He says he hasn’t made up his mind about running for the United States Senate but an email Greg Fischer sent to tons of people on December 24, 2007 suggests otherwise. In the message, sent from Fischer’s Dant Clayton corporate email account, he sends a plea for finance staff. Young, old, experienced, inexperienced, it doesn’t matter to him. We won’t waste time pointing out to Fischer that an experienced finance team is crucial.
What we will point out, though, is that conducting campaign business via a corporate email account on corporate equipment is a violation of campaign finance law. That sort of activity? It’s considered a corporate contribution and doesn’t fly with the FEC.
In his email he attaches a job description and requests that resumes be sent to an employee of his corporation at a corporate email address (csadler@dantclayton.com). Not exactly a great way to get a campaign off the ground, is it? Being a wealthy, Republican-light self-funder trying his level best to alienate the core of the Democratic Party just doesn’t seem to be enough for Fischer.
Peep the email and job description document after the jump…
From: Greg Fischer [mailto:GFischer@DANTCLAYTON.COM]
Sent: Monday, December 24, 2007 12:52 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients
Subject: Senate Campaign Fundraising Staff searchGreetings:
While I have not made a final decision re the US Senate run, we are
preparing for a possible announcement in January. Fundraising is one of
the first activities to kick in to gear so several people are needed for the
finance staff (paid positions). The attached job description provides
more detail. These positions will be a great experience for someone
interested in the political process. Think about bright young people that won’t mind working 60 hours a week! Maybe your son, daughter, niece, nephew etc….If you have someone more senior in mind, I am also looking for a Finance
Director to manage the Finance Staff. It helps if they have political
fundraising experience, but it is not mandatory. The main attributes
required for the Finance Director are management ability, a quick mind,
a high awareness level and a very strong work ethic.See the attachment for more details on the Finance Staff positions.
Thanks and Happy Holidays!
Greg
Click here to download (PDF) the job description attachment Fischer mentioned in his email.
Lest anyone say we’re biased? We are. We support Andrew Horne, who isn’t attempting to buy the electoral process. Our personal preference has nothing to do with the facts, however.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Kaintuck // Jan 3, 2008 at 2:06 pm
This is what we have to look forward to with Greg Fischer. Someone who is so careless about campaign finance law that he violates it before announcing his candidacy. He also makes the mistake of trying ot hire people who know nothing about finance, which goes to show you just how unserious and unintelligent this guy is.
2 kentucky // Jan 3, 2008 at 4:19 pm
How is this illegal? If the campaign doesn’t even officially exist yet, how can a corporate donation be made to it?
3 jake // Jan 3, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Organizing a campaign and saying you’re hiring paid staff for a campaign is what’s called, oh, let’s see here… Campaigning. That’s campaign activity. Merely saying you haven’t made up your mind yet doesn’t mean it’s not campaign activity.
Once he’s filed, this is and will be a contribution.
It’s like Steve Henry. You can’t work toward a candidacy and then act surprised when you’re investigated for illegal activity.
4 Jim // Jan 4, 2008 at 2:10 am
McConnell would eat this man for breakfast.
5 briansmith // Jan 4, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I expect he can fall on the defense that he is a political neophyte, has never mounted a congressional campaign, is ignorant of campaign finance laws and, hey, the computer was just sitting there!! And I was on my lunch break!!
Just the kind of candidate to run against the most vicious incumbent Senator in the most important Senate race this year. Jump the f*** back Greg.
6 Jake doesn't know everything // Jan 17, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Jake, you are wrong this time and I can prove it.
Mr. Greg Fischer CAN use his office, letterhead, phones, fax, SECRETARIAL ASSISTANT, copy machine, word processor TO CONDUCT his senate campaign. It is NOT against the laws for Fischer to use his corporation(s), employees or equipment in his senate bid.
Read the Advisory Opinion from the Registry of Election Finance
Mr. Robert Blau
c/o Robert Blau for Senator
3699 Alexandria Pike
Cold Spring, Kentucky 41076
Dear Mr. Blau:
You have requested an Advisory Opinion from the Registry of Election Finance as to whether you may use property owned by Jolly & Blau, P.S.C. for the benefit of your campaign for State Senator. This property would include telephones, copiers, fax machines, and word processing equipment. Also, you asked whether you may list your office number on your campaign letterhead.
Any use of corporate property in your campaign must be documented in detail, including an itemized bill from the corporation to your campaign for any use of phones, fax machines, copies, word processors, secretarial assistance, etc. Also, those bills must be paid by check and must be retained, and you must report all such transactions when you report expenditures by your campaign. Otherwise, any use of such property could constitute an in-kind contribution to your campaign by a corporation, and Kentucky law expressly prohibits corporate contributions.
You may include your office phone number on your campaign letterhead so long as any expense incurred by the corporation as a result thereof (i.e. collect calls) are handled in the manner prescribed above.
If you have an further questions, please fell free to contact our office at (502) 564-2226.
Sincerely,
Timothy E. Shull
General Counsel
Registry of Election Finance
Fischer can bill his campaign and that is perfectly LEGAL! Why don’t stop accusing people of breaking laws without doing your homework first?
7 jake // Jan 17, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Nice try.
Check my response to your comment on the other post to which you posted the same comment.
Fischer isn’t running a state race, tool.
8 jake // Jan 17, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Here’s what I posted:
“Greg Fischer isn’t running a state race so the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance doesn’t govern. A little federal organization called the FEC handles his federal United States Senate race.
Further, we’ve reported previously that any corporate contribution would have to be repaid by his campaign. Trouble is? He didn’t have a campaign when the contribution was made. Doing official campaign business without formally announcing and filing doesn’t fly.”
9 Ryan // Jan 20, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Ironic how his hard-core republican brother has recently taken George Bush fishing on his yacht.
http://www.sportfishingmag.com/news/news/offshore-adventures-to-feature-president-george-w-bush-on-fishing-21336259.html
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