Palin's PAC forced to correct FEC filing
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/08/18/art.palin0818.gi.jpg caption=" Palin's PAC is correcting a number of FEC errors."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sarah Palin's political action committee violated federal election laws with two donations earlier this year and filed a mid-year report with a number of errors in it, according to the Federal Election Commission.
In a five-page letter to SarahPAC treasurer Tim Crawford, the FEC highlights a number of issues with the filed report, including donating more than is allowed to the reelection campaigns of Sens. John McCain and Lisa Murkowski, as well as not providing proper descriptions on how some of the PAC's money was spent.
Contacted by CNN, Crawford said the committee was currently revising the report to fix the errors and said these types of mistakes are not uncommon with FEC filings.
"A million of these [correction letters] go out every month," Crawford said. "They send out a lot of them.
A spokesman for the FEC said its standard practice for all reports to be reviewed, but would not estimate how many PAC's usually have to file corrections.
Specifically, the FEC notes SarahPAC gave $5,000 to McCain and Murkowski's primary campaigns - $2,600 more than is allowed for a PAC of SarahPAC's designation to give to a primary effort. SarahPAC also designated the donation for the senators' 2009 primary when in fact the primaries are in 2010.
To fix the error, Crawford said the PAC will allocate $2,400 to the senators' primary campaigns and $2,400 to the general election effort as is allowed under election laws. The PAC has also obtained a $200 refund from both campaigns to make up the difference.
"We essentially gave $200 too much," Crawford said. "We have since redesignated with both committees."
Crawford attributed some of the mistakes to being a new PAC and also noted FEC software that was supposed to flag mistakes when reports are initially submitted showed no errors with their filing.
"We filed what we thought was perfectly right," Crawford said. "If there is a violation, the FEC won't accept the report, but ours was accepted with no warnings or violations."
SarahPAC has until September 24 to file an amended report.
Follow Alex Mooney on twitter @awmooneyCNN
From CNN Politics
- Biden administration threatens veto on House GOP-led energy bill
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Former Fugees member faces federal trial as potential jurors are questioned about star-studded witness list
- Biden's student loan forgiveness program faces a new threat from Senate Republicans
- Why Israel's instability matters to the US
- Untitled
When Sarah Palin said that she was resigning from politics to spend more time with her family, I thought she was being honest and I respected her decision. Now I see that she is devoted to raising money and seeking higher political office. All that respect and admiration is gone.
At least the quitter should have plenty of time to work on these problems.
wow-what a DUFUS!
Look, all those who voted for a 73 year old man with dementia, who believes everybody in the nation is his so called "friend" and a bush woman from AK, who has nothing better to do than pop out kids, while teaching her kids to do the same, are uneducated rednecks who would rather see our county in ruins rather than electing a black man, go hit some more of that moonshine you been cookin. This woman has one quality, old men want to get in her pants, that's it, pure and simple, and McCain is one of them. Goodness, her youngest son is darn near the same age as her grandson, is that redneck enough?
No one is scared of that train wreck Palin. The Democrats and independents are laughing at her. Her behind stays in the news. she is as dumb as a bucket of shrimp. If she is a candidate for 2012, then Obama is a shoe in for Prez n 2012. Republican candidates have no credibility anymore since they are spouting off racist remarks, spreading false rumors about Obama. That is unpatriotic. But that's politics for ya.
this is in the news because CNN is becoming the next Fox.... it's all about ratings.
If Sarah can't run a political action committee well, or do a good job of choosing someone to run it, how can she be competent enough to lead at the national level?
Palin is nothing but a train wreck for the GOP.
The reason she's "under such a microscope" is because she's devisive and hyper-hypocritacal. She's spread lies intended to fear-monger only for her own political (???) gain. She's used her own children to further her political ideoligy and then screamed about "the media" talking about her children. She abandoned her own state for some incoherent idea about helping her own state. In short, the woman is mentally unstable (in my opinion) and mentally unstable people who have a forum can be very dangerous. You better believe she needs to be "under a microscope" and I, for one, hope the media continues to keep her there!
Just in!! Sarah Palin has been nominated for a Soap Opera Star Award! Wow.
When will you right wingers Palin supporters stop harrassing our new President????.......don't throw stones at us for speaking our minds about Palin you don't seem to have anything good to say about our President......we don't like Palin and she will never be President and you are all smoking some kind of pot to think that she can ever be anything in our Political system......she will be voted down and out everytime she runs.......there are more that are against Palin than there are you people that are for her......
STILL after her, Huh CNN??? When are you going to report the "Violations" that this administration is doing against our CIVIL LIBERTIES!!!????
Hands up, Palin...you're under arrest you little bimbo
Does it seem to anybody else that neither Sarah nor anyone around her really knows what they're doing?
This is just one of many examples of issues which force us to wonder what the hell is going on? If she's having this kind of problem and can't even finish her term as a governor why would she think she's qualified to be prez? Dumb.
Love it! "A million of these [correction letters] go out every month," Crawford said. "They send out a lot of them." They're justifying their own stupidity by comparing it to the incompetence of others. How Palin-like! But then I say, keep on talkin', Miss Wasila '82 and buddies, because with every word you just keep shooting yourselves in the foot.
What a surprise! Incompetence abounds in the Palin Camp!
Remember – Republican's Breed Incompetence!!!!!
We had 8 years of Incompetence – and yet that is what their wing-nut supporters want more of????
I'm no fan of Idiot Palin but is this really news? Did any other PAC's get letters? How about reporting the whole truth instead of wasting time with this kind of one sided idiocy. Try showing some backbone and do some investigating for a change. What is the matter? Does it cost to much to talk to the government and find out if other letters went out? Does it cost too much to find out if any other PAC's had more or larger dollar amount errors? Where is the story here?
I love you CNN. Keep her in the news and keep her popular. Lets all make sure she wins the primary 2012. Cant wait for the debate with BHO. he he he
Hey CNN,
Try reporting on other issues besides Palin. How many democrats have similar issues that go unreported? You are a bit self serving, aren't you?
Heck, I'll beleive anything they say! She is as pure as fresh snow. There must be "death panels" I'm sure of it!
Every campaign makes these mistakes. This is not news.
Sarah doesn't need competence, she has her faith to get her through these difficult times, and such. Obviously, the FEC is part of the liberal agenda that is out to destroy herself and mavericky people like her.
Hmmm why is everyone always worried about what Palin has done? Why isnt the Liberal news media informing us of all the wrong doings the Obama administration has done and continues to do. Is it that they think when Obama takes over that they will be part of his troops?
They will be thrown under the bus just like everyone else he uses and then discards.
Not surprising , anything with the name Palin on it seems to be flawed!
But do we have to hear about every little thing that goes wrong , or every miss step .... the only ones that get anything useful from this is the late night comics!
Just thanks to the heavens that she did not make it to Washington !
It does not look like she was not acting maliciously – just incompetently.... again.