Slog - Comments on Local GOP Chairman Flouts Fundraising Rules http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru Kittitas County Republican Party Chairman Matt Manweller sent out an e-mail to supporters asking them to send in checks so he could "bundle them" and give the money to the Rossi campaign—along with the $7300 max donation from the Kittitas GOP itself. How brazen can you get? "Bundling" money that way—that is collecting money from individuals and then giving them to a candidate in one lump sum—is illegal. "The Party cannot bundle," Public Disclosure spokeswoman Lori Anderson just told me. Check out Manweller's e-mail: The primary reason for this email is to rally help for Dino. As some of you... Copyright 2008 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:51:09 -0800 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:53:18 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Matt from Denver Matt Manweller? That sounds like a gay pornstar name.

]]> Matt from Denver http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c863872 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c863872 News Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:03:13 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle How much odds that they don't get fined for breaking the law?

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864056 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864056 News Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:21:39 -0800 Comment by Chris You are an idiot. Clearly in that context, "bundle" means to put all of the separate checks in an envelope "bundled" with a rubber band. Otherwise -- in order to fulfill your desire for illegality -- they would have to make the checks out to the Republican Party, not "Dino Rossi for Governor" as they ask.

]]> Chris http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864096 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864096 News Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:24:41 -0800 Comment by Matt from Denver @ 3, read the rules again. Even if bundling means what you say, it's still illegal.

]]> Matt from Denver http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864161 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864161 News Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:30:29 -0800 Comment by Josh Feit @3,

Read the rules:

"Political committees, businesses, unions, and organizations (or people representing them) are prohibited from collecting contributions from various sources..."

Manweller is the Chairman of the County GOP. What he described in his e-mail, according to the PDC, is against the rules. And they told him so.

]]> Josh Feit http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864285 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864285 News Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:42:39 -0800 Comment by Daniel K Chris, what part of "Political committees, businesses, unions, and organizations (or people representing them) are prohibited from collecting contributions from various sources (commonly known as bundling) and delivering or transmitting those bundled contributions to a candidate or political committee." don't you understand?

]]> Daniel K http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864299 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864299 News Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:44:33 -0800 Comment by Fnarf What does it matter? The Rossi campaign has already proven that there are no REAL election laws in this state, not ones with, you know, penalties when you get caught breaking them and stuff. Rossi wouldn't get fined if he robbed a bank.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864386 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864386 News Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:53:39 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Very true, Fnarf.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864426 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864426 News Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:57:30 -0800 Comment by J.R. @3: It's best not to lead with an insult unless you know you're right. You aren't. This is clearly bundling of donations and is clearly illegal. Nothing terrible is likely to happen, although Mr. Manweller will be pretty embarrassed when he finds out that he sent a letter to his membership asking them to perform an illegal act.

]]> J.R. http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864465 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c864465 News Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:01:58 -0800 Comment by elenchos How come Rossi couldn't collect contributions while a private citizen at the same time Gregoire was? Under the same rules as Gregoire.

Not that I can understand why the 7th highest paid athlete on Earth cares about these nickels and dimes anyway.

]]> elenchos http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c865494 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/local_gop_chairman_flouts_fundraising_ru#c865494 News Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:53:18 -0800