Plus-- he is entitled to pension benefits as a Congressman.
WASHINGTON — Former Democratic Rep. Eric Massa will have to return $129,251 of the $1 million in donations his campaign committee raised in 2009, according to the Federal Election Commission.
But most of the $643,973 in cash that Massa's campaign had as of Dec. 31 won't have to be returned.
The distinction, according to FEC spokesman Christian Hillard, is that money raised for the general election in November must be returned within 60 days after a retirement is announced. Money raised for the period leading up to a party primary doesn't have to be returned, even if there was no opponent.
Under federal election law, once a contributor donates the maximum allowed amount ahead of a primary, money donated after that is applied to the general election.
It's not known how much Massa's campaign raised and how much it spent between Jan. 1 and his March 3 announcement that he would not seek re-election, which preceded his decision to resign. That amount will be reported April 15, the next filing deadline for FEC campaign finance statements.
Two other former congressmen from western New York — Republican Tom Reynolds of Clarence, who retired at the end of 2008, and Democrat John LaFalce of Buffalo, who retired at the end of 2002 — still have large cash balances in their former campaign accounts.
Like Reynolds and LaFalce, Massa will be required to file periodic campaign reports as long as there is money in his campaign accounts.
Massa's committee could make maximum donations of $2,000 to Democratic candidates for Congress around the country, including whomever party leaders choose to run for his former seat.
Shawn Hogan, Hornell mayor and Steuben County Democratic Party chairman, said most candidates wouldn't want a donation from Massa.
"I think it would be best served to give it to charity," Hogan said. "If anyone took that money, it would bring a dark cloud over them."
Massa also could convert his campaign committee to a political action committee and use it for issue advocacy.
There's no limit on how much the committee can donate to charity or to a federal campaign committee such as the Democratic National Committee or the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Norman Ornstein, an expert on campaign finance at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think tank, doubts that even the DCCC would want Massa's money.
BTUMULTY@Gannett.com
WASHINGTON — Former Democratic Rep. Eric Massa will have to return $129,251 of the $1 million in donations his campaign committee raised in 2009, according to the Federal Election Commission.
But most of the $643,973 in cash that Massa's campaign had as of Dec. 31 won't have to be returned.
The distinction, according to FEC spokesman Christian Hillard, is that money raised for the general election in November must be returned within 60 days after a retirement is announced. Money raised for the period leading up to a party primary doesn't have to be returned, even if there was no opponent.
Under federal election law, once a contributor donates the maximum allowed amount ahead of a primary, money donated after that is applied to the general election.
It's not known how much Massa's campaign raised and how much it spent between Jan. 1 and his March 3 announcement that he would not seek re-election, which preceded his decision to resign. That amount will be reported April 15, the next filing deadline for FEC campaign finance statements.
Two other former congressmen from western New York — Republican Tom Reynolds of Clarence, who retired at the end of 2008, and Democrat John LaFalce of Buffalo, who retired at the end of 2002 — still have large cash balances in their former campaign accounts.
Like Reynolds and LaFalce, Massa will be required to file periodic campaign reports as long as there is money in his campaign accounts.
Massa's committee could make maximum donations of $2,000 to Democratic candidates for Congress around the country, including whomever party leaders choose to run for his former seat.
Shawn Hogan, Hornell mayor and Steuben County Democratic Party chairman, said most candidates wouldn't want a donation from Massa.
"I think it would be best served to give it to charity," Hogan said. "If anyone took that money, it would bring a dark cloud over them."
Massa also could convert his campaign committee to a political action committee and use it for issue advocacy.
There's no limit on how much the committee can donate to charity or to a federal campaign committee such as the Democratic National Committee or the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Norman Ornstein, an expert on campaign finance at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think tank, doubts that even the DCCC would want Massa's money.
BTUMULTY@Gannett.com
posted by Yes! Wind Power for Cohocton at
1:46 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home