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Today's Must Read
The "Swift Boaters" from 2004 are back at it.
A group of top Republican contributors who financially fueled the famous "Swift Boat" campaign ads that helped sink Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign back in 2004 are starting to regroup.
A story in today's Wall Street Journal reports on new Republican efforts to circumvent the landmark campaign finance laws named after their top candidate -- the McCain-Feingold Act of 2002.
The GOP is raising tons of cash for the Republican Governors Association, which is a so-called 527 group and permits donors to exceed the $2,300 individual cap that applies to presidential campaigns. Although these groups are barred from soliciting money for presidential candidates, the association is telling prospective contributors that money for the association will ultimately help out McCain at the top of the ticket.
Of course the association's fund is getting cash from big corporations like Pfizer, Bank of America Corp. and Travelers, which have given $150,000 or more. But that's not the main target of this fundraising effort.
Rather, the pitch is aimed at individuals, including many top contributors to the controversial Swift Boat group that targeted Sen. Kerry. Texas developer Bob Perry, the largest financial backer of the Swift Boat group, also is the largest individual donor to the governors group, at $250,000. Carl Lindner, a retired insurance executive in Ohio and another top Swift Boat financier, has contributed $100,000 to the governors' fund. The campaign-finance lawyer for the Swift Boat group in 2004 now serves the same role for the governors association. The McCain campaign and the individual contributors all declined to comment on their involvement.
Yet the whole situation is dubiously legal. In 2005 the Federal Election Commission banned such groups from soliciting donations by pledging help to a federal candidate. Even the McCain camp questions the pitch tactics.
"If it is in fact telling its donors their money will help elect McCain they are being inaccurate," said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers, told the Journal, noting the group cannot legally attempt to sway a federal race. But he said that because he had not yet seen evidence the group is campaigning on Sen. McCain's behalf, "It's not an issue."
We'll have to wait and see what kind of ads the association actually runs. But so far, they've seen a big uptick in donations, raking in $14 million during the first half of this year, compared to $3 million for the Democratic governors' group.
The governor's association is unique among the so-called 527 groups. Like its Democratic counterpart, it is the only 527 set up by the national party.
The McCain camp is also trying out some other tactics to get around McCain's 2002 law and rake in more money to match Sen. Barack Obama's massive money machine, according to the Journal.
They're leveraging a technique that establishes a joint fund-raising account allowing donors write checks for up to $70,100. The campaign pulled in $3 million for the fund in a matter of days in June.
Comments (25)
Who's the liar now?
July 3, 2008 10:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is your typical lying politician who is spineless when it comes to standing up to his/her own 'nutty' party.
July 3, 2008 10:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
That is why Obama said the system is broken. We all know the attack dogs are raising all the money they can and they will do whatever it takes to keep executive power, they are scared of the DOJ actually doing their job and bringing criminals like Karl Rove to justice
July 3, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
You know these are the same fat cats who are always complaining about how high their taxes are. They got plenty of dough for this B.S. but taxes are way too high.
July 3, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm going to have to shower after posting this comment, but in the name of fairness and anti-BS, it's really silly of you to claim that the two things are comparable. It'd be exactly like claiming that someone who complains about high medical costs but who pays a high insurance premium was being hypocritical. The folks who complain of high taxes but pay big money to GOP candidates are doing so because A) they probably are paying more in taxes than in political contributions, and B) they expect to get something for their contributions that will actually reduce their taxes. That's in their own rational self-interest, if not in the interest of the USA.
July 3, 2008 8:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
So much for bitching about Obama's decision to opt out of campaign financing. He is totally vindicated now. Do all of you folks who called him a hypocrite want to say I'm sorry?
July 3, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
And McCain and the Swiftboaters will say that they had to take these steps because of Obama opting out of the public monies. It will be a chicken and egg argument unless Obama can prove that McCain was playing with the system before he officially opted out.
July 3, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Gee, I'm sorry. I had to rob the bank because there was no other way I could afford a nice new car to keep up with my neighbors. Do you suppose that would be considered an acceptable excuse?
Obama is not violating any laws with his campaign fund raising. McCain is violating the law that is is signature bit of legislation. So, I don't see any reason for Obama to do anything except keep trying to raise as much money as he can, within the laws.
July 3, 2008 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Can we get a list of all the companies who are contributing money besides the ones listed? ( Pfizer, Bank of America Corp. and Travelers ) I'd love to take my business elsewhere.
July 3, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Megatron,
its the usual suspects.
July 3, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Like that tactic as well. Pulled my IRA accounts from PIMCO and Merrill back in 2005 when I saw what they contributed to Bush, and shared a little feedback with the investment managers.
July 3, 2008 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Its up to the bloggers to keep the Swift Boat financers in the news, by name, and attack them and their egregious way of doing business. Its also incumbent on the bloggers to go after those in the MSM, by name, who carry the water for the Swift Boaters, as they did in the Kerry campaign.
Slothful reporters and commentators live on the shit that comes out of the right wing, its much easier to run with right wing bullshit than it is to do actual journalism.
As long as these pseudo journalists get away with their irresponsible behavior they will continue to carbon copy Drudge, Limbaugh and the Swift Boat gang etc.
Out them all by name, make them defend themselves.
July 3, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
He didn't think the system was broken a year ago when it seemed like he wouldn't be a big money raiser. All of sudden it's broken. Same system. Personally, I do think it's broken and have no problem with him opting out. But his about face is the definition of a hypocrite. Which merely makes him a run of the mill politician, meaning he will accomplish nothing of substance as president. At least, he won't do any damage. The lesser of two evils, once again.
July 3, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hi Heretic,
Which "he" are you referring to? It's not clear.
