The Post has a fololw-up to a Peter Overby report I noted yesterday on R. Allen Stanford’s estate’s lawsuit to get political contributions returned.
The lawsuit argues that since campaign contributions are essentially gifts — and were not given in return for goods and services — there is nothing barring the parties from returning the money. And here’s the rub for the political committees: If they tried to argue otherwise, they would effectively be admitting to an illegal quid pro quo, legal experts said.
The lawsuit is certain to be monitored closely in campaign finance and bankruptcy law circles, not least because a handful of other prominent donors are in the middle of criminal fraud cases. Trevor Potter, president and general counsel of the Campaign Legal Center, said Janvey’s legal argument in the case “is unprecedented, but that doesn’t mean it will be unsuccessful.”