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So, there was this website, "Canada for Clark" that may or may not have encouraged non-US citizens to donate to an anti-Bush political group moveon.org. The hypervigilant Drudge noticed it at some point and pointed out that non-Americans contributing financially to political candidates or PACs is illegal in the US (and has been for centuries).
This doesn't necessarily discourage foreigners from trying -- it's an American law. There's nothing illegal (that I know of) in Canadian or, say, Indonesian or Chinese law that prohibits the attempt of mucking in foreign elections, rather it's the domestic US recipients that get into hot water. For instance, the entire western arc of the Pacific Ring of Fire donating to Clinton/Gore in '96, and the scandals that arose, landed squarely on the party and candidates. Personally, I say to all foreigners, more power to you if you can get away with it...but be prepared for it to backfire against your candidate if it is ever made public.
Which brings me back to Canada for Clark. Embarrassed by the attention, they released this page: http://www.canadaforclark.com/donate2.html
I'm bugged by a few statements...
The link to MoveOn.org has of course been removed, as we have just become aware of the organization's new rules concerning foreign donations. -- The organization in question is a US organization. Funny how "new rules" just happen to now comply with Federal law and the "old rules" just happened to not.
Just as its [sic] wrong for the American government to interfere with the governments of other democratically elected leaders of democratic nations
(for example, Venezuela)... -- Amen. It is completely wrong, and hypocritical, and even immoral, IMHO, for the US to interfere in the elections of democratic nations (and, perhaps, the nondemocratic ones as well). So, does that mean that Canadians for Clark, merely duplicating established US behavior, was wrong, hypocritical, and immoral? Apparently, it's only intriguing.
1) Nothing we have done is illegal... -- depends on the side of the line on which you are standing. In the US, to encourage a felony is considered aiding and abetting. On the Canadian side of the border, it may or may not be illegal, depending on Canadian law concerning aiding crimes in foreign nations from Canadian soil. A tricky legal truism, bringing back fond memories of Clinton and Nixon.
This doesn't necessarily discourage foreigners from trying -- it's an American law. There's nothing illegal (that I know of) in Canadian or, say, Indonesian or Chinese law that prohibits the attempt of mucking in foreign elections, rather it's the domestic US recipients that get into hot water. For instance, the entire western arc of the Pacific Ring of Fire donating to Clinton/Gore in '96, and the scandals that arose, landed squarely on the party and candidates. Personally, I say to all foreigners, more power to you if you can get away with it...but be prepared for it to backfire against your candidate if it is ever made public.
Which brings me back to Canada for Clark. Embarrassed by the attention, they released this page: http://www.canadaforclark.com/donate2.html
I'm bugged by a few statements...
The link to MoveOn.org has of course been removed, as we have just become aware of the organization's new rules concerning foreign donations. -- The organization in question is a US organization. Funny how "new rules" just happen to now comply with Federal law and the "old rules" just happened to not.
Just as its [sic] wrong for the American government to interfere with the governments of other democratically elected leaders of democratic nations
(for example, Venezuela)... -- Amen. It is completely wrong, and hypocritical, and even immoral, IMHO, for the US to interfere in the elections of democratic nations (and, perhaps, the nondemocratic ones as well). So, does that mean that Canadians for Clark, merely duplicating established US behavior, was wrong, hypocritical, and immoral? Apparently, it's only intriguing.
1) Nothing we have done is illegal... -- depends on the side of the line on which you are standing. In the US, to encourage a felony is considered aiding and abetting. On the Canadian side of the border, it may or may not be illegal, depending on Canadian law concerning aiding crimes in foreign nations from Canadian soil. A tricky legal truism, bringing back fond memories of Clinton and Nixon.
