On June 24, the U.S. Senate approved five new Federal Election Commissioners. This is good news for Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney, since primary season matching funds can now be released (although McKinney hasn’t yet raised enough money to qualify).
A Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll released on June 24 shows these results when four candidates are listed: Obama 48%, McCain 33%, Nader 4%, Barr 3%, other 2%, don’t know 10%. Here are the details. Scroll down to the 3rd chart to find these numbers. Thanks to Tim Brace for this news.
On August 13, 2007, John McCain filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission, to establish his interest in receiving primary season matching funds. Later he demonstrated that he had qualified (by raising more than $5,000 from each of 20 states). However, he never accepted primary season funds. If he had received them, he would have been required to limit his spending during the primary season (which runs all the way until September 1, 2008) to $56,757,500.
On February 25, 2008, the Democratic National Committee filed a complaint against McCain with the Federal Election Commission, charging him with violating the federal campaign finance law. Specifically, the Democrats complained that McCain had spent more than $56,757,500. Although the Democrats agree that McCain never actually took primary season matching funds, they argue that since he benefited from being eligible for the funds, and since the FEC never voted to release him from the primary season matching funds program, therefore he ought to obey the spending limit. The benefits McCain received from being eligible for primary season matching funds were that he was put on the presidential primary in Delaware and Ohio automatically (otherwise he would have needed petitions). Also the Democrats say that McCain received a bank loan based on his eligibility, although this is disputed.
On April 14, the Democratic National Committee sued the FEC, because the FEC had taken no action on the Democratic complaint. But on May 14, U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates dismissed the lawsuit, because no one is permitted to sue the FEC until 120 days after filing the original complaint with the FEC. Now, on June 24, the 120 days are up, so the Democratic National Committee has re-filed. The case is again assigned to Judge Bates. The case is Democratic National Committee v FEC, 1:08-cv-1083, in Washington, D.C. Judge Bates is a Bush Jr. appointee.
The New Mexico Green Party is ballot-qualified. But under a restrictive election law, ballot-qualified parties that didn’t poll 5% of the vote in the last election must submit petitions for all their nominees (except no such petition is needed for president).
This year, the Green Party nominated Rick Lass for Public Regulation Commission. He needed 1,377 valid signatures by June 24, and he is about to turn in 3,500 signatures. Public Regulation Commission was formerly called Corporation Commission. It is a 5-member body that regulates utility rates, and also enforces state rules concerning insurance and transportation companies. New Mexico is divided into 5 districts, with each district electing one member of the Commission.
Lass probably has also qualified for public funding. He needed to receive $5 contributions from each of 260 people, and he will submit evidence that he did so. New Mexico state public funding only applies to Public Regulation Commission elections, and judicial elections. In 2006, another Green also qualified for Public Service Commission, and also qualified for public funding. However, in 2006, the public funding was much smaller. The 2006 Green candidate received approximately $12,000 in public funding. This year, if Lass does qualify for public funding, he will receive approximately $63,000. His only opponent is a Democrat.
The North Carolina Libertarian Party recently nominated some more candidates for Congress and state office. Among the nominees is Timothy Rohr, a city councilmember in Lenoir. He is running for state representative in the 87th district. See this newspaper story.
The complete list of Libertarian nominees for North Carolina office will be final on June 30. The list will include a U.S. Senate nominee.
