Newsmax drops another long report on Obama’s shifty online donations
posted at 1:47 pm on November 19, 2008 by Allahpundit
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The good news? Ken Timmerman’s still on the case. The bad news? This one’s mostly a rehash of his earlier report. If you read that at the time and have been following the story since then at HA — especially the details about Team Barry accepting donations via gift card, which figures prominently in Timmerman’s new piece — you’re pretty much caught up. The juiciest bit of new info:
With more than half of the Obama campaign’s contributions coming from small donors who don’t need to be identified fully, it’s entirely likely that the Edwan brothers were not alone among foreign nationals backing the campaign.
When Newsmax pored over the campaign finance records, more than 65,000 Obama donations appeared to be conversions of foreign currency. According to our analysis of the Obama campaign data, foreign currency donations could range anywhere from $12.8 million to a stunning $63 million.
I can’t tell where he’s getting those numbers or what the criteria are that would allow for such a broad range; the FEC flagged just $5.25 million in overseas donations as potentially questionable according to the piece, but then the FEC only knows about donors who contributed more than $200. One tidbit floated by Timmerman that I hadn’t heard before was that roughly 10 percent of reported Obama donors contributed in uneven amounts instead of round numbers (e.g. $17.02 instead of $20), which turns out to be extremely unusual. Could be an artifact of foreign currency conversions … or, as he acknowledges, it could simply be the result of donors purchasing Obama gear through the online store and having the totals come out unevenly, a problem pre-’Net campaigns wouldn’t have dealt with. That’s the problem with trying to prove or debunk this: There’s smoke and fire here, but there’s no way to tell how much since Captain Transparency won’t release the data on his small donors. As Timmerman notes re: the mystery of uneven amounts, they won’t even produce an accounting for the online store.
There’s a way to solve that problem, of course, but good luck making it happen. I’ll leave you with a bit from the section on gift cards since it captures better than anything how shady Team Barry was in lowering its security measures, a step the McCain camp notably refused to take. Of all the ways in which the media tanked for The One, failing to push him on this when his online money dynamo was a central story of the campaign must rank near the top, especially given the piercing shrieks that would have come from the left if the shoe were on the other foot.
Newsmax asked whether Chase Paymentech [Obama's credit card processor] had any security feature that would allow it to identify individuals making contributions using gift cards, but Wester declined to comment.
But other industry analysts, who asked not to be identified, told Newsmax that processors could track gift cards and debit cards “only by the numbers on the cards.”
“There are no names associated with these cards, so as a processor, you have no way of knowing who made the transaction,” one industry analyst said.
Anyone can go into a supermarket or a drugstore and buy a batch of these cards with cash, so there is no trace of the transaction, he added.
“It’s like walk-around money. They could be handing these things out as perks” to newly registered voters or others, “and there’s no way of tracing who is using them.”
Boehm tells Newsmax that contributions such as these clearly are illegal. “Making a contribution in the name of another person is the only part of federal election law that actually carries a criminal penalty,” says Boehm.
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FACT: “Chase Paymentech” would also be an awesome pr0n name.
ScottMcC on November 19, 2008 at 1:56 PM
Looks like BO bought the election…..
DL13 on November 19, 2008 at 1:56 PM
In theory the government of Iran could have contributed twenty million dollars to Barack Obama and no one will know.
Who will investigate…?The FEC?I doubt it if they want to keep their jobs in an Obama administration.This is just one more example of the way that Barack Obama and Democrats feel that the laws they craft do not apply to them.
Obama is laughing in our face.He bought the election with money who’s source he won’t reveal.This guy is going to make Bill Clinton look like a Boy Scout.
NeoKong on November 19, 2008 at 1:56 PM
No audit trail here.
Smooth Rooster on November 19, 2008 at 1:57 PM
Anyone, indeed. Especially someone with zillions of dollars, like George Soros or Mark Cuban.
I can imagine those two hiring an army of workers to go out and buy gift cards with bags of cash, and then paying them to sit at their computers for hours and making hundreds of thousands of untraceable small-dollar donations to The One’s ™ campaign.
UltimateBob on November 19, 2008 at 1:59 PM
I am still so angry that I could bake a cake with the steam coming out of my ears (I won’t of course or I’ll lose my license)….where is the rest of the media on this.. (rhetorical question) …
This will be the future of elections if this is not called out and arrests made and Obama held to the fire, now!
beththebaker on November 19, 2008 at 2:02 PM
But it was in the service of Hope and Change!
