http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/59188657.html?page=3&c=yGroup Tied to Swift Boat Veterans, Willie Horton Ads Supporting Blue Dogs
By: Jane Hamsher Monday September 14, 2009 8:15 am
The American Future Fund is going to be running ads supporting Blue Dogs and their efforts to kill the public option: ***** The American Future Fund, a conservative group, has just announced a national television campaign defending the Blue Dogs, including Peterson. The Minnesota script, which starts, "Is our congressman, Collin Peterson, brain dead?" refers to Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., who recently called the Blue Dogs "brain dead" and beholden to insurance companies.
***** In fact, the Blue Dog Political Action Committee has raked in more than $1.1 million for the 2010 election cycle, the most of any other leadership PAC on Capitol Hill, according to CQ MoneyLine. About $300,000 of that came from health care interests.
The American Future Fund is a 501(c)4 nonprofit that does not have to reveal its funding source and is not governed by the FEC. Key players in the group include GOP operatives like media strategist Larry McCarthy, the Ailes Communications veteran who produced the Willie Horton ad for George H.W. Bush. Last year the AFF ran an ad against Al Franken which triggered a complaint to the FEC from the Minnesodat Democratic-Farm-Labor Party, saying the ad constituted electoral advocacy and was outside the bounds of what a nonprofit is allowed to do. The FEC found that there was no violation.
more:
http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/09/14/group-tied-to-swift-boat-veterans-willie-horton-ads-supporting-blue-dogs/