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FEC Lets Kolbe Use Campaign $$ for Legal Bills
The Federal Election Commission has ruled that former GOP Rep. Jim Kolbe (AZ) can spend his leftover campaign funds to pay his lawyers.
Kolbe has faced inquiries from Congress and federal prosecutors over separate but related flaps: first, a 1996 camping trip he took with two teenaged former House pages, several staffers and his sister; and second, how he learned of inappropriate communications between disgraced former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) and former pages, and how he responded to the discovery.
The FEC allows a current or former lawmaker to use funds raised for campaign expenses to pay for legal defense costs if the need arises in the course of a lawmaker's official duties.
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Comments (2)
Anonymous wrote on January 25, 2007 9:24 PM:Let's not forget that until he left office, Kolbe was receiving an illegal "homestead tax" deduction on his large $1.1 million Washington, DC home.
Of course, only DC voters (that is, Washington, DC residents who have no Senators or Congressmen in Congress) are entitled to the deduction.
As a Congressman from Arizona, Kolbe obviously could not have been a DC voter.
Let's hope he joins the ranks of those like Karl Rove that have to reimburse the DC government for their illegal tax deductions.
Shawn wrote on January 26, 2007 4:07 PM:Can this rule be changed? Fortunately, I've never donated cash to a candidate that turned around and used it for legal defense funds. I can't imagine having given money to Ney, DeLay, Jerry Lewis, etc. and have them turn around and use it for other reasons...but doesn't seem fair.