Texans for Truth in hot water

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2813230

A group of watchdog organizations charged Friday that Texans for Truth, whose TV ads question President Bush's service in the Air National Guard during the Vietnam War, has violated campaign fund-raising laws.

The Washington-based watchdog organizations, Democracy 21, the Campaign Legal Center and the Center for Responsive Politics, made the allegation in a complaint to the Federal Election Commission.

The complaint says Texans for Truth is accepting contributions and running advertisements to influence the presidential race and therefore comes under campaign finance limits, which cap individual contributions at $2,000 from an individual and $5,000 from a political committee.

Texans for Truth has reported a $100,000 contribution from Daniel O'Keefe, a California television producer.

Glenn Smith, a Democratic political consultant who organized Texans for Truth, said Friday that he hadn't seen the complaint and could not comment on its charges.

[Zen Democrat]

1. Hilarious! And the Swiftboat Liars took $100,000+ from Bob Perry

Are they claiming that their malicious ads aren't trying to influence the election? Give me a break.

[KittyWampus]

33. This Really Is Comic Relief

Oh, the irony is killing me.

[liberalmuse]

2. And what were the Swift Boat Liars doing?

I'm sure they weren't accepting $ from wealthy donors or trying to influence the election. The hypocrisy.......the hypocrisy...

[EST]

3. Whew!

Had me worried for a second. I sent 'em a little.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Ah yes, anything that chalenges the misleader

will be challenged

[Catherine Vincent]

5. If Texans for Truth is in Hot Water then the Swiftboard Liars

are in Boiling Water. This is only a complaint filed by some watchdog group. It won't go anywhere.

[Democat]

6. The right wing makes our side look like fucking amateurs again

Why is it that the right wing are usually the ones filing lawsuits and making news instead of our side?

Where are the left's lawsuits against the Swift Liars?

The left is going to have to learn to play hardball if we ever want to take back this country.

Where is our version of Judicial Watch and all of the other right wing news making lawsuit groups?

[Blue_Tires]

7. we have too many people on our side

that would rather lose with principle than win dirty....

[Amigust]

8. Lethal flaw, should have been matching GOPers step for step for years

If the bushmasters get in again, Norquist and Rove intend to disembowel the Democratic Party (except in name only). Welcome to another 72-yr tyrany by the PRI, aka, GOP.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. The PRI was not as ruthelss as the GOP is becoming or

have become....

But yes for a reason in Mexico it was called "dictablanda" soft dictartorship... in teh case of Norquist I suspect far more than the PRI ever did

[mazzarro]

9. That, in a nutshell, is the problem with us "libruls or progressives"

eom

[Eloriel]

22. Yeah, it's called having principles. Sorry you find that objectionable.

If my side doesn't have principles and adhere to them (and frankly, my side does far too little of that for my taste), then they will cease to BE my side. Period. Your mileage obviously varies. More's the pity.

[Jane Austin]

30. We not only have principles,

we like to read, sing, compose music, hug our dogs or cats, do scientific research, read, visit our friends, write poetry, birdwatch, support environmental causes, go to church or synagague, read, teach school, read, listen to great music, read, knit, read, sew, read, garden, read, sail, read, ride motorcycles, read, study the markets, read, make a living, read . . . sometimes all of the above in one person!

In my husband's case it's all but five. In mine, it's all but four.

In other words, we have lives outside of politics and don't have time to obsess about it and no inclination to destroy other people's lives.

[Zhade]

34. How, exactly, would filing lawsuits against the SBL have been dirty?

They DID break the law. It's not fighting dirty to force them to play according to the rules they demand we play by.

[merh]

11. Psssttttt -- It's the media, not the effectiveness of the RW

(unless you agree that the corporate media is owned and controlled by the RW).

FEC complaints have been filed against the swiftees - you just don't see the press on it. Hummmmm, does that mean the left is weak or that the media will not cover the left?

Face facts, we can not expect fair coverage from the media so stop blaming the dems for the medias failure.

[Democat]

16. We all know the media is biased, however our side does not fight as mean

Can you name a left leaning version of Judicial Watch? They spent a lot of the Clinton years filing endless lawsuits against the Clintons and they continue to file lawsuits and official complaints against Clinton and other Democrats to this day.

Do we have a similar group on our side? Not an issue specific group but a group who is fearless in their lawsuits against Bush and his supporters?

We are making good progress with groups like MoveOn and Texans For Truth, but we've got a long ways to go to catch up to the proven methods that Republicans have used to take control of every branch of government.

[merh]

29. Well, I am not sure, since the media doesn't report the negatives

against this admin, I have no idea what suits have been filed against it and since it would be an exhaustive search on Pacer to determine what suits have been filed against the admin and for what, I simply accept the fact that our guys are doing what they can do under the most adverse of conditions. We are not just fighting the RNC, we are fighting the corporate media and big corporations. I think the DNC is doing a remarkable job given the odds. I chose not to whine, but to do what I can do as an average citizen to get the word out and to win.

[BiggJawn]

19. The Press didn't report it, so it didn't happen, unnerstan?

The Press does the bidding of it's Neo-Con corporate masters and their AM-Radio Hate-Klaxsons keep screaming that the Media is "Libural!" as a smoke-screen. People drink the Kool-Aid while the Media tells them it's fine single-malt.

[liberalcanuck]

17. We believe in keeping frivolous lawsuits out of the system so 527s

are free to practice their love. Just a difference in philosophy. (/sarcasm)

[mccormack98]

25. No! Kerry has been excellent on this score

You are forgetting that the Kerry campaign filed suit against the Bush campaign over the Swiftboat ads. And what happened? The Bush campaign suddnenly announced that it had to pee and ran off to the bathroom.

