Here’s an interesting letter that was just posted to the Secretary of State’s website:
So, the Democrat organization ActBlue is not a PAC but merely a “donation processor,” …which is not defined in South Dakota campaign finance law that I’m aware.
But if that’s the case, what happens here:
Democrat Gubernatorial candidate Billie Sutton’s recently filed campaign finance report indicates that he received over $180,000 through the ActBlue South Dakota PAC. Which the Secretary of State indicates is not actually a PAC, so all of that has to be reported individually.
So, as we wait for the revised report…
Curious. Many SDDP candidates have relied on this PAC for funding.
Michigan made a similar determination last November.
“ActBlue cannot operate in Michigan as a bundling committee; act as an intermediary for the collection and delivery of contributions and earmark contributions for specific candidates. ActBlue must register as a committee if it receives contributions or makes expenditures in excess of$500.00 in any calendar…..Complete text of 11/21/20017”
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Zucker_Request_-_Final_Response_216319_7.pdf
I am actually surprised it has taken this long for this issue to come to light at the state level. FEC regulators ruled that ActBlue was not a PAC and rather a facilitator of contributions sometime ago leaving open the questions, as a result, as how to police contributions relative to individual contribution caps and other itemization rules at the federal level.
As a Democrat, I merely see this as a way to limit a Democratic funding mechanism by the Republican Party. But as a South Dakotan, I see this as a problem that was waiting to be challenge, which it has now been.
It appears that the federal ruling was the default acceptance before state SOSs’ began to question it. It will be interesting to see if the federal rules will ever be challenged in court on the grounds that they potentially make a mockery of federal campaign contribution limits and other federal itemization rules.
#TheKochBrothersNeverSleep
This is a correct decision that advances transparency. I don’t blame Sutton for this – he has been operating under the idea that Act Blue was a PAC. At this point, he should consider filing an amended report that identifies these donors. Otherwise ActBlue is hiding their identities, and the Secretary of State has now determined that it is doing so illegally.
You don’t blame Sutton for this? How? He has been in the legislature for going on 8 years now. Ignorance is no excuse for him, ESPECIALLY after he has championed himself as the eradicator of corruption in Pierre. He knew it was shady and used it to benefit himself as a typical liberal would.
So true. He talks about the corruption in Pierre, yet he’s a huge Hillary fan. She’s as evil and corrupt as one can get. Also claims to be a grass roots candidate, yet voted against punishing those who perform abortions when the baby is capable of feeling pain. HB 1101. Sooo sad!!! The family does not live what they claim to be.
If you personally get to know his family and his wife’s family you will find out they aren’t so wholesome people.
Lee, I do personally know Billie and his family. They are great people. Billie was a classmate of my son from K-8. Kelsea’s great grandparents lived across the alley. Burke is a great little town and much of the greatness is due to these fine families. No, I am not a Democrat!
Sooooo true!!!!!
finally. good.