Wait. You Mean I Have To Obey The Laws I Pass?

Quick historical quiz. Who said America is a nation of laws, not of men?
A. Thomas Jefferson
B. James Madison
C. John McCain
D. Where'd you ever get an idea like that?

OK, we don't know either, but it can't be C because THE MAVERICK John McCain is being all MAVERICKY again nor can it be D because, well, we really don't need to go into that, do we? But let's get back to Senator McCain (Did we mention he's a MAVERICK?)

A Democratic Senate group says an invitation to a South Carolina state candidate's fundraiser featuring U.S. Senator. John McCain, R-MAVERICK, violates the campaign law McCain helped write. "Look, the Senator is pretty busy passing the laws," an aide told reporters, "He doesn't have time to read them. He's a MAVERICK you know."

McCain-Feingold imposed new, strict restrictions on indirect campaign donations, known as soft money. "Well, yeah," said a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee. "But they didn't mean those rules should apply to them, just the Democrats. Besides, don't you know McCain is a MAVERICK?"

Thursday's fundraiser was for South Carolina's elected Adjutant General Stan Spears, who commands the S.C. National Guard. Spears backed President Bush in 2000, and would be a key supporter if McCain runs for president again in 2008. When asked why Spears would support McCain now when he had supported Bush before, a McCain aide said the Spears had "gotten sober" in the intervening years.

Democrats have criticized McCain for violating his campaign finance law before. For example, Democrats filed a complaint with federal regulators after a March fundraiser with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, arguing McCain violated federal law by appearing at the event, which asked for checks well above federal limits. McCain apologized for the oversight saying he wasn't aware of the California limits. "Arnold told me just a million bucks more and it's hasta la vista, baby," McCain told reporters. "So I stuck around. But I never told him I'll be back."