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ON THE TRAIL

June 18, 2008

Republican Sen. John McCain criticized Sen. Barack Obama's call for a windfall profits tax on the oil industry yesterday, despite leaving the door open to the same idea last month. McCain leveled his attack in prepared remarks in which he said the next president must be willing to break with policies of both the Bush and Clinton administrations to reduce dependence on foreign oil. But on May 5, McCain said, "I don't like obscene profits being made anywhere. I'd be glad to look not just at the windfall profits tax, that's not what bothers me, but we should look at any incentives that we are giving to people ... that are distorting the markets."

Democratic Party officials plan to file a new lawsuit to compel federal regulators to investigate whether Sen. John McCain violated election laws by withdrawing from public financing. The Democratic National Committee will ask the U.S District Court to order the Federal Election Commission to examine the legality of McCain's decision to reject $5.8 million in taxpayer funds.