Yes, that's why they are called donations instead of loans or payments. Once you give it, it's theirs to use for the stated purpose, however ambiguously that may have been stated to begin with. But fraud is another matter entirely. If you donated to a campaign, and you can prove that the solicitation was fraudulent at the core, you stand a chance of getting a judgement, however that might prove futile monetarily. But as a donor, you are an affected class that at least has the right to sue, as in the case of the guy on Simcox's fence you mentioned. I don't know why he dropped the suit, but he may have settled it in silence. You could go to the courthouse and review the files as I have encouraged everyone else to do through one of our affiliated websites:
http://publicdocumentdistributors.co...hread.php?t=19
It is in the courthouse records you often find the backgrounds on organizations and individuals that may guide your actions on entering into any transactions with them in the future.
On the issues of campaign funds:
Both state and federal laws restrict the use of the funds by amount or transaction. It's a convoluted mess of words designed to confound, confuse and delay, enforced by a body that is usually beholden to the same system that has the greatest interest in keeping the money flowing. Once in a while someone gets a fine several years after the deed, and then some funds get paid from their account to the FPPC or whatever passes for it in that state. But inevitably, it is your donations that are used to pay the fines, adding insult to injury.
Hope all that helps.....
