Quick DU guide to understanding McCain's recent lies relating to his lobbyist pals

[usregimechange]

McCain's campaign stated that the Senator was not asked by Paxon or the Paxon lobbyist about writing the FCC to assist them. His own previous testimony admits to meeting with them about that very thing and Paxon himself stated that he met with him at his office and that the Paxon lobbyist arranged the meeting.

The McCain campaign denial:

"No representative of Paxson or Alcalde and Fay personally asked Senator McCain to send a letter to the FCC regarding this proceeding."

The truth as told by Paxon:

"I remember going there to meet with him." He recalled that he told McCain: "You're head of the Commerce Committee. The FCC is not doing its job. I would love for you to write a letter."

McCain's 2002 deposition:

"I was contacted by Mr. Paxson on this issue." and "I'm sure I spoke with him, yes."

[NastyRiffraff]

1. McCain isn't having a good week (and I'm glad)

There's the Paxson issue, which I'm glad has center stage instead of the thinly resourced sex issue. He's outright lying.

Then there's the finance issue where he's trying to violate a law he helped write.

Cool.

[usregimechange]

2. I need an idiot guide to the other one. In and outs of the law and what he did

[NastyRiffraff]

3. Okay, here you go:

2002: McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Finance Reform Act passes.
Among other things, the bill regulates public campaign financing, including a spending limit of $54 million for the primary season.

2007: McCain applies for public financing
Early on, his campaign was struggling for money.

December, 2007: McCain applies for a $4 million bank loan with matching campaign money as collateral.

McCain's foundering campaign gets new life after the Iowa primary; money starts coming in.

February, 2008: McCain, having spent all or most of the $54 million limit, writes the FEC requesting that he back out of the program.
That's permitted provided the candidate hasn't yet gotten federal money, or who have not received a loan using that money as collateral.

Feb. 2008: The FEC tells McCain he can't back out of the system; he can only request.
However, The FEC is unable to vote on the request, since it lacks a quorum of four commissioners.

Feb. 22, 2008: McCain thumbs his nose at he FEC
"It's not a decision. It's an opinion, according to our people."

Feb. 25, 2008: McCain's campaign tells the FEC outright he doesn't need their approval to opt out
It also said he could spend as much as he wants, and that he was still entitled to the share of the matching funds used as collateral for the bank loan.

Note: Overspending the limit can result in a heavy fine, and/or up to five years in jail, per the McCain-Feingold bill.

[usregimechange]

4. Thanks, saving...

[zbdent]

5. along the same lines of

Week 1: "We don't wiretap without a court order/warrant."

exposed

Week 2: "Okay, we wiretap without a warrant, but it's only terrorists."

exposed

Week 3: "Okay, so we're wiretapping without a warrant on American citizens, but it's only because they're talking to terrorists."

exposed

Week 4: "Okay, so we're wiretapping without a warrant on American citizens who aren't talking to terrorists. We're trying to prevent another 9/11. If we were doing this before 9/11/2001, we might have prevented the attack!"

exposed - wiretapping well before 9/11/2001 ... and yet, the attacks happened ...

Week 5: ...

wait a little while ... McCain will contradict himself yet again ...