TPMMuckraker American Future Fund
American Future Fund
Conservative Group Backs Off Effort To Undermine Robo-Call Laws
Zachary Roth | January 13, 2010, 12:32PM
A shadowy conservative group is backing off its effort to undermine state laws restricting robo-calls.
Lawyers for American Future Fund Political Action (AFFPA) informed the FEC yesterday afternoon that they were withdrawing their request for an advisory opinion on whether those state laws were pre-empted by a less restrictive federal law. AFFPA had argued in its request that the state laws were indeed pre-empted, and indicated that it planned a barrage of robo-calls for 2010.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (1) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (3)Topics: American Future Fund, DCI Group, FEC, Robo-calls, Voting
American Future Fund
Shadowy Conservative Group Still Working To Undermine Robocall Laws
Zachary Roth | January 6, 2010, 2:37PM
Despite setbacks, a shadowy conservative group isn't backing off its bid to undermine state restrictions on political robocalls, as it gears up to unleash a barrage of such calls in 2010 races.
In October, as we reported, the American Future Fund Political Action (AFFPA) argued in a brief to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that state laws restricting robocalls are pre-empted by a more lenient federal law. AFFPA informed the FEC that it planned to make such calls in Congressional races this fall.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (2) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (2)Topics: American Future Fund, DCI Group, Jason Torchinsky, Robo-calls
Robo-calls
Another GOP-Linked Group Working To Undermine Robo-Call Laws
Zachary Roth | December 10, 2009, 9:35AM
A Republican-tied robo-call firm, whose president once reportedly boasted of his company's ability to "deliver a voter suppression message" to unfriendly voters, is working to undermine state restrictions on robo-calls.
In comments filed Wednesday with the FEC, and examined by TPMmuckraker, ccAdvertizing argues that state laws restricting robocalls are pre-empted by a more lenient federal law. The comments were submitted in support of an earlier effort by another shady GOP-tied group, American Future Fund Political Action (AFFPA), to get the FEC to rule against the state laws. We reported on the AFFPA move here.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (2) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: American Future Fund, FEC, Gabriel Joseph III, Robo-calls, Voting, ccAdvertising, voter fraud
American Future Fund
GOP Group Undermining Robo-Call Laws Has Ties To DCI
Zachary Roth | November 24, 2009, 5:37PM
American Future Fund (AFF), the shadowy conservative advocacy group that's working to undermine state laws against robo-calling, has ties to DCI Group, a Republican lobbying firm with a reputation for dirty tricks and shady clients. And a closer look at AFF suggests the group has been designed to carry out political attacks while escaping scrutiny from the press and public.
AFF paid $249,000 last year to McKenna & Associates for fundraising work, according to a copy of AFF's 990 form for 2008 that was obtained by TPMmuckraker. The Arlington, Virginia-based firm is run by Andrew McKenna, a GOP operative and former senior vice-president of DCI Group. McKenna did not immediately respond to TPMmuckraker's request for comment.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (3) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (5)Topics: Alex Vogel, American Future Fund, Astroturf, Chuck Grassley, FLS Connect, Health Care, Jill Holtzman Vogel, Lobbyists
Jill Hotlzman
Shadowy GOP-Linked Group Plans Barrage Of 2010 Robo-Calls
Zachary Roth | November 23, 2009, 1:10PM
A shadowy conservative group with ties to the operatives behind a host of GOP dirty tricks is working to undermine state restrictions on political robo-calls, as it gears up to unleash a barrage of such calls in 2010 races.
Last month, American Future Fund Political Action (AFFPA) informed the FEC that it's planning robo-calls in congressional races. Jason Torchinsky, a lawyer for AFFPA, wrote that the group "wishes to distribute pre-recorded telephone calls ... as part of a nationwide program of political outreach." The calls, wrote Torchinsky, "will expressly advocate the election or defeat of one or more clearly identified candidates for Federal office."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (6) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (2)Topics: Alex Vogel, American Center for Voting Rights, American Future Fund, Jason Torchinsky, Jill Holtzman Vogel, Jill Hotlzman, Voting, voter fraud
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