Common Sense at the FEC: Normally an Oxymoron, but not Always

Last week, I wrote about the story of Florida Congressional Canddiate Nancy Detert, whose treasurer had abscondended with nearly $100,000 and fled to South America. The treasurer's parents offered to pay back the loan. Detert was told by the FEC initially that the parents couldn't do that since it ouwld be a violation of the limits.

While the FEC usually moves with glacial slowness, apparently someone at the Commission has a little common sense. According to Brad Smith, guestblogging at Skepticseye.com

The Commission has issued draft Advisory Opinion 2006-16, regarding Florida State Rep. (and current congressional candidate) Nancy Detert. Early last month, Detert’s campaign treasurer, Randy Maddox, headed off to Argentina after transferring $94,000 and change of campaign funds to his personal bank account. Maddox’s decision to live the Robert Vesco life was a short one, however, for just 10 days later he returned to the U.S. Short, but sweet - in those 10 days, he had managed to spend a bit over $27,000. (Maddox says he "lost" the $27,000. What does that mean? Gambling? Or did some pickpocket in Buenos Aires hit the jackpot?) Maddox returned the cash he had left to the Detert campaign, and his parents took out a home equity line on their house to make up the difference, thus hoping to mitigate any criminal penalties against their son.

Anyway, in this draft AO, the General Counsel is recommending that the Detert Committee be allowed to accept the funds. The Counsel’s draft reasons that the contribution is "not for the purpose of influencing an election," but merely for the purpose of "mitigat[ing] potentially severe criminal liability and financial jeopardy for their son."

Apparently common sense in government, while an endangered species is not entirely extinct. Of course, I wonder what the reform community will say about these actions by the Commission.