Obama raises $ 181 million in September 2012, Suspicions raised again, Obama for America 2008 audit and fine, Robert Bauer, 98% of contributions under reporting threshold
Obama raises $ 181 million in September 2012, Suspicions raised again, Obama for America 2008 audit and fine, Robert Bauer, 98% of contributions under reporting threshold
“Why did Obama employ Robert Bauer of Perkins Coie, to request an advisory opinion on FEC matching funds that he was not eligible for?”…Citizen Wells
“Why was Democrat Ellen L. Weintraub, a former Perkins Coie employee, allowed to remain at the FEC , long after her scheduled tenure, by Barack Obama?”…Citizen Wells
“In February 2007, I proposed a novel way to preserve the strength of the public financing system in the 2008 election. My plan requires both major party
candidates to agree on a fundraising truce, return excess money from donors, and stay within the public financing system for the general election.”…Barack Obama
From Breitbart News October 6, 2012.
“WINDFALL: OBAMA RAISES $181 MILLION, ONLY AROUND 2% OF DONATIONS REPORTABLE”
“The Obama campaign dropped a bombshell this morning. It announced that, combined with the DNC, the campaign raised a staggering $181 million in September. The windfall is a huge increase over July and August, when the campaign raised around $100 million, although it is slightly down from the $193 million it raised in September 2008. The news should raise eyebrows.
The campaign said that just over 1.8 million people made donations to the campaign last month. According to the campaign, over 500k of these were brand-new donors, having neither given in 2008 nor 2012. 98% of contributions were under the reporting threshold of $250. Of these, the average contribution was $53.
Its really a tale of two worlds. 35k people gave an average of $2,600, while just over 1.7 million people gave an average of $53. Half the campaign’s haul came from people giving around the maximum amount and half from people who don’t have to be disclosed. Seems a bit odd.
The average of $53 from small donors is particularly noteworthy. Contributions under $200 don’t have to be disclosed, but the campaign still has to keep track of the donor’s name, in case subsequent donations push their contribution over the reporting threshold.
For contributions under $50, however, the campaign doesn’t even have to keep track of the donor’s name. It is effectively considered a “petty cash” donation. A person could theoretically make 10 $49 donations and never be reported, even though their total contributions are above the FEC’s reporting threshold.
With an average donation of $53 from small donors, Obama has A LOT of donors who will never be disclosed and whose names aren’t even known to the campaign. Tens of millions of dollars worth.
Today’s report certainly adds a great deal of interest to this news story from last week.”
From Citizen Wells April 20, 2012.
From the FEC April 19, 2012.
Weekly Digest
Week of April 16 – 20
AUDITS
“Final Audit Report on Obama for America. On April 19, the Commission made public the Final Audit Report of the Commission on Obama for America (OFA) covering campaign finance activity between January 16, 2007 and December 31, 2008. The Commission approved a finding that OFA failed to file required 48-hour notices totaling $1,972,266 received in 2008.”
http://www.fec.gov/press/press2012/20120420digest.shtml
From the audit.
“Final Audit Report of the
Commission on
Obama for America
(January 16, 2007 – December 31, 2008)”
“Part I
Background
Authority for Audit
This report is based on an audit of Obama for America (OFA), undertaken by the Audit Division ofthe Federal Election Commission (the Commission) in accordance with the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act). The Audit Division conducted the audit pursuant to 2 U.S.C. §438(b), which permits the Commission to conduct audits and field investigations of any political committee that is required to file a report imder 2 U.S.C. §434. Prior to conducting any audit under this subsection, the Commission must perform an intemal review of reports filed by selected committees to determine if the reports filed by a particular committee meet the threshold requirements
for substantial compliance with the Act. 2 U.S.C. §438(b).
Scope of Audit
Following Commission-approved procedures, the Audit staff evaluated various risk factors and as a result, this audit examined:
1. the receipt of excessive contributions;
2. the receipt of contributions from prohibited sources;
3. the disclosure of contributions received;
4. the disclosure of individual contributors’ occupation and name of employer;
5. the consistency between reported figures and bank records;
6. the completeness of records; and
7. other committee operations necessary to the review.
Audit Hearing
Obama for America declined the opportunity for an audit hearing before the Commission on the matter presented in this report.”
“• Treasurer During Period Covered by Audit Robert R. Bauer January 16,2007 – May 9,2007, Martin H. Nesbit May 10,2007 – Present”
“Part III
Summary
Commission Finding
Failure to File 48-Hour Notices
Based on audit fieldwork, OFA did not file required 48-hour notices for 1,312
contributions, totaling $1,972,266, that were received prior to the general election. OFA provided no further information regarding this matter in response to the Interim Audit.
Report recommendation.
The Commission approved a finding that OFA failed to file required 48-hour notices in 2008. (For more detail, see page 4)”
“Facts and Analysis
A. Facts
During fieldwork. Audit staff compared OFA’s 48-hour notices with contributions of $1,000 or more that had been reported as received during the 48-hour notice filing period.’ This review identified 1,312 contributions, totaling $1,972,266, for which OFA failed to file the required notices. A majority of the missing 48-hour notices arose from a transfer reported on October 24,2008 from the Obama Victory Fund (OVF), a joint fundraising committee composed of OFA and the Democratic National Committee (DNC). In order to verify whether the contributions in question had been received between October 16 and October 23, Audit staff traced contributions attributed to the October 24 transfer to the disclosure reports filed by OVF.”
“Commission Conclusion
On March 8,2012, the Commission considered the Audit Division Recommendation Memorandum, in which the Audit Division recommended that the Commission adopt a finding that OFA failed to file required 48-hour notices in 2008.
The Commission approved the Audit staffs recommendation.”
From Citizen Wells May 25, 2012.
From the FEC May 25, 2012.
“ENFORCEMENT”
“MUR 6524
RESPONDENTS: Biden for President, Inc.; and Melvyn Monzack, in his official capacity as treasurer
COMPLAINANT: FEC-Initiated
SUBJECT: In the normal course of carrying out its supervisory responsibilities, the Commission found that Biden for President, Inc. (the Committee) and Monzack, in his official capacity as treasurer, did not retain adequate records to document the notification of contributors of the Committee’s presumptive redesignation of $1,092,899 in excessive contributions. Biden was a 2008 primary candidate for president.
DISPOSITION: The Commission entered into a conciliation agreement whereby Biden for President, Inc. and Monzack, in his official capacity as treasurer, agreed to pay a civil penalty of $50,000.”
From Citizen Wells January 23, 2012.
“Robert Bauer, of Perkins Coie, on February 1, 2007 requested an advisory opinion to keep Obama’s option for matching funds open. Bauer knew full well that Obama, not being a natural born citizen, was not eligible for matching funds. The FEC advisory opinion from March 1, 2007 responded in the affirmative.Ellen L. Weintraub, former staff member at Perkins Coie, was a Democrat appointee of the FEC at that time. She remained well beyond her scheduled tenure with the help of Barack Obama.
Obama, Robert Bauer, Democrats interaction with FEC timeline.”
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