When will Steelman get around to filing with the FEC?
Steelman is required to file with the Federal Elections Commission within 15 days of spending $5,000 on behalf of a federal campaign.
If you are running for the U.S. House, Senate or the Presidency, you must register with the FEC once you (or persons acting on your behalf) receive contributions or make expenditures in excess of $5,000. Within 15 days of reaching that $5,000 threshold, you must file a Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2 [PDF]) authorizing a principal campaign committee to raise and spend funds on your behalf. Within 10 days of that filing, your principal campaign committee must submit a Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1 [PDF]).
She has coyly relaunched her website, still pretending that she hasn't decided if she's running yet. Except (oops!) she linked to two social networking websites unambiguously titled, "Sarah Steelman for U.S. Senate."
And while we're discussing evasions of federal campaign finance law, how does she explain all of these expenses from her gubernatorial campaign account?
- $22,905.48 to Public Opinion Strategies for "Polling and strategy" in March 2009
- $21,691.58 to Jeff Roe's Axiom Strategies for "Survey, Consulting, Campaign Management" in February 2009
- $20,000.00 to Axiom Strategies for "Consulting, Campaign Management, Research, Expenses" in March 2009
- $37,230.12 to the Catalyst Group for "Fundraising Fees" in February 2009
- $774.42 to Dirt Road Productions for "Media Placement" in February 2009
What sort of polling, consulting, research and media placement are required in early 2009 for a gubernatorial race she lost the first week of August 2008?
The fundraising expenses would be plausible if she was working to pay down her debt. Except that she didn't pay down a dime of the $770,000 she owes to herself.
How is this okay?
