LA-06: Butterfield Explains Himself

by: James L.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 5:53 PM EDT

Nathan Gonzales of Roll Call picks up where we left off:

After Jackson announced his Independent candidacy, Butterfield donated $500 to his campaign on July 26, after meeting the Louisiana legislator at a Congressional Black Caucus event. The contribution appeared on pre-primary Federal Election Commission reports filed nearly a month ago but went unnoticed until Swing State Project, a Democratic blog, pointed it out Wednesday morning.

"It was a mistake," said Butterfield's communications director, Ken Willis. "[Jackson] was just introduced at the CBC event as a Congressional candidate." Apparently, Butterfield did not realize that his contribution was for the general election and that Jackson was running as an Independent against a Democratic incumbent.

"If [Butterfield] had known it would be for the general election, he wouldn't have done it," Willis added. "He didn't want to do anything to hurt the party."

Why Jackson was allowed into a CBC event two weeks after he filed as an Independent is beyond me, but it appears that Mr. Butterfield made an honest mistake -- and I think that we can take him for his word on this one. If I were him, though, I'd respectfully ask for my money back.