Donation refunds

[Pheurton Skeurto]

Hey y'all,

Wondering if anyone could offer some insight on campaign finance laws vis a vis campaign donations. Let's say I've donated a good amount of money to a presidential candidate and I am no longer satisfied with my donation, what laws are there (if any) that entitle me to a refund? Do I need to file anything with the FEC? Or is the campaign within their rights to deny my request?

Thanks in advance!

[Pheurton Skeurto]

Not a lawyer, but unless they voluntarily give it back to you, you've got no chance. 

Dammit, Pete--er, I mean...Paul? Peter Paul & Mary won't return my donations. Damn.

[Pheurton Skeurto]

They will sometimes refund donors when the campaign drops out (one of several options for disposing of the surplus money when a campaign formally ends) — maybe you could expose some devastating and shameful scandal?

if I had access to the type of dirt that could derail a major presidential campaign, i wouldn't need to worry about getting back $150.

[Pheurton Skeurto]

In Australia, if you gift somone money, you have no legal recourse to get it back.

So extrapolating that to your situation, unless it is in writing with terms and conditions surrounding your refund, you may find you are in a similar situation.

Yeah, it's a donation not a contract.  I guess if a candidate spent it all on cocaine and hookers maybe you could file some kind of civil suit for fraud, but then the money's been spent (on cocaine and hookers) so it'd be hard to claw back.

This gives me an idea with sjoyce's suggestion that I find some dirt...