as to what money changed hands where. But the conclusions, from multiple lawyers, is that what Cain did is possibly illegal, and not in a feeble "the FEC doesn't like it" kind of way, but rather, in a big scary "the IRS is gonna come get you" kind of way:
Herman Cain's two top campaign aides ran a private Wisconsin-based corporation that helped the repugican presidential candidate get his fledgling campaign off the ground by originally footing the bill for tens of thousands of dollars in expenses for such items as iPads, chartered flights and travel to Iowa and Las Vegas - something that might breach federal tax and campaign law, according to sources and documents.
Election law experts say the transactions raise a host of questions for the private organization, which billed itself as a tax-exempt nonprofit, and the Cain team.
"If the records accurately reflect what occurred, this is way out of bounds," said a Washington, D.C.-based election lawyer who advises many repugican candidates and wingnut groups on campaign issues. The lawyer asked not to be identified because of those affiliations.
Michael Maistelman, a Wisconsin campaign attorney, agreed.
"The number of questionable and possibly illegal transactions conducted on behalf of Herman Cain is staggering," said Maistelman, a Democrat who has represented politicians from both parties on campaign issues.
The national election expert who works with GOP candidates said it would be a violation of the tax code for Prosperity USA to advance money to the Cain campaign for these items. She said there also are strict federal election regulations on reporting debts and incurring travel obligations.
"I just don't see how they can justify this," she said. "It's a total mess."
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