The “in your face” nature of so much of The One’s campaign was galling. I don’t expect things to change when he takes up residence in the White House.
in_awe on November 19, 2008 at 2:03 PM
Love how all of this is coming out right after the elction, when the media/ country is caught up in Obama mania and not paying attention. It’ll be completely forgotten by the time the next election rolls around.
Sigh…
BadgerHawk on November 19, 2008 at 2:03 PM
Just as or even more frightening… Osama bin laden or terrorist of choice can buy them too… we should know how many unsavories donated to Obama.
beththebaker on November 19, 2008 at 2:04 PM
Actualy, Chase has, and has to keep, those records.
All it needs is a REAL US Attorney to go after it. There IS probable cause.
Romeo13 on November 19, 2008 at 2:04 PM
When will Waxman begin hearings?
Never.
The Power of ‘D’
fogw on November 19, 2008 at 2:05 PM
beththebaker on November 19, 2008 at 2:02 PM
We have the best President-Elect money could buy.
In fact, he still has that New President Smell.
Man…DOES IT SMELL!
(Smells like a bought election.)
kingsjester on November 19, 2008 at 2:07 PM
can we get a sampling of the numbers, track back to the source?
of course prosecution might be an issue?
UNREPENTANT CONSERVATIVE CAPITOLIST on November 19, 2008 at 2:08 PM
Hi KJ!
Hey Allah, oh wise one, please help me.. is this article from few days ago right or wrong…. it is saying Obama’s donations will not be scrutinized, but McCain’s will….
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15497.html
beththebaker on November 19, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Two days after the election Obama campaign workers were lined up 300 deep demanding payment for their work. How were they paid by the Obama campaign? With gift cards….and not in full. Many were shorted as much as 50% of what they were promised/owed.
LEBA on November 19, 2008 at 2:19 PM
HOPENCHANGE…..yeah right
SDarchitect on November 19, 2008 at 2:20 PM
I’m waiting for Henry Waxman to begin an investigation.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GarandFan on November 19, 2008 at 2:21 PM
This is why I was always bothered by the whole free market approach to campaign contributions. There are some places where the highest bidder should not always win. Like the Oval Office.
Terrye on November 19, 2008 at 2:22 PM
Not a surprised The One bought the election. I said it from the beginning. Was obvious. He won’t get audited. He has gotten by with anything and everything. That a normal Pres. would never have. Look at all the other election fraud. They need to do a total recount. Something is amiss here. Even though I wanted McCain to win. He wasn’t giving it his best. He has others tell him what to say. Just like Palin, and others that ran in this election. Would be nice to hear their views, in their own words. I guess I am dreaming….
sheebe on November 19, 2008 at 2:26 PM
BO isn’t smart enough, his team of handlers and I’d say George Soros and his billionaires club bought it.
reshas1 on November 19, 2008 at 2:26 PM
I really wish the gov’t was going to seriously investigate this, but apparently the rule of law doesn’t matter anymore.
Btw AP, “Captain Transparency” is a good one.
CP on November 19, 2008 at 2:26 PM
Remember how he changed his mind about accepting private funding? I think he may have gotten a phone call from Mr. Soros.
How much can I get you to bid for sponsorship of this Candidate? He’s well-spoken, ivy-league school, clean, articulate (sorry, Joe)…Who will bid first? Usama? George? G.E.?
U.A.W.? CNN?
kingsjester on November 19, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Why does any of this matter? So we can all say “I told you so” when the country goes to hell under a Marxist regime? For me, that would be pretty cold comfort. I’d rather have my freedom, thanks.
Don’t expect the media to care about this. They have too much invested in The One to ever tell the truth. They already squandered what little credibility they had propping him up and covering his sorry butt. Best to give up on them and look for a resistance movement with some teeth.
SKYFOX on November 19, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Beth,
The conclusion you reached is correct, ironically due to McCain-Feingold campaign finance laws. The McCain campaign took public money and is subject to audits, whereas Obama’s campaign steered clear of the audit trap by opting out.
