Right-wing PAC's penalty follows failed referendum

Betsy and Dick DeVos are like the Royal Family of right-wing politics in Michigan.

In 2000, the couple wasted $5,000,000 on a referendumb that asked Michigan voters to approve vouchers for private schools (a longtime cause celebre of the Far Right). The measure was rejected by 70% of voters. It was hilarious to watch the DeVoses throw away their money on a failed effort.

The DeVoses later started a pro-voucher PAC - enabling themselves to be embarrassed in other states. But now the DeVoses' PAC has been fined a record $5,200,000 by the Ohio Elections Commission for illegally transferring hundreds of thousands of dollars from its Virginia division. The PAC isn't even registered in Ohio like it was supposed to be.

But of course, a lawyer for the DeVoses claims the stiff fine is politically motivated. Everything's a big conspiracy, isn't it, conservos? Well, the Ohio Elections Commission's ruling was unanimous - and came from 2 Republicans, 2 Democrats, and an independent.

Another complaint against the PAC is still pending in Wisconsin. This one claims the PAC laundered money and wouldn't disclose its donors.

This is yet another example of GOP royalty thinking they're above the law. But this time they got the smackdown they so richly deserved. Anyone who contributed to that PAC ought to be furious that the PAC was so unconcerned about the law that their money ended up just going to pay off millions of dollars in fines instead of to the right-wing causes they support.

(Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-41/120806738846950.xml&coll=6&thispage=1)