Stop Too Big To Fail

Shady Anti-Financial Reform Group Using Ad Agency That Worked For Swift Boat Vets

Justin Elliott | April 23, 2010, 1:54PM

The group Stop Too Big To Fail, which is employing a liberal-sounding message to fight the Wall Street reform legislation, is working with an advertising agency whose past clients include the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and myriad GOP campaigns.

Stop Too Big To Fail this week announced a $1.6 million ad buy in Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia. The ads warn of a "bailout fund" and call on senators to "vote against this phony 'financial reform.'" The agency behind that ad is Mentzer Media, according to Kristen Waskie, a staffer at TeleRep, a Philadelphia firm which represents local TV stations and which has placed the financial reform ads in local markets. Waskie tells us the Stop Too Big To Fail ads came out of Mentzer, which is based in Towson, Maryland.

You've probably never heard of Mentzer, -- which describes itself as "expert at zeroing in on the correct audiences, the right markets, identifying the right media, [and] locking in at the right times" -- but in the world of political professionals, it's quite well known.

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Bob Perry

Mystery Solved! Swift-Boat Backer Wrote Check To AL GOP, Says Pawlenty

Zachary Roth | February 9, 2010, 2:27PM

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) with Bob Perry and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ad.

Well, that didn't take long.

We just told you about a $100,000 check, from an anonymous donor, delivered last week by Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty to the Alabama GOP. Who was that mystery funder, we asked.

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Tim Pawlenty

Pawlenty Brings $100K Check To Alabama GOP. Who's The Mystery Donor?

Zachary Roth | February 9, 2010, 12:06PM

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)

On Friday, Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota gave a speech to Republican Party activists in Montgomery, Alabama. But Pawlenty, who's seen as a top GOP presidential contender for 2012, brought something with him besides his notes, reports Minnesota Public Radio: a $100,000 check for the Alabama Republican Party, from an anonymous donor.

The existence of the check -- said to be earmarked to help Alabama GOPers win control of the state legislature -- was announced, before Pawlenty's speech, by Alabama Republican chair Mike Hubbard. (You can listen to the audio of Hubbard's announcement here)

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Swiftboating

Notorious PR Firm That Reps Swift Boaters, Creationists, PhRMA Now Helping Fired IG

Justin Elliott | November 20, 2009, 5:12PM

Gerald Walpin

A heavy-hitting conservative public relations firm that flacked for Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and boasts an impressive array of right-wing clients is now helping Gerald Walpin, who was fired this summer by President Obama as the inspector general for AmeriCorps.

Creative Response Concepts Public Relations (CRC) is representing Walpin, a secretary who answered the phone at the company confirmed to TPMmuckraker today.

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Barack Obama

"Slimy Thug For Hire" Behind Horton Ad Back With Impeach Obama Campaign

Zachary Roth | October 9, 2009, 4:18PM

Conservative activist Floyd Brown

It was only a matter of time...

The far right has already called Obama a socialist, a communist, and a fascist, among other names, and has compared him to Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. So it should come as no surprise that the organized Impeach Obama movement is now underway -- with a longtime conservative flamethrower at the helm.

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