Mysterious Documents Found In Meth House Bare Inner Workings Of Dark Money Group

[DonRedwood]

Last edited Mon Oct 29, 2012, 06:18 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: pbs frontline AND huff po (publishing jointly)

Found in a meth house in Colorado, they were somewhat of a mystery, holding files on 23 conservative candidates in state races in Montana. They were filled with candidate surveys and mailers that said they were paid for by campaigns, and fliers and bank records from outside spending groups. One folder was labeled "Montana $ Bomb."

The documents pointed to one outside group pulling the candidates' strings: a social welfare nonprofit called Western Tradition Partnership, or WTP.

Altogether, the records added up to possible illegal "coordination" between the nonprofit and candidates for office in 2008 and 2010, said a Montana investigator and a former Federal Election Commission chairman who reviewed the material. Outside groups are allowed to spend money on political campaigns, but not to coordinate with candidates.

"My opinion, for what it's worth, is that WTP was running a lot of these campaigns," said investigator Julie Steab of the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, who initially received the boxes from Colorado.

Read more: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/government-elections-politics/big-sky-big-money/mysterious-docs-found-in-meth-house-reveal-inner-workings-of-dark-money-group/

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TICK TICK TICK... this one is a time bomb ladies and gents!!

Enjoy the read!
it is being published jointly by pbs and huffpo... i added the pbs link on edit

[Berlum]

1. Republican OCCULTISM is toxic to everything good & honest about America

[Kablooie]

2. This probably won't hit big till after the storm and therefore the election.

When 60 million people are facing disaster, sordid politics isn't quite as engrossing.
Shame it didn't come out last week.

[DonRedwood]

4. As long as it helps Tester keep his seat in Montana... which is a toss-up as of yesterday.

[fascisthunter]

3. What a bunch of psychopaths

time to lock these nut cases up for good. This isn't politics... this is treason.

[wordpix]

10. also witness tampering? "Then you may knowingly be in possession of stolen property"---WTP lawyer to

Frontline, which has the documents. Sounds like threatening a witness to me.

I would tell this lawyer to STFU and if you want a lawsuit b/c a source gave our reputable news org some documents, go ahead, we'll be glad to make this thing as public as you'd like.

[DonRedwood]

11. yeah, some charges and some lawsuits would do us good!!!

[Squinch]

5. Republicans and Meth dealers. Sounds about right.

[christx30]

27. They really want to

Make a meth of the country.
Actually that was supposed to be 'mess'. I've been seeing a speech therapist, but it's slow going.

[Squinch]

28. Quit mething around. Thith ith therious.

[japple]

29. Sthop it! eom

[bucolic_frolic]

6. Money runs the world

this dark money is the tip of the iceberg

[DonRedwood]

25. putting the tip in jail would be a nice start

:0)

[ROBROX]

7. I SEE THIS AS NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH,

but even this is hard to believe. We know this is happening but why would these of all people have the WATERGATE truth? This is scary news before Halloween, but when I think about the GOP it is nothing but SCARY old white people.

This event will be low key until after the election and then the RIGHT people will try to bury this case in the PET CEMETERY.

[DonRedwood]

16. yup...truth but with proof being provided by the people breaking the law.

[wordpix]

8. oooohhh, I'm so surprised these "nonprofit" groups like Rove's are in cahoots w/repuke campaigns

What else did the Supremes think when they OK'd Citizens United? F'ing bunch of whores, I would not be surprised if Fat Tony & friends on the court got kickbacks from the likes of Kochs, Limpballs, BigOil, etc.

[DonRedwood]

12. I'm wondering what the prison time is for breaking that rule? Collusion is pretty much proven

at this point. The article says there is money/account info for the candidates, signatures, letters from the candidate's wives. Pretty tidy package to find in a meth house!

[lark]

9. Funny how none of the Repug shenanigans gets highlighted in the msm news

The convictions are always after the fact and hushed. The only voter fraud is being perpetrated by the Repugs, and it is well covered up until after the election when it's not news anymore.

[fascisthunter]

13. yup... we've been noticing that for too long

and claiming that online liberal media outlets are not credible, is no longer a credible reason for ignoring it. We live in a country controlled by corporate propaganda slanted for the GOP.

[DonRedwood]

15. the media used to balance the govt.

Now the internet is having to balance the media and the government.

They never should have allowed those giant news/media to suck up so many properties...it has changed the face of Democracy.

[DonRedwood]

21. the general discussion post on this is about to go front page....that will get some media attention

msnbc sure seems to mine some of their stories from DU...I hope they pick up this one!

[DonRedwood]

14. good conversation about this story in GD (link)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021659008

[Uncle Joe]

17. Fascinating, WTP was the plaintiff in the Citizens United decision

Though WTP's spending has been at the state level, it's best-known nationally for bringing a lawsuit that successfully challenged Montana's ban on corporate spending in elections, extending the provisions of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Citizens United decision to all states.

and now they've changed their name, for some reason I'm reminded of Blackwater/Xe/Academi.

In the meantime, the group has changed its name to American Tradition Partnership, reflecting its larger ambitions. This month, it sent Montana voters a mailer in the form of a newspaper called the Montana Statesman that claimed to be the state's "largest & most trusted news source."

Thanks for the thread, DonRedwood.

[DonRedwood]

18. Yes...and they lied under oath according to the article.

[Uncle Joe]

19. Perhaps that's the real reason they changed their name to American Tradition Partnership or ATP.

having made their brand toxic ala Blackwater.

[DonRedwood]

22. yeah, we should keep that name change front and center so people recognize the new name.

[sofa king]

20. Michael Ruppert is unsurprised.

He has alleged that drug money has powered the Republican Party for at least ten years. The Bush Administration chased him all the way to Venezuela.

But he's just a conspiracy theorist, so... surprise!

[DonRedwood]

24. never heard of him before....

i was pretty much only into environmental politics until a few years ago....man there is a lot to learn.

[RainDog]

23. k&r n/t

[DonRedwood]

26. LINK TO FRONTLINE

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/government-elections-politics/big-sky-big-money/mysterious-docs-found-in-meth-house-reveal-inner-workings-of-dark-money-group/

[wordpix]

31. end the PBS funding! (sarcasm)

[DonRedwood]

32. yeah.... don't think for a moment this won't make those dark money groups mad at pbs

[valerief]

30. K&R