Democrats want feds to investigate electoral college ballot effort

Finally, some action.  From theSan Francisco Chronicle:

Democratic Party activists said Monday they have filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission charging connections between backers of Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani and a GOP-supported ballot measure that could have changed California's "winner take all" electoral college system to benefit Republican candidates.

Californians for Fair Election Reform have asked the FEC to investigate possible criminal violations of federal election law.

"We have a real serious concern here ... (that) this is a direct threat to the 2008 election and could potentially impact who the next president is," said Chris Lehane, a spokesman for the Democratic group and a leading Democratic strategist. "We really do believe that there is an imperative for various law enforcement agencies to look into this and look into it as quickly as possible."

The proposed ballot measure, called the Presidential Election Reform Act, would have required California's 55 electoral college votes to go to the winner of the popular vote in each congressional district rather than the statewide winner. Political analysts said such a change could have meant that California, a state that has backed Democratic presidential candidates since 1992, could have provided Republicans with at least 20 electoral votes -almost as many as states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Turns out funding was from a backer of a certain GOP presidential candidate:

With Democrats calling for an investigation, allies of Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger who had backed the proposed ballot measure - including the author, Sacramento attorney Tom Hiltachk - dropped their support.
Then Paul Singer, a billionaire hedge fund executive and major New York fundraiser for Giuliani, admitted he was the sole source of funding behind the measure.

Giuliani had this nothing to say:

Giuliani's campaign aides didn't respond to questions on Monday, although last week they denied any connection to the proposed ballot measure effort.
Democrats said Monday they were pursuing the complaint with the Federal Election Commission to send a message to any Republicans who might consider reviving the measure.

I hope this causes Giuliani and the rest of the GOP some pain.

•  Tips/flames etc.

  by dave1042 on Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 04:27:38 PM PDT

•  Maybe Pointless

  As far as I know, there is nothing prohibiting a backer of a specific candidate from also supporting or opposing a ballot measure. I gave money to Barack Obama and to the effort opposing the very same measure. Even if Giuliani is ultimately behind it, it may now matter.

  by RandySF on Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 04:36:29 PM PDT

•  Just what are they alleging?

  I'm convinced the ballot measure violated the federal Constitution, but that doesn't seem to be this issue that Lehane is concerned about.

  by Elwood Dowd on Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 04:42:23 PM PDT

•  OK, but. . .

  what is the criminal violation?  It's not against the law to play hardball.  We could learn a thing or two from it (except for the part where it failed, and its chief backer was exposed).

  by cardinal on Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 05:01:40 PM PDT

  •  OK, but...

    isn't this a form of hardball as well?  Drag the whole thing out in the light, make the Republicans look bad, give Californians a nasty taste in their mouth.

    A bunch of bad press could be a good thing.  Hopefully it's the final nail in the coffin.

    by grasshopper on Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 05:26:04 PM PDT

•  Is this the same FEC

  that Von Spakovsky is going to run?  Doesn't sound too hopeful to me......

  by luckylizard on Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 06:29:09 PM PDT

•  For more information check out the transcript

  I attended the press conference yesterday and have transcribed the comments of the attorney, James Harrison, who has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Elections Committee and also asked that the matter be referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for referral of criminal charges.

  This should answer a lot of questions folks have here.

  I'm working on a follow up article as well.

  Check it out at http://www.californiaprogressreport....

  by californiaprogressreport on Tue Oct 02, 2007 at 07:20:05 AM PDT