YOU PAID WHAT FOR WHO?

Bustamante receives $500,000 from Indians; FPPC has doubts (Alexa H. Bluth, August 30, 2003, Sacramento Bee)

A day after meeting with tribal gambling interests, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante on Friday reported receiving a $500,000 campaign donation from a tribe -- the second six-figure contribution he has taken from Indians for the Oct. 7 recall election.

But it remains a matter of legal interpretation whether the $500,000 check Bustamante received Thursday from the Pechanga Band of Mission Indians and other large contributions he has received were proper donations under state campaign finance rules.

The state's Fair Political Practices Commission issued a statement late Thursday questioning the Democrat's practice of collecting large donations in an old campaign account for his recall efforts.

Seizing on what some believe is a loophole in the new Proposition 34 campaign finance laws, Bustamante has collected $1.1 million in the past week from Indian tribes and unions in his 2002 lieutenant governor's account, which he plans to transfer to the committee raising money for his recall bid.

Looks like the Indians' business sense hasn't improved any since they sold Manhattan Island for $24. At the rate they're paying they ought to be able to buy Penelope Cruz instead of Cruz Bustamante.

MORE:
Bustamante's MEChA past fuel for conservative critics (Philip J. LaVelle, 8/30/03, San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE) Posted by Orrin Judd at August 30, 2003 12:26 PM