While it may be within the law for Carol Moseley Braun to use her campaign funds as a personal piggy bank, at the very best it is a highly questionable practice. It is just one more case of politicians setting up different rules for themselves. Pretty nice, isn`t it, for her to have a loan without a repayment schedule? Or for Sen. Phil Rock to supplement his income with campaign funds?
If it is legal for Illinois politicians to use campaign funds this way, it is something we need to make illegal. It is a major loophole in the law that could be used to launder bribes, for instance. Instead of a cash bribe that would be against the law, a person can make it all legal as long as it is okay to use campaign funds as personal piggy banks. Just pay off with a campaign contribution what a politician can put to personal use. This loophole needs to be closed, and quickly.
The Greylord judges could have avoided the troubles they had if they had only been smart enough to accept only campaign contributions.
