Giff's Hevesi Moment

The Politicker is told that the Campaign Finance Board today will consider a recommendation from staff that a substantial portion of Gifford Miller's campaign spending be counted toward his overall spending cap, rather than exempted as a "petitioning" expense. The CFB's ruling could take one of several forms. If Miller has already overspent for the primary, it could mean no more public money for his campaign. If it's a lesser offence, it could still knock him off the air in this last, crucial week. In any case, it's become obvious that Miller's gamble that he could play fast and loose with campaign finance rules has been devastating. The move cost him the Times endorsement, and now it may cripple his campaign in the home stretch. Still, two of Miller's appointees sit on the Campaign Finance Board, and the new Chairman, Fritz Schwartz, has been a bit easier on candidates than his predecessor. So Miller can still hold out hope of scraping by with a slap on the wrist.