Where are the Dems on this Sinclair thing? Where are the law suits?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

This seems to me to obviously violate campaign finance laws!

[benburch]

1. I'm there...

I'll donate to help get a suit going.

What lawyer here will pick up the ball?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. It's a double edged sword

if they react too strongly, they SELL the movie

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

3. So do they do as the pubs did when F911 came out? Ignore it?

This will be pumped into peoples homes unlike Moore's film

[KoKo]

4. But, is airing 527 ads the day before the election against the law or not?

What the hell did McCain/Feingold accomplish, anyway? :shrug:

What "IS" the law on this???

This is all I could find:

President Bush Signs Campaign Finance Reform Bill

On March 27, 2002, President Bush signed legislation enacting new limits on federal campaign spending. The president, who only reluctantly agreed to sign the bill, did so quietly at 8 a.m. at the White House before leaving on a fundraising trip. Sen John McCain (R-AZ), a prominent supporter of the bill who had opposed Bush for the GOP nomination in 2000, was not invited to the bill's signing.

"I wouldn't have signed it if I was really unhappy with it," Bush told reporters, according to the Washington Post. "I think it improves the system."

According to a summary released by Reps. Chris Shays (R-CT) and Martin Meehan (D-MA), the law bans so-called "soft money" contributions to parties, considered a major loophole undermining previously existing campaign contribution limitations. The bill increases the current limit on individual campaign contributions $1,000 to $2,000. The law also limits issue advertising within 60 days of a general election or 30 days within a primary election.

The bill is now being challenged by its opponents in court.

-- 3/28/02

[Nordic]

5. that's a good point. how much protest is simply free advertising?

do we just ignore it?

If we protest it too much it might look like we're trying to hide whatever's in the smear propaganda they're showing.

[Norquist Nemesis]

6. Then let them sell it

in movie theatres and venues that the choir sings for. That's not any different than F911 that the RW went fucking nuts over...including putting pressure on theatre owners and trying to boycott it in theatres.

For Sinclair to order pre-empting the public airwaves and commercial-free to boot is wholly different.

[AnIndependentTexan]

7. Why did they stop showing Arnold movies right before election in Calf.?

[MADem]

8. DNC HAS JUST FILED FEC COMPLAINT

I have no link, but trust me, they have so done. Direct all of your emails, phone calls, anger and complaints against the FEC--screw Sinclair, they are insane and will not listen in the short term.

Also, call your local news outlets, especially their COMPETITORS, and bitch about this. Sit down and write an emailed letter to your editor of your local paper. Grassroots, people, grassroots!!!!

Edited for clarity

[shraby]

9. Does anyone have an address for the FEC? n/t

[henslee]

13. fec.gov, [e-mail] tel: [phone] D.C. tel [phone]

Website has street address.

[rehawk]

10. 911 on TV?

Surely MM has made enough money off this movie, why not spend some to buy time on the networks to air it. Or how about mailing a cd to everyone. Can't cost that much, I get 2 or 3 every week from aol and others.

[newyawker99]

15. Hi rehawk!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

11. Before we give ourselves the vapors, here...

Sinclair reaches 25% of the U.S. viewing audience. Given that the highest-rated program on television (CSI) reaches only 28% of the viewing audience (and is available to 100% of the population), at best the audience for the film is going to be about 7% of the population. Now assuming that the ratings aren't as good as CSI, chances are only 4-5% of potential voters are going to see it. Independent voters, who are less likely to be swayed by blatant propaganda than almost any other group, aren't likely to be tuning in. This will simply be a right-wing night at the movies and nothing more.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

12. The last election came closer than 7% of the viewing public

[henslee]

14. David Brock/Media Matters on CNN right now, objecting to

Sinclair airing. Very poised and articulate. (Brock paraphrased) They are masquerading this propoganda film as news. It isn't This is abuse of public airwaves. The pubic should rise up and be heard on this... and then CNN suddenly went fuzzy here in NY. Hmmmm.