Kerry charged that the Bush campaign has been actively involved in the Swiftboat organization. Remember? The Bush campaign's lead counsel (I think his name was Ginsberg) resigned. So did a principle financial backer in the Swiftboat group.

Also, a minor point missed by the clueless fucks who filed the lawsuit against the Texans for Truth ...

THEY ARE A 527 and NOT A PAC!

With 527s, sky's the limit on contributions. With PACs, you are limited to $2000 per individual and $5000 from another PAC.

[Cocoa]

26. making a mockery of the system doesn't help us

these frivolous complaints are intended to undermine campaign finance laws, which is the last thing we want.

[AlCzervik]

10. There are many FEC complaints filed on behalf of both sides

and most won't get resolved of at all until well past election season.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Yep but ours do NOT get any air time

It is the Media stupid and peoole need to fact facts

That is why I say, STOP WATCHING THEM, ALL OF THEM

[AlCzervik]

14. I'm with you

i've been having my own self imposed news boycott. I make exceptions for NOW and Countdown on the occasion.

[leesa]

23. C-span should be watched, but no one else (except old movies, of course)

[Scairp]

15. So, did they file against the Smear Boat Liars too?

And we just didn't hear about it? This is such utter bullshit. But hey, who can be surprised anymore at the glaring hypocrisy going on in within the Repuke party? Not me that's for sure.

[tom_paine]

18. Totalitarian Nations like Imperial Amerika hinge on Orwellian Double-Stand

ards like this.

No questions need to be asked. The Bushevik Pravda swept away reason and it's opponents with an ease I suspected but hoped was wrong.

Imperial Amerika, at it's upper levels of government and media, is now as corrupt as Communist China.

It will soon begin to trickle-down on us. You can make book on it.

[TexasBushwhacker]

21. Campaign Watchdog Groups File Complaint Over Anti-Kerry Ad

It looks like they did in August. Now, how much this AP article was picked up by the general media is another question.

********************************************

"In the complaint to the Federal Election Commission, the watchdog groups argued that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth should have used only limited contributions from individuals known as hard money on the ad and should disclose its donations and spending in reports to the FEC.

"We think this is open and shut, that the only purpose of this group is to influence the presidential election," said Fred Wertheimer, head of Democracy 21."

http://www.democracy21.org/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={AC81D4FF-0476-4E28-B9B1-7619D271A334}&DE={D175CFB9-F7E3-464C-8FAC-AEA24F4AA31F}

[Gregorian]

20. Chong and Limbaugh

One was caught redhanded doing drugs, and is free. The other was helping to manufacture pipes, and was fined $109,000 AND 9 months in jail.
What will it take for justice to prevail in America? I'm sick of this. There is no even playing field. It's just up to the political whim of the media, and whomever is the prosecuting attorney.

[Zhade]

35. Yeah, that was pretty messed up.

Did you know that Chong was caught with a pound (!) of smoke in his house, yet was not prosecuted for that? Instead, he got sent away for "conspiracy to manufacture paraphernalia" or some such bullshit.

He lent his name and face to a line of bongs his kid's company sold, and he gets time, while Rush "Lying Pusbag Junkie" Limbaugh goes free.

What a country!

[napi21]

24. Who cares about these complaints to the FEC?

Everyone knows they won't do ANYTHING in time to impact this election!

BTW, won't all of these ads have to go away in 2 weeks anyway? There's something in the NEW Campaign finance laws that forbid negative ads within 30 days of an election, isn't there?

[donco6]

36. That's my thinking, too.

Who cares? Nothing will happen anyway. To either side.

[Gyre]

27. Why do I have the impression

that politically, nothing good ever comes out of Texas?

Gyre

[joefree1]

28. "Those complaints are pending."

"The watchdog groups have complained to the FEC about the Swift Boat group and other pro-Republican groups. Those complaints are pending."

Yawn, yeah this will all be acted on soon.


Download the free poster/sign here:
http://ediablo.com/eDiabloGallery.html

[Redleg]

31. How is that different from what other groups are doing?

Oh I know- this is an anti-Bush group so they are gonna be hit with a ton of bricks.

[nolabels]

32. Does anybody ever ask themselves about Houston Chronicle

Like sure they investigated Enron after the horse left the barn,
but where were they and what the heck were the doing while it went on :shrug:

Questioning the source is primal rule in journalism

Covering the Enron Story: Playing Softball and Playing Catch-Up:



(snip)
A search of the Houston Chronicle archives turned up more then 4800 articles concerning Enron since Aug. 1, 2001. The New York Times listed almost as many over the same period.

In addition to news stories, numerous books, movies and TV specials have featured the fallen energy giant. There is now practically nothing that has gone unreported concerning the scandal.

However, when looking at the earlier days of the story, important differences between mainstream and alternative news agencies emerge.

One early tactic was to spin the story as a business failure rather than a political scandal, essentially controlling the damage done by focusing on errant individuals.

White House press secretary Ari Fleischer under President Clinton gets credit for pointing out this gambit during the NBC News special "The Bush White House: Inside the Real West Wing" (1/23/02), boasting: "Look what made it onto the air. The business scandal side of it. All the political stuff they're ignoring."

Most of the mainstream press failed to ask questions concerning Enron’s role in setting up the Bush administration’s energy policy or the company’s contributions to the political campaigns of Bush and high-profile Republicans.
(snip)
http://soc.hfac.uh.edu/artman/publish/article_90.shtml

On edit: damn typos :+

[Liberal_Dog]

37. Laws Exist Only For Democrats

eom