Thread: McCain returns $20,000 in political contributions

McCain returns $20,000 in political contributions
Family behind donations under federal investigation
By Mark Preston
CNN Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican Sen. John McCain, of Arizona, has returned $20,000 in political contributions from a powerful Texas family that is under investigation for possible unlawful use of offshore tax shelters.
McCain's political action committee, Straight Talk America, returned $5,000 checks to each of the following: Charles Wyly; Wyly's brother Sam; Sam's wife, Cheryl; and Charles' son, Charles, according to the PAC's most recent Federal Election Commission filing.
The Wylys were hosts of a May 15 Dallas fund-raiser for McCain but were requested not to attend the event, a McCain political adviser told CNN.
"We have a vetting process here at Straight Talk America," said Craig Goldman, the

PAC's executive director. "When that vetting process indicates there is any controversy with a donor, we return the check."
"At our request, they did not attend the fund-raiser in Dallas."
Goldman said he is not sure how much money McCain, who is considering another run for the White House in 2008, raised at the event.
The Wylys' support of McCain caught many people by surprise, because six years ago the Wylys not only backed George W. Bush, then governor of Texas, in the Republican presidential primary, they also worked aggressively against McCain.
The brothers formed "Republicans for Clean Air" in the 2000 campaign and used the 527 organization to run $2.5 million worth of ads criticizing the Arizona Republican's environmental record.
Charles Wyly is the chairman and Sam Wyly is the vice chairman of Michaels Stores, which the company describes as the "nation's largest retailer of arts and crafts materials."



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Everything at Michael's is made in China.