The Obama campaign has filed a Federal Election Commission complaint against the American Leadership Project (ALP), a "527" group that Obama campaign chief counsel Bob Bauer described this morning as a "Swiftboat wannabe" and suggested was affiliated with the Clinton campaign. The American Leadership Project, which reportedly is led by the son of one of Hillary Clinton's Indiana state co-chairs, has been running what the Obama campaign described in a press release as "a misleading attack ad against Obama" on Indiana television.
In a press conference call this morning, Bauer explained the difference between what he called "normal political committees," which are subject to limits on the amount and sources of campaign contributions and must regularly file reports with the Federal Election Commission, and so-called "527s," groups organized under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code and which are not subject to most election laws. According to Bauer, the FEC announced new rules in 2006 designed to reduce the impact of groups like the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, which fatally damaged John Kerry's presidential hopes with widespread negative advertising impugning his military service. The new rules require any groups that are set up expressly to support or oppose a particular candidate, like the American Leadership Project, to follow the limits and reporting requirements of "normal political committees," Bauer said, calling the American Leadership Project's actions "flatly illegal" under federal law.
Bauer went on to explain that one of the campaign's main purposes in filing the FEC complaint was to send a message that 527 groups were not free to ignore the law as the campaigns head into the general election. He also took a swipe at the Federal Elections Commission, which has not been as proactive as many would like, suggesting that the complaint against the ALP would be a test of whether the FEC intends to enforce its rules. Asked by a reporter whether the FEC has the resources to investigate the complaint, Bauer said it did -- and that it had the ability to impose "very, very stiff penalties for knowing and willful violations" of federal law, citing "fines of millions of dollars" imposed by the FEC against other 527 groups in 2006. Bauer also pointed out that the FEC also has authority to refer complaints to the Department of Justice for investigation.
The question of whether the FEC will pursue its investigation aggressively is an important one, given how little time is left before the last primary elections. Bauer believes the ALP is deliberately flaunting the law, saying, "this organization has made the decision that it will run this risk and try to run out the clock ... to give it the advantage of spending without having to shut down before the last penny is spent." However, he suggested that even beginning an aggressive investigation would help mitigate that, suggesting that "[t]he FEC has a choice to make here ... of doing what they said they would do... immediately contacting the donors and the principals and bringing them in," which he said would itself be a significant deterrent.
Indiana State Representative Matt Pierce, an Obama supporter, also participated in the conference call. He talked about seeing an anti-Obama ad on local television yesterday that caught his attention because it ended by asking people to directly contact the Obama campaign to complain. He said that such ads were "poisoning" the election process; describing the high levels of public participation and excitement among Democrats this year, he added, "I think we lose that if we let these 527s run amok."
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Beverly Davis wrote on the ALP ad yesterday at RawStory and crossposted at HuffintonPost's OffTheBus. The video is posted at both sites.
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One union alone, the Service Employees International Union has spent nearly $9 million on Mr. Obama"s behalf, with ads on his behalf in key primary states, including Indiana, according to federal records. In addition, the union also has $25 million raised in its political action committee that can be used to promote his candidacy.
A new S.E.I.U. ad planned for Indiana says that Mr. Obama opposed the Iraq war from the beginning and says that money spent in Iraq could be used instead on American infrastructure. It ends with "Barack Obama puts America First."
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/obama-campaign-files-complaint-against-pro-clinton-group/#more-4982
just watch us get blown to bits if this big nothing gets in power.......
something while the adults talk. OK!?
Just watch the Middle East go down in flames with America following right behind it.
Because the truth is, Hillary supporters believe that the ends always justify the means.
I'm not saying Obama is a saint.
But look real hard at who you're hitching your wagon to and hope that you never ever have anything she wants.
It will save you.,
Hyperbole has achieved a level never before imagined.
Those that ultimately object by demonstrating their disgust in support of a third party candidate will be more than entitled.
Being a democrat, no matter who you support, has never been more shameful.
Way to think ahead, guys!
I think it is money well spent. A FREAKIN BRILLIANT WAY TO WASTE THEIR MONEY AND DRIVE THEM BROKE AND PERHAPS GET THEM FINES AND PENALTIES!
It just makes sense, If you have a brain to think about these things.
So the thrust of Obama's complaint is to make the organizers and donors behind ALP worry that they may be exposed to large fines, publicity, and other unpleasant things. If that fear is significant enough, the donations may dry up. In other words, the goal probably isn't to make them broke through fines, but to make their funding dry up through the threat of fines and of publicity.
And you're right: it's very clever, and probably effective.
First, the FEC is down 4 out of its 6 commissioners due to partisan bickering (both sides) that is holding up appointments. There isn't very much likelihood that that this will investigated in time due to sheer lack of manpower. The minimum number of commissioner needed to make any ruling is 4.
The second is, many see these tactics as worth the investment. What's a couple hundred thousand in fines compared to stalling a politician's career?
For example, the Swiftboaters who attacked Kerry were fined in the tens of thousands. The FEC does not have the authority to recall the election, and if they did the damage was already done. They may attack again this fall (not likely), but if they do this time they face prison sentences--federal offense to knowingly tamper with election, as they've been fined once. But, with a new organization, different officers, new name, same members, this activity continues.
What needs to be done is contact our senators and urge them to approve somebody as FEC commissioner! It's unthinkable that we are facing a GE without an able FEC body!
http://savagepolitics.com/?p=317
I saw this today, and HAD to share it with everyone. It is just a brilliantly researched and written list of inconsistencies with several of Obama's stories. I think it should be done for ALL three candidates, but I guess this is a good way to start at finally looking at the candidates with some honesty.
http://savagepolitics.com/?p=317
Wow! Holy smokes! "The Truth vs Barack Obama" is an eye-opener to say the very least! Reading this, one realizes that "Hope and Change" should be "Smoke and Haze." My goodness!
And, Elsylee, you're right -- it should be done for all three candidates. As a supporter of Senator Clinton, I have nothing to fear, ESPECIALLY in comparison to Barack Hussein Obama.
-MS
standardized schooling. People who fall for this stuff obviously haven't learned how to think or engage in dialectic dialogue.
Deny it and expose yourself as a liar.
But they still don't have the fortitude to call Hillary on her myriad lies, like Bosnia and Magnaquench, as just two examples.
Lying to achieve a goal is apparently just fine with these upstanding citizens.
What a pack of disingenuous shills.
Thirty years later, a few prissy little Republican morons like Dan Quayle began to haul it out of mothballs.
Now, even some occasional Democrats expose their lack of vocabulary or any argument of their own by resorting to it, not being smart enough to have thought of the much more effective and time-tested "Nyah-nyah-nyah
That is a good sign for someone who might be the next President.
idiot.
What about his flyers - they are really misleading - he's one thing in front of the camera and another behind the scences - in other words, he's doing politics as usual.
I'm starting to turn off him.
Obama, once again complaining about something he would also be guilty of.
Ah, I see we have a mystic in our midst. A person of such nubile intelligence that he or she can foretell what someone will do or would have done in the future. Please tell me, o' wise one, what will happen to shares of Google today? Shall they be up or shall they be down?
You're a putz, troll. Go to redstate.com to be with your buds. And, you probalby drink Bud, too. If it's good enough for Cindy McSame, it must be good enuff for you. Yuck!
He's being a leader, not a wimp.
I'm so proud he's my candidate.
I can I shall I am Obama08
-MS