Say it isn't so...

Democratic supporters in 2004 remember the spurious 527 group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. This group formed during the presidential campaign between Kerry and Bush for the purpose (it claimed) of standing up for veterans' affairs. The group had to claim such a purpose because election law restricted organizations like this to only talk about a policy issue, not about any candidate. The reasons for this and other restrictions are because donations to these political organizations are effectively unrestricted. One person could donate $5 million dollars to such an organization if so desired. We all know how well those rules and restrictions turned out.

It worried me slightly then, when I heard that such an organization might be forming during the Democratic primary. This organization, the American Leadership Project, is fully financed by Hillary Clinton supporters who have maxed out the donations they can make to her campaign. They are asking for 100 donors to fill their coffers with $10 million. In and of itself, this should not be an issue; after all in supporting free speech I need to support all speech. But this organization goes beyond 527 rules, potentially breaking some of them.

The first thing is that such organizations need to be established lobbying organizations focused on policies in Washington. This group is brand new, first formed on Feb. 15, not even a week ago.

These organizations also cannot be for the advancement of any single candidate, but for a policy. This group is only advertising in states Clinton is campaigning in and is echoing her talking points.

These two things, coupled with who the financiers are, show that this organization is at best walking the line of the law, and potentially have crossed over this line.

Please, Sen. Clinton, separate yourself from this group or call them off. Actions like these tarnish everything we have stood for. We cannot become the monster we are fighting against, not for ANYTHING.