◼ With funds missing or frozen, a campaign treasurer facing charges and an election 14 months away, many go looking for money. - Richard Simon and Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
A suspected embezzlement scheme that has ensnared hundreds of campaign accounts of Democrats has sent candidates scrambling for new cash as they prepare for an election season that could reshape California's political landscape.
Just when they need to start hiring staff and commissioning polls, many candidates have no idea how much might have been taken from them or how much they have left, and they cannot find out: As many as 400 political accounts have been frozen by the banks holding the funds since the Sept. 2 arrest of treasurer Kinde Durkee...
Party officials may not be able to provide their usual help. The Los Angeles County Democratic Party lost $220,000 to Durkee and has $85,000 more stuck in related legal limbo. Durkee also handled the finances of numerous smaller Democratic clubs that provide campaign foot soldiers and are now scrambling to meet payroll....
California's representatives in Washington say they may ask the Federal Elections Commission for leeway on campaign limits, which would allow them to go back to maxed-out donors to replenish their campaign coffers.
In Sacramento, the state Fair Political Practices Commission will meet this week to consider similar requests from state lawmakers.
"We've had a lot of candidates calling us about what they can do," said commission Chairwoman Ann Ravel. "There is a lot of concern and fear."
The Legislature and governor could also raise the contribution limits temporarily, Ravel said. Read the rest
