Obama campaign files FEC complaint against pro-Clinton group

[sabra]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/30/obama-campaign-files-fec-complaint-against-pro-clinton-group/

(CNN) – Barack Obama’s campaign has filed a formal complaint over a pro-Hillary Clinton group running ads attacking the Illinois senator on jobs and the economy in the critical primary state of Indiana.

The American Leadership Project, which includes veterans of the Clinton administration and longtime supporters, is a “527,” which means it is not bound by federal campaign finance laws as long as it does not directly advocate on behalf of a particular candidate.

The group announced earlier this week that it was planning to buy $700,000 worth of airtime in the state leading up to Tuesday’s vote. It has aired other spots in support of Clinton in key primary states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas.

...

“News broke yesterday that a few wealthy Clinton supporters are gearing up for a massive spending campaign to boost her chances in the big upcoming contests in Texas and Ohio on March 4th,” wrote David Plouffe in an e-mail message.

“The so-called ‘American Leadership Project’ will take unlimited contributions from individuals and is organized the same way as the infamous Swift Boat Veterans for Truth,” he added.

[ampad]

1. Thank you

Rec

[Hawkeye-X]

2. Also, I hope he did file another FEC claim

for Women Work Women Vote robocallers in NC..

They should be off the air, shut down, and fined Clinton campaign another $15M.

[Lucky 13]

3. Fuck her and her 527.

527s are AWFUL and simply a mechanism to get around donor limits. She's making it harder and harder for me to say I will vote for the Dem. nominee in the fall. If it's not Obama, I'm not sure I'll be able to stomach it. (Chugging Maalox)

[futureliveshere]

4. Thats the way maan!!! We Will Not Be SwiftBoated Again!! Even if it is a fellow Dem doing it.

[Eurobabe]

5. Good.

Screw HRC and her scheming cabal.

[leftofcool]

6. LOL!

[graycem]

7. I wonder

why she thinks since we hate these tactics from Republicans, that they'll be acceptable from her?

[jasmine621]

8. And. of course, Obama campaign does none of this?

His ads run 4-1 against Clinton. Was there anything illegal about this? Or is it just that she is beating him at the game of politics? Does Hillary have anything to with this at all? Proof?

[redqueen]

10. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5751417

[leftofcool]

19. This is a seperate issue

[redqueen]

23. Did you respond with your thoughts?

Or are you only interested in insinuating things in this thread?

[leftofcool]

29. No you did

You linked to an entirely different issue. This is about a 527, not the idiot robo calls thread you linked to.

[redqueen]

31. I was only hoping to get your thoughts on that topic...

It nees more perspective from Hillary's supporters.

But if you'd rather stay away, that's entirely up to you of course. :hi:

[SoxFan]

12. Big difference

Obama's ads are payed for with hard dollars collected by Obama for America. Hillary is laundering money through an outside party.

[leftofcool]

20. Link for laundering money?

[sabra]

15. 527 aren't "connected" to a campaign - his ads are directly coming from his campaign...

[leftofcool]

21. Waaaaaaaaaaa! I don't like what they say about me so

I am gonna file a complaint.

[redqueen]

9. Hopefully they're working on a complaint about Women Work Women Vote.

[Cant trust em]

11. Can't we all agree that these 527s need to be reined in somehow?

"not bound by federal campaign finance laws" does not work out for our democracy.

[Ravy]

39. There is this thing called the US Constitution...

Any attempt to quiet 527s will be looked upon as another invasion of our free speech.

I may not agree with the speech, but I will defend it.

[Cant trust em]

40. So you don't believe in any limits on campaign financing?

Or do you feel like we've already encroached on the speech limits and we're OK where they are?

[Ravy]

46. If they are not connected to the campaign, they are not campaign financing.

If Joe Blow (individual) or a group of Joe Blows(527) wants to put an ad in the paper promoting a position or criticizing a candidate, I fail to see how the government can stop them under the first amendment.

[Cant trust em]

47. That may be an argument to prevent their regulation based on current law

but there is debate on making 527s subject to the same restrictions as PACs.

[DerekJ]

13. 100% certified republican campaign tactics.

[my2cent]

14. LOL

:rofl:

[Binka]

25. This Amuses You

YMMV but your 2 cents aren't worth shit. Adios fuckwittage.

[The_Counsel]

16. I Deplore The Hillary Campaign's Tactics As Much As The Next Guy...

...but what is this group really doing that's wrong?

The law says they can raise unlimited funds, and they're doing that.

The law says they can say what they want as long as they don't specifically advocate for a candidate, and it seems like they're doing that.

I'm trying to figure out what Obama has to complain about here. I'm sure someone'll tell me if I'm off base here...

[jsamuel]

18. same tactics they used against Edwards in Iowa

they complained about the SEIU's support in the same way, then took that same support in later states

just another example of IOKWODI

[leftofcool]

22. He has nothing to complain about

He can whine all he wants to.

[redqueen]

24. Why try to be psychic? The article doesn't say...

guess we'll have to wait and see.

:hi:

[Jim Lane]

26. Possible basis for complaint

The linked article says that the Obama campaign will be holding a press conference to discuss the specifics of the complaint. Meanwhile, I'd guess that the charge is improper coordination. A 527 group can't coordinate its actions with a campaign in any way. If the people behind this one are longtime Clinton supporters, there may be ties to the campaign that they weren't diligent enough about severing.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

36. Thanks. I too was wondering what the illegal actions might be n/t

[The_Counsel]

42. Ah... I See... Thanks!

The Obama campaign had better have at least ONE leg to stand on when they file a complaint or there'd be a LOT of credibility to be lost on this...

[chill_wind]

17. American Leadership Project- for a New Bush Clinton Century?

Groups with Project in their titles give me hives.

[PBS Poll-435]

27. Wow MoveOnPAC = Swift Boat Veterans for Truth?

Thanks David Plouffe, I will make a note of it.

[cbayer]

28. Honest question here.

How is this any different that MoveOn.org? They collect contributions, run ads, are not bound by the FEC and are supporting a single candidate.

[leftofcool]

30. It's not different.

[redqueen]

32. It's not... but until we know what the complaint is ABOUT, it's kind of hard

to try to draw any conclusions just yet. :)

[cbayer]

34. The article was surprising bereft of details on the complaint.

I will wait for more.

[DerekJ]

43. Question: Did MoveOn ever attack Hillary in any of their ADs or did they just promote Obama?!

I actually don't know.

[cbayer]

44. I don't know that either. nt.

[DerekJ]

45. All I know is that SEIU and Moveon were doing positive Obama Ads. I could be wrong.

[WA98296]

33. Clinton uses Bush/Rove tactics. Not surprised, but disappointed.

[BlueIdaho]

35. So nice to see the little band of 527 thugs have found a new way to support the Clintons.

So much for her grass roots support I guess, its back to the usual dirty dozen suspects finding a loop hole in the system so they can donate more cash to Clinton. I guess we can see just what a Clinton presidency will look like - smarmy.

Mark and Billy sitting in a tree, trying to work a scheme to screw the DNC.

[cottonseed]

38. The wealthy need their voices heard too.

I mean seriously, we can't have regular citizens getting all the say in this country.

;)

[cottonseed]

37. So when she talks about being outspent # to 1

we'll all know the argument is baloney.

[Hope And Change]

41. K & R!

:kick: