McCain Camp Lashes Soros -- After McCain Took His Money

Sen. John McCain's campaign aggressively fired back against news on Thursday that Democratic financier George Soros was taking part in a $40 million third-party effort to battle Republicans in the fall.

Hoping to raise funds from the news, campaign manager Rick Davis painted Soros as a "liberal megadonor" eager to "buy this election with [his] billions."

"P.S." Davis added, "Billionaire George Soros has shown time after time that he is willing to fund baseless left-wing smear campaigns."

What kind of "baseless left-wing" projects has Soros funded in the past?

Well, how about the McCain-founded Reform Institute, a nonpartisan 501c3 organization dedicated to promoting accountability and transparency in government.

Indeed, according to the Reform Institute's own website the "Constitutions & Legal Policy Program" of Soros' own Open Society Institute donated "above $50,000" to the group while McCain was with the organization. Reporting at Talking Points Memo today, Greg Sargent gets the actual figure of the donation: $150,000.

And who served as the top staffer for the Reform Institute? That would be Rick Davis, who according to news articles was earning $110,000 a year at his post. Davis, however, has severed his ties with the group. But currently serving as a senior fellow at the Reform Institute is Juan Hernandez, who also doubles as an adviser to the McCain campaign.

So, to draw this out a bit: Soros, the man Rick Davis believes funds "baseless left-wing projects" has not only funded McCain's own organization (we don't know how much over $50,000 he gave), but also portions of Rick Davis' salary.

Update: It gets even better. According to TPM, in 2002 the Open Society Institute gave $300,000 in grants to various groups that were defending McCain's campaign finance law against legal challenges to it. An OSI spokesperson, Laura Silber, confirmed the report. So not only did McCain's own organization and his campaign manager benefit from Soros' cash, but McCain's chief legislative issue was defended using money from the financier they are now deriding.

Comments

[unclebucky]

Oops.

One of the puppet strings got tangled and pulled the wrong way.

McSame needs money, since the Core has their pockets sewn shut.

Ugh. --UB.

[Meggie]

they'll wait until the dems settle on someone and then donate en-mass to make the numbers look impressive and look like they've got the same support as Dems.

[nyboomer]

To expect rationality from a GOP operative is to expect the sun to appear in the sky for a few minutes around midnight.

Rick Davis is raising funds. Any GOP meme or lie will do if it gets him even $10.00.

Before getting a job with the GOP one must submit to having his or her ethics and morals excised in some ugly fashion.

[JoelNH]

STOP IT!

Enough of these close ups already! I don't want to see these ugly mugs this close, give us some space already. The headlines make me cringe enough, I don't need to see John McCain's or Hillary Clinton's warts. I'm not a dermatologist.

PLEASE!!! STOP IT!

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

bundlers are responsible for most of Obama's campaign war chest



Among the group are businessmen such as Kenneth Griffin, a famously private 39-year-old billionaire who threw his support behind Obama's presidential campaign just as he hired a team of lobbyists to urge Congress to preserve a lucrative tax loophole.

A year ago, Griffin invited Obama to speak to employees of his Chicago hedge fund, Citadel Investment Group, and in subsequent months, employees and their families gave the candidate nearly $200,000. Griffin had previously backed Republicans, including Obama's initial U.S. Senate opponent

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/10/AR2008041004045.html?hpid=topnews

[scooperss]

Oh please.

As much as mcsame flip flops the press should be spinning in their shoes.

Oops my bad, the press is spinning and spinning when it comes to the republican party.

[uvymopkq]

WOW....$50,000. I bet thats about all the money Soros has.
I hope McCain, Clinton, and Obama unloads his pocket book.

[Sloane7]

I know we are supposed to wait on McCain until closer to the GE but it is still nice to see something on McCain while Dems slog it out. Call it a breather.

[flyguy14222]

Gee speaking of money. Great article in WP about Barry's "grassroots fundraising." Billionaires, bundler's, trial lawyers, Hollywood peeps....on and on. Guess he fooled those who fell for his "parallel public financing" argument. Each day more and more of the real Barry is revealed. Somehow this will be blamed on Hillary.

[Sloane7]

What is the problem? That he doubled his contributions by grass roots and larger contributers combined? Or that Hillary lacked the know how to leverage a grass roots fundraising campaign that compares? For every complaint leveraged at Obama, be it fundraising or experience, it doesn't change the fact that he is ahead. A Junior Senator beating the Clinton machine. Power to the little people.

[radlib1]

John McCain could be the lead in a leather-face, chain-saw horror movie.

