Democrat Russ Feingold was once the face of campaign finance reform, the former Wisconsin senator who teamed with Republican Sen. John McCain to author the McCain-Feingold legislation. That was before he lost to Ron Johnson.
Now, trying to win back his seat, he’s taking money where he can and even has popular Sen. Elizabeth Warren coming in for a big-shot fundraiser later this month.
Even the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is investing in helping Feingold with issue ads, though in 1998 he told the group to “get the hell out of my state” with similar ads.
But his effort caught the eye of the Federal Election Commission, which recently sent Feingold a demand to stop taking contributions over the legal limit and to return the overpayments.
It identified bigger-than-allowed contributions from movie star Kate Capshaw, Hollywood royalty Tim Disney, and Yvon Chouinard, founder of the pricy Patagonia clothing brand.
Even as he is in hiding per the NRSC demands, Mark Kirk and his campaign still messing up http://t.co/uOhR5eiM81 #ILSEN
— Sadie Weiner (@sadieweiner) August 31, 2015
Democrats have been playing up a similar letter to Illinois Republican Sen. Mark Kirk.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
