August 24, 2006
FEC Tells Cantwell "No"

David Postman reports the FEC has said no to Maria Cantwell's request to be considered Mike McGavick's opponent prior to September primary, thus triggering the "Millionaire's Amendment." That means Cantwell cannot, for now at least, ask individual contributors for donations higher than the $2,100 per person limit based on McGavick's $2 million contribution to his own primary campaign. I've previously noted the disconnect between Cantwell's request that McGavick be considered her opponent now for the purposes of fundraising, but not be considered her opponent until after the primary for the purposes of scheduling debates. Consider this ruling a small bit of justice to that irony.

Posted by Eric Earling at August 24, 2006 11:58 AM | Email This
Comments
1. The "D" works equally well for the word "duplicity."

For her loyal (and apparently myopic) supporters, why do you not see that her public machinations give an indication of what does/will do to your wallet? Perhaps she does go after "the other guy." But eventually his wallet will be empty and she'll get around to appropriating yours.

Posted by: scott158 on August 24, 2006 11:44 AM
2. I thought it was very unusual of the Times article to mention Cantvotewell had no qualms about loaning her campaign $10 million (this was before the Millionaire's Amendment). And there were questions at the time how she was able to secure the loan based strictly on her stock options in RealNetworks.

The law states that the opponent has to be within the same party for a primary election, not a desperate incumbent on the other side of the fence. The FEC made the correct call.

Posted by: Burdabee on August 24, 2006 12:07 PM
3. Good take, Eric. Jimy Hatloe would be pleased.

Posted by: swatter on August 24, 2006 12:12 PM
4. A segment on the WA senate race is to be broadcast on "Special Report with Brit Hume" on FoxNews today at 3pm, repeat at 9pm.

Posted by: Obi-Wan on August 24, 2006 12:18 PM
5. Another example of glorious "campaign finance reform" in action. So all you supporters of it shouldn't complain.

Posted by: Reporterward on August 24, 2006 01:38 PM
6. If I remember right it was a R vs. D deal with the Dems in favor and the Reps against.

Reporter, was there a reason for the spanking on this site? The Republicans thought it through and were dead set against it. Even McCain said there would be problems with it.

Posted by: swatter on August 24, 2006 02:19 PM
7. I'm deeply disappointed but not surprised. We deserve better. Representative government suffered a black-eye delivered via a special interest (read as Ron Sims) sucker punch.

Posted by: Jamie Walker on August 24, 2006 04:25 PM
8. Reporterward:

Before you start throwing stones you should
know that Mike McGavick supports the campaign
finance reform your speaking of. In fact his
only problem with it is he thinks they need to close
the loophole on 527"s. Don't take my word for
it Stefan has McGavick on audio saying just that.
Go to the archive section on sound politics
then go to march 21st and you will see what
I'm talking about.


With comments like this I guess it shouldn't
surprise me why 47 percent of you told the rasmussen
poll that you think Mike McGavick is conservative.

Posted by: phil spackman on August 24, 2006 05:20 PM
9. I hear he's going to throw one heck of a party with that campaign money

Posted by: hahahaha on August 24, 2006 07:23 PM
10. Just a question: given that Cantwell's campaign still owes, last I checked, over a million (around $1.7 million, to my best recollection) to Maria Cantwell from the last election, would that trigger the Millionaire Amendment back at her?

Posted by: Heartless Libertarian on August 24, 2006 08:06 PM
11. Swatter,
The people complaining about McGavick taking this loan "tend" to be the ones who supported the last round of campaign finance reform. Which is why I brought it up.
I don't understand the "spanking" comment though. I didn't think Soundpolitics was one of THOSE type of websites.

Phil,
There are a few issues I disagree with McGavick over. All-in-all I can roughly say that he and I share opinions on abou 75 percent of the issues. Which is better than the 10 percent or less of the issues I agree with Cantwell over. If you listen to any of McGavick's speeches that will probably be brought up in the first five minutes.
The choice is obvious.
(Susan Hutchinson in 2010)

Posted by: Reporterward on August 24, 2006 10:23 PM
12. Reporterward,

Considering we don't really know where McGavick
stands on a lot of issues that's a pretty bold
claim to make.I'm sorry I just have a real problem
with someone who is in favor of restricting the right to
free speech.


As for 2010 I don't think the state gop deserves
someone like Susan Hutchison.After what they
tried to do to her they can all rot in you know
where as far I'm concerned.Unless Mark Hulst is
the State chairman in 2010 that's how I see it.

Posted by: phil spackman on August 25, 2006 12:41 AM
13. None of this McGavick stuff matters much anymore.

He promised an issues campaign and then decides to make headlines about his personal life. But before he spills the beans he slams the tone of the camapign he's part of.

This is a campaign with a "tone" we haven't seen in a while: real slick.

Posted by: thor on August 25, 2006 07:12 AM
14. Very good, reporterward. I chuckled.

Wouldn't McGavick bring it up because he heard Cantwell was going to make hay of it and wanted to head it off at the pass?

Posted by: swatter on August 25, 2006 08:29 AM
15. Hypocrisy; par for the course in politics. No surprise.

The only real story is that Democrats stand for Defeat. Violent Islam is a frusration to Democrats, not something that they take seriously as a threat.

Vote McGavick.

Posted by: Jeff B. on August 25, 2006 10:02 AM
16. What happened to Boss Hogg (aka Ivan Weiss)
Perhaps I ought to give Mr. Weiss a call??

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIEE! SOOO-SOOO
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIEEE!

Posted by: golllllllllly on August 25, 2006 10:16 AM
17. I'm ready for a change; most politicians never ran a lemonade stand, much less know how business works; Maria had her day in the sun; move on, as the libs say; i want someone with REAL, demonstrated, substantive business know-how, not a platitude-laden stockholder or career politician; and for vanity or visibility's sake, a senator who won't be chuckled at or summarily dismissed in D.C. under the beltway insiders' breaths;

Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on August 25, 2006 10:19 AM
18. you're right, jimmie. we need more politicians like our first ceo president. then we'll keep the good times rollin...

Posted by: guest on August 25, 2006 11:40 AM
19. Can someone help me out? I keep seeing this Maria ad on TV where she says that "Republicans wanted to cut minimum wage and I voted against it" or some such nonsense.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't she vote AGAINST the minimum wage increase???

Posted by: Megs on August 25, 2006 12:45 PM
20. Megs,

Cliffnotes version...

During the recent "Trifecta Bill" that failed a short time ago, a provision in the minimum wage portion of the legislation would have allowed employers to factor in tips for service workers.
So, according to the propaganda, a waitress making a base salary of $7 an hour who received $5 an hour in tips would have a base salary of $2.
(Two sentence explanation)
This issue is way more complicated than that, of course, but a simple stretch of the truth is easier to spread than a long, detailed explanation of facts.
(Which would entail combing over pages and pages of legislation and "legalese")

I'm sure other folks can explain in greater detail.

Posted by: Reporterward on August 25, 2006 02:44 PM
21. Actually, I believe that state minimum wage laws would have remained in effect, if the state law mandated a higher wage.

I think the big issue for Cantwell was getting rid of the estate tax. The thought of that drives the socialist wing (actually, it's the damn main hall) of the Democrat party bonkers. And she doesn't want to alienate her base any more than she already has.

Posted by: Heartless Libertarian on August 25, 2006 07:10 PM
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