'Shadow Parties' Share Leaders and Republican Roots

[ProSense]

'Shadow Parties' Share Leaders and Republican Roots

Veterans of the Bush administration and other former Republican elected officials are now leading the tax-exempt organizations that are skirting campaign finance rules

By Jonathan D. Salant and Kristin Jensen

<...>

They also share personnel and even office space. While these tax-exempt organizations operate separately from the political campaigns, they're driving the Republican fundraising machine because they can do what the party can't: take in unlimited amounts of funds from anonymous donors. "It's almost as if these are shadow parties," said Bill Allison, editorial director for the Sunlight Foundation, a Washington-based watchdog group. "They've found a way to supplement what their colleagues are doing at the Republican National Committee and the congressional committees without having to play by the same rules."

<...>

Carl Forti, political director for American Crossroads, one of two groups advised by former Bush political strategist Karl Rove, said the Democrats are guilty of hypocrisy, saying they relied on outside groups when they took back Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008. Forti said the leaders of the various Republican-supporting organizations meet regularly and that they find no shortage of potential contributors. "Donors are energized because of the opportunity that exists right now," he said. "Voters are angry. They want change. The change they voted for two years ago isn't enough."

Interlocking Groups

Forti may illustrate the interconnectedness of the Republican-leaning organizations better than anyone else: He has links to a number of the groups. He handles publicity for the 60 Plus Association, which supports privatizing Social Security. His ex-boss sits on the board of American Action Network, which is headed by former Republican Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota.

<...>

The Rove-backed groups lease space from Coleman's American Action Network, based in Washington. American Action Network board members include former U.S. Senator Mel Martinez, a Florida Republican and now a JPMorgan Chase & Co. executive committee member; and former U.S. Representative Tom Reynolds of New York, who led the National Republican Congressional Committee when Forti was communications director.

more

Forti's hypocrisy claim is bogus. The outside groups opposing Fiorina and other Republicans, include the (League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn.org, NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC, donors disclosed and Planned Parenthood Action Fund Inc., PACs that disclose their donors.

On the other hand, outside groups opposing Boxer and other Democrats include the Chamber of Commerce, which doesn't disclose its donors, and neither does American Crossroads.

[CJCRANE]

1. I've never asked this before but...

who unrec'd this?

:shrug:

[ProSense]

2. I think it's

my breathe.

:)