Steal the Vote 2004 - First Wave

RNC opens assault on anti-Bush groups
Complaint filed with FEC alleges collusion with Kerry campaign
Thursday, April 1, 2004 Posted: 1254 GMT (2054 HKT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Republican National Committee launched a wide-ranging legal assault Wednesday on more than two dozen political groups working to defeat President Bush.

The committee says the groups are part of an "unprecedented criminal enterprise" to circumvent federal campaign laws and pour illegal soft money contributions into the 2004 race.

In a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission, the RNC also charged that the groups are illegally coordinating their advertising attacking Bush with the campaign of presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry.

The Kerry campaign is named as a respondent in the complaint, along with the anti-Bush groups, their leaders and some of their large donors, including billionaire financier George Soros and Hollywood producer Steven Bing.

The groups in question, including MoveOn.org, The Media Fund, America Coming Together and America Votes, are known as 527 groups after a provision in the tax code.

"These 527 groups, in conjunction with their representatives and their leadership, are conspiring together to violate the law, and conspiring together to raise this illegal soft money, and conspiring with a message and a coordination effort," said Jill Holtzman-Vogel, the RNC's chief counsel.
... read entire article ...
http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/03/31/gop.complaint

THIS IS A DIRECT ASSAULT ON OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Ashcroft and the GOP seek to CRIMINALIZE our ability to criticize the President. They are twisting campaign finance rules to say that 1) Non-candidate political groups (527's and PACs) cannot do anything that might be construed as critical of an incumbent -- including the President at any time and 2) NO ONE can openly criticize the President within the last month of a campaign (when most voters wake up to an election--gee how convenient). Forget the black box voting for a moment...this is the FIRST ASSAULT WAVE the President's power brokers are using to STEAL THIS ELECTION.

http://www.capwiz.com/lwv/dbq/media

http://www.congress.org

FEC Considers Stemming Soft Money
All Things Considered audio

April 14, 2004
The Federal Election Commission is considering a proposal -- supported by the Bush campaign, opposed by the Kerry effort -- that would limit spending in federal elections by tax-exempt groups. Republicans are accusing groups like America Coming Together of being little more than a shadow arm of the Democratic Party. NPR's Peter Overby reports.

http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1837710

Non-Profit Groups Defend Campaign Ad Spending
The Tavis Smiley Show audio

April 1, 2004
The GOP is appealing to the Federal Election Commission to stop alleged campaign abuses by organizations that oppose President Bush's re-election bid. Non-profit groups of every ilk are being caught in the crossfire. NPR's Tavis Smiley discusses the implications with Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and Charlie Spies, attorney with the Republican National Committee and former counsel to the chairman of the FEC.

http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1805328

More NPR coverage >>
http://tinyurl.com/2carm

What the RNC is telling it's donors>>

Last week, I sent you an e-mail asking for your help to keep pressure on the FEC and encourage them to take action to stop the flow of tens of millions of dollars in illegal soft money that is funding attack ads on President Bush.

Your response was fantastic. More than 66,000 e-mails have been sent to the Commissioners. Thank you for all you've done. Unfortunately, we cannot rely on the FEC to act anytime soon.

We must prepare for the worst and assume that these shadowy liberal propaganda groups - who are illegally working to help Senator Kerry - will outspend our campaign until they are forced to shut down. President Bush needs the help of grassroots leaders like you to respond to the deceitful ads these groups are airing with this illegal cash. Please contribute today, using our secure server, so we'll have the resources to counter their efforts.

www.GeorgeWBush. ****** com/Contribute/

Don't let billionaires like George Soros - who has compared President Bush to a Nazi and said he would spend every penny he has to win - side-step the law and use illegal funds to attempt to defeat our President. Please help today.
****

Updates >>

Advocates and Activists Across Political Spectrum Converge on FEC to Oppose Rules Restricting Nonprofit Advocacy

WASHINGTON - April 14 - The Federal Election Commission on April 14 opened two days of hearings on proposed regulations that would drastically restrict the ability of nonprofit organizations to comment on public policy issues, and could silence criticism of public officials’ actions by imposing new rules on political speech in the midst of an election year. Advocacy groups spanning the political spectrum will be testifying in opposition to the proposed restrictions. People For the American Way Foundation Vice President and General Counsel Elliot Mincberg will testify on April 15.

“Advocates and activists of all political stripes agree that the proposed rules would be a disaster for free speech and for the nonprofit sector,” said People For the American Way Foundation President and Coalition to Protect Nonprofit Advocacy Co-chair Ralph G. Neas. “Getting such a diverse set of groups to agree on anything, especially during an election year, takes some doing. That’s how draconian these proposed restrictions are.”
.. more ..
http://www.commondreams.org/news2004/0414-08.htm

FEC unlikely to act this year on tax-exempt groups

By Jim Drinkard, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators signaled Wednesday that they are unlikely to curb Democratic-allied independent political groups in time to affect this year's presidential election.
Statements from members of the Federal Election Commission at a hearing indicated that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to line up the necessary votes to impose regulations this year on the groups. The Democratic groups plan to spend tens of millions of dollars to defeat President Bush.
.. more ..
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2004-04-14-fec-pacs_x.htm

FEC site >>
http://www.fec.gov/pdf/nprm/political_comm_status/hearing.html

What "people"? CFR is all not created equally.

Obviously the pukes will try anything to gain advantages, including changing the rules in mid-stream.

remember Bob Torricelli?
be careful what you wish for...

added on edit:...when you make contributions illegal based on donor or timing you run the risk of abuse (if this is abuse), besides constitutional issuses....Dems wanted 'reform'...it may end up hurting them more than Repubs

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060548533/qid=1082060721/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-2540288-3306518?v=glance&s=books

Its from CPI. They are into public financing and defend McCain Feingold though they recognize the dangers of 527s.

added to wish list.

I still don't see how 'people' who want campaign finance reform "opened the door" for the RNC to lie and file lawsuits to try to change the laws seven months before an election (as post #1 claims). I'm not in the habit of blaming 'people' for another group's actions. So I don't get it.

I think the point the other poster was making was that before the ban on soft money, Dems were more dependent upon it and therefore it hurt them. My further point would be that all MF has done has shift what used to be party soft money to 527s. I am not sure if that is a good thing yet.

But the book is great. They have been doing one every election since 96.

Someone really should help them with their paranoia.

to say that here, where some believe Bush I was involved in the assasination of JFK!..that takes guts!!
I salute you!

There is NOTHING ILLEGAL about the 'soft money'. Just because they claim Kerry's campaign is 'plotting' with these groups, doesn't make it so. They are a bunch of LIARS.

a lot of people working dilegently and independently toward the same end. Of course rabid freepers are the exception to this rule.

The RNC Email said Soros compared GWB* to a Nazi and they are all up in arms ofver that?

With all the Bush* family Nazi ties I would assume that Bush* is honored to finally be considrd a Nazi

There they go, trying to mess with the Constitution again. The President is NOT protected from free speech, citizens have the right to band together and speak out whenever they want. The RNC is upset about the Nazi comparison because it's true. Especially when they try to pull this kind of crap.

according to the new finance laws some groups can't advertise during certain time frames...that's why it's an incumbent protection law...

I'm not aware of the time frame restrictions. Thanks. :hi:

no ads by some kinds of groups (NRA, Greenpeace) 60 days prior to some elections

the "shadowy liberal propaganda groups".

We MUST overcome.