As I expected, if the Commission approves the draft opinion in Advisory Opinion 2008-2, a candidate/homemaker would be granted some relief and be permitted to use campaign funds to pay for certain expenses during his campaign. Without a quorum the Commission cannot approve the draft, however. Roll Call (subscription required) reports on other nomination news here.
Self-Funders and Their Opponents Face Uncertainty
With the Supreme Court set to hear arguments in Davis v. FEC on April 22, 2008, candidates who are using some of their own funds to run their campaigns and the opponents of these candidates face uncertainty in the face of a potential Supreme Court opinion coming down some time later this year. CQ Moneyline helpfully lists Millionaire’s Amendment filings as they roll in and important questions remain: What happens to money raised above the $2,300 limit if the Court holds the law defective? Will the opinion speak more broadly to contribution limitation issues? For opponents of self-funders, it may be difficult to plan campaign budgets based on amounts raised under the increased limits.
Outside Group to Form
The Politico reports on a 4-month, $40 million media effort “centered on attacks on Senator John McCain.”
The move comes after the groups that had been expected to spearhead attacks on McCain – the Fund for America and Progressive Media USA’s previous incarnation, the Campaign to Defend America – failed to raise the money needed to dent McCain’s armor.
“We’re a little behind where we need to be,” he said.
But after a dinner Tuesday night at the Manhattan apartment of liberal megadonor George Soros, at which Brock and the consultant Paul Begala laid out the group’s plans, Brock said his group now has commitments worth $7.5 million – almost twice what the Fund for America is expected to report raising in the first quarter of this year. He said the group would begin running ads before it meets its $40 million goal.