Discrepancies in Obama Donor Lists

Sen. John McCain has made several references to Barack Obama going back on his word in regards to accepting public financing for his General Election campaign. Many people are rather misinformed as to what this really means. They say that it is good that Obama didn't want to take public financing and that McCain is horrible for doing so (a sentiment which Sen. Obama encourages).

The real issues of accepting public financing is that it limits the amount of money a candidate can have to use for his campaign, it levels the playing field in regards to the resources a candidate can have and use, and it establishes an oversight so that illegal contributions cannot be received during the campaign.

One of the problems with Barack Obama refusing to take public financing is that there is very little accounting of the donations made, as well as very little to no verification of these donations.

Individual campaign contribution rules as set forth by the FEC, which states that no donation from the general election can be received greater than $2300.00. However, according to the most recent FEC Disclosure Report, there are numerous violations of this throughout Barack Obama's campaign. Since his people disabled the AVS (Automatic verification System), many such violations, as well as illegal donations from many sources, are occurring.

The following is information on one specific donor chosen at random. (Although the use of contributor information is allowable in such forms as "newspapers, magazines, books or similar communications," I am blanking out part of the contributor's name for privacy concerns.)

OPxxxxxxM, DxxxD WEST CHATHAM, MA 02669 08/25/2008 2300.00

CxxxxxM INN/OWNER Image Number 28933220522

OPxxxxxxM, DxxxD WEST CHATHAM, MA 02669 08/25/2008 -2300.00

CxxxxxM INN/OWNER Image Number 28933220522

OPxxxxxxM, DxxxD WEST CHATHAM, MA 02669 08/14/2007 2300.00

SELF EMPLOYED/DEVELOPER Image Number 27931425513

OPxxxxxxM, DxxxD WEST CHATHAM, MA 02669 08/25/2008 2300.00

CxxxxxM INN/OWNER Image Number 28933220523

This contributor seems to have made a contribution on 8/14/08 of $2300.00, the maximum individual donation. He described himself as a self employed developer. Then again on the 25th he donated another $2300.00. Records show he received a refund (image number 28933220522). But then he shows another donation of $2300.00 (image number 28933220523). It would appear that in order to get around the maximum as set by the FEC, on his subsequent donations he described himself as the owner of the Cxxxxxm Inn as opposed to a self employed developer. This would seem an illegal donation that was amended to bypass the rules. There are many, many such examples in the latest Report.

In other contributions, no such change was made, yet individuals exceeded the maximum contribution.

For example, Gxxxxn Oxxxxy of Wilson, Wyoming donated $5000 on 6/30/08 (after the Wyoming Primary of 3/8/08). The image shown for this contribution totals the $5000 plus $100 donations and a $2300 reduction, leaving the actual dollar amount at $2800. It also reflects that the donation was for the Primary, which occurred three months prior. Then there is another donation for $2300 on 6/30/08. The receipt image for this shows the $2300 for the General election and another $500 and $250 denoted as being for the Primary.

Two big problems for these receipts is that they show a donation for a Primary that took place three months prior and that the "Election Cycle To Date" does not reflect the total for said Primary correctly (even if they had been donated at the appropriate time).

In an attempt to have Barack Obama answer for these discrepancies, and the actions his staff took in disabling the AVS (which verifies the credit card contributor information), I was unsuccessful in reaching anyone in his campaign willing to respond.

Attempts to contact Mario Diaz, Southeast Regional Communications Director for the McCain campaign, yielded no comments from the Republican candidate.

No replies from either campaign have been forthcoming. To be fair, it is a mere three days before elections.

Sources:

FEC Disclosure Report

http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/srssea.shtml