FEC FINDS FRIST 2000 VIOLATED LAW - CREW

It is becoming more and more apparent that nothing is seriously going to be done about campaign finance reform, let alone election reform until the people throw a huge hissy fit.

This is 2006. These shennanighans went on in 2000. Now, the FEC fines the Frist campaign for mere pocket change.

Frist is retiring from the senate, this year. I don't think he should be allowed to run for federal office again. It is that damn simple. Cheat and, when you are caught, you lose. For good. I am so damned sick and tired of manipulaters, cheaters, de-frauders and slick Willies, not matter to which party they belong.

FEC FINDS FRIST 2000 VIOLATED LAW - CREW:

"Washington, DC: Earlier today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) received notice from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) indicating that in response to a complaint filed by CREW, the FEC found that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's 2000 Senate campaign committee, Frist 2000, Inc. violated federal campaign finance laws.

CREW's complaint alleged -- and the FEC agreed -- that Frist 2000, Inc. failed to disclose a $1.44 million loan taken out jointly by Frist 2000, Inc. and by Frist's 1994 campaign committee, Bill Frist for Senate, Inc. The result of the discrepancy was to make it appear that Frist 2000, Inc. had significantly more money that it actually had.

In June 2000, Senator Frist took $1 million of the money that had been contributed to his 2000 Senate campaign and invested it in the stock market, where it promptly began losing money. In November 2000, Senator Frist sought to collect $1.2 million he had lent his 1994 Senate campaign committee. As a result of the stock market losses, however, Frist 2000, Inc. did not have enough money to repay the loan. Senator Frist solved this problem by having the 1994 and the 2000 campaign committees jointly take out a $1.44 million bank loan at a cost of $10,000 a month interest. Frist 2000, Inc. did not report this debt on its FEC disclosure forms."