Obama's Haul Spurs Concern About Faceless Donors

But it paves way for new standard in political fundraising system
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 26, 2008 1:48 PM CDT
Obama's Haul Spurs Concern About Faceless Donors
Barack Obama shakes hands at a rally at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The huge success of Barack Obama’s Internet fundraising campaign has sparked concerns about the regulation of campaign finance. Some worry that the faceless system allows for easy abuse, particularly in light of donations from anonymous or clearly fake names such as "Osama bin Laden," the Washington Post reports. Dangerous or not, though, Obama’s fundraising has likely become a model for future campaigns.

Both campaigns have raised questions about the other’s donations. “There is so much money coming in and yet very little ability to say with certainty that you know who is giving it,” says a Republican National Committee rep. Obama’s system, built on small gifts, marks a big change from the strategy of large, bundled donations used in other recent elections.
(More Election 2008 stories.)

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