Kristen Hainen

August 21, 2008 - 11:40am

Lautenberg can't use campaign funds to pay off personal loan

United States Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) will have to take a loss on the $1.65 million he loaned himself for his primary against U.S. Rep. Ron Andrews (D-Haddon Heights), according to an advisory opinion from the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

A Lautenberg lawyer last month wrote to request the opinion to see if the Supreme Court’s ruling that the “millionaire’s amendment” to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) was unconstitutional could also be applied to a provision of the act that bans candidates from paying off more than $250,000 in personal loans with campaign contributions made after the election.

In a memorandum dated Monday, four lawyers from the FEC replied that the provisions regarding repayment of personal loans were not struck down by the Supreme Court’s decision in Davis v. Federal Election Commission.

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August 13, 2008 - 2:39pm

Lautenberg looks to take advantage of Millionaire's Amendment ruling, Zimmer says

A move by U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg to repay his own campaign debts has drawn the ire of his opponent, former U.S. Rep. Dick Zimmer.

Lautenberg attorney Marc Erik Elias penned a letter to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) last month arguing that, since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the “Millionaire’s Amendment,” a provision of the law that any personal loans over $250,000 not repaid before the election should be considered nonrefundable – meaning that Lautenberg would be unable to raise funds to repay his own debt after that period.

Lautenberg loaned himself $1.65 million during his June primary campaign against U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews.

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