First this editorial from the Globe (this is the point the entire MSM should have made):
Here we have a group of bitter veterans who detest Kerry's leadership in opposing the war 30 years ago and are willing to say almost anything -- frequently contradicting their own earlier statements -- to hurt Kerry's candidacy. They turn to Bush's top political lawyer for advice on campaign finance laws and then to one of Bush's top campaign contributors to fund their attack ads.
No memo trail needs to be found linking Bush personally to Ginsberg and the veterans' group; the connection is apparent.For far too long this attack has worked to Bush's advantage. Even when Kerry and other veterans were defending his war service effectively, Vietnam headlines were obscuring stories on the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses, rising deficits, growing poverty, declining health coverage, and more soldiers dying nearly every day in Iraq.
Ginsberg resigned his Bush campaign position with unintended comedy, saying he was saddened that his role had "become a distraction from the critical issues at hand in this election." Was he suggesting this bogus smear is a critical issue?
Now the politics of the issue seems to be catching up with the facts. The story is no longer Vietnam but the smear. Bush, realizing that the tide has turned against him, is trying to back-pedal and change the subject -- proposing yesterday that both campaigns join in challenging the so-called 527 groups, like the veterans and some Democratic and Republican groups, that use unregulated "soft" political contributions from wealthy donors and special interests to influence campaigns. There is a legitimate 527 issue.
The members of the Federal Election Commission, appointed by Bush and Bill Clinton, have betrayed their office by not reining in groups that are too closely aligned with both campaigns.
But that is not the issue with the anti-Kerry veterans. The issue is Bush -- his refusal to condemn a patently false attack, his willingness to try to reap some political reward on the cheap, his utter lack of leadership in brushing off the role played by his close political aides. http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2004/08/27/smeared_by_ginsbergThat's not the only reason the FEC betrayed its office. I truly believe from phone jamming to this stuff, all of it was linked to election fraud. Look at the players: NASA chief Sean O'Keefe, Tom Feeney (
http://www.dccc.org/gopauctionhouse/members/TomFeeneyFL-24.html), Benjamin Ginsberg (Bush Swift Liars lawyer, Yang Enterprises, Inc. (the company cited by Clint Curtis).
This is not BS stuff! These are actual claims filed and handled by the FEC's (I know all claims dont mean automatic guilt, but given all that we now know, this stuff is too coincidental and reflective of the GOP). This reminds me of the recent IRS report about church violations and the SS administration officials stumping for Bush. All linked to this power grab!
Case # 5336 Case Type MUR
Case Name SEAN O'KEEFE
Case Subject(s) Contributions-Corporations; Contributions-Prohibited;
Total Respondents 5 Election Cycle 2002-General
Penalty Amount Disposition Respondent
Dismissed-Other Tom Feeney for Congress (f/k/a Tom Feeney Congressional Exploratory Committee)
Dismissed-Other Watkins, Nancy H.
Dismissed-Other Yang Enterprises, Inc.
No RTB O'Keefe, Sean
No RTB Space Gateway Support, LLC
TOP
Other Parties Relationship Respondent
Hunt, Chris R. Complainant
Ginsberg, Benjamin L., Esq. Respondent's Counsel Tom Feeney for Congress (f/k/a Tom Feeney Congressional Exploratory Committee)
Ginsberg, Benjamin L., Esq. Respondent's Counsel Watkins, Nancy H.
Kelley, James J., Esq. Respondent's Counsel Space Gateway Support, LLC
McKenna, Allen J., Esq. Respondent's Counsel Yang Enterprises, Inc.
Watkins, Nancy H. Treasurer Tom Feeney for Congress (f/k/a Tom Feeney Congressional Exploratory Committee)
http://eqs.sdrdc.com/eqs/searcheqs?SUBMIT=summary&CURRSTATE=fec.mur.gui.SummaryCase # 5336 Case Type MUR
Case Name SEAN O'KEEFE
Case Subject(s) Contributions-Corporations; Contributions-Prohibited;
Total Respondents 5 Election Cycle 2002-General
Agenda Date
Vote Date 06/21/2004
Commission Action Decided by a vote of 6-0 to take the following actions in MUR 5336: 1. Find no reason to believe that Space Gateway Support, LLC, violated 2 U.S.C. §§ 441b or 441c, as it pertains to the allegations in this matter. 2. Dismiss the allegations against Yang Enterprises, Inc. as a matter of prosecutorial discretion. 3. Find no reason to believe that Sean O?Keefe violated the Act as it pertains to the allegations in this matter. 4. Dismiss the allegations against Tom Feeney for Congress and Nancy H. Watkins, as treasurer, as a matter of prosecutorial discretion. 5. Approve the appropriate letters and close the file, as recommended in the General Counsel?s Report dated June 15, 2004.
Commission Votes Commissioner: Mason, David M. Affirmed
Commissioner: McDonald, Danny L. Affirmed
Commissioner: Smith, Bradley A. Affirmed
Commissioner: Toner, Michael E Affirmed
Commissioner: Thomas, Scott E. Affirmed
Commissioner: Weintraub, Ms. Ellen L. Affirmed
http://eqs.sdrdc.com/eqs/searcheqs?SUBMIT=commissionCase # 5336 Case Type MUR
Case Name SEAN O'KEEFE
Case Subject(s) Contributions-Corporations; Contributions-Prohibited;
Total Respondents 5 Election Cycle 2002-General
Conciliation Agreements # of
Documents: 0
Document Date Document Name Document Size
(Approx.)
None
TOP
Complaint, Responses, Designation of Counsel and Extensions of Time # of
Documents: 16
Document Date Document Name Document Size
(Approx.)
10/31/2002 Complaint 560KB
11/26/2002 Acknowledgement of Receipt of Complaint 57KB
11/26/2002 Notification of Complaint to Tom Feeney for Congress 91KB
11/26/2002 Notification of Complaint to Space Gateway Support, LLC 99KB
11/26/2002 Notification of Complaint to Yang Enterprises, Inc. 91KB
11/26/2002 Notification of Complaint to the Honorable Sean O'Keefe 86KB
12/04/2002 Response from Space Gateway Support, LLC 76KB
12/05/2002 Designation of Counsel from Yang Enterprises, Inc. 44KB
12/06/2002 Designation of Counsel from Space Gateway Support 76KB
12/10/2002 Response from Yang Enterprises, Inc. 287KB
12/17/2002 Response from Space Gateway Support, LLC 159KB
12/17/2002 Response and Designation of Counsel from Tom Feeney for Congress 96KB
11/14/2003 Notification to Yang Enterprises, Inc. 65KB
11/19/2003 Notification to Space Gateway Support, LLC 68KB
12/03/2003 Response from Space Gateway Support, LLC 81KB
12/05/2003 Response from Yang Enterprises, Inc. 125KB
http://eqs.sdrdc.com/eqs/searcheqs?SUBMIT=documents&CURRSTATE=fec.mur.gui.SummaryThere are live links to the documents in the third box at the site.
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