Obama Campaign Files FEC Complaint Against Pro-Clinton Group

CNN reports:

Barack Obama's campaign has filed a formal complaint over a pro-Hillary Clinton group running ads attacking the Illinois senator on jobs and the economy in the critical primary state of Indiana.

The American Leadership Project, which includes veterans of the Clinton administration and longtime supporters, is a "527," which means it is not bound by federal campaign finance laws as long as it does not directly advocate on behalf of a particular candidate.

The group announced earlier this week that it was planning to buy $700,000 worth of airtime in the state leading up to Tuesday's vote.

The Obama campaign planned a conference call this morning with general counsel Bob Bauer to discuss the specifics of the complaint filed Tuesday with the Federal Elections Commission.

Here's the ad in question:

Comments

[MikeMidCity]

Hillary wants to cut .18 cents out of the price of a gallon of four dollar gas and call it a tax holiday.

What kind of weak Republican shit is that?

[abeattie]

Goldwater-girl conservatism?

[ibsteve2u]

If history is any teacher (and those who believe it isn't flunk!), the candidate who benefits from the nastiest 527 ads is the worst possible outcome for America...

[WAstateliberal]

The only problem? The FEC doesn't have a quorum to hear complaints. Nothing will happen; you have to take all actions into court. The reason the FEC doesn't have a quorum is because Bush wanted to put a bunch of election stealing thugs on it and the Dems won't confirm them. That is what politics as usual gets us. Gridlock.

Go Hillary! More fighting! More polarization! More gridlock! Fight, fight, fight! No pansies here!

[RonnieDebb]

If you have hours to read specifics:

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/

[abeattie]

Bah -- Facts! The voting public wants to know how he FEELS!

The only problem with Stephen Colbert's Truthiness -- is that it's not actually a joke.

[1dogs2]

This ad and anti-Obama robo-calls in N.C. are further evidence of what Clinton learned from Karl Rove and his ilk. It's good of her to to give Obama an opportunity to practice dealing with Republican tactics.

[biglith]

What is unfortunate is that such a large proportion of the voting public have not reached the level of consciousness to rise above the influence of these tactics.

[CeciliaBertrand]

Those who refuse to listen when Barack is speaking and refuse to research his detailed propositions are still responsible for the contents thereof.

Further, defaming Barack Obama is only sucking the life out of the Clinton campaign. What goes around - comes around -- and the present state of the Clinton campaign is definitly proof of their own debachery; chaotic, broke, in debt, refusing to pay it's bills to those who trusted them when they ran other ads, and rented space for their rallies - the endless list speaks for the debacle in which they find themselves. Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread.........How indeed is Hillary going to lead when she cannot even run her campaign wisely, prudently and honestly? She wants to NUKE Iran for God's sake!

[doc1400]

The monster's surrogates have threatened 527 ads in the past. Bob Bauer on behalf of the Obama campaign has threatened to sue over 527 activity in the past. In fact, the Obama campaign knew the GOP would try to Swift Boat (a 527 effort) their campaign and have a course of action defined to fignt 527 activity.
The interesting thing about this 527 effort is that it is not a GOP activity but a monster activity. Would'nt you know it. The monster strikes again. Will someone please destroy the monster.

[Bill3rdterm]

Calling her a monster is sure a way to sway her supporters to vote for your messiah.

[TruthandHope]

Why is it that it is always the Clinton supporters who call Sen. Obama a messiah?

Sen. Obama campaign "Yes, We Can." is about what the American people can do. It is so telling that Clinton supporters adopted and changed it to "Yes, She Can." after the PA primary. Most of the problems we are facing are due not only to the inept leadership of this administration but the lack of involvement and education about current events from the public. While both Obama and Clinton would be remarkably improved from McCain and Bush the public needs to learn that it is ultimately our responsibilty. We cannot elect people and then be shocked when they act as this administration has done when we are not willing to oversee and act.

[KMan1]

Good I am happy to see he isn't making the same mistake Kerry made. Go after the swiftboating and hit back hard.

[margi]

HRC is so desparate, she is also using robocalls targeting black peoplein NC , the caller tells them they should wait for a package in the mail with all info on how to vote and tells them all kinds of crap to make sure they don't go in person to vote. What a shame. No matter what she tries now, the dems have chosen their canditate long time ago, HRC dissed them by saying that McCain was better than Obama, that day she sealed her faith. Now it is just a matter of When , Obama will be declare the nominee.
The republican are scared of Obama , they thought by using Rev Wright they could break him. They couldn't have been more wrong.

[Bill3rdterm]

margi your messiah Obama uses robo calls also.

[TruthandHope]

All candidates and parties use robocalls. I know I volunteer for the MO Dem. Party. The problem is that the Women's Voices group has been using deceptive techniques to confuse voters and make it more difficult for people to vote. Many states have already lodged complaints about it. It is not Hillary doing it, rather a group that supports her. As a woman, this groups actions and motivations sicken me. It is an outrage on the democratic process.

[writerswrite]

It's not the fact that they're robo-calls that's the problem. It's that they're deliberately misleading voters. And it's not just NC, it's happened in Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, Michigan, Colorado and other states. And Clinton's campaign manager, Maggie Williams, is on the board of the group that's making them. So much for plausible deniability.

[myna]

I saw this ad 3 times last night and wondered who in the hello was behind it. Figures. Get 'em, Obama!

[Relax08]

This is exactly what Obama needs to do and will need to do when he is the candidate. McBush is planning on using these groups to deal with his inability to drum up any monetary support for his candidacy.

This will be the lead in on Obama's rightful justification to reject Public Financing. McBush is just going to cheat so why work out a deal on this.

Go Obama.

[AurigaRa]

DITTO!