The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today announced the first round of Red to Blue candidates challenging Republican incumbents. This is the second slate of Democratic congressional candidates that have qualified for the competitive DCCC Red to Blue program, the first slate was for candidates in open seats. These candidates earned a spot in the program by surpassing demanding fundraising goals and skillfully demonstrating to voters that they stand for change and will represent new priorities when elected to Congress.

"These candidates have come out of the gate strong and the Red to Blue Program will give them the financial and structural edge to be even more competitive in November," said Chairman Chris Van Hollen, Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "The candidates for change in our first round of challenger Red to Blue are strong examples of Democrats who represent a commitment to new priorities for the families in their districts."

The Red to Blue program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country, and offers them financial, communications, and strategic support. The program will introduce Democratic supporters to new, competitive candidates in order to help expand the fundraising base for these campaigns.

Chairman Van Hollen joined Red to Blue co-chairs Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Artur Davis (D-AL), and Bruce Braley (D-IA) to announce the first 13 challenger candidates for change who qualified for the Red to Blue:

Kay Barnes (MO-06)
Anne Barth (WV-02)
Darcy Burner (WA-08)
Robert Daskas (NV-03)
Steve Driehaus (OH-01)
Jim Himes (CT-04)
Christine Jennings (FL-13)
Larry Kissell (NC-08)
Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24)
Eric Massa (NY-29)
Gary Peters (MI-09)
Mark Schauer (MI-07)
Dan Seals (IL-10)

Red to Blue was a proven success in the 2004 and 2006 cycles. In 2004, the Red to Blue program raised nearly $7.5 million for twenty seven campaigns across the country with an average of more than $250,000 per campaign. In 2006, the Red to Blue program raised nearly $22.6 million for 56 campaigns with an average of $404,000 per campaign. Red to Blue was also responsible for solidifying the structure of dozens of campaigns and making a real difference for Democrats across America.

Congratulations to Andre Carson on his victory tonight. He is a tireless leader for the children and working families of Indianapolis.

I am grateful to the Congressional Black Caucus, Senator Evan Bayh and Indiana's Democratic Congressional Delegation for encouraging the people of this district to vote for change by supporting Andre Carson. Andre Carson will be a tremendous asset to our Democratic Caucus as we fight to strengthen our economy, end the war in Iraq, and restore the American dream to America’s middle class families.

We look forward to working with Andre Carson and local and state Democrats to ensure a Democratic victory in November.

Saturday's big Democratic win of Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert's seat is just more proof that voters are looking for the big change that Democrats will deliver.

In South Florida, we have three strong Democratic challengers fighting for change against some of President Bush's most reliable rubbberstamps. Republicans Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL-21), and Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-24) have rubberstamped President Bush's failed agenda time and time again. With only underfunded challengers as opponents, they have become entrenched politicians unwilling to respond to the will of the voters.

Those days are over. Democratic challengers Annette Taddeo (FL-18), Raul Martinez (FL-21), and Joe Garcia (FL-24) are running tough campaigns against the South Florida Republicans that will force them to defend their blind support of President Bush. With Bush's approval numbers mired in the 30's, that'll be no easy task.

The DCCC will be right alongside these candidates taking the fight to these loyal Bushies. The DCCC's sole mission is to elect Democrats to the House and that's just what we plan to do. We do it by ensuring our challengers have all the resources we need, knocking on doors, making calls and making sure no Republican attack goes unanswered.

While some of our Members may not always be able to actively campaign with every candidate, you can be assured that the DCCC will be there.

In a recent blog post at Swing State Project, there was frustration against Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz's call that she would not be campaigning for South Florida candidates. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz works tirelessly to help elect more Democrats to Congress. She has made clear that she supports the DCCC involvement in these South Florida races and has made sure that a Member who could completely throw themselves into those races would be assigned to them.

These Florida districts are ready for the big change that Democrats will deliver with a Democratic President and a strong Democratic Majority. Let's keep the focus on beating Republicans Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL-21), and Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-24).

TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Jennifer Crider, DCCC Communications Director
RE: Illinois 14 Special Election Analysis
DATE: March 8, 2008

Bill Foster's victory in Speaker Hastert's former seat is the most powerful evidence yet that change is sweeping America's red and blue districts. It is a stunning rejection of the Bush Administration, its Republican allies, and presidential nominee John McCain. Republican candidates learned tonight that Senator McCain, who campaigned with the Republican nominee, cannot save them from defeat this November against strong Democratic challengers, even in districts that voted overwhelmingly for President Bush.

