I just heard on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show that the Kerry Campaign is filing suit with the Federal Election Commission over the anti-Kerry assertions made by the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, including this devastating ad. The campaign is claiming that this 527 group is funded by the Bush campaign in violation of the McCain-Feingold/Shays-Meehan Act. (I blogged about this law some months back in the wake of its passing. Subjects like this aren’t my usual cup of tea, but I was shamed into doing some research on it by one of my readers. It retrospect, he did me a favor. Thanks again, Major Tim.)
Well, if the battle wasn't enjoined before, it certainly is now.
Actually, the RNC fired the first shot when—according to the article--it filed an identical suit back in March against anti-Bush 527 organizations—interesting that they don’t call themselves “pro-Kerry” organizations--Media Fund (Making America Work For Us) and America Coming Together for:
…conspiracy to violate federal election laws by coordinating with the Kerry campaign…With all of that said, one wonders about the smell of this (from April 7, 2004):
Zach Exley, the director of special projects for the MoveOn PAC [a notoriously anti-Bush organization], is going to the Kerry campaign to become its director of online communications and organization.
Exley also worked during the Democratic presidential primary for Howard Dean, helping Dean set up his web-based organization.
Since Kerry became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in early March, the MoveOn PAC has spent more than $2.5 million on TV ads that attack President Bush.
But under the new campaign-finance law, those efforts cannot be coordinated with the Kerry campaign.Um, from my POV, looks like those efforts already have been coordinated to the campaign.
Kerry's campaign has yet to make an RNC/Bush campaign connection to the Swift Vets that is so blatant.
It will get worse and worse and worse.
(Thanks to Greyhawk)
I guess we have to thank all the members of Congress who voted for the McCain-Fiengold Act. Just look at the wonderful results it's getting. *grin* We wouldn't be having nearly so much fun right now if it hadn't passed... Well, I mean, just think of all the blog fodder it has provided!
Posted by: Teresa | August 20, 2004 at 08:56 PM
Make it stop!!! PLEASE!! I just don't know anymore. Your right. It is going to get worse and worse. Oh well. Back to more Spongebob Squarepants watching.
Posted by: S-Train | August 20, 2004 at 09:56 PM
"Zach Exley"? Is ist an infraction of financial disclosure laws to use pseudonyms? Ex Zackly!
Posted by: Malcolm Kirkpatrick | August 20, 2004 at 11:43 PM
Malcolm, you might be thinking of the late "Eggs" Ackley, former associate of John Dillinger, whose preferred weapon was a spatula. After Dillinger's final takedown, Ackley hid from the law for 63 years by becoming a fry cook in a diner in Trenton, New Jersey that was frequented by many political figures. He could often be heard dispensing his folksy brand of policy wisdom -- "Just whack 'im across the chops a few times with one of these. If that don't work, there's always the kneecaps" -- to visiting governors, state legislators, and union potentates.
Ackley died in 1997 of arteriosclerosis, still clutching Big Wilma, has favorite spatula. His last reported words were "More butter on Hoffa's toast!"
Posted by: Francis W. Porretto | August 21, 2004 at 02:29 AM
Hmmm... I just noticed that your link to the ad itself appears to be broken.
Posted by: Watcher | August 21, 2004 at 08:19 AM
Fran, you are nuts.
Watcher: Thanks. There's a link to Greyhawk's site there now. The ad is at the top.
Posted by: baldilocks | August 21, 2004 at 08:38 AM
It's amazing that the 400+ lawyers in Congress who represent us could come up with something as baldly unconstitutional as McCain-Feingold.
Come to think of it, though, maybe it isn't.
Posted by: Scott Ferguson | August 21, 2004 at 04:03 PM
Moveon.org is a Political Action Committee, not a 527 organization, which have different sets of rules about what they can and cannot do and the nature of their relationship with the campaigns. 527's typical define themselves as anti-candidate X because this allows them to say they are not promoting candidate Y (which they are restricted from doing). 527's were designed to allow groups to promote a particular issue...gun rights, union participation, etc but have morphed into the rabid pitbulls of political campaigns.
Posted by: Kevin | August 22, 2004 at 11:19 PM
After i posted my previous comment, I expanded a little on my thinking in a post on my blog. (shameless self promotion here).
In my defense Juliette I do have a link back to you on the sidebar of my blog
Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: kevin | August 23, 2004 at 12:57 AM
After i posted my previous comment, I expanded a little on my thinking in a post on my blog. (shameless self promotion here).
In my defense Juliette I do have a link back to you on the sidebar of my blog
Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: kevin | August 23, 2004 at 12:58 AM