Anti-DeFazio ad sponsors ID’d

[Ferret Annica]

Source: Register Guard

Anti-DeFazio ad sponsors ID’d -- Two East Coast donors were behind television advertisements attacking the Democratic incumbent

By Anne Williams and Christian Wihtol

Two wealthy East Coast donors are the sole financial backers behind Concerned Taxpayers of America, a political action committee that began running television ads last month attacking incumbent U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, according to disclosure records filed with the Federal Elections Commission.

Robert Mercer, a New York hedge fund executive, and Daniel G. Schuster Inc., a Maryland concrete company, have contributed $200,000 and $300,000 respectively to Concerned Taxpayers, which — according to its website — “was formed to engage citizens from every walk of life and political affiliation and urge them to hold our nation’s elected leaders accountable for the country’s fiscal well-being.”

The committee so far has spent money on ads targeting Democratic incumbents in just two races: $303,800 on the race between DeFazio and Republican challenger Art Robinson, a Cave Junction chemist, and $149,606 against U.S. Rep. Frank Kratovil, D-Maryland, who is being challenged by the GOP’s Andy Harris. Until the disclosure was filed last week, the group’s source of money had been a mystery — one that DeFazio made an issue of in recent weeks.

The group formed on Sept. 1 and began paying for anti-DeFazio ads after that, so under federal election rules it did not have to disclose its sources of funding until Oct. 15, the filing date for the July 1-Sept. 30 quarter. The group, in its registration letter with the FEC, noted that it is taking advantage of a recent U.S. Court of Appeals ruling that allows groups to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money in federal races, provided they do not use that money to make contributions of any kind to, or communicate with, federal candidates or political committees.





Read more: http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/25421731-41/defazio-robinson-ads-committee-political.csp

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It is infuriating the Supreme Court's ruling gutting campaign finance reform has imperiled out democracy in this way. Peter Defazio is an outstanding Congressman we cannot afford to lose. Let's well, and that we can restore some integrity to the system again to keep outside interests from buying out government from us, the people of the United States.

[KansDem]

1. As Rachel Maddow has said, "This is money laundering"

...pure and simple.

Will this be reported in AmeriPravda? I doubt it...

[Ferret Annica]

2. I called on a job that turned out to be a get out the vote effort by the GOP candidate

It is appalling how much money has been thrown at this race to try to get rid of one of the best Congressmen I've ever seen. I sat next to him once when going on leave from the U.S. Army base I was stationed back East. This was possible as he flies tourist to save money and turns down pay raises.

This money laundering is a back handed compliment as I see it. He would not be so targeted and have made these fat cats so unhappy if he was not so effective.

I am canvassing for him on week ends. I would be devastated to see him lose.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. This is good to know. Their commercials are so insulting to

the intelligence of Oregonians that it is obvious they are made by those who have no ties to the State at all. Out of State interests created Art Robinson out of whole cloth.

[Ferret Annica]

4. I got a really glossy, expensive Art Robinson mailing

I am used to seeing this race done on the cheap as Pete generally is unopposed except by a token opposition candidate. I am hoping there is no unset here, as the nation as well as the forth district needs Peter Defazio in Congress.

[Ferret Annica]

5. I just talked to Pete who is sitting here at Allan Brothers Coffee on 5th St in Eugene

And he said they suspect the huge glossy mailing that Robinson sent out was done on his personal printing press they use for things like their home schooling material. He said this violates election law and I hope this is an issue that is pursued.