Has Tom Manion Learned From His Masters?

According to this story in the Bucks County Courier Times, the Republican (!) mayor of Riegelsville, PA has some issues with a fundraiser conducted for Tom Manion, the Repug challenger against Patrick Murphy for the PA-08 U.S. House seat...

According to the letter, originally filed by Tom Myers of Riegelsville on June 19, a fundraising event that was described as a “champagne reception” for Manion's campaign was held at Worth & Company Inc. in Pipersville March 25.

It's illegal for corporations to make political contributions. In his letter, Myers claims Manion's campaign violated this law since there's no record that the campaign paid the company anything to cover the cost of the event, according to a campaign finance report filed with the FEC in April.

Myers also claims in his letter that a Worth & Company employee had organized the fundraising event. Under federal campaign finance law, corporations may only use employees to work at fundraising events if payment for those services is received from political campaigns in advance.

Manion said that the charge is false and “we're doing everything aboveboard and doing it the right way.”

OK, Manion deserves the benefit of the doubt so far. But this wouldn’t be the first time that Worth (which hosted “Senator Honor And Virtue” a couple of days ago) has played fast and loose with the rules if the charge turns out to be true (as noted here).

(By the way, McBush’s Worth visit came at the height of the flap over what Wes Clark said in response to a question by media shill Bob Schieffer of CBS on Sunday about McCain’s POW experience being qualification by itself to be president. I haven’t said anything because my A list “betters” have quite rightly pointed out that this is another case of the “Clinton rules” in play, whereby our beloved corporate cousins spin a story in as uncomplimentary a way as possible against the Dems, even to the point where they make stuff up. Namely, they reported that Clark demeaned McBush’s service, which is a lie. And Clark is right that no one experience from either candidate qualifies that person to be president, no matter how courageous or commendable. And I thought Obama was wrong to bail on Clark, though politically, I could see the calculation behind trying to have it “over and done with” as quickly as possible.)