Why would SBV concerned about 1st amend. issue turn to an election lawyer?

[blm]

It seems that their argument that they needed legal help based on the protection of their First Amenment rights would find them in a lawyer's office who specialized in Free Speech laws, like Floyd Abrams.

Instead they went directly to a top ELECTION specialist, didn't they?

[RobertSeattle]

1. Good point

And to do a standard right wing "spin" - If you are doing the right thing why do you need a lawyer in the first place?

[clydefrand]

2. Wellllllllllllllllll, you gotta have a connection to the big cheese

don't you?

[BurtWorm]

3. Susan Arcenaux, their treasurer, administers Political Compliance Services

described at Disinfopedia.com as "a consulting company based in Fairfax, VA. On its website, it describes itself as 'an accounting services vendor specializing in FEC regulations. Our comprehensive approach to your individual accounting needs will deliver you from the headaches and legal ramifications of FEC non-compliance.'"

Here's a list of their clients:

Alliance for the West PAC, $250 in 1st quarter 2002 <5> and $500 in 3rd quarter 2002 <6>.
Majority Leader's Fund, 3 payments of $825 each in 2004 <7>.
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, $7500 in 2004 <8>.
The Lincoln Fund Inc., $300 in 2001 <9> and $1000 in 2002 <10>.

http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Political_Compliance_Services_Inc.#Employees

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

4. It shows that both the SBV and the Bush Campaign were well aware

of the potential for legal violations in the 527 ads and whether they were truly independent or whether improper coordination or cooperation occurred between the two entities. Now they can't say they didn't know the law or that a few innocent mistakes occurred, such as SBV flyers being circulated by Bush campaigners or SBV members serving as Bush campaign consultants. They were very well aware of the law and their reliance on an election law specialist verifies that it was an issue already in their minds. My guess is that there must have been roundtable discussions in the Bush campaign as to how close to the line they could come in using surrogates to organize and direct the Swift Boat Veterans without violating the law. Apparently, they in fact stepped over it.

[shraby]

5. Sounds like those lawyers

have been taking lessons from the lawyers who wrote the torture memos and determined that torture is okay as long as they don't kill anybody. Great buncha lawyers ya got Bush

[blm]

6. I guess Malkin and Coulter confer with the torture specialist lawyers.

They certainly torture my eyes and ears.

Heheh...not really...I think they are funny....in a laugh out loud, pathetic way.