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RamboLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 12:18 PM
Original message
Swift Boat Vets, related groups to face big fines
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Swift_Boat_Vets_related_groups_to_1211.html

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and other so-called "527" nonpartisan groups are soon likely to face significant fines from the Federal Election Commission, according to a story in today's edition of Roll Call.

America Coming Together, a more Democrat-leaning group, and others were cited in an article written by Matthew Murray as facing fines after two years of FEC scrutiny. During the 2004 presidential election, complaints had been filed against the groups for violating campaign finance laws. Texans for Truth, Progress for America Voter Fund, Leadership Forum, the Media Fund, the Joint Victory Campaign, Economic Freedom Fund and Majority Action were other groups confirmed to be likely targets of fines for their conduct in 2004.

<snip>

Just in time for the 2008 presidential campaign season and roughly two years after the agency began scrutinizing a handful of 527 organizations, the Federal Election Commission is likely to hand down significant fines in the near future against groups such as America Coming Together and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, according to campaign finance lawyers and other experts.

Agency officials and outsiders directly involved in the cases declined to discuss specifics of the investigations, citing confidentiality agreements and prohibitions against discussing ongoing enforcement matters. Still, many familiar with the cases’ issues, including the top lawyer for Sen. John Kerry’s (D-Mass.) 2004 campaign and a former commission chairman, suggested that a variety of factors point to the likelihood that the agency will soon “sock it” to 527 organizations that violated campaign finance laws, particularly those involved in the 2004 presidential cycle.

<snip>

While agency officials were unable to indicate the status of ongoing investigations, they were able to confirm a number of organizations when asked about specific groups that complaints had been filed against, perhaps narrowing the field of potential cases that may be closed out in the weeks to come. Among those cited as being the subject of complaints were Texans for Truth, Progress for America Voter Fund, Leadership Forum, the Media Fund, the Joint Victory Campaign, Economic Freedom Fund and Majority Action.

I'll believe it when I see it and if they fine the Dem leaning groups and let slide the Swifties it will be an outrage!
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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 12:21 PM
Response to Original message
1. I'll bet most of the 'complaints' filed against A.C.T. were freepers...
Wot say?
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napi21 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 12:34 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. I don't care what side they were on. If they violated the laws, fine the
suckers! I would hope the amount of the fine fits the crimes.

I realize some of the Dem groups might have broken the laws too, and I believe that was in retaliation to what was being done by the Pub group. Hell, I wasone voter who said FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE!

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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 01:29 PM
Response to Reply #3
8. The freeper types have a long history of waging complaints as a form of harrassment...
Many times the charges turn out to lack any sort of merit.

Take the 'Focus on the Family' FCC complaints against SpongeBob as an example.

One of their tactics is to try equate any infraction the Dems make to their glaring
moral corruption in the minds of the public. They need to be called on it.
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DoYouEverWonder Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 12:30 PM
Response to Original message
2. I hope Free Republic Network
is on the list. The Swiftboat Vets are a subgroup of FRN.

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Monkeyman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 12:35 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. Looked at the list Free Republic is not on it
I will try to get the list on the DU today or in the late night
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DoYouEverWonder Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 12:40 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. FR and FRN are separate corporations
FRN is connected to FR but it is a separate entity of their upper echelon. They are the ones that have been behind a lot of the GOP dirty tricks in the last few years.

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Monkeyman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 12:52 PM
Response to Reply #5
6.  I will just be happy to see John Liar O'Niel go
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DoYouEverWonder Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 01:03 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. Me too
Edited on Mon Dec-11-06 01:04 PM by DoYouEverWonder
He's on the FRN Board.

On August 6, Salon.com's Joe Conason documented links between Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and the conservative online forum www.Free Republic.com. Conason noted that the designer of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth website is Robert A. Hahn, a director of the Free Republic Network, a conservative activist organization affiliated with Free Republic.com. Scott Swett, who is listed as the webmaster of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth website, swiftvets.com, also appeared on FOX News Channel host Sean Hannity's August 5 radio show to discuss the group. Swett posts frequently to FreeRepublic.com, using the pseudonym "Interesting Times," and is also a director of the Free Republic Network. The wintersoldier.com website to which Swett has contributed articles is a project of the Free Republic Network.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=132&topic_id=3011059&mesg_id=3011094

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NewYorkerfromMass Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 01:42 PM
Response to Original message
9. Texans for Truth is still looking for proof Bush served
Edited on Mon Dec-11-06 01:42 PM by NewYorkerfromMass
I believe they had a reward up for anyone in the Alabama ANG who saw Bush "report for duty".
I suspect they will wait forever.
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cascadiance Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Dec-11-06 10:01 PM
Response to Original message
10. I think Raw Story needs to adjust their ad targeting on that page...
I don't think too many people interested in reading this article are going to want to buy "Unfit For Command"! :)
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