| ► Desert Sun - 04/07/08 - Benoit: Credit card questions, part II |
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The Desert Sun Erica Solvig - April 7, 2008
Benoit: Credit card questions, part II
David Palmer is a self-proclaimed "one-man army," going after what he sees as campaign law violations in Texas, Ohio and now California.
After spending nearly 10 months of reading campaign finance reports, the Folsom resident complained to the California Fair Political Practices Commission about 32 state lawmakers he says aren't properly explaining what they're purchasing on the credit card.
Topping the list: Assemblyman John J. Benoit with $296,736.71 in charges since 2002.
The FPPC has about two weeks to decide if they're going to investigate the formal complaint.
As the Political Insider has reported previously, Benoit has done what the law requires. He included the proper sub-vendor payments on Schedule E on his campaign reports, which is considered entirely legal.
Of course, this comes on the heels of similar complaints by former Assemblyman Russ Bogh, who is in a race with Benoit for Sen. Jim Battin's seat.
Bogh had complained Benoit wasn't listing his credit card payments because they weren't on a form known as "Schedule G."
"My opponent's past allegations that I did not itemize campaign credit card charges correctly resulted in printed comments like, 'A Missed Punch,' 'not true,' and, 'Bogh should apologize,' after investigation by The Desert Sun newspaper," Benoit said in a statement. "This latest allegation, covering the same ground regarding credit card itemizations, is also without merit."
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