Indianapolis Star reports that the Indiana Republican party has cut ties to one of the firms responsible for harrassing GOP-sponsored robocalls. The state GOP fired Conquest Communications not because the firm’s calls were necessarily harrassing, but because they were automated — a violation of Indiana state law:
State GOP spokesman Robert Vane said Monday that Virginia-based Conquest Communications Group used recorded messages in calls for Brizzi and several candidates around Indiana.“That is not what we contracted for,” Vane said, so the party fired Conquest and is refusing to pay the company. Vane declined to say how much the party still owes.
The Republicans intended for all campaign calls to be conducted “100 percent live,” Vane said, but instead Conquest used a live introduction followed by a recording.
Under Indiana law, a recorded message can be delivered over the phone only if it is first introduced by a person who seeks and gets permission to play it.