Republican presumptive nominee John McCain has ignored official campaign expenditure limits and has overspent millions in the primary.

According to spending reports filed last week by McCain’s campaign, the Arizona senator has broken the limits set by the presidential public financing system.

Candidates such as McCain, who have committed to public financing, are only allowed to spend up to $54 million on the primary. McCain, however, spent $58.4 million.

This is while lawyers of the 71-year-old senator contend that the spending cap does not apply in the current situation.

They allege since the Republican hopeful announced after February 6’s Super Tuesday victories that he would withdraw from the matching-funds program he had entered last year, the spending cap does not apply to him.

“The FEC regulations specifically state that candidates who do not receive public funding payments from the US Treasury are exempt from the primary spending ceiling,” expounded one of his senior campaign officials.

Chairman of the commission David Mason, however, warned McCain last month that his withdrawal request had not yet been granted.

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