McCain, eyeing public funding, returns donors' checks

In another sign that Senator John McCain is preparing to take public financing, his campaign is returning general-election contributions to donors. The campaign is asking contributors to instead write new checks to a special fund created to help McCain pay legal and accounting expenses related to compliance with the public funding system.

It is largely a procedural move, and McCain's campaign says it has not yet decided whether to opt in to the public funding system or fund-raise on its own for the Novemeber election. But the decision to return checks to donors, which comes as the Democratic candidates announced another stellar fund-raising haul in March, indicates that McCain is laying the groundwork for doing so.

"Anybody who gave us a check for the general election [had it] returned, and we are resoliciting," said McCain adviser Charlie Black.

Presidential candidates who opt in to the public financing system get federal dollars to run their campaigns in exchange for agreeing to certain spending limits. This year, a candidate who accepts the terms would be limited to $84 million in spending.

UPDATE: McCain spokesman Brian Rogers says in a statement: "Senator McCain has made it clear that he expects to participate in the general election public financing system, and he hopes the Democratic nominee will do so as well .... The campaign reserves the right to change course, but these developments reflect our current plans."

Rogers also called on Barack Obama, who indicated last year that he would accept public financing if he were the Democratic nominee, to honor his pledge.

Sasha Issenberg of the Globe staff contributed to this report