Lamont questions Lieberman's campaign spending (Vote Buying?)

[truthpusher]

http://www.norwalkadvocate.com/news/local/state/hc-22182244.apds.m0802.bc-ct--connoct22,0,3635476.story?track=rss

Lamont questions Lieberman's campaign spending

Associated Press

October 22, 2006

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Ned Lamont's campaign says Sen. Joe Lieberman has failed to account for $387,000 in petty cash disbursements his campaign made in the final days before the state's August Democratic primary.

"Whenever this much cash is floating around it certainly raises suspicions of possible vote buying and other potentially illegal activities that the Lieberman Campaign must answer," said Liz Dupont-Diehl, a Lamont spokeswoman. "It is crucial for the public to know what they were doing with this slush fund and when they were doing it."

The Lieberman camp on Sunday denied any wrongdoing. Lieberman spokeswoman Tammy Sun said the cash payments were made to campaign coordinators in the field who then distributed money to workers who were involved with canvassing efforts. The payments to workers, many of them students, ranged from $50 to $100 per day, Sun added.

"This is just another reckless charge from a desperate campaign that is obsessed with reliving the primary," said Lieberman spokeswoman Tammy Sun. "The fact is, our attorney has assured us that the petty cash expenditures and the rest of our FEC report is in full compliance with the law's disclosure requirements just as every campaign Joe Lieberman has run for the last 18 years has been."

The Lamont camp cited at least 10 petty cash payments to volunteers from July 25 to Aug. 7, the day before the primary. The largest was $135,000 on Aug. 4. There was a $75,000 payment on Aug. 7.

(snip)

link: http://www.norwalkadvocate.com/news/local/state/hc-22182244.apds.m0802.bc-ct--connoct22,0,3635476.story?track=rss

[babylonsister]

1. Cool. Force Lieberman to respond. nt

[Zhade]

18. lieberman official states intent to DEFY ELECTION LAW.

lieberman spokesperson refusing to release records as required by election laws

(Cross-posted from the discussion about Lamont filing an FEC complaint about lieberman's 'missing' 387 grand.)

http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/10/23/above-the-law /

Even though Lieberman mouthpiece Tammy Sun claimed that today the campaign would produce the ledger it is required by federal election law to keep detailing petty cash expenditures that would account for the questionable $387,000, she just announced that they wouldn't be doing so — so one can presume that either a) they couldn't find it, b) it doesn't exist or c) it contains information that could prove damaging to Joe.

And from the second link in that piece:

The Lieberman campaign said it was in full compliance with the law and said, bluntly, it would release the journal when Mr. Lamont releases the joint tax returns he filed with his wife. (And each campaign has an online petition calling for the other side to do as requested.)

1) He's not in compliance with the law; the ledger MUST be released, BY LAW.

2) The matter of this money and Lamont's tax returns are legally unconnected - lieberman is required to release the ledger's contents independent of whether or not Lamont releases the tax return information.

(Posted this here so skimmers will see it, since they may not make it to the bottom.)

[femmedem]

2. For comparison, Lamont's campaign has $500 in petty cash expenditures.

However, it scares me, it really scares me, that someone from Lamont's campaign is even mentioning the words "vote buying" without proof. I believe that Lamont's dip in the polls is due to someone at a Lamont event questioning Lieberman's marching for civil rights in the '60's, which Lieberman did in fact do.

Lieberman of course has been able to sling a lot of mud with impunity, at least until fairly recently. But if Lamont's campaign mouths off about anything and they're wrong, they are going to take a beating.

[Rose Siding]

3. Paid "volunteers"

Cute.

[femmedem]

6. People who don't live in CT don't know what these "volunteers" have done.

They show up at Ned's events and act as provocateurs. Ned does a meet and greet, and all of a sudden everyone in the diner takes off their overshirts to reveal their Lieberman shirts. They start fights. They intrude on the filming of commercials. One guy that shows up at these things has been outted as a professional lobbyist.

And then there's this guy, who's never been proven to be officially with the campaign:





Clearly, Lieberman has violated some FEC rules. And they've run a dirty campaign. But that's still a far cry from vote buying, and I wish Lamont's spokesperson hadn't said it.

[sidpleasant]

14. Joe hired College Republicans for the GOTV in the primary

Joe hired bus loads of College Republicans for the last days of the primary campaign. The CRs are little better than a white supremacist group now, they seem to spend all their time complaining about poor oppressed white people and staging racist offensive publicity stunts. Nice group for a one time Freedom Rider to be associating with.

One of Joe's hired provacateurs assaulted a 90 year old WW2 veteran at a Lamont event during the primary campaign.

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. Off topic, but Lamont's radio ads are *superb*.

The case against Lieberschnitzel is summed up succinctly, dramatically, pointedly, fairly and with great humor.

If he ends up finishing second , ( knock on wood), he ( Ned) and we will know that it was a race that couldn't be won. It sure wasn't because of inept media consultants... as has been the case with many, many, progressive DEM candidates.

[xchrom]

5. that's actually news i'm very interested in.

if you've liked his campaign -- and you think his handlers have done a good, aggressive job -- it can't hurt to let people know that.

those are the guys who really do the work after all.