The NRCC spent 20 percent of its cash on hand on Illinois 14, which the Almanac of American Politics called, "traditionally some of the most heavily Republican territory in the country" and that former Speaker Hastert held for 20 years and was never elected with less than 64 percent of the vote. President Bush easily won Illinois 14 in 2000 and 2004. Senator John McCain, former Speaker Dennis Hastert, and Minority Whip Roy Blunt all aggressively campaigned for Republican candidate Jim Oberweis.

The Republicans defeat in Illinois 14 is symbolically catastrophic for the NRCC. Chairman Tom Cole acknowledged it would be spun: "My God, it's the end of the Republican Party'" [The Hill, 3/4/08].

The NRCC's loss in Illinois 14 is bad sign of things to come. 80 percent of the Republican open and Republican incumbent seats the DCCC is targeting this cycle have better democratic performances than Illinois 14. Forty out of the 50 seats the DCCC is targeting have Democratic performances of 45 percent or higher.

Republicans' loss of Illinois 14 is further evidence of the collapse of the Republicans in the suburbs, especially in affluent suburbs, that were once overwhelmingly Republican. Illinois 14 also indicates that Republicans are having increasing difficulty in the exurbs, dooming the long-term Republican strategy of expanding their vote in the fastest growing parts of the country.

Suburban districts led the way to the 30 seat Democratic gain in 2006. For example, Democrats won in Arizona 5, Arizona 8, Connecticut 6, Pennsylvania 7, Pennsylvania 8, New York 19, Florida 22, Colorado 7, and New Hampshire 2 to name a few. Democrats make gains in presidential elections in suburban areas and congressional voting in suburban districts now reflects their presidential performance. In 2008, Republicans are vulnerable in suburban districts, more demographically favorable than Illinois 14: Connecticut 4, New Jersey 3, New Jersey 7, Michigan 9, Illinois 10 and Illinois 11 to name a few.

This is the third special election this cycle that the NRCC has had to spend a significant percentage of it resources on a district with strong Republican performance. These suburban districts have higher cost media markets than other districts Republicans are defending this cycle.

The bottom line: 2008 is poised to be another good year for House Democrats. The NRCC simply can not afford to defend the districts of vulnerable incumbent Republicans and nearly 30 open Republican seats.

Congratulations to Bill Foster on his victory tonight. Bill Foster’s victory in the seat that was held by Speaker Hastert sends a political shock wave across America this election year. It is a stunning rejection of the Bush Administration, its Republican allies, and presidential nominee John McCain. Republican candidates learned tonight that Senator McCain, who campaigned with the Republican nominee, cannot save them from defeat this November against strong Democratic challengers, even in districts that voted overwhelmingly for President Bush.

Despite spending 20 percent of the their cash on hand, the NRCC was unable to hold a seat easily won by President Bush and held by Speaker Hastert for 20 years. Americans of all political stripes are rejecting Republicans’ divisive, status quo politics and turning to Democratic candidates for change. I am grateful to Senator Dick Durbin, Senator Barack Obama, and the Illinois Democratic delegation and candidates for encouraging the people of this district to vote for change by supporting Bill Foster.

Voters of all political stripes responded to Bill Foster’s commitment to change. With his unique background as a respected scientist and a successful businessman, Bill Foster will be a tremendous asset to our Democratic Caucus, as we continue fighting to strengthen our economy and ease the squeeze on America’s struggling middle class families.

Today's report that America lost 63,000 jobs in February -- the most in five years -- is a sobering reminder of the troubling state of our economy and the consequences of President Bush's and Congressional Republican's failed economic policies.

The Democratic-led Congress continues to take aggressive action to fix our economy by passing legislation to lower gas prices, create jobs, and bring relief to middle class families who are losing their homes because of the ongoing foreclosure crisis. Passage of our recent economic stimulus package is only one example of the swift actions that Democrats are continuing to take to jumpstart our economy.

Now House Republicans are eager to rubber stamp a third Bush term by embracing Senator John McCain -- someone who admits to having a weak grasp of managing the economy. America cannot afford to have Senator McCain receive on-the-job training and gamble on another four years of misguided economic policies that have taken our country in the wrong direction.

