I know the fraud part would be a crime, but I know I read somewhere or learned back in school about foreign contributions to a campaign are a no no as well.
Memory check me guys?
Campaign Contribution Laws for Individuals
For 2011-2012 Election Cycle
By Robert Longley, About.com Guide
If you decide to contribute to a political candidate, you should know that the Federal Campaign Finance Law places legal limits on how much and what you can give. Representatives of the candidate's campaign committee should be aware of these laws and inform you of them. But, just in case...
Individual contribution limits for 2011-2012
The following limits apply to contributions from individuals to candidates for all Federal offices.
$2,500 per Election to a Federal candidate -- Each primary, runoff, and general election counts as a separate election.
$30,800 per calendar year to a national party committee -- applies separately to a party's national committee, and House and Senate campaign committee.
$10,000 per calendar year to state, district & local party committees
$5,000 per calendar year to state, district & local party committee
Aggregate Total -- $117,000 per two-year election cycle as follows:
$46,200 per two-year cycle to candidates
$70,800 per two-year cycle to all national party committees and PACs
NOTE: Married couples are considered to be separate individuals with separate contribution limits.
Can anybody contribute?
Certain individuals, businesses, and associations are prohibited from making contributions to Federal candidates or political committees.
Foreign nationals -- may not contribute to any candidate or party in any Federal, state, or local election in the United States. Foreign citizens who have permanent US residency status (posses a "green card") are allowed to contribute according to the same laws as American citizens.
Federal contractors -- individuals or businesses under contract to provide goods or services to the Federal government are prohibited from contributing to candidates or parties in Federal elections.
Corporations and Labor Unions -- are also prohibited form contributing. This law applies to all incorporated organizations, profit or non-profit. Business owners are not allowed to make contributions from their business accounts. Although corporations and labor organizations may not make contributions or expenditures in connection with federal elections, they may establish PACs.
Cash -- in any amount over $100 is prohibited.
Contributions in the name of another person -- are not permitted. Note: Parents may not make contributions in the names of their children. Persons under 18 may contribute, but must do so willingly, under their own names, and with their own money.
What constitutes a "contribution?"
Besides checks and currency, the FEC considers "...anything of value given to influence a Federal election" to be a contribution. Note that this does not include volunteer work. As long as you are not compensated for it, you can perform an unlimited amount of volunteer work.
Donations of food, beverages, office supplies, printing or other services, furniture, etc. are considered "in-kind" contributions, so their value counts against contribution limits.
Important: Questions should be directed to the Federal Election Commission in Washington, DC: 800/424-9530 (toll free) or 202/694-1100.
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepoliticalsystem/a/contriblaws.htm
The red herring story is from the right-wing site townhall:http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2012/10/08/exposing_barack_obamas_illegal_foreign_campaign_money_loophole
The complaint they're trying to drum up is about this site:https://contribute.barackobama.com/donation/index-ovf.htmlCould be a fake site:http://washingtonexaminer.com/report-obama.com-solicits-foreign-contributions-for-prez/article/2510096But it does have this: By submitting the form above you confirm that the following statements are true and accurate:
I am a United States citizen or a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States.
This contribution is not made from the general treasury funds of a corporation, labor organization or national bank.
This contribution is not made from the treasury of an entity or person who is a federal contractor.
This contribution is not made from the funds of a political action committee.
This contribution is not made from the funds of an individual registered as a federal lobbyist or a foreign agent, or an entity that is a federally registered lobbying firm or foreign agent.
I am not a minor under the age of 16.
The funds I am donating are not being provided to me by another person or entity for the purpose of making this contribution.
https://contribute.barackobama.com/donation/index-ovf.html---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Obama campaign has received hundreds of millions in small dollar donations, many via credit card donations through their website. On Thursday, the campaign announced a record September donor haul of $150 million.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/was-obama-rattled-by-developing-donor-scandal-story/article/2509895#.UHLjEkLdI20----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In his 2010 State of the Union Address, the president slammed the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision because, “I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities.”
The issue arose again when the Obama Administration alleged, during the 2010 elections, that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Republican Super PACs were bankrolled by foreigners. David Axelrod led the charge, but mustered no proof for his case; rather, he demanded that the Chamber prove it was not funded by foreigners. Making the rounds on the Sunday shows, Axelrod asked Bob Schieffer:
Do you have any evidence that it’s not, Bob? The fact is that the Chamber has asserted that, but they won’t release any information about where their campaign money is coming from. And that’s at the core of the problem.
Regarding Super PACs, Axelrod told ABC’s Christianne Amanpour:
I mean, if you — they’re spending tens of millions of dollars. In some districts, they’re spending more money than the candidate — candidates themselves on negative ads from benign-sounding Americans for Prosperity, the American Crossroads Fund. No. These are front groups for special interests. These are front groups for foreign-controlled companies…and they don’t want the American people to know, and the American people ought to be alert to that.
As Axelrod noted, neither the Chamber nor the Super PACs were obliged to disclose their sources of funding. Likewise, the Obama campaign is not obligated to disclose the names of donors who contribute less than $200.
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/329687/hypocrisy-those-foreign-campaign-contributions-eliana-johnson
Let's face it...the Republicans are desperate....and right now retaliation with baseless accusations is their game.
Author
Topic: Are Foreign and Fraudulent Online Contributions Influencing U.S. Elections? (Read 337 times)
