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McCain Backers Finding Ways Around Law He Sponsored

GOP governors fund is major finance loophole

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 3, 2008 2:30 PM CDT

(Newser) – Desperate to keep up with Barack Obama's powerful fundraising apparatus, John McCain’s allies have found ways of skirting the very campaign finance laws the Arizona senator helped write, the Wall Street Journal reports. Republican strategists are pushing donations toward a fund used to elect governors—not subject to dollar limits—on the theory that state-level pushes will boost the top of the ticket.

"It's like planting a lot of food out in the field for one cow; it helps that one cow, but all the other cows appreciate it, too," says the man behind the approach. Republicans are also using an approach in which individuals bundle more than $70,000 to various party branches—and there are always so-called 527 groups, theoretically unaffiliated with the parties and not subject to ceilings.

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gestures during a press conference in Cartagena, Colombia, Wednesday, July 2, 2008.
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gestures during a press conference in Cartagena, Colombia, Wednesday, July 2, 2008.   (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, gestures upon his arrival to Mexico City, Wednesday, July 2, 2008. At right is U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Tony Garza.
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, gestures upon his arrival to Mexico City, Wednesday, July 2, 2008. At right is U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Tony Garza.   (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
John McCain talks about the rescue of 15 hostages in Colombia as his wife Cindy looks on aboard his campaign jet in flight between Cartagena, Colombia and Mexico City, Wednesday, July 2, 2008.
John McCain talks about the rescue of 15 hostages in Colombia as his wife Cindy looks on aboard his campaign jet in flight between Cartagena, Colombia and Mexico City, Wednesday, July 2, 2008.   (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gestures during a press conference in Cartagena, Colombia, Wednesday, July 2, 2008.
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gestures during a press conference in Cartagena, Colombia, Wednesday, July 2, 2008.   (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
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