What About DeLay’s Warchest?

According to the most recent avaliable filing (through February 15), the Federal Election Commission reports that Tom DeLay has $1,295,350 in his campaign fund.

So, what’s going to happen to the money? The FEC’s rules govern permitted uses for campaign funds and define them as such (excerpt after the jump).

We already assume DeLay can and will use his funds to further his legal defense. However, if I recall correctly, the FEC does place some regulations on what outgoing members of Congress can do with their money which is more prohibitive than the normal rules. I can’t find this on the FEC website right now or anything via the Congressional Ethics Committee, but my thinking is that DeLay has (a) a limited amount of time to get rid of the money and (2) one of the prefered ways of doing that is to give it to candidates.

So, will we see DeLay’s warchest simply distributed among many GOP candidates, or will he give a big chunk of it to a hand-picked successor in CD-22? Only time will tell.

§ 439a. Use of contributed amounts for certain purposes

(a) Permitted uses. A contribution accepted by a candidate, and any other donation received by an individual as support for activities of the individual as a holder of Federal offi ce, may be used by the candidate or individual—

(1) for otherwise authorized expenditures in connection with
the campaign for Federal offi ce of the candidate or individual;
(2) for ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in connection with duties of the individual as a holder of Federal office;
(3) for contributions to an organization described in section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
(4) for transfers, without limitation, to a national, State, or
local committee of a political party;
(5) for donations to State and local candidates subject to the provisions of State law; or
(6) for any other lawful purpose unless prohibited by subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Prohibited use.

(1) In general. A contribution or donation described in subsection

(a) shall not be converted by any person to personal use.

(2) Conversion. For the purposes of paragraph (1), a contribution or donation shall be considered to be converted to personal use if the contribution or amount is used to fulfi ll any commitment, obligation, or expense of a person that would exist irrespective of the candidate’s election campaign or individual’s duties as a holder of Federal office, including—

(A) a home mortgage, rent, or utility payment;
(B) a clothing purchase;
(C) a noncampaign-related automobile expense;
(D) a country club membership;
(E) a vacation or other noncampaign-related trip;
(F) a household food item;
(G) a tuition payment;
(H) admission to a sporting event, concert, theater, or
other form of entertainment not associated with an election
campaign; and
(I) dues, fees, and other payments to a health club or
recreational facility.

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