[Smarmie Doofus]

10. I'm in NY but get some CT radio stations...

... so I know more about that end of it.

Yes, I think, his people have done well by him. Avoided any major gaffes or goofs and stayed on message.

The fact that he's trailing in the polls suggests, OTOH, that all is not a s great as it could be. I understand they've planned for a furious media blast last two weeks which may help him close the gap.

From the quality of the ads I heard today, expect a tightening up of the polls.

[Zhade]

7. Wonder if any of that cash came from the scumbag in my sigline?

You know, the guy who thinks Scooter Libby should go free?

[JerseygirlCT]

8. He's certainly donated to Lieberman. I think the amount

was in the paper the other day. I'll see if I can find it.

[JerseygirlCT]

9. No amounts in the paper.

There's a link on Lamontblog (http://lamontblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/1882-pages.html) to the pdf of Lieberman's filings. I wasn't able to make it behave, but maybe you'll have better luck.

[Monkeyman]

11. In the swamp Chicago Tribune Rove has given a hell of alot

to Joe and plan to give a hell of alot more

[98geoduck]

12. Code Pink will attend Ned Lamont/ Joe Lieberman Debate tomorrow

"We are planning a big visual display in New London at the candidate debate on October 23rd, we need your help!
The Lamott/Lieberman debate is 8pm that night and we will be outside with a visual to bring Iraq into the conversation.

Shoes help people visualize unspeakable pain and suffering this war has inflicted on the Iraqi people. We hope to have a pile of 6,000 pairs of shoes to represent 1% of the dead in Iraq since our invasion and occupation.
The banner will say WALK IN THEIR SHOES give peace a vote.

We need volunteers to help get the word out for shoes, to help collect shoes, to be part of the production team, outreach,or to stand with us outside the debate…"

http://volunteerforchange.org/e/627?refcode=o23

[anotherdrew]

13. at $75/day/student that's 5160 student-days in two weeks,

so about 300-400 paid workers 7 days a week for two weeks, some of these well paid workers making up to $1400 in two weeks of straight 100/day work. that's a lot of hired help isn't it?

[GAspnes]

15. best election money can buy ... (n/t)

[98geoduck]

16. Courant HL"Lamont Files FEC Complaint Over Lieberman Campaign Spending"

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http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-ap-lamont,0,971708.story?coll=hc-headlines-home

Lamont Files FEC Complaint Over Lieberman Campaign Spending



Associated Press
The Hartford Courant

October 23 2006, 12:55 PM EDT

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Ned Lamont's campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission today, accusing Sen. Joe Lieberman of failing to account for $387,000 in petty cash his campaign spent days before the Democratic primary.

The Lieberman campaign has denied any wrongdoing.

"The public has a right to know how nearly $400,000 in cash was spread around the streets of Connecticut," said Lamont campaign co-chairman George Jepsen at a news conference.

Records must be kept of petty cash expenditures, Jepsen said.

Lieberman spokeswoman Tammy Sun said Sunday, when the allegations first surfaced, that the cash was paid to field coordinators who then distributed money to workers who were canvassing. The payments to workers, many of them students, ranged from $50 to $100 per day, Sun added.

"Ned is starting to feel like he has nothing to lose and it's increasingly clear that he'll now stop at nothing to win, including crazy charges of vote-buying and thuggery," Sun said in response to the complaint.

Lamont defeated Lieberman in the Democratic primary. Lieberman opted to run as an independent, and in the latest statewide poll, Lieberman had a 17 percentage point lead in the race with about two weeks remaining.

The Lamont camp cited at least 10 petty cash payments to volunteers from July 25 to Aug. 7, the day before the primary. The largest was $135,000 on Aug. 4. There was a $75,000 payment on Aug. 7.

The payments are listed in Lieberman's primary campaign spending report filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press


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[98geoduck]

17. CT Residents PLEASE SIGN the PETITION!!!

"Imagine what a campaign could do with $387,000 in cold, hard, unaccounted for cash.

Joe Lieberman called it "petty cash."

There's nothing petty about one out of every twelve dollars spent by a campaign coming from a slush fund filled by those profiting from war, high gas prices and expensive medicine.

Regrettably, that's what Joe Lieberman did.

Our campaign is filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) this afternoon asking them to look into potential illegal activity. Will you add your name to the letter?

http://www.nedlamont.com/fecletter

Campaign finance law dictates "A political committee may maintain a petty cash fund out of which it may make expenditures not in excess of $100 to any person per purchase or transaction."

The law exists because politicians handing out $387,000 in cash days before an election opens the door to all types of unethical possibilities.

Will you sign your name to the FEC complaint?

http://www.nedlamont.com/fecletter


Three hundred and eighty-seven thousand dollars ... cash.

What could you buy with that much money? Who could you buy with that much money ... especially if no one ever had to know?

The people of Connecticut deserve to know.

Sign the letter.

http://www.nedlamont.com/fecletter

It's time for change,

Tom Swan
Campaign Manager, Ned Lamont for U.S. Senate"