Should the DailyKos be Subject to the Federal Election Commission?

[The Straight Story]

Should the DailyKos be Subject to the Federal Election Commission?

Written by John Bambenek
Published July 23, 2007

Today I filed an Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against Kos Media, LLC., better known as DailyKos.com. I allege that they operate as a political committee and are therefore subject to FEC rules.

I first thought of this complaint during the Cindy Sheehan debacle over at Daily Kos, where Cindy pledged to run as an independent against Nancy Pelosi, and the Daily Kos basically turned on her. While some conservatives took great delight in this, I really didn't care because it's politics as usual. The right has thrown their fair share of people under the bus for not drinking the Kool-aid too.

However, the statement that the DailyKos was about electing Democrats stuck with me. I always assumed it was a standard left-wing group blog spouting the latest and greatest in left-wing diatribe. However, the statement that the blog exists to get Democrats elected is repeated in various places around the site, including statements by Kos himself.

Federal Election Commission rules apply for organizations that spend or contribute an equivalent of $1,000 per year in trying to influence elections for federal office. DailyKos is owned by Kos Media, a company, which makes it fit the definition of an organization. It surely spends at least $1,000 per year in hosting and based on what they charge (and get) for advertising, their support of candidates is certainly worth over $1,000 per year. Lastly, their self-identified purpose is to influence elections in the Democrats favor. They fit the criteria.

John Bambenek is the Assistant Politics Editor for BC Magazine and is an academic professional for the University of Illinois. By trade, he is an information security professional, part of the Internet Storm Center and a courseware author and certification grader for the GIAC family of security certifications. He is a syndicated columnist who blogs at Part-Time Pundit and the executive director of The Tumaini Foundation which helps AIDS orphans and other children in Tanzania to get an education.


More at link

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/07/23/210842.php

blah blah blah

[Kagemusha]

1. That's utter bull. He's saying web hosting in and of itself is a contribution?

For who, in particular? Democrats in general? Then if FEC rules did apply, which I doubt, it might well be soft money for party building which is unlimited. "Democratic candidates" is not something covered by the rules; the rules are about particular money for particular individuals.

Maybe he can find a way to make FEC laws apply, but certainly not via the method he utilizes here.

[Turn CO Blue]

2. blah blah blah indeed, next he'll be writing about DU

[Gman]

3. By the same token

Sean Hannity's "Stop Hillary Express" amounts to a corporate contribution to all of her opponents, both Democrat and Republic.

[IChing]

4. This tells me the liberal bloggs are winning

the war of communication and the right are grasping at straws.

I don't think his suit will fly.

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. If it is their repeated assertion that they "exist to get Democrats elected", then yes

I would say that any news outlet that sets itself up as strictly partisan should be taken at their word. If they are in a position to substantially influence the election, they should be treated as a partisan organization. DU is not a news outlet and does not pretend to be, so this board would be exempt. Daily Kos does present itself as a news site, and has been given media press passes in the past; they should be required to register with the FEC. But then again, so should Faux News.

[DU9598]

6. Fine

But the same goes for the WSJ and Fox News and Sinclair Media.