Dornan Is on the Err, Democrats Maintain

The California Democratic Party on Monday accused former Rep. Robert K. Dornan of violating federal election law by using guest radio appearances to promote his reelection campaign, attack his likely Democratic opponent and raise money for another bid for Congress.

The complaint, filed with the Federal Elections Commission, charges that such appearances on nationally syndicated radio talk shows amount to a corporate gift to Dornan’s campaign, said Art Torres, chairman of the California Democratic Party.

The complaint follows Dornan’s filing of candidacy papers with the FEC this month and his announcement last week that he has decided to run for the seat he lost last year to Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove).

Torres said the complaint is also intended to send a message to the radio shows putting Dornan on the airwaves.

“Now that Dornan is a declared candidate, he ought not to receive corporate gifts, in the form of hosting these radio shows, where he talks about Sanchez and the campaign,” Torres said. “This is a corporate contribution, which is a clear violation of federal law. And if it is not, we ought to have it defined as such by the FEC.”

Dornan denied the allegations, saying his filing with the FEC leaves his candidacy in an exploratory mode until March 6, the deadline for candidates to officially become candidates by filing nomination papers and paying filing fees with the state.

“It [the complaint] is not going anywhere,” he said. “It is a nice shot for them to do this, but it is an exercise in futility until after March 6.”

Dornan acknowledged that he appeared as a guest host on the Alan Keyes radio show since his filing and said he used the forum to announce that he is running.

But in numerous other appearances on the Keyes, Michael Reagan or Oliver North radio shows, he insisted that he had never attacked Sanchez as a candidate or sought campaign contributions.

“I don’t talk about ‘98, and I don’t talk about fund-raising,” he said. “What I have done is talk about voter fraud and raising money [to fight] that, and I talked about [Sanchez] not being the real congresswoman because of voter fraud.”

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Talk radio “is the way I make my living,” he said. “What the Democratic liberals are trying to do is deny me a livelihood.”

Torres said that Dornan has always been more of a commentator than a congressman.

“If he has to a have a radio show to do what he is going to do, then as a professional commentator, he should play by the rules,” Torres said.

“You can’t talk about your race or your opponent. That is why the issue ought to be moved into a different arena and let the FEC decide what is or isn’t appropriate.”