Tim Kaine's dual role at DNC and as governor may require some legal maneuvering.

[madfloridian]

From page 2 of the Washington Post article on Tim Kaine doing both jobs simultaneously.

Juggling 2 Roles Is Kaine's Third Job

Beyond the demanding schedule, Kaine's dual roles create a thicket of legal and political issues. When he travels on party business, Kaine will be accompanied by his Virginia security detail at state expense. It's unclear whether the party will be asked to reimburse the state for travel expenses. Special phone lines might have to be installed at the governor's mansion so Kaine is not conducting party business on a state-funded phone, Marcus said.

Lynda Tran, Kaine's communications director, said, "I know there are probably a series of rules and regulations that have to be taken into account, and I am sure he will be following them."

Lawyers say Kaine will also have to quickly figure out whether he can continue to raise money for his state political action committee, Moving Virginia Forward, without violating federal campaign finance rules.....In Virginia, politicians can raise unlimited amounts from individuals, corporations and unions. But when he is raising money for the national party, Kaine cannot solicit corporate donors and can collect no more than $15,000 a year from a political action committee and $30,400 from an individual.

Because of the differing rules, federal election laws prohibit federal officeholders from operating state political committees. The ban does not extend to national party chairs, but legal experts said Kaine might want to voluntarily dismantle Moving Virginia Forward to avoid the appearance that the DNC chair is also raising so-called soft money.

A couple of comments from state chairs.

Some Democratic leaders say the changes have resulted in considerable apprehension in the states, which Kaine will have to move quickly to quell. And despite having a Democrat in the White House, state leaders say it's still important for Kaine to leave the Washington region.

"Dean came to Oklahoma three times, and I could pick up that phone and get to Dean whenever I wanted," said Ivan Holmes, chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party.

The role of the DNC in the party is quite different under a Democratic president.

The chain of command starts with the White House staff according to The Atlantic

Ambinder did reverse her surnames, and it should be Jennifer O'Malley Dillon.

The Democratic National Committee began a four-week-long transition yesterday.

Jennifer Dillon O'Malley, the DNC's new executive director, greeted employees at an all-staff meeting, bringing with her two lieutenants, Mitch Stewart and Jeremy Bird. Stewart and Bird will run Organizing for America, the presidential incarnation of Obama's presidential campaign. Dillon O'Malley promised the DNC staff that she's committed to continuing Howard Dean's 50 State Strategy, although she did not provide specifics. She's begun meeting with current staffers to seek their input. How many will stay, how many will go -- all that is to be determined.

Over the next month, Dillon O'Malley has a lot to figure out. The DNC's internal politics can be tough to negotiate, with state chairs often at odds with each other, with an executive committee that wants some independence, with a chairman, Tim Kaine, who hasn't worked with Dillon O'Malley before. And then there's the White House: the executive director of the DNC will recieve marching orders from senior adviser David Axelrod and the White House political office. Kaine is not expect(ed) to make day-to-day decisions.

Chain appears to be White House > Axelrod > O'Malley Dillon > and then Kaine.