Rainville returns campaign contribution

WILLISTON — Republican U.S. House candidate Martha Rainville announced late Tuesday that she will return a $1,000 campaign contribution from a congressman involved in a lawsuit alleging domestic violence.

“I am returning a check to DON’S PAC, the political action committee formed by Rep. Don Sherwood, R-PA, because of allegations of domestic abuse which recently came to my attention,” Rainville said in a statement.

Campaign officials say news reports were recently brought to Rainville’s attention indicating that Sherwood had been accused of abusing a woman described as “an ex-mistress” during a reported five-year relationship. While no charges were filed in the case, an out-of-court settlement was reached late last year. No details of that settlement have been revealed.

Sherwood, who is married, apologized publicly to his family.

“I believe in strong family values and I take the issue of domestic violence very seriously,” Rainville said in a statement. “I feel that to be consistent with my own firmly held beliefs I cannot accept this contribution to my campaign, and I will be returning the $1,000 check.”

This is the first of Republican-linked political action committee (PAC) money returned by Rainville, despite calls from Republicans and Democrats for her to return thousands of dollars linked to many top GOP lawmakers.

During her campaign kick-off speech she said that many of the top leaders in the Republican party had “lost their way,” and she would go to Washington to help restore integrity.

Opponents say it is hypocritical for Rainville to complain about their behavior on one hand, and then take their money.

Of the $218,972 in campaign cash that Rainville raised as of March 31, nearly $130,000 came from PACs or political party donations, according to papers on file with the Federal Elections Commission as of April 14.

Topping the list are the leadership PACs of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-IL, whose Keep Our Majority PAC contributed $10,000; his own reelection committee kicked in another $4,000. In addition, Rainville took in nearly $15,000 from the Retain Our Majority PAC, founded more than seven years ago by indicted, and now former, Rep. Tom DeLay, R-TX.

Rainville also received $10,000 from the Rely on Your Beliefs Fund tied to Rep. Roy Blunt, R-MO, the one-time House Majority Leader and close friend of DeLay’s, linked to the scandal centered around disgraced uber-lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Blunt has been named one of the 10 most corrupt lawmakers in Washington by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a public watchdog group.

Rainville’s other top GOP PAC donors include: $5,000 from The Freedom Project PAC of Rep. John Boehner, R-OH, the House Majority Leader; $5,000 from the Every Republican Is Crucial PAC run by Rep. Eric Cantor, R-VA, chief deputy majority whip; $10,000 from the Promoting Republicans You Can Elect PAC run by Rep. Deb Pryce, R-OH; and, $10,000 from the Committee for the Preservation of Capitalism run by Rep. Jim McCrery, R-LA, who is in line to become the next chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

Posted April 19, 2006

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