I'm thinking it may be Obama, but if that's the case, your comment on the "about face" needs some clarification - he made a statement with some very clear qualifiers.
thanks
July 3, 2008 12:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Funny thing. Obama asked Democratic fatcats not to contribute to 527's and, bingo, they stopped.
McCain conspiciously fails to ask his party's fatcats not to contribute to 527's and, in particular, hasn't asked them to avoid circumventing both the letter and the intent of the signature piece of legislation of his entire career, pride and surprisingly, they have not stopped without being asked.
July 3, 2008 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
However, there is a 527 PAC group who opposed John Kerrry, and now opposes John McCain. Once called Viet Nam Veteran’s Against John Kerry, it now calls itself Viet Nam Veterans Against John McCain . Yep, that’s right; it’s the same people; Jerry Kiley and Ted Sampley. Perhaps they just don’t like John’s!
July 3, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jeez, the MSM really should connect the dots explicitly. McCain has one of 2004's swift-boaters go after Clark and we're just two weeks past the "scandal" of Obama opting out of public financing?
July 3, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, wasn't it just a couple of days ago we were being told that GOP smear merchants weren't going to be doing anything this year because they couldn't raise any money?
Yeah, I didn't believe it either.
July 3, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup, it's becoming increasingly clear that "Obama's massive money machine" will only give him a slight cash advantage, if that. The RNC's warchest is much bigger than the DNC's, and throw in the 527's...
I hope that Obama's decision to muzzle MoveOn and other left-leaning 527's doesn't backfire. I don't see any benefits to that decision yet.
July 3, 2008 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
IOKIYAR: smearing one's military service!
July 3, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Carl Lindner was the quintessential Banana Republican when he ran Chiquita.
July 3, 2008 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Jeffgee:
Do you suppose Carl Lindner might be related to August Lindner?
July 3, 2008 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Travelers one of the contributing companies is who sponsored the ad in my tpm google reader feed for this post - beautiful, http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2634761593_8f081bd7d2_o.png
July 3, 2008 10:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it's funny that we heap so much opprobrium on the Swift Boaters. Granted, they are pretty despicable people. But I don't think their little meme would have gotten much traction if not for the fact that the Kerry campaign did a piss-poor job of defending against the smears. On some level, it was a self-inflicted wound. Unlike Kerry, Obama is ready to hit back when he's smeared, so I don't actually think we should spend too much time fretting the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
July 6, 2008 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
mccain is a disgrace
to our soldiers..want to know why? here you go,
an article I found, which kicks you in the nuts.
This will get you guys angry..read on..
a little truth..
McCain & Veterans' Health Care
McCain Has Repeatedly Voted Against Increasing Funding for Veterans Healthcare to Keep Tax Cuts for the Rich.
John McCain has repeatedly voted to keep intact tax cuts for the rich, rather than provide American veterans with adequate healthcare funding. McCain has repeatedly voted against amendments in the Senate that would have added funding for healthcare services, but eliminated tax cuts for the wealthy. Funding would have covered such important services as improving care at veterans' hospitals, providing mental health services to soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse problems. [2006 Senate Vote #7, 2/2/06; 2005 Senate Vote #343, 11/17/05; 2003 Senate Vote #74, 3/21/03]
2006: McCain Voted Against Eliminating Increased Fees And
Co-Payments For Veterans Health Care Program By Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes.
In 2006, McCain voted against the Kerry amendment that would eliminate increased fees and co-payments for veterans in the TRICARE health care program by raising the discretionary spending limit by approximately $10 billion. The provisions would have been fully offset by eliminating creating corporate tax breaks. [2006 Senate Vote #67, 3/16/2006]
McCain Stood Out in Opposing Veterans' Healthcare Funding.
McCain was one of only 13 Republicans to vote against an amendment that added over $400 million for inpatient and outpatient care for veterans. [2006 Senate Vote #98, 4/26/06]
McCain Puts Politics Over Vets; Would Rather Be Out Campaigning Than Supporting Our Troops.
McCain missed an important vote this year that supported the funding of the troops in Iraq and guaranteed them adequate medical care upon returning home. [2007 Senate Vote #76, 3/15/07]
McCain Blamed Scandal on Rumsfeld's Management of War.
Days after the story broke, McCain told a group of Georgia legislators that "the fruits of Rumsfeld's policy were on display at Walter Reed military hospital in Washington... It's well chronicled that the war was mismanaged." [Atlanta Journal Constitution, 2/22/2007]
FLASHBACK 2004: McCain Refused To Call For Secretary Rumsfeld's Resignation.
McCain would not call for Donald Rumsfeld's resignation, saying that the President "can have the team that he wants around him." McCain said that he respected Bush's decision to keep Rumsfeld around. McCain said, "I respect the president. The president of the United States was re-elected by a majority of the American people, and I respect his right. And I will work with the president obviously and with the secretary of defense." [MSNBC.com, 12/15/04; CNN.com, 12/5/04]
FLASHBACK 2006: McCain Refused to Join Calls For Rumsfeld's Resignation, Said He Would Work With Rumsfeld.
"But the president has the right and earned the right as the president of the United States to appoint his team," and he has confidence in Secretary Rumsfeld. "I will continue to work with Secretary Rumsfeld as much as I can as long as he is secretary of Defense. We have to, because we need to win this war." [East Valley Tribune, 415/2006; http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/63311 ]April 15, 2006 - 6:13AM
Busy McCain expresses views on Rumsfeld, immigration, Iraq war
Paul Giblin, Tribune
Sen. John McCain joined the ranks of retired generals who have said they have no confidence in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
September 7, 2008 2:36 AM | Reply | Permalink