LAW AND ORDER: FREDDY STYLE

Fred Thompson, the cagey old coot (and two term senator) from Tennessee has effectively found a way to avoid FEC financial reporting issues: submission of financial holdings, as well as reporting his financial contributions towards his non-declared presidential run.

SIMPLY DO NOT ANNOUNCE YOUR CANDIDACY.

The FEC does allow an exemption for someone who wishes to test the waters before jumping into the murky presidential tide pools. The FEC gives clear guidelines for whether someone is "testing the waters", or running an undeclared candidacy in name only. Here is one violation to think about....

A. 11 CFR 100.72(B)(2) -- "The individual raises funds in excess of what could reasonably be expected to be used for exploratory activities or undertakes activities designed to amass campaign funds that would be spent after he or she becomes a candidate."

IS HE RUNNING, OR NOT?

Mr. Thompson is quoted as saying "You're either running or you're not running.

I think the steps we've taken are pretty obvious."

Lane Hudson, of the blog "newsfortheleft.blogspot.com" (make this one a daily read), has thrown down the gauntlet and filed a complaint with the FEC charging the amount of donations he has received (reportedly $3.4million as of July 31st, with $72,000.00 earmarked for the general election), the years lease he has signed a contract for as his official headquarters ($88,789.00), $168,000.00 spent for Internet services, as well as his exemption for $25,000.00 plus in legal fees, make utilization of the "testing the waters" exemption moot, if not an absolute farce. Mr. Hudson, you may recall used his other blogs to expose the Mark Foley sexual advance communiques.

June 4th: Mr. Thompson was quoted as saying "I can't remember exactly the point that I said, 'I'm going to do this, But when I did, the thing that occurred to me: 'I'm going to tell people that I am thinking about it and see what kind of reaction I get to it.' "

August 17th: Mr. Thompson said, "We are going to be getting in if we get in, and of course, we are in the testing the waters phase," he said, adding, "we're going to be making a statement shortly that will cure all of that. But yeah, we'll be in traditionally when people get in this race".

Mr. Thompson should formally announce, and announce today. In not doing so, he has, in effect, thumbed his nose to all existing FEC rules and guidelines for the actions of a pres. candidate.

SO MUCH FOR THE BREATHE OF FRESH AIR PROMISED FROM "THE FRIENDS OF FRED." THAT "FRESH AIR" SMELLS MIGHTY FISHY TO ME.

And that is "The World According to Kimba"

Thanks for reading (and caring)