Oz loans his Pennsylvania Senate campaign another $1 million – and gives back $1 million in campaign donations he received under the Senate ethics rules
Mendel was forced to step down by party Chairman John Della tempo
Oz says he has no regrets about his actions
The Democratic Party forced a Senate candidate to resign after failing to disclose nearly $100,000 in gifts under the Senate ethics rules.
In a bombshell ruling Wednesday, the Senate Ethics Committee determined that Democratic Senate candidate Bob Oz had secretly received more than $100,000 in cash and other gifts, including hundreds of plane tickets, meals, and meals in a Las Vegas hotel at the same time that he was secretly receiving campaign donations.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Washington Post first reported on the allegations a few days before the November election.
Oz says he believes his actions were appropriate and he has no regrets.
“It was the responsible thing to do,” he told The Washington Post. “It was one of those things where you look in the mirror and you say, ‘Am I glad I did this? Am I glad I did this?’”
Oz announced his withdrawal from the race on Wednesday amid an increasingly embarrassing revelation.
He says he never accepted the gifts from a political donor, Richard Skelton, because he did not have the authority under the Federal Election Campaign Act to accept it.
Skelton claimed to have made $1.2 million in loans and donations to the campaign. He is now asking that the campaign be allowed to repay the money it received for the loans.
Skelton also claims the federal Election Campaign Act does not allow political campaign finance laws to be applied to candidates for the Senate — a position which is still being appealed.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It’s a legal issue at this point, but the statute that’s being challenged by the Democrats is that he can’t be a Senate candidate,” Skelton told The Post.
“If I