The DCCC filed a complaint today with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Jim Oberweis, the Republican Congressional candidate in IL-14, and Oberweis Dairy. Jim Oberweis illegally benefited from Oberweis Dairy resources when the Dairy filed and promoted a frivolous lawsuit against the DCCC for its ads hitting Oberweis on his hypocrisy of using polarizing rhetoric on illegal immigration while benefiting from illegal immigrants' labor.

"Jim Oberweis and Oberweis Dairy know that the ads about Oberweis' hypocrisy of using polarizing rhetoric on illegal immigration while benefiting from illegal immigrants' labor are completely true," said Jennifer Crider, Communications Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "We are filing this complaint to hold Jim Oberweis accountable for illegally using Oberweis Dairy resources to mislead voters about the fact illegal immigrants were found working at Oberweis Dairy stores. The Chicago Tribune editorial board said it best, Oberweis' 'campaign style has consistently been nasty ... and dishonest.'"

Jim Oberweis and Oberweis Dairy have a pattern of engaging in this illegal activity. The FEC had previously sanctioned Jim Oberweis and Oberweis Dairy and fined them $21,000 for illegally using corporate resources for campaign purposes.

The text of the complaint follows.

Thomasenia Duncan, Esq.
General Counsel
Federal Election Commission
999 E Street, NW, 6th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20463

Re: MUR 5410 – Oberweis Dairy, Inc. & Jim Oberweis

Dear Ms. Duncan:

This complaint requests that the Federal Election Commission commence legal action to enforce the conciliation agreement entered into by the Commission and by Oberweis Dairy, Inc., in the above-referenced Matter Under Review, regarding corporate contributions made by Oberweis Dairy and in violation of 2 U.S.C. § 441b. The facts indicate that Oberweis Dairy has violated the agreement, and is once again making corporate expenditures to support Jim Oberweis's federal candidacy.

On February 5, 2007, Oberweis Dairy, Jim Oberweis, and the Commission entered into a conciliation agreement. The Commission found that Oberweis Dairy had aired an advertisement that prominently featured Jim Oberweis, the chairman of the company, who was running for the United States Senate from the state of Illinois. The advertisements were reviewed and edited by Mr. Oberweis, and aired just prior to the primary election – in violation of section 441b(a) and the coordinated communication regulations, 11 C.F.R. § 109.21. (See Exhibit A.)

The respondents, including Mr. Oberweis and Oberweis Dairy, chose not to contest the finding by the Commission that they violated federal law. They entered into a conciliation agreement that required them and the other respondents to "cease and desist from violating 2 U.S.C. § 441b …." They also paid a fine of $21,000 to the Commission.

The facts show that Jim Oberweis and Oberweis Dairy have once again violated the ban on corporate expenditures in connection with a federal election. Oberweis is yet again running for election, this time in a special election on March 8th for the United States House of Representatives from the 14th District in Illinois. And yet again, Oberweis Dairy is spending its treasury funds to intervene on his behalf in the days before that election.

On March 6th, the company issued a press release denouncing advertisements sponsored by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ("DCCC"), and criticizing Jim Oberweis for hypocrisy on the issue of illegal immigration. While Oberweis made an issue of illegal immigration in his campaign, the public record demonstrated that he had benefited from services performed by illegal immigrants at Oberweis Dairy stores. (See Exhibit B.)

Using corporate resources, a private public relations consultant and a private law firm, Oberweis Dairy – two days before the election – intervened in Oberweis's favor, attacking the ads and purporting to file a frivolous lawsuit against the DCCC to stop them. The corporate press release accused the DCCC of "misleading the public." It also referred to Mr. Oberweis and the fact the he is "running for Congress." This press release is a public communication; it was disseminated within 90 days of an election; it references a federal candidate; and it was almost certainly produced in coordination with that candidate. Thus, it is a corporate "coordinated communication" in violation of 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a) and 11 C.F.R. § 109.21. (See Exhibit C.)

Beyond any doubt, this press offensive and sham litigation represent illegal corporate expenditures. Even if one were to assume that the lawsuit has actually been filed, [1] and that it actually presented a meritorious claim, no press release was necessary to secure any rights of the corporation. Indeed, the sole purpose of a press release is to generate news stories. This particular release, issued in the eleventh hour before the election, was produced via corporate resources and issued only to shape the news coverage in connection with the special election. Thus, it is a blatant and clear violation of the ban against corporate political expenditures in federal elections.

