Powerful State rep. sidesteps fundraising ban

Like his colleagues, Rep. Stan Mayfield is not allowed to raise campaign money when the Florida Legislature is in session, because of the perception that lawmakers would be trading votes for donations.

But that has not stopped lobbyists and corporations with business before the Vero Beach Republican from giving him $96,000 since the session began in March.

Mayfield, a powerful committee chairman who wants to be Florida's next agriculture commissioner, legally sidesteps the fundraising ban by steering those unrestricted donations to a political committee known as a 527, a reference to the section of the IRS code that regulates such committees. (story here)

Comments

Oink, oink, oink!!!!

"... because of the perception that lawmakers would be trading votes for donations."

Now That; has got to be the funny damn thing I've read on this blog in a long while... "perception'... Hahahahahaaaaaaaa... whoooooo, that's freaking rich... Hahahahahahaaaaaa... these dopes have been bought and sold many times over... Hahahahahahaaaa.... perception... you people just kill me... Hahahahaaaaaa....

And how is this news? This type of unethical nonsense happens all the time. That is exactly why campaign finance laws are such a joke: they don't prohibit contributions to fake 527s like "Families for tax relief"

I thought "527's" were those really cheep cigarettes!

S C U M

Clean up FL politics.

Remember that name.

Vote against Mayfield.

Clean up FL politics.

well, if it's legal SPT then what's the story - oh right, smear smear smear

keep writing this biased trash and i'll feel like legally sidestepping this d**n blog - but i'm sure you wouldn't cry over that

look at the NYT and the massive staff cuts they just endured because no one is buying their liberal rag anymore - papers like yours are next and that makes me happy

Dude look like Tom Gallagar's brother!

3:56 Another obtuse rant from our favorite wingnut.

3:56: Wake up folks! 527s are really good for you! They are patriotic! Its the AMERICAN way! I'll bet our founding fathers each had several. Only a communist socialist liberal welfare queen racist elitist would think otherwise.

3:56 They all look like that at a certain level. All human kindness drains away and is replaced by blatant self-serving ideology.

I thought you Republicon Staffers were due in the mens room at 4 PM for a little tap dance lesson!

[Harvey]

I hope he checks section 106.0701 for compliance.

I checked "section 106.0701" once... but someone was in my seat and I missed the first inning.

So you can't give to CCE's during session but you can to a 527 ?

Please clarify this.

[rich]

As if they can't buy their votes before session. What a joke. Government bought and paid for by lobbyists and special interests on both sides of the aisle.

Amen, rich... this is a freaking joke.

[annie oakley]

just because it is legal doesn't mean it is right

[Inconvenient truth]

Vote the bums out !!!

[Donald Lance]

I didn't know it was a perception that they traded money for votes. I could have swore it was a fact. So why should there be a ban for 60 days? I guess even hard-working lobbyists need a vacation sometime.

LYINGREPIGLICANWHORE
LYINGREPIGLICANWHORE
LYINGREPIGLICANWHORE
LYINGREPIGLICANWHORE

HAD ENOUGH YET, JACKASSES!!??!!

6:24 - unfortunately the Democrat that was last in the White House pretty much numbed everyone to the whole lying thing...

6:39 Nixon? I thought he was GOP.

"just because it is legal doesn't mean it is right" - wah wah wah and unicorns ride on rainbows

geez - welcome to the real world - it's not illegal, leave it alone who cares, there's plenty of other stuff about which to get your panties in a wad

Stan Mayfield has lost my confidence. Most of our officials know that even raising money for their 527's during legislative session is a plain untouchable wrong. How could this guy think he's not doing anything wrong? He's been bought and sold by lobbyists and probably planning all this for months if not years.

9:34 a.m has obviously not been through a "shakedown" himself. Make sure to tell the St. Pete Times that "double dipping" isn't illegal either.

He smells like Gallaghers brother too.

[Trey]

Terry Lee and I did all we could for him, he will be the next Ag Commissioner, he is a grat man!