Is Belinda Stealing Cash?

An interesting tidbit in the news:

Conservative officials have pointed out that she jumped to the Liberals the day before a deadline set by her old party to pay $379,000 that they say she owes from her leadership campaign.

The Tories say campaign rules required all candidates to turn over part of the cash they raised in their leadership bids to help finance the party.

Stronach said Sunday she wants an independent arbitrator to review the matter to make sure the rules are being fairly applied. She won't pay unless there is a review, she said, but if the arbitrator rules against her, "I'm very happy to live by that."

Stronach, the heir to the Magna auto parts fortune, is said to have spent $5 million on her campaign, including $3 million out of her own pocket.

Usually a personal donation to a campaign is a donation to the party and thus becomes party's money so one doesn't have claim to it any more. I don't want to read too much into this because I don't know all the details and the rules—maybe she does have a case—but I'm somewhat surprised at her reticence to paying up. Also, considering this revelation, the timing of this switch is interesting to say the least (it may well all be coincidental—she did have strong political reasons for switching).