The Commission should immediately investigate this violation of the conciliation agreement, and should institute a civil action for relief in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against Jim Oberweis and Oberweis Dairy to enforce the conciliation agreement. It should stop, once and for all, Jim Oberweis's repeated and transparent attempts to convert Oberweis Dairy resources to the support of his failing campaigns.

Sincerely,

Brian Wolff
Executive Director
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

[1] At this writing, the DCCC has not been served with a complaint. The copy of the complaint publicized by Oberweis Dairy bore no indicia of filing.

Chicago Tribune Endorsement For Congress: Bill Foster (3/4/08):

[...]we watched Oberweis in his races for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and 2004, and for governor in 2006. We've watched this race for Congress. His campaign style has consistently been nasty, smug, condescending ... and dishonest.

Meet the Wadsworths [Chicago Tribune, 3/6/08]:

Jim Oberweis made up the Wadsworths!

He also made up Juan and Maria Garcia, a construction worker and a bank teller from Aurora who have three kids and haul in $54,778 a year. And DeKalb office manager Sheila Johnson, a divorced mother of two who makes $47,333. And Juan and Elena Marcos, who have a precious little baby boy and live on his $68,044 salary.

They're all pictured in a mailer for Oberweis' campaign for Congress in the 14th District.

[...]

Total fiction. All of it. These people don't exist. They were created by Oberweis' campaign, which bought stock photos to use in the ad.

The race to succeed former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R) is too close to call, and we've changed our rating of the race from Lean Republican to Toss-Up, in advance of Saturday's special election.

Jim Oberweis (R) and Bill Foster (D) have both spent heavily from their own pockets, and both the NRCC and DCCC are involved as well. A March 3-4 SurveyUSA poll for Roll Call (subscription required) showed Foster leading the race 52%-45%, but some private polling contradicts the Roll Call numbers.

Republicans are at serious risk of losing the seat, but they could benefit from turnout in the Republican-leaning district. It would be a symbolic victory for the Democrats, and NRCC Chairman Tom Cole predicted that if his party were to lose the seat there would be a flood of stories spelling out the end of the GOP. At least he knows what he's in for.

The race to succeed former House Speaker Dennis Hastert in the 14th Congressional District has gotten very ugly very fast. That doesn't say much for the candidates. It does suggest that a congressional seat once considered safely Republican is now in play.

You have Republican Jim Oberweis and Democrat Bill Foster running in a special election Saturday in a district that runs from the far western suburbs across northern Illinois almost to the Iowa border. The winner gets to hold the seat for less than a year. They'll run against each other again in November for a full term.

Oberweis, from Sugar Grove, is chairman of Oberweis Dairy. Foster, from Geneva, worked for 22 years as a physicist at Fermilab and started a company that manufactures theater lighting equipment.

This page is closer to Oberweis than Foster on several economic and foreign policy issues. But we watched Oberweis in his races for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and 2004, and for governor in 2006. We've watched this race for Congress. His campaign style has consistently been nasty, smug, condescending... and dishonest.

In 2004, he ran an ad in which he hovered over Soldier Field in a helicopter and said 10,000 illegal aliens come to the U.S. each day, "enough to fill Soldier Field every single week." The number was grossly inflated and the ad smacked of fear-mongering.

In 2006, he ran TV ads that used headlines from the Tribune and other newspapers to attack an opponent. But the headlines were fake. They hadn't appeared in the newspapers.

This year, Oberweis' campaign is based on the notion that his opponent is a big-spending liberal. Oberweis' TV and radio ads quote Foster saying, "There's nothing in life that you can't improve by pouring money at it. ..."

Foster did say that, at a League of Women Voters debate. But the transcript makes it clear he was talking about the federal government's "poor efforts" to improve air-traffic-control safety. His conclusion: "This is one example of a place I would look to save taxpayer dollars."

And Oberweis' immediate response at the debate? He said: "I find myself in the almost embarrassing position of tending to agree with Bill on some of his comments there."

The sum impression of Oberweis from four campaigns: He sees public office as an opportunity to pick a fight.

Bill Foster tells us that he will be a Blue Dog Democrat -- that is, part of the moderate caucus in the House that puts a high priority on controlling federal spending and returning to a balanced budget. He would almost certainly have to take a moderate Democratic line to hold this seat from a district that gave President Bush 55 percent of the vote in 2004 and 54 percent in 2000, and elected Hastert to 11 terms in the House.

