Campaigns take cash, seek details later
By SHARON THEIMER and TROY THIBODEAUX
Associated Press
August 20, 2008
Page 2 of 3
A spokesman for Obama, Ben LaBolt, said campaign workers "consistently review our procedures to make sure that we are taking every reasonable step to ensure that the contributions we receive are appropriate and follow FEC guidelines, and we will do so again in light of this new information."
McCain's campaign said it was impractical to ask Internet contributors for copies of their passports. "We're always looking for ways to best comply with all provisions of campaign finance regulations, and obviously take swift action anytime flags are raised regarding potentially problematic campaign contributions," spokesman Brian Rogers said.
The AP analyzed 1.27 million campaign contributions to Obama and McCain to identify 6,948 contributions from people who appeared to live outside the United States and who were not obviously in the U.S. military. The AP contacted 123 donors in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland and interviewed them about their citizenship and donations.
Obama has far more overseas donors than McCain, and that was reflected in the number of interviews: the AP was able to reach 116 Obama supporters, six McCain backers and one donor who gave to both.
Australian Richard Watters gave Obama's campaign $1,000 over the Internet, entering a fake U.S. passport number -- a random jumble of numbers and letters -- so the site would take his money. He said he also checked a box stating that he was an American living overseas, "because I could see it wasn't going anywhere if I didn't do that."
Watters was surprised when a reporter told him it was illegal for foreigners to donate to U.S. presidential campaigns, but he said he was still glad he gave.
"I wouldn't give up, because I believe in the man -- I really do," said Watters, 76, of Sydney, a stock market trader. "Maybe I just feel he can put a smile back on the face of the world."
Swiss citizen Gilles Massamba gave Obama at least $436 and received campaign souvenirs. He said the campaign didn't ask whether he was a U.S. citizen.
Just three donors to Obama and two for McCain told the AP the campaigns asked to see their passports. One Obama donor, in France, was asked to show her U.S. driver's license at a fundraising event. Others said if they did anything, they checked a box on the campaigns' Web sites affirming they were U.S. citizens or were asked to provide their passport numbers, or both.
A spokesman for the FEC, Bob Biersack, said it was prudent for the campaigns to ask online donors to check a box confirming they are U.S. citizens, but obtaining copies of U.S. passports from overseas donors is the only protection against enforcement action.
In dozens of instances, the AP could not determine whether donors had foreign addresses since their addresses were missing from campaign finance reports. Other key information also was missing. McCain and Obama each omitted information identifying the employers for at least 10,000 contributions in their most recent donor data. In most cases, the campaigns appear to have asked supporters to provide those details.
>> Continued -- Page 1 2 3
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
