Dumb campaign finance question.

[FlashHarry]

Ok, here's my question. What happens to the leftover (if any) money a candidate raises, if he or she drops out of the race? I've donated to Howard Dean twice. I'd like to think that money won't be spent on a new yacht, if he bows out of the campaign. Can somebody enlighten me?

Thanks.

[FlashHarry]

1. Kick

:kick:

[BOSSHOG]

2. Not a dumb question at all

And I have no idea what the answer is. But it is an excellent point because at least eight democratic candidates aren't going to get the nomination and they all have campaign money. A sirens call for a campaign finance expert to enlighten us !!!!!!

[Qutzupalotl]

3. Not an expert, but what I've heard here is

the candidate can either give the money to his/her party or save it for another run in the future, but cannot buy a yacht with it.

[FlashHarry]

4. That's a relief!

Not that I think HD would do such a dastardly thing. Hover, if those are the rules, they sound a bit nebulous to me. For instance, could the candidate put the money in a trust fund until his or her next run? If so, wouldn't that candidate be making money on the donations of others?

[jagguy]

5. matching funds

need to be accounted for, the rest do not.

The only thing that keeps this from going into yachts or what have you are future campaign considerations.

There are other ways to abscond with the money though. Putting friends and family on the campaign payroll, giving excess funds to "charities" where the accounting gets murkier. Quid pro quo's on "campaign expenses" that later come back as personal items (friend's consulting company gets hired to "advise" and then later the candidate gets put on the board or hired on to "advise").

I'm not saying that all pols are guilty but the ones that are looking to check out also tend to cash out at the same time. Politics is a business after all.

Your money will likely get spent this year if its going to someone who will be there most of the way.