He surely will be more willing than Oberweis is to listen to people with whom he disagrees. So we'll trust Foster when he says he would emphasize transparency, responsibility and bipartisanship in government. He is endorsed. [emphasis mine]

Dear Friend,

Like many of you, I am excited for the opportunity to move our country in a new direction this November.

Help Elect
Andre Carson
Today

Luckily, we have the chance to bring a progressive new voice to Washington right now.  On March 11th there will be a special election to fill the Congressional seat in the 7th Congressional District of Indiana.  If you and I act together now, we can help elect Indianapolis Councilman Andre Carson, a tireless leader for change.

Believe me, I wouldn't be asking if I didn't think Andre's campaign needed and deserved your immediate help.  Andre has spent nearly a decade serving his community in law enforcement and working to solve the challenges facing the people of Indianapolis.  He would make an outstanding addition to our Democratic Majority in Congress.

Please contribute now to support Andre Carson.

Andre stands for putting an end to George Bush's endless war in Iraq, bringing fairness to our justice system, keeping our country safe, and providing our kids with the education they'll need to compete for the new jobs of tomorrow.

Andre Carson is also a committed advocate for protecting social security and Medicare. While his Republican opponent has announced his support for privatizing social security, Andre Carson has made a pledge to fight any attempts to privatize social security and instead work to strengthen and protect it for the long term.

Please contribute now to support Andre Carson.

With your help, we will get Andre Carson's powerful voice in Congress – and an effective leader for change not just in 2008 but for years to come.

He has my support. I hope you will give him yours. Thanks for lending a hand and thank you for your continued support for a better democracy.

Your Friend,

John Conyers, Jr.

Indicted Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) is feeling more heat from his colleagues.

The House ethics committee Thursday announced that it had launched an investigation into Renzi's alleged promise to support legislation in exchange for a land deal that netted him more than $700,000. The Justice Department unsealed a 35-count indictment last Friday, charging Renzi with conspiracy, money laundering, extortion and insurance fraud.

Renzi's attorneys have denied that the lawmaker was involved in any wrongdoing.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) since has urged Renzi to resign but the accused lawmaker has resisted the request.

A statement from Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio), who chairs the ethics committee, and its ranking member, Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), said the investigative subcommittee convened to determine whether Renzi "violated the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation or other standard of conduct applicable to his conduct in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibilities."

The subcommittee's jurisdiction also would include "any and all matters that may be contained in any superceding indictment," the release said.

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) will serve as chairman of the investigative subcommittee while Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) will be its ranking member. Other members of the subcommittee include: Rep. Steven Rothman (D-N.J.) and Greg Walden (R-Ore.).

Renzi is accused of receiving $733,000 in a land deal, money he did not disclose to Congress as income in his 2005 financial disclosure statement. Prosecutors charge that Renzi used his position as a member of Congress to ensure that a 2005 land exchange included land owned by a business partner and tried to hide that income.

Renzi was having financial difficulty in 2005 and "needed a substantial infusion of funds to keep his insurance business solvent and maintain his personal lifestyle," the indictment said. [emphasis mine]

The text of the complaint follows in the extended entry.

Thomasenia Duncan, Esq.
General Counsel
Federal Election Commission
999 E Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20463

Re: Complaint against James Oberweis and Oberweis for Congress

Dear Ms. Duncan,

I write this letter to file a complaint pursuant to 2 U.S.C. § 437g(a)(1) against James Oberweis, Republican candidate for Congress in Illinois' 14th Congressional District, and his principal campaign committee, Oberweis for Congress ("the Committee").

The facts show that Oberweis triggered the Millionaires' Amendment in the March 8 special general election, and yet failed to provide the notice that would allow his opponent, Bill Foster, to benefit from higher limits. Moreover, news media accounts and Committee filings indicate that Oberweis is knowingly and willfully refusing to file. The Commission should aggressively investigate this matter and seek the highest civil penalties required by law.

Oberweis is the Republican nominee for Congress in the special general election to be held on March 8, 2008, in Illinois' 14th Congressional District. Oberweis is also the Republican nominee for Congress in the regular general election to be held on November 4, 2008. Bill Foster is the Democratic nominee for Congress in both the special general election and the regular general election.

