Warren Buffet may or may not have been kidding when he mused that Edwards' donors ought to engage in a class action lawsuit against their candidate, but apparently Edwards has in fact been refunding money to some, but not all, donors.
Wouldn't that buttress a class-action lawsuit? Why is Edwards taking care of his fat-cat bundlers but not reimbursing Joe Lunchbucket's $100? Troubling.
OK, per the post's UPDATE we see speculation that these are max donors who had contributed to a now-irrelevant general election fund. Even so, aren't there any min donors in that category? (Hmm, quite probably not - my guess is that once a donor maxes out for the primary cycle future donations are held in suspense until the candidate qualifies for the general.)
I'M SORRY I ASKED: As a test of the "max donor" theory I picked from a refunds page someone who got $500 back, attorney D Wobbrock of Lake Oswego, OR.
From the FEC search I see that D Wobbrock gave $1,300 to Edwards on 5/16/2007 and another $500 on 6/30/2007; he got a refund of $500 on 3/24/2008 even though he had not maxed out.
Beats me. There are other Wobbrock contributors from the same address (presumably family members), so who knows? And who cares?
I would hate to solicit clients, but if you are a lawyer and would like to refer a matter to me, I am available to handle claims like this on a pro-bono basis;>0
Posted by: Jim Rhoads aka vnjagvet | August 25, 2008 at 05:21 PM
Can I be co-counsel?
Posted by: Jane | August 25, 2008 at 05:36 PM
If this is a case for a class action, how about Fred Thompson's lazy campaign?
Posted by: Appalled | August 25, 2008 at 06:15 PM
His campaign wasn't as lazy as your commenting. Edwards was hiding an ongoing sexual relationship with a woman other than his cancer-stricken wife while claiming his Father of the Year status was reason for him to run and for people to send him money. What's the comparable deception by Thompson supposed to be? That he didn't like hats and didn't tell anybody until he got to Iowa?
Posted by: bgates | August 25, 2008 at 06:28 PM
First in line at the Bundler Refund Counter? Best pal and Rielle Hunter proxy-sugar-daddy, Fred Baron: http://perfunction.typepad.com/perfunction/2008/08/coda-john-edwar.html
Posted by: Cuffy Meigs | August 25, 2008 at 06:49 PM
OT but obama just took the bait
new ad video at Hot Air re: Ayers
Posted by: windansea | August 25, 2008 at 06:51 PM
OT but Obama took the bait
new ad re: Ayers
http://thepage.time.com/video-obamas-ayers-tv-ad/
Posted by: windansea | August 25, 2008 at 06:55 PM
Cuffy Meigs:
Whoa! You lay out quite a picture. "Edwards' big contributors ARE class action lawyers and are waaaay ahead of the curve." I'll say.
Posted by: JM Hanes | August 25, 2008 at 07:03 PM
TM:
Waddya think about a Convention thread? There's liable to be some live bloggin' goin' on.
Posted by: JM Hanes | August 25, 2008 at 07:04 PM
Had I given Edwards any support, which I didn't, I would want my money back. That said, in the last 12-16 years, Democrats have had a bad habit of buying snake oil from anyone who will sell it to them. Edwards said everything they wanted to hear and they all bought it. They deserve to lose their money just like the guy who paid for Big Foot's carcus last week. People kept pouring money in to Edwards even after the initial affair reports started coming out last year. Caveat Emptor.
But to be real, is there anyone who didn't think this guy was a creepy philanderer?
Does anyone think there is a chance that Thompson didn't want to run but did so just to get everyone off of his back?
On a related note: I couuld use some money, will Fred Baron send me $15k a month for a few months and fund my Caribbean vacation on top.
Posted by: Mike | August 25, 2008 at 07:05 PM
If I were Edwards' hairdresser, I would want compensation for bringing the style into disrepute.
Posted by: PeterUK | August 25, 2008 at 07:07 PM
Rush thinks Michelle is pregnant and will announce that tongiht.
Well, if you were given the choice of getting pregnant to help hubby's campaign or getting inoperable cancer which would you choose?
Posted by: clarice | August 25, 2008 at 07:18 PM
Clarice: clarify, please. Barack's baby or Edwards' baby?
Posted by: ptg | August 25, 2008 at 07:58 PM
Why is Edwards taking care of his fat-cat bundlers but not reimbursing Joe Lunchbucket's $100?
Because he said there are two Americas, and he means it.
Posted by: Barry Dauphin | August 25, 2008 at 08:00 PM
"If this is a case for a class action, how about Fred Thompson's lazy campaign?"
Well under Appalled's very loose criteria, how about Obama's fraudulent campaign? Pretending to be qualified...
Posted by: ben | August 25, 2008 at 08:01 PM
Clarice,
It would depend on the husband.
Posted by: PeterUK | August 25, 2008 at 08:03 PM
And I suppose, on the inoperable cancer.
==========================
Posted by: kim | August 25, 2008 at 08:08 PM
I'm not touching that one.
Posted by: BobS | August 25, 2008 at 08:12 PM
I hope all the contributors from the mill have had their hard-earned donations refunded.
Posted by: Captain Hate | August 25, 2008 at 08:14 PM
But I will say (clears throat) geeeeeez what a bunch of drama queens those dems are
Posted by: BobS | August 25, 2008 at 08:14 PM
The Clintons...Ayers....Obama doing an add with Ayers in it (I still cant believe he did that) Michelle's baby..Edwards...his baby...his sick wife...they make my hair hurt
Posted by: BobS | August 25, 2008 at 08:17 PM
From CQ...what a darned shame too...
"The Democratic convention now teeters on the brink of a media disaster thanks to real news that threatens to distract reporters from the scripted show.
And wouldn't you know, it's all about the Clintons. The trouble with the news-free nature of modern conventions is how anything unplanned can instantly get of hand with thousands of reporters in town vying for every morsel of something different.
The word on the street is total meltdown. The Clintons and their advisors aren't even staying for the final speech. Bill Clinton is openly whining about his speaking assignment."
Posted by: ben | August 25, 2008 at 08:21 PM
"Well, if you were given the choice of getting pregnant to help hubby's campaign or getting inoperable cancer which would you choose?"
Word is she desperately tried a counterproposal of 2 cute puppies and 2 adorable kittens but was overridden.
Posted by: ben | August 25, 2008 at 08:28 PM
I'm not touching that one.
Too bad Edwards didn't say that.
Posted by: Soylent Red | August 25, 2008 at 08:37 PM
Ugh. Watching this is like repeatedly kicking myself in the balls.
Posted by: Soylent Red | August 25, 2008 at 08:39 PM
"Pretending to be qualified.."
He's had years of practice----
President of Harvard Law Review, but no reviews.
Lawyer, but no cases tried.
Works at a college, but not a professor.
Community Organizer, but no evidence that the community was improved.
Elected to State Legislature, and votes Present.
Elected to the US Senate, appointed to head a committee, but the committee has never met.
The list goes on and on.
Posted by: Pagar | August 25, 2008 at 08:49 PM
From Merriam Webster...
Poseur
Main Entry:
po·seur Listen to the pronunciation of poseur
Pronunciation:
\pō-ˈzər, ˈpō-zər\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
French, literally, poser, from poser
Date:
1869
: a person who pretends to be what he or she is not : an affected or insincere person
Posted by: ben | August 25, 2008 at 09:02 PM
Pssssssst, Pagar....say ACORN for me
Posted by: BobS | August 25, 2008 at 09:02 PM