Dear Editor,
It has come to our attention that U.S. Senate candidate Bill Connor is committing a massive campaign finance violation. Connor is using signs from his 2010 S.C. Lieutenant Governor campaign and painting over them. (See attached photos).
This is illegal for two reason:
1. There is no proper disclaimer. Federal candidates must have a clear disclaimer saying, for example, “Paid for by Bill Connor for U.S. Senate” surrounded by a box.
2. More egregiously, these signs constitute an illegal transfer of assets between a state and federal campaign. State campaigns have far different rules for donors that pay for such signs (in particular, allowing corporate money). Corporate money is banned in federal elections.
Federal law also prohibits federal candidates from transferring funds or assets to their federal campaigns from their non-federal campaign committees. See 11 C.F.R. § 110.3(d).
Federal law prohibits federal candidates from transferring or spending non-federal funds in connection with federal elections. See 2 U.S.C. § 441i(e).
A contribution includes anything of value, including in-kind contributions. See 2 U.S.C. § 431(8)(A)(i); 11 C.F.R. § 100.52(d).
A U.S. Senate candidate, his campaign and their agents may not accept corporate contributions. See 2 U.S.C. §§ 441b(a), 441i(e)(1)A). Corporations are prohibited from making expenditures in connection with federal elections. 2 U.S.C. § 441b(a).
We can promise someone will immediately file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.
Signed,
John Q. Public
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32 comments
This would be embarrassing if it weren’t done by Bill Connor. He has no shame. Surprised there’s not a photo of him uniform fighting the Taleeeeban.
Mr. Connor, is “thinking outside the box” and running a sustainable, eco-friendly, environmentally sound, dare I say, “green” campaign. He is not wasteful. He reuses and recycles. His campaign leaves a low carbon footprint.
Still you liberals continue to bitch and moan.
LOL not all liberals.
TBG is da man
Well, he isn’t using plywood and spray paint at least.
give him time, though “Oh Henry” bars are not likely to happen
Who’s Bill Connor?
I asked someone who is helping on Bill’s campaign about this, and they are not putting those out there. They haven’t even printed any signs for Senate yet and are therefore have not put any out in public. This isn’t a story.
Bill Connor seems to be the only person helping Bill Connor’s campaign. That explains the major suckage so far.
Well, he seems to have the support of some new female commenters here.
If they aren’t putting signs out, why is there a sign along the road on the West Columbia side of the Gervais Street bridge? Is this one left over from 2010 maybe? I didn’t notice it until a couple weeks ago.
Dammit, and I just got finished grabbing my pitchfork from the shed and lighting my torch.
Oh, I am sure this is not true. I just love the way the liberal media blows everything out of proportion. God Help Us!
The most embarrassing thing about his repurposing of his Light Goobernor signs is the laughingly bad stencil/spray job. My ten year old would have at least masked off the areas he didn’t want paint to overspray on and he probably would have used a little plastic primer to prevent all the runs.
+ points for not sending it all to the dump (maybe he should have over printed the whole thing or used the back side)
– points for violating campaign law
– points for artistic value
– points for execution
– points for being a doofus
Focus is what’s important here – Campaign Finance laws.
Let’s make one rule, instead of thousands.
Everyone who runs for Congress gets to write out his platform in text, and have it read to a television camera by the same 4th grade girl chosen by lottery. The video cannot last more than 15 minutes.
That one video is all of the money that can be spent on the election by any political party. The video for each candidate will be played by a different national tv station selected by lottery in the applicable state every day at 8pm for a week.
The only money that can be spent promoting any candidate can only be spent by an individual, and limited to 20 dollars.
It’s what the founders intended.
You’ll have to show me that “intent” in Jefferson’s, Hamilton’s, Washington’s, any of the three Adams, Barnwell’s, Bee’s, Butler’s, Drayton’s, Bull’s, Gadsden’s, Eeleigh’s, Gervais’, Heyward’s or Huger’s writings. (everybody after the Adamses are South Carolinians btw)
you had me at “video”
How does John know Connor painted them?
The military term for this is battlefield expedient. Accomplishing the mission with what is at hand. Bill Connor looks to have a grass roots army working for him. I would say the light loafer guys got caught with their pants down . ( I thought that was how they liked it ).I noticed some more signs made from OSB. Wise move. OSB costs like a third of what the fancy plastic signs cost. It is amazing what can be done with a spray can and a little creativity.A “boots on the ground” military person sees these signs as conservative, innovative, eco friendly, I would have to say: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
This military person says they look half assed and poorly executed – in our parlance “a no go at this station”.
That’s the same stencil the military uses for tanks, Humvees, and dumpsters. Aaaah, yes – Shifty loves the smell of stencil paint in the morning!
At second glance, I think you’re right – I suspect a Supply Sergeant somewhere is short a box of stencils and probably a few cans of paint…
To carry your reasoning to it’s logical conclusion: If you were in a hole and couldn’t get out and someone offered you a hand, you would refuse it because he had dirt under his fingernails. WOW .
Talking about WOW – what an Apples and Dump trucks comparison. How did you get from an advertising campaign to a dirty hand up? I have frequently had a dirty hand pull me out of a hole, up onto a hill top or over another obstacle.
A valid comparison would be dirty fingernails at a in ranks inspection – what they tell you is that the SIQ didn’t think you were important enough of an inspector to do more than a half assed job getting ready. Advertising should be an attempt to put your best foot forward – Connor failed, miserably. If you were running for office and he said he’d make your signs for and then showed up with this you would you have accepted this halfassed effort?
Glad to see the “grass roots army” is at least stenciling within the lines – because, hell, our miliatry is so good at accomplishing missions. (See Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, etc.).
When real generals fight the war you get “100 hours of combat” and overwhelming victory – when DC gets involved you get Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam. See Norman “The Bear” Shwarzkopf, Max “Mad Max” Thurman, Omar “The Gi General” Bradley, George “Blood and Guts” Patton…
All he has to do is buy them from his old campaign for a dollar. How much would you give him for the signs?
This has gone crazy. I am the person who made and put these signs up. I put up signs for candidates that I believe in all over the state. I also pick up old signs from all over after elections are over and use them in various ways. These signs were old signs picked up after Mr. Connor’s lieutenant governor’s race that I had stored and then repurposed on my own. Connor knew nothing about these signs that otherwise would h
ave been trash being recycled to make homemade signs supporting him. There was no coordination. However, I must be pretty good at recycling and putting up signs–they have achieved their intended purpose–folks are talking about them!
Hi Bill!
This is real hard hitting news. Yeah, right. Did any of our tax dollars get wasted ?
Go after the real crooks. Guys like BC will ride off into the sunset …
This “news” is hardly fit for public consumption, an anonymous source claiming hand-made/altered signs are endorsed by the current campaign…get real. Could have been a setup from another campaign… Don’t hate Bill Connor just because he has done more with his life than you have with your pathetic life. Have a legitimate beef or policy difference then speak up, otherwise your mom is calling down the basement steps for you.
Not only is this a FEC violation but this is a hairbrained rookie mistake. Even Bright’s Campaign wouldn’t do something like this.