Oberweis has violated the Federal Election Campaign Act before. In MUR 5410, he was found by the Commission to have illegally coordinated ads that were sponsored by his dairy company and featured him before his Senate election. He and the other respondents did not "contest the [Commission's] finding … that they violated" the law. Conciliation Agreement, MUR 5410 ¶ V (Exhibit A). The Commission obtained a $21,000 civil penalty, and enjoined Oberweis from future violations of campaign finance law. Id. ¶¶ V, VI.

Oberweis's own filings with the Commission show that he has made personal loans totaling at least $640,000 in the March 8 special general election. He made a personal loan of $300,000 on February 7, 2008, a second loan of $340,000 on February 11, and a third loan of $50,000 on February 25 (Exhibit B). But he did not file FEC Form 10 after exceeding the $350,000 reporting threshold for expenditures from the candidate's personal funds, as the law requires him to do.

A. The Millionaires' Amendment

Under the "Millionaires' Amendment," a self-financing candidate may trigger higher contribution limits and coordinated party spending limits for his opponent. See 2 U.S.C. § 441a(i). The Millionaires' Amendment can be triggered when personal spending in an election exceeds $350,000.

The Millionaires' Amendment treats the special general election and the regular general election as two separate "election cycles." See 11 C.F.R. § 400.2; Advisory Opinion. 2006-6. Each election cycle runs from the day after the last election for the office the candidate is seeking, and ends on the date of the next election for that office. See id. For Millionaires' Amendment purposes, the special general election cycle in Illinois' 14th Congressional District began on February 6 and ends on March 8. "An expenditure from personal funds made during a particular election cycle is made for the purpose of influencing that election, unless designated for a different election campaign on FEC Form 3Z-1." Advisory Opinion 2006-6.[1][1]

The law places the burden on a self-financing candidate to file the reports that trigger the Millionaires' Amendment. Once the self-financing candidate's personal funding in an election aggregates to more than $350,000, the candidate must send a notice within 24 hours, on FEC Form 10, to the Commission and to each opposing candidate. See 11 C.F.R. §§ 400.21(b), 400.23(b).

B. Application of Law to Facts

Oberweis's own FEC reports show that his personal spending in the special general election cycle exceeded $350,000 on February 11, 2008. His February 25 pre-general report showed both the February 7 and February 11 loans, and correctly reported them as in connection with the March 8 general election. By law, he was required to file an FEC Form 10 disclosing Oberweis's expenditures no later than February 12, 2008. But he never filed FEC Form 10 with the Commission, and never sent a copy of such form to Foster or the national Democratic Party, as he was required to do.

Indeed, the facts show that Oberweis – when presented with the lapse – decided to flout the law instead. When his failure to file first became publicly known, his campaign amended its pre-special election report to purport that the February 7 loan was actually made in connection with the November general election (Exhibit C). But how the campaign chooses to characterize the loan, whether falsely or not, makes no difference under the Millionaires' Amendment. As the Commission has clearly told candidates before, "[a]n expenditure from personal funds made during a particular election cycle is made for the purpose of influencing that election … Thus, if [a candidate's] total expenditures from personal funds exceed $350,000 at any time during the Special General Election Cycle, the Committee must, within 24 hours, file … FEC Form 10." Advisory Opinion 2006-6.

All the circumstances make Oberweis's violation among the most chilling that the Commission has recently had occasion to consider. His past record of violating the Act; his failure to meet a personal obligation that is necessary to ensure the operation of the law; his apparent knowing and willful decision to persist in that violation – all of this warrants the severest possible response. Cf. 2 U.S.C. § 437g(d)(1)(A) (providing for five years' imprisonment for knowing and willful reporting violations aggregating $25,000 or more in a calendar year). Failure to respond strongly to Oberweis's latest episode of misconduct will tell self-financing candidates all across the land that they need not follow the law to make the Millionaires' Amendment work, but can sandbag their opponents with no fear of imminent response.

For the foregoing reasons, we demand that the Commission investigate immediately the violations presented herein and seek the largest penalties permitted under law. We further demand that the Commission review Oberweis's compliance with the conciliation agreement in MUR 5410, which enjoined him personally from future violations of the law, and initiate a civil action for relief against him in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Finally, we ask the Commission to take whatever other action in response to these violations that it deems appropriate or necessary.

Sincerely,

Brian Wolff
Executive Director
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

Jim Oberweis, the Republican Congressional candidate in IL-14, appears to have broken federal election law by triggering the Millionaires' Amendment without notifying his opponent as required by law. This would not be the first time Oberweis broke the law or tried to deceive voters.

