For Immediate Release:
Seattle Contact: Alan Gottlieb (206) 454-7012
Washington D.C.: Richard Mayberry (202) 785-6677
"Simply stated, Clinton 'cooked the books' of his campaign by using these funds to retire debt for his primary election efforts, he was able to wrongfully secure millions in additional public funds. The diverted funds were used to defray legal and accounting costs costs in the general election. The net effect was a substantial boost in the amount of campaign resources Clinton/Gore'92 had their hands on for active electioneering," stated ALAN GOTTLIEB, a nationally noted political activist and fund raiser as well as the lead plaintiff in the case.
"It is the height of hypocrisy for Clinton to champion campaign finance and lobby law reform, and then to have flouted the law by refusing to repay $2.9 million that the FEC auditors, general counsel and three of the six commissioners found he owed," proclaimed GOTTLIEB.
The broad based, bi-partisan group of complainants includes the Second Amendment Foundation, the Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise, the American Political Action Committee, two nationally known radio talk show hosts; Mike Siegel and Todd Herman, as well as Gun Week editor Joseph Tartaro.
"This is a case to preserve the intergity of the public financing system and to punish the unfair advantage Clinton took in the 1992 general election by use of millions of extra campaign dollars," stated the complainants in their pleading with the FEC. Unless the FEC acts, it cannot, "deter future candidates from manipulating their books in the 1996 presidential primaries to secure unfair competitive advantage," continues the complaint.
"Clinton and his campaign committee knowingly and willfully committed violations of the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act. Pursuant to 2 U.S.C. section 437g(a)(5)(B) a civil penalty equal to 200% of the contribution involved in the violation totaling $5.8 million should be imposed," stated GOTTLIEB.
The complaint was reluctantly filed after the three (3) Democrat FEC Commissioners blocked the will of the entire rest of the agency in getting Clinton to ante up the money he owed the U.S. Treasury for his '92 charades.
"It is just this type of partisan deadlock that Congress envisioned when it created a procedure for private, taxpaying citizens to initiate formal administrative civil proceedings. If the FEC condones these illegal actions and continues the agency gridlock, I and the other complainants will sue the FEC in Federal Court," said GOTTLIEB.
"I agree with one commentator who wrote that Clinton robbed the treasury while the Democrats on the Commission drove the getaway car," added GOTTLIEB.
The legal action was filed on behalf of the complainants by RICHARD MAYBERRY, a prominent Washington, D.C. political law and campaign finance attorney.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The American Political Action Committee needs help in funding this
legal effort to hold BILL CLINTON accountable, and protect what
little integrity there is in the Federal Election Commission.
Please donate what you can to this worthy effort.
[ ] $ 1,000 [ ] $ 500 [ ] $ 100 [ ] $ 50 [ ] $ 25
[ ] Other $_____
Make you non-tax deductible donation check payable to: AMERIPAC
Name___________________________________________________________
Address________________________________________________________
City______________________ State_____ ZIP___________
The Federal Election Commission requires you to complete the
following information:
Occupation (or Retired)_________________________________________
Employer________________________________________________________
Mail your contribution to: American Political Action Committee
P.O. Box 1682
Bellevue, WA 98009
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Forwarded by the Constitutional Defense Coalition
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Grassroots Political Action To Preserve Our
Heritage of Liberty And Personal Responsibility.
Info Line (713) 286-5339
"Just say 'NO' to crooked politicians."