Obama campaign criticizes pro-Clinton 527 group

[sabra]

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/02/obama_campaign_criticizes_proc.html

AUSTIN, Texas – Sen. Barack Obama's campaign is criticizing an outside group that has been launched to help Sen. Hillary Clinton in the days before primaries in four states on March 4.

The group, American Leadership Project, a so-called 527 committee, has prepared television ads that are expected to run in Ohio and perhaps in other states.

In a conference call with reporters this afternoon, Bob Bauer, a lawyer for Obama's campaign, called the effort a "cold, calculated move to violate the law."

...

Asked whether Obama's campaign would actually file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, he suggested that would be left to others. "I don't think we will be the only ones raising the stakes extremely high for this organization," he said.

[xultar]

1. Wasn't there a Pro OBama 527 blasting Edwards in IA?

[wndycty]

3. I can't wait until this thing is over so Xultar and I can kiss and make up!

;):loveya: I mean that. When you and I are on the same side we are deadly!

[xultar]

23. I wasn't sure. I knew there was a 527 and some Dem had to apologise. I just thought it was BO....

Sorry.

I don't care who get's the nomination but I think Hillary has been treated very unfairly by the MSM and DU.

So we are on the same side. I'm just not blinded by the light.

Oh and I'll kiss you anytime honey. Making up is the best part of arguing.

[karynnj]

20. I don't think so - there was a 527 run by a former Edwards' campaign guy that attacked the others

and there was a case of a union that endorsed HRC attacking Edwards. You can search old DU threads to see if there were others.

McCan/Feingold is awful legislation and the 527s was one of the worse features.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Does this mean the Obama camp will have moveon.org cancel all their Obama parties? nt

[Whisp]

5. anyone can explain the difference between move.on and this 527?

on the surface they seem the same...

???

[mrreowwr_kittty]

8. With Clinton's 527 it's clearly her backers who are raising the funds and running it.

Whatever you think of MoveOn's endorsement, they are an independent organization. They let their members vote on who they were going to support.

[Whisp]

11. so what's the difference between fundraising on a 527

and fundraising through clinton.com.

why the supposed advantage or supposed illegality?
wouldn't both pretty well go after the same donors?

sorry to be so thick, so much to learn. ;)

[mrreowwr_kittty]

16. I wish I could explain it to you.

I honestly don't see how her 527 is getting away with it, given how obvious the links are by the people running it. It's the most blatant thing I've ever seen. Probably why the Obama campaign is raising questions about its legality in the media.

[bunnies]

10. MoveOn is a PAC.

Among other things... PAC's are subject to federal oversight. 527's are not.

The PAC handles donations to candidates and express advocacy-this is the hard money end of the table: Limits on contributions from donors to the PAC and from the PAC to candidates, but they can coordinate with the candidate's campaign, the parties, etc.

The 527 is segregated from the PAC, and handles issue advocacy-the soft money stuff. You can give as much as you want to a 527, they can spend as much as they want on ads and whatnot, but can't coordinate it with a candidate, and they can't do express advocacy.

[Whisp]

thank you. much clearer now. nt

[bunnies]

17. No problem!

Its actually a bit more complicated than that but... you get the gist. :hi:

[karynnj]

21. Has moveon attacked HRC. I don't think so

[Thrill]

4. Obama will put her on the spot tonight about this

[catgirl]

6. Who is this "group"

Is it a legit 527 group, or is Clinton somehow paying for all this? I guess
that's the biggest question here.

[HeraldSquare212]

14. Well, Obama's lawyer is making that point that they were only created to push Clinton

and that that's different than being created to push a specific issue, and therefore possibly illegal. The 527's lawyer seems to be saying that the FEC changed the rules in 2007, after a Supreme Court decision, and that Obama's lawyer is referencing the wrong standards for deciding whether or not an entity is a legitimate 527.

[jillan]

7. Is Obama going to speak out against the 527's that are bashing Hillary?

C.U.N.T. comes to mind.

Or is he only going to criticize the 527's that bash him?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

9. If the 527s bashing Clinton were directly linked to him, you'd have a point

Put up some substantiation that C.U.N.T is connected to Obama or shut up.

[jsamuel]

12. IOKWODI - It's OK When Obama Does It

[scheming daemons]

13. Except for a small fact.... he hasn't done it....

There are no 527s that have been set up by Obama supporters.

Name one.

Provide a link.


Can't? Thought so....

[mrreowwr_kittty]

18. Obama doesn't need to. Why should he when he keeps getting flooded with small donations.

:woohoo:

[jsamuel]

19. Vote Hope PAC and Vote Hope 527 did work for him in California

he also had 527's working for him in NV

[Tom Rinaldo]

25. "Obama's supporters get around money limit"

Obama's supporters get around money limit
Lance Williams, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

California supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama are using a controversial political committee to rake in donations in excess of what is allowed under tough federal campaign finance laws.

Exploiting a legal loophole, the Obama supporters have set up a so-called 527 group - an unregulated committee of the type deployed by Republican Swift Boat Veterans in the 2004 presidential campaign - as a centerpiece of political fundraising for the California Democratic primary in February.

So far, wealthy donors have written checks in the amounts of $90,000 and $50,000 to "Vote Hope 2008," the Obama supporters' 527 group, federal records show. The group is led by San Francisco lawyer Steve Phillips, son-in-law of wealthy financier and Democratic political donor Herbert Sandler.

Named for the section of the U.S. tax code that regulates these groups - and independent of the input or control of political candidates - 527 groups aren't subject to the Federal Election Commission's legal limit on contributions of $2,300 per donor per election.

The same Obama supporters have also set up a political action committee - the type of fund-raising device used by special-interest groups to funnel donations to multiple candidates - and used it to raise money for Obama's California campaign, records show. The political action committee also is called "Vote Hope 2008."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/08/08/MN9JREV751.DTL&type=printable

[Whisp]

15. why would he have to? he's flush with cash. nt

[Seabiscuit]

22. Geez, all Obama does is complain. What does he think the Republicans will do to him?

The Republicans will mount multiple 527's against him. Are 527's against the law?

[blogslut]

24. Here's the IRS 8871

http://forms.irs.gov/politicalOrgsSearch/search/Print.action?formId=28905&formType=E71