"Jim Oberweis has a disturbing pattern of violating federal election law and deceiving voters" said Jennifer Crider, Communications Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "This time, it looks like Jim Oberweis personally and deliberately failed to follow the law, pouring money into this race that he made investing in Chinese companies that threaten American jobs. Jim Oberweis acts like the rules and law don't apply to him – Illinois voters deserve better."

According to his most recent FEC filing, Oberweis put in $640,000 of his own money.

• $300,000.00 on February 7, 2008
• $340,000.00 on February 11, 2008

The Millionaires' Amendment is a part of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law. McCain-Feingold increases contribution limits for candidates facing opponents who put substantial sums of their personal funds into their own campaigns. An individual who puts in more than $350,000 into their House race risks triggering the Millionaires' Amendment. Once the millionaire candidate trips this threshold, the candidate must notify his opponents and the FEC by filing a FEC Form 10 within 24 hours. The opponent can have access to higher limits depending on his or her own spending and fundraising.

Jim Oberweis' Pattern of Violating Federal Election Law and Deceiving Voters

• Oberweis was previously fined $21,000 by the FEC for breaking federal election law. The FEC said Oberweis benefited from a television ad he appeared in for the Oberweis Dairy in the 2004 Senate race and that the ad constituted a corporate contribution which is prohibited by federal campaign laws. [Associated Press, 7/27/07]
• Oberweis used fake headlines in his 2006 gubernatorial campaign. Oberweis ran two TV ads that use made-up newspaper headlines to attack his opponents integrity. The words were displayed as if they appeared on the front pages of the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the State Journal-Register. The St Louis Post-Dispatch ran a story with the headline "Ads for Oberweis using Fake Headlines." after TV spots he ran attacking is opponent used replicas of real newspapers with fake headlines." [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 3/2/06] [Chicago Tribune, 3/1/06]

Candidates That Violate the Millionaires' Amendment Receive Significant Fines

• $91,000 Fine for Former Representative Charles Taylor. In December 2006, the FEC Taylor On December 27, the FEC fined Taylor, R-Brevard, $91,000 for failing to properly report loans and contributions totaling more than $800,000 that he made to his 2004 congressional campaign. [Asheville Citizen-Times, 1/6/07]
• $71,000 Fine for J. Edgar Broyhill II (NC-05). In July 2006, the FEC fined for J. Edgar Broyhill II, a candidate in the 2004 primary election, for violating the reporting requirements of the Millionaire's Amendment, along with other reporting requirements of federal election law. [$71,100 CIVIL PENALTY PAID BY BROYHILL FOR VIOLATIONS OF MILLIONAIRE'S AMENDMENT States News Service July 19, 2006 Wednesday]
  
• $68,250 Fine for James R. Socas (VA-10). In March 2006, the FEC fined James R. Socas, a candidate in the 2004 general election for for violating the reporting requirements of the Millionaire's Amendment. [SOCAS PAYS CIVIL PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS OF MILLIONAIRE'S AMENDMENT States News Service March 16, 2006 Thursday]
  ]]> 2008-02-26T15:25:14Z 2008-02-26T10:23:21-05:00 tag:www.dccc.org,2008:/stakeholder//1.5946 2008-02-26T15:23:21Z
  DCCC Press: When will the NRCC and Lou Barletta repudiate Duke's endorsement? Former Ku Klux Klan leader, Holocaust denier and founder of the National Association for the Advancement of White People, David Duke gave his glowing endorsement of Lou Barletta...
  Brandon English english@dccc.org DCCC Press:
  When will the NRCC and Lou Barletta repudiate Duke's endorsement?

  Former Ku Klux Klan leader, Holocaust denier and founder of the National Association for the Advancement of White People, David Duke gave his glowing endorsement of Lou Barletta for Congress. Duke, known as the, "highest profile white supremacist of the last two decades" (Anti-Defamation League), said "Getting tough patriots like Lou Barletta elected is absolutely key to staving off four years of sustained attack on our interests." (DavidDuke.com).

  "It's been two weeks since this endorsement and Lou Barletta has yet to repudiate David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan," said Jennifer Crider, Communications Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan's values are out of step with hardworking Pennsylvanians. Will National Republicans continue to enthusiastically support a candidate who refuses to reject anti-American hate mongers like David Duke?"

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