Please, tell me that America is not stupid enough to vote for him for President.

Even his crippled, cheated-upon first wife (who stood by him while he was a prisoner-of-war) cannot wish for that. He's right on the precipice of senility now. What happens when he starts actually drooling (will Joe Lieberman step up and wipe his mouth)?

[irishgawdess]

Sounds like a job for Lindsay Graham.

[filo]

I think he looks more like the guy at the begining of "Tales From The Crypt"

[nanoscare]

Does anyone working for the McCain campaign NOT have business before his committees? Reform yourself.

[themodernleader]

The erratic and inconsistent words spoken on the campaign trail may suggest that Senator McCain is worned and tired. At his age and level of health, there is a very real possibility that the job that he yearns is a position that could very well irreparability damage his ability to function.
The next President will inherit the worst condition of a country that could be imagined. The treasury is empty. the entire country is submerged in debt. The large banks are bankrupt resulting from unprecedented fraud. The economy is in schambles. Corporations are losing money and are at the mercy of predatory foreign entities. The people are losing their homes and jobs. The political leadership is incressingly timid, cowardly and corrupt at every level.
Any direction the President attempts to steer the Nation will bring unbearable pressure from special interests. Any appeal to patriotism and sacrifice will receive a loud "Not me, white (or black) man (or woman)." Any decision will make enemies of a powerful minority of self-interested, selfish and spoiled citizens.
Senator McCain should think long and hard before he wonders into that long cold night.

[BlackLeatherRain]

You are too kind to McCain. This isn't senility or failing memory. It's him being a politician and a liar.

[Seattlelite]

Angry, old, war monger.

[happydayz]

Everyone, get a real good look at the photo on this post of McCain. Get used to seeing it for 4 years, because America is right now too lost and confused to vote for a woman or biracial (or most progressives, for that matter) man for president...although I hope I'm wrong!

[AdLib]

Chill, Dems are voting 2-1 against Repubs in the primaries, you are wrong.

[truthyguy]

That may be an indicator of interest in politics on each side of the aisle, but it is not a good indicator for the general election. For example, I worked the precincts in Cleveland in the 70s when there was a mayoralty contest. In the primary the votes at most precincts were in the hundreds for the democratic primary, but were only a few - under 20 in the republican primary voting. Additionally, the registered Dems far out numbered the republicans. In the general, the city elected Ralph Perk - a republican.

[truthyguy]

You are probably not wrong. But beyond that, it is disturbing that these three candidates left in the running are supposedly our best and brightest.

[NU81]

If the majority of Americans vote for McCain in November, I'll either think that they are severely misinformed and never read or watch TV, or that they're all old, rich, and out of touch with reality.

I think America is very ready for a woman as President, but that woman just doesn't happen to be Hillary Clinton.

As for Obama, it still shocks me how racist America still is, even when presented with a highly educated, experienced, and wise man. I hope I'm wrong and people can see past his black and white heritage; after all, most of us are of mixed heritage.

[radlib1]

John McCain and his aides not only lied about getting money from George Soros (for a pro-democracy project), they lie about everything (Iraq is a "just" and "winnable" war -- where exactly do these bozos get their facts?) Iraq was a preemptive war based on lies (that Saddam had WMD's, that Saddam had a connection to 9/11 -- major fucking lie propagated by Dick Cheney, et al - that somehow Saddam presented an imminent and immediate threat to the U.S. -- again, another major fucking lie from the Bush Administration). These people, Bush, Cheney, et al, have no sense of decency. They will lie until they enter the gates of Hell -- and then they will continue to lie in Hell. (Believe me, none of these people -- Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Lieberman, Powell, Rice, et al, will ever get to Heaven. The only question will be -- which of the lower circles of Hell will they occupy?)

[rucognizant]

The media is NOT serving us well! My very Progressive Democratic Brother............living in a progressive blue west coast city...................doesn't DO INTERNET!
Based on what he is hearing & reading from the media..............observed the other day the McCain is a real Patriotic, hero, and it wouldn't be too bad if he won!!!
Big sister set him straight real fast!
I have called McCain's Senate office on several occasions in the last few years............( to disagree with
his policy or something he has said on Cspan)
While the other Senate offices have pipped in soft classical music.............McCain;s office is BLARING, PATRIOTIC, LOUD, STIRRING, MILITARY MUSIC!
He's lost in the antiquated past myth of military might!

[Taschend]

It must have been a long day.

[suekzoo]

Open mouth, insert foot, then the other.