Katherine Harris -- Still a Crook

BBB, Never cared for Alan Dershowitz's politics. He's an arse as far as I'm concerned.

I always look forward to Dershowitz' take on any legal issue, because whether I agree with him or not, he manages to put it in an interesting way. I also think he serves a very useful purpose in personifying the legal aspect of things to the viewing public, in a TV world where dueling spokesmen for various interest groups giving us rehearsed sound bites is what we mostly get to see.

The idea of Harris, the co-chairman of the Bush campaign in Florida being able to make post election recount decisions exemplifies the very meaning of the phrase, "conflict of interest". The endless stalling as the six weeks wound down without being able to agree on a recount was nothing short of a national disgrace.

If Harris gets what's coming to her, it couldn't happen to a more deserving person.

In China, politicians as corrupt as Harris would be publically executed by shooting them in the head and their bodies thrown into a lime pit.

this is one of the few times I wish both Harris and I lived in China

kuvasz, While you're at it, bring Bush junior with you to China. I'll be forever grateful.

Interesting that she can be so obviously guilty of theft, so much in the public eye, and not even be charged.

and OJ Simpson was not a murderer either.

When the political system is wound up in one party, shet happens.

A $2,800 dinner???

Jesus.

nimh, That's not too surprising; I've seen a $3,000 bottle of wine at a restaurant in Singapore. I know they're over-priced, because they served me a glass of Jewel wine for $30 that costs $10 a bottle.

Unlike Katherine Harris, OJ Simpson was charged with a crime, and tried for one. I find it improbable that a public figure with many enemies could be obviously guilty of theft and not even charged, and no grand jury ever convened. I think it's just wishful thinking on the part of her political opponents.

Brandon, did you see this in the original article?

Another One Bites the Dust
Another One Bites the Dust
By Mary Ann Akers
Roll Call Staff
June 8, 2006

Surprise, surprise: More staff upheaval in the office of Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.). The latest casualty is Fred Asbell, the chief of staff to the increasingly eccentric Senate candidate.

LAMO Kusvaz, I'll second that!

Top Ten Reasons that Bill Nelson will Kick Katherine Harris's Ass in November!

http://www.mytown.ca/magginkat/

Good Riddance Tom Delay

http://proudliberalbitch.blogspot.com/

Brandon, there ought to be a law against such a bad case of self-imposed ignorance. How can you make such a comment and not fall off your own chair with laughter? Or did you?

You find it hard that a public figure could be obviously guilty and not be charged? Have you looked toward 1600 Pennsylvania Av. lately???

How's she doing in the makeup department today? Is she still in the running for the Tammy Faye Baker look alike award?

FEC questions Harris donations
FEC questions Harris donations
Her staff may have made coding errors when processing money
By JEREMY WALLACE
[email protected]

The Federal Election Commission is questioning $60,000 in excess campaign donations to U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Longboat Key.

Harris, who was once in charge of Florida's campaign financing rules and twice has been singled out for accepting illegal campaign donations during previous runs for office, is examining her campaign reports after the FEC flagged donations above the legal limit.

"We are in receipt of the letter and are researching it," said Chris Ingram, spokesman for the Harris campaign.

Ingram said the FEC routinely sends out letters for additional information as part of its compliance efforts.

In a 12-page letter to Harris' new campaign treasurer, Keith A. Davis, FEC officials list 45 donors who gave Harris more than $2,100 for her Sept. 5 primary contest against three other Republicans. Federal campaign laws prohibit individuals from giving more than $2,100 for any election.

In two of the cases cited by the FEC, Harris accepted donations just $1 over the legal limit. In another 16 cases, Harris collected exactly $2,100 over the limit.

She took two donations of $6,300 each -- the largest donations she accepted from individuals -- $4,200 above the maximum limit.

"The acceptance of excessive contributions is a serious problem," FEC campaign finance analyst, Lauren Lien, writes in the letter to the Harris campaign committee. "Again, the committee's procedures for processing contributions should be examined and corrected in order to avoid this problem."

Lien wrote that the commission may take further legal action against the committee for violating the campaign limits, but will take into consideration prompt efforts to fix the situation.

It looks worse than it really appears, said Massie Ritsch, communications director for the Center for Responsive Politics, an independent, nonprofit group in Washington which monitors money in politics. Ritsch said it appears Harris' staff may have coded the donations incorrectly -- a common mistake in political campaigns.

Instead of assigning $2,100 in donations from some donors for use in the general election in November, the staff labeled the donations as primary donations.

In most cases, Harris' staff will only have to redesignate the excess money to the general election, Ritsch said. He said sloppy bookkeeping appears to be the main culprit.

But given all of the attention Harris' campaign has brought because of fundraising problems, he said, it's surprising they would make such a novice mistake.

Even though she has not yet won the Republican nomination, Harris can begin collecting donations specifically for the November race.

Harris has been breaking in new staff, including a new finance team, after most of her campaign staff quit while Harris was being pressured to abandon the race.

The departures this year included Nancy Watkins, the campaign treasurer who had worked on Harris' races since she first ran for Congress in 2002. Political insiders say Watkins is one of the most sought-after treasurers in politics because of her experience in complying with FEC regulations.

Ingram would not comment on specifics of the FEC inquiry or whether the errors were because of the staff transition. He said the staff is researching the issue and will respond to the FEC by the agency's July 10 deadline.

This isn't the first time Harris has had to answer for campaign donation problems.

This year a corrupt defense contractor admitted in federal court to giving Harris more than $32,000 in illegal campaign donations for her 2004 re-election campaign.

On the same day Mitchell Wade pleaded guilty to giving the illegal donations, Harris donated $50,000 in campaign donations tied to Wade and his company, MZM Inc., to a Sarasota charity, FEC records show.

Harris also received illegal contributions in 1994, when she was running for the Florida Senate. She accepted an estimated $30,000 in campaign contributions from a Sarasota company, Riscorp. In 1997, Riscorp executives were indicted for making the illegal contributions to Harris and other politicians.

In both instances, Harris said she did not know she was receiving illegal donations.

Harris was secretary of state in Florida for nearly four years, a job that included running the Division of Elections, which regulates state campaign finance laws.