Rubio fined for taking improper donations

[RandySF]

The Federal Election Commission has fined Sen. Marco Rubio $8,000 for accepting more than $210,000 in improper contributions during his 2010 run for the Senate.

In a negotiated settlement finalized last month but only publicly released now, Marco Rubio for Senate acknowledged taking in more than $210,000 in “prohibited, excessive and other impermissible contributions” during his Senate campaign and failing to refund or “redesignate” the funds within the allowed time frame.

Even after an internal audit, the Rubio campaign failed to identify more than $83,000 in improper or incorrectly characterized contributions, according to a March 19 agreement between the campaign and the FEC.

An FEC review showed that the improper donations came from more than 100 individuals, and in two cases, the campaign accepted corporate contributions, which are illegal. Marco Rubio for Senate also accepted nearly $26,000 for the primary race even after the primary election was already over.


http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/75702.html#ixzz1tJqc8mNw

[Politicalboi]

1. That fine is way too low

He should have to pay back all of it, or do jail time. Where Darryl Issa when you need him.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

9. Yup, good ole Darrell Issa, the only convicted criminal in the U.S. Congress

Unfortunately, the media ignore the fact his past includes arrests and a conviction for weapons charges and for auto theft, suspicions of arson, and accusations of intimidation with a gun, and insurance fraud.

[xchrom]

2. Du rec. Nt

[aquart]

3. And lobbyists?

[MrScorpio]

4. That's just a Republican making his bones

At least he no longer has the fresh faced kid problem holding him back.

He's part of the crew now

[Bolo Boffin]

5. Vice President Nominee Rand Paul thanks him.

Or Rob Portman, either one.

[tclambert]

6. So, for a cost of $8,000 in fines he gets $210,000 in illegal donations?

By my arithmetic he comes out $202,000 ahead. How does such a tiny fine discourage improper behavior? Of course, the $210,000 figure is only what they CAUGHT him taking illegally. There could be more.

Under a proper "theory of fines," he should have to pay a penalty of ten times the transgression, in this case, $2.1 million. Now THAT would cover a lot of the illegality they missed and put real fear in any others tempted to take illegal donations. The Commission should also fine the illegal donors.

[progressoid]

7. +1

[hughee99]

12. If I'm not mistaken,

all the money found to be illegal must be returned, and the $8K tap on the wrist is, on top of that, to the FEC.

[spanone]

8. 8 grand to make 210 grand...not a bad investment

[lpbk2713]

10. A net gain of $202K

Tell me it's not a good ole boy club.

[MoonRiver]

11. Lol, guess he's off the short list now.

But really it's just Rethugs being Rethugs.

[rusty fender]

13. Maybe, like Andrew Young, he is using the money

to build his dream home?