DNC IS FILING A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE LOBBYIST EXPRESS

I just got off a conference call with Howard Dean and Joe Sandler, General Counsel for the DNC. Presumably their complaint to the Federal Elections Commission will hit the media later today or tomorrow. Meanwhile, I thought Governor Dean's explanation went right to the heart of why McCain is a completely inappropriate candidate for the presidency.

"The crucial issue here is John McCain's integrity. John McCain poses as a reformer but he seems to think reforms apply to everyone else but him... His latest attempt to ignore the law is just more of his do as I say, not as I do hypocrisy and it calls his credibility into question. McCain financially benefited by accepting this agreement; he got free ballot access, saving him millions of dollars, and he secured a $4 million loan to keep his campaign afloat by using public financing as collateral. He should be held to the law."

Jonathan Singer has a spot on anaysis at My DD. "John McCain's attempted politically motivated gaming of the public financing system is already drawing the attention of the Federal Elections Commisssion, with the chairman of the FEC firing off a letter to McCain's presidential campaign asking them to explain why, after they had been certified to become a part of the program, they believe they're able to pull out without approval. Now the Democratic National Committee is joining in the act, and will file an FEC complaint tomorrow against the McCain campaign."

McCain-- still trying to regain his balance after his campaign co-chairman, Republican Rep. Rick Renzi, was indicted on 35 charges of criminal behavior, from money laundering and conspiracy to extortion-- is mired in revelations about his own sleazy dealings with powerful lobbyists who have gamed our system of government for the rich and powerful and against whom McCain has publicly railed, while maintaining extremely close and mutually beneficial relations. Every top staffer in McCain's campaign is a big time lobbyist. McCain, who has always tried to paint himself as an honorable man-- basically by repeating it over and over and over and over-- also claims that Renzi and the pack of ravenous lobbyists he has running his operation are men of honor. If he's using himself as the standard, then I'm sure they are. America needs a better standard-- especially considering what we've had in the White House for the past 7 years.


UPDATE: COMPLAINT FILED

The Democratic Party filed a formal complaint with the FEC today about McCain's refusal to obey the law he helped author.