Thursday, February 21, 2008

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.

6 comments:

Fran said...

Good post John J. but slim chance.

It is all about the ugly- isn't it?

Deep sigh.

From the one who supports neither.

Fran said...

PS - somehow I have added to my blogroll of late and missed you.

Fixing.
That.
Now.

Sorry!

Dr. Zaius said...

Interesting. The whole thing is such a crazy qulit.

Mauigirl said...

Sorry to hear this! I am not happy with some of the things Clinton is doing; probably Obama's people do them too. Why can't we all get along and just "fight fair"? :-(

Mauigirl said...

P.S. Thanks for your comment on my blog, and I'm adding you to my blogroll!

John J. said...

Thanks for the link love Maui Girl. I added you too.

As for this stuff, I just wish she would speak out against it. At least eventually (after a horrible response initially) she denied the Drudge Report silliness.