Whose election is it anyway?

Does anyone else have a problem with the fact that a foreign national just raised $2.5 million for an American presidential candidate?

Elton John played a benefit concert for Hilary Clinton last night at Radio City Music Hall raising $2.5 million: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/politics&id=6074098

Am I wrong? I'm not a lawyer, so correct me if I'm misguided, but I think the law says:

11CFR110.20 7b Contributions and donations by foreign nationals in connection with elections. A foreign national shall not, directly or indirectly, make a contribution or a donation of money or other thing of value, or expressly or impliedly promise to make a contribution or a donation, in connection with any Federal, State, or local election.

(c) Contributions and donations by foreign nationals to political committees and organizations of political parties. A foreign national shall not, directly or indirectly, make a contribution or donation to: (1) A political committee of a political party, including a national party committee, a national congressional campaign committee, or a State, district, or local party committee, including a non-Federal account of a State, district, or local party committee, or (2) An organization of a political party whether or not the organization is a political committee under 11 CFR 100.5.

I'm sure there is a loophole, as those donating were the concert goers, not Sir Elton John, but...

Could one not argue that his performance was an indirect contribution that would fall into the category of "other thing of value"?

I can't say that a violation of election law occurred, still it strikes me as not complying with the spirit and intent of the law at the least.

Still this bothers me, with all due respect to Sir Elton John, but I thought we settled the issue of those of British title being involved in American politics in 1783.

My honest opinion is that who gets elected president of these United States is none of his damn business! As who gets elected prime minister in his country is none of ours.

Given the 1996 campaign finance controversy one might expect a little more sensitivity to foreign involvement in our political process.

Some quotes attributed to Elton John:

“ I’ve always been a Hillary supporter, there is no one more qualified to lead America."

“I’m amazed by the misogynistic attitudes of some of the people in this country. And I say to hell with them .... I love you Hillary, I’ll be there for you.”

As the saying goes "people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones". I lived in Swindon, England for a while, frequented their pubs and nightclubs, and in my experience Americans have nothing over the English when it comes to misogyny.

The story doesn't begin with Elton John though:

Elvis Costello netted Hilary more than $1.5 million at a birthday fundraiser last October:

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/elvis-costello-sings-to-clinton/1900702162

How much foreign involvement do we need in our political process?

Personally, legal or not, I find endorsements by foreign nationals extremely distasteful and that they produce the exact opposite of the intended effect. While I grant that Sir Elton John has a musical gift, I fail to see how his musical abilities qualifies him to comment on American politics or recommend to us "the candidate most qualified to lead us" nor do I find someone with a English grammar school education to the age of 15, overly competent to judge.

But I'll save the fame equals intelligence debate for another day.


Finntann