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The Republican National Committee accused Barack Obama’s presidential campaign of flouting campaign finance laws and called for an audit of the Democrat’s fundraising operation. The Republican National Committee (RNC) will file a formal complaint to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Monday that accuses Sen. Obama’s (Ill.) campaign of taking contributions from individuals who are foreigners and who have given more during the primary than the $2,300-per-person limit. The complaint comes after Newsweek reported Saturday that federal auditors flagged donations to Obama from individuals named “Good Will” and “Doodad Pro” that added up to amounts greater than the $2,300 limit. The story also noted that Obama had to return $33,000 from two Palestinian brothers living in the Gaza Strip earlier this year. FEC reports show that Obama has yet to return nearly $900 of that money, RNC lawyer Sean Cairncross said.RNC communications director Danny Diaz criticized Obama’s motives for taking the controversial donations. “John McCain has consistently put country first, his life, career, is a testament to that,” Diaz said in a conference call on Sunday. “Barack Obama has put himself first.” In response to the complaint, the Obama campaign said that McCain has had to return more than $1.2 million in questionable donations, including a $50,000 in contributions raised by a Jordanian.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton said that the Democrat’s campaign has gone beyond transparency requirements by disclosing its bundlers, who are supporters who have collected donations from other individuals, and by disclosing how much each bundler has raised. Burton also touted how Obama has raised much of his money from small donations.
“Without accepting a dime from the Washington lobbyists or corporate PACs that have funded John McCain's campaign, our campaign has shattered fundraising records with donations from more than 2.5 million Americans,” Burton said. Diaz said Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.) is operating within the campaign finance system for the general election, having accepted the $84 million in public funds that were available to each candidate. And while McCain made public contributions that he had received during the primaries that were worth $200 or less, Obama has not, Cairncross said. The FEC only requires that donations greater than $200 are itemized in public fundraising filings. To boost its case, the RNC provided an FEC letter to reporters calling on Obama to return money to donors who had given more than $2,300. The Obama campaign said that a response to the RNC complaint was forthcoming. McCain also faces an FEC complaint that accuses him of taking foreigners’ donations. Judicial Watch, a conservative legal advocacy group, called on the FEC in April to investigate whether a McCain fundraiser in London for Americans abroad was held at a venue paid for by a British citizen. McCain spokesman Brian Rogers dismissed the complaint soon after it was filed as “completely wrong.” The campaign paid for the space, catering and other event costs, Rogers said. The FEC has yet to rule on the matter.
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