The Legal "Optometrist Blank Cheque" Argument

House Speaker Jim Black said state law allows him and the state optometrists' society to fill in the name and date on an optometrist's check, because the law permits the donor to let someone else decide where the money goes.

The law says a group can't solicit a contribution without first telling the donor what candidate, committee or party the money is going to. Or telling the donor:

"That a decision will be reached later as to the candidate(s), political committee(s), or political party(ies) to be supported and that the contributions solicited will be expended in a manner and for a purpose to be determined at a future date but no later than 20 days prior to the pending primary or general election."

The optometrists' PAC, however, held many of the incomplete checks from individual optometrists for months past the election.

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