Nice, ain’t it?
common sensineer on November 19, 2008 at 2:33 PM
McCain’s own dog bit him the a$$…. what is ironic is that he was warned about this from conservatives…
beththebaker on November 19, 2008 at 2:40 PM
Not knowing whether $17.02 is a foreign currency conversion or a shipment of merchandise? Why not investigate the list of people who purchased merchandise? You can find out names and addresses and there WILL BE numbers to cross reference that order and shipment of merchandise to the method of payment that was used.
It’s not a dead end. They must just keep on looking.
Oink on November 19, 2008 at 2:44 PM
I wish someone would look into whether or not Sarbanes-Oxley, or the state versions that were enacted to apply to non-profits since then, applies to this case. Any lawyers out there who can comment?
Y-not on November 19, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Y’see, O’s campaign financing is just ‘too big to check’.
pambi on November 19, 2008 at 2:45 PM
New meaning to the concept of a “global” economy.
sheesh on November 19, 2008 at 2:48 PM
Obama ran an illegal campaign for the whitehouse, reneged on his promise for campaign funds and used his illicit gotten campaign funds to build a larger get out the vote campaign and buy more media in more markets.
Obama stole the election.
James on November 19, 2008 at 2:51 PM
Funny how KP scoffed at some on the right accusing BO as being a “Manchurian Candidate”. Now it seems we may not be so crazy after all.
the_souse on November 19, 2008 at 2:58 PM
What? Obama’s record donations were from foreign contributors? No. That is simply not the case.
….In other news, Rev. Jeremiah Wright finds God.
HornetSting on November 19, 2008 at 3:07 PM
I thought McCain’s dog bit off his stones. You get what you deserve, “maverick”.
HornetSting on November 19, 2008 at 3:09 PM
What’s the problem? He ran as “president of the world” and was financed by the world.
Time to hug and sing kumbaya because the world loves us now.
Schadenfreude on November 19, 2008 at 3:12 PM
Some gift cards can be traced
The gift card itself usually cannot be traced, but non cash purchases of gift cards can be.
Different card issuers focus on different markets. The typical mid range store (e.g. home depot, walmart, Costco) sells fewer than 5% of its gift cards for cash with the overwhelming majority paid for on credit cards, followed by debit cards and checks.
So if a majority of Obama’s gift card donations are non traceable because they were bought with cash, that itself can be a cause for suspicion.
And any cards bought using bank intermediaries are, of course, traceable to the purchasor.
Note that if I buy my son a card, and he gives to the democrats (God forbid!) I will have provided the money but it will have been his to spend. If, however, I bought 500 gift cards… or a few large ones.. and they all went to Obama, you could draw some pretty obvious conclusions.
By law in some places and tradition just about everywhere banks and card issuers have 6 months immediate data access and keep all data for many years - so tracing these donations is a matter of will, not feasibility.
Paul Murphy on November 19, 2008 at 3:12 PM
Why hasn’t a federal investigation been opened on this? We’ve only got two months to do this and it needs to be done. Obama’s campaign was clearly the most corrupt in the history of American national politics.
Sign of the Dollar on November 19, 2008 at 3:37 PM
What the hell kind of a business pays its employees with prepaid gift cards? That was probably just a front to cover the fact that campaign staffers were buying the things. They were really meant to launder contributions.
Sign of the Dollar on November 19, 2008 at 3:43 PM
That’s the most blatant hyperbole in the history of the universe! /irony
Seriously, “the most corrupt in the history of American National Politics?” What units of measurement do you use?
Don’t get me wrong; I voted for brand ‘R’, and have grave concerns about where a brand ‘D’ monopoly — especially when led by The One — may take us. But no cause was ever helped by overstating the facts. There were some shenanigans. Pointing them out will not overturn the election, no matter how bad we reallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreally want it to. Instead of grousing about Obama — who will control the Justice department in less than two months — we need to just press for changes in the law to be sure it doesn’t happen again.
And the WORST way to accomplish that is to loudly proclaim that the problem is the reason O got elected. The more we make that claim, the more reason the Dems have for denying that there IS a problem, and refusing to change anything.
RegularJoe on November 19, 2008 at 4:23 PM
spits
Kevin in Washington State on November 19, 2008 at 5:26 PM
My guess is Chicago drug money. Gift/prepaid CC’s are SOP for laundering that cash. Which means a total dead end for tracing it.
dinobalz on November 19, 2008 at 6:52 PM
I’m curious whose campaign was dirtier than this one in terms of scope and scale.
Y-not on November 19, 2008 at 9:27 PM