The Democratic National Committee will pay $243,000 in civil fines to settle accusations that it took over $1 Million from illegal foreign contributors. Although the Federal Election Commission's general counsel found that there was reason to believe that the People's Republic of China "knowingly and willfully" violated federal election law, the commission voted to "take no action at this time."

Kent Cooper, a former election commission official noted that the fines are surprisingly low, and added that they had been based on the claims that those being fined could not afford to pay more.

A similar token punishment was handed out earlier this summer to Senator Bob Torricelli, D-NJ, who was "severely admonished" by the Senate Ethics Committee for taking gifts. Meanwhile, David Chang was sentenced to hard time in prison for giving those gifts to Torricelli.

Conversely, Rep. James Traficant, D-OH, went to prison for similar offenses, but he wasn't needed to preserve the one-seat Senate majority for the illegitimate leader, Tom Daschle.