Is it true that military personnel cannot donate to any political candidates?

Question

I read about that rule here.
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/militarylaw1/a/milpolitics_2.htm

Ron Paul, Obama, and McCain have received the most donations from military personnel and veterans.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-09-13-military-donors_N.htm
http://www.militaryforpaul.com/donations.html
Will the FEC make the candidates refund those donations?
Will their military contributors be punished by the military?

Answer 1

You can make a political donation. You cannot work for a campaign or appear at any political function in uniform. It is a violation of Federal law to do so. Not just the Uniformed Code of Military Justice or some military regulation.
One enlisted soldier did violate this law and get away with it. He campaigned in uniform for his father's re-election to the Senate. No charges were ever preferred against him. His name is Albert Francis Gore, Jr. and he served as both Senator and Vice President.

Answer 2

The case is Casarez v. Val Verde County, 957 F. Supp. 847 (W.D. Tex. 1997). The lawsuit relates to the November 1996 general election in Val Verde County, Texas. Two of the candidates won narrow victories, and the plaintiff seeks to deny them their victory by throwing out 800 military absentee ballots. The two offices involved are county sheriff, where Republican D'Wayne Jernigan defeated Democrat Oscar Gonzalez Jr., by a vote of 5,373 to 5,106, and county commissioner for Precinct 1, where Republican Murry M. Kachel defeated Democrat Frank Coronado by a vote of 1,266 to 1,153. Mr. Jernigan and Mr. Kachel lost among election day voters but won heavily among absentee voters, most of whom were military.

Answer 3

This is a problem of semantics. It's perfectly legal for military personel to donate to the "Committee to Elect Joe Blow," and that money get reported as having been donated to Joe Blow's campaign, but it isn't a direct contribution to Joe himself, even if it's reported that way.

Answer 4

Im unsure approximately candidate, yet they are no longer allowed to try this for the time of regards to the president. So i might say no. of direction, veterans can accomplish that all they like. yet no longer energetic squaddies. it would desire to create morale issues and inner strife, or modern-day an probability for an enemy to disrupt team spirit.

Answer 5

A military member can donate to anything they want. That is what we fight for freedom.

Answer 6

False, in uniform the rules are rules.
Out of uniform, as a civilian, you cannot be ordered. When participating, it must be out of uniform, and no mention of military affiliation. the rules are bleak..

Answer 7

I gave thousands of dollars to political campaigns during my 22 years in the navy.

Answer 8

As long as there name isent used

Answer 9

no its called freedom i think we can do what we want to if we got enough pay

Answer 10

Greetings. the law is not enforced if they donate to a candidate that their officers are for. If they make donations to someone that the pentagon doesn't like, then that is a different story. Soldiers and Marines are not supposed to have any political opinion at all, nor to express any opinion on any matter of policy. Slaves should learn to keep their mouth shut and leave decisions like who is president to their betters. which is the law in the service. Slavery, even voluntary, is still slavery. In the military you do not have the rights of a American civilian because as long as you are in you are not a citizen at all, just a slave to be used as they see fit.