Political: Complaint against Bush campaign filed with FEC

[wvrevy]

This, from MSNBC:
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Can Kerry make a case that Bush broke the law?

What FEC looks for in illegal coordination
By Tom Curry
National affairs writer
MSNBC
Updated: 7:02 p.m. ET Aug. 20, 2004WASHINGTON - Can Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry prove his allegation that the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group airing ads denigrating his service as a Navy officer in Vietnam, are nothing more than "a front for the Bush campaign"?


In one sense, that may be an immaterial question if voters decide that the group is part of an overall anti-Kerry strategy that is approved or assented to by President Bush or his campaign aides.

A Bush campaign spokesman said Thursday the charge that the campaign was in cahoots with The Swift Boat group "is absolutely and completely false.”

Nonetheless, the Kerry campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Friday against the Swift Boat Veterans, accusing the group of "violating the law with inaccurate ads that are illegally coordinated with the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign and Republican National Committee."

Last March the Republican National Committee and President Bush’s campaign filed a similar complaint with the FEC accusing anti-Bush groups such as the Media Fund and America Coming Together of a conspiracy to violate federal election laws by coordinating with the Kerry campaign.

The groups have collected millions in contributions from labor unions and wealthy donors such as George Soros and Peter Lewis.

FEC investigations of such coordination complaints often take many months and even years to be resolved.

Bush himself said last week that Kerry is “justifiably proud of his record in Vietnam,” which Bush called “noble service.” Bush did not specifically call for the Swift Boat veterans ad to be pulled off the air.

Kerry pointed to one of the Republicans helping fund the Swift Boat ad effort, veteran Texas GOP donor Bob Perry who has given $2,000 contribution to the Bush re-election campaign and $200,000 to the Swift Boat group.

The question of coordination — did anyone in the Bush campaign suggest the anti-Kerry ad or assent to it? — has now become an important issue in the campaign.

-snip-
------
Now, here is a new development (and from Faux News itself )
------
Group's Flier Found in Bush Camp Office
Saturday, August 21, 2004


CRAWFORD, Texas — A volunteer for John Kerry (search) said Friday he picked up a flier in a Bush-Cheney campaign office in Gainesville, Fla., promoting Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (search), a group the Bush campaign has insisted for weeks it has no connection to.

The Kerry campaign e-mailed the flier to news organizations Friday, declaring that the Bush-Cheney campaign was "busted" for coordinating "in their smear campaign against John Kerry."

At Bush-Cheney campaign headquarters outside Washington, spokesman Steve Schmidt said: "The Bush-Cheney campaign has nothing to do with that piece of paper. ... I don't know how it showed up at the campaign headquarters."

"The Bush-Cheney campaign would object to any flier like this being displayed in any Republican headquarters," said Schmidt. He characterized the campaign operation in Gainesville where the flier was found as county GOP offices used by Bush-Cheney volunteers.

The flier distributed at Alachua County Republican Party headquarters promotes a weekend rally sponsored by "Swift Boat Vets for Truth" and other groups.

Bill Shilling, a Kerry volunteer in Gainesville, says he went to the GOP offices there Thursday and picked up the flier from a pile of literature on the table.

"The flier they gave me was on the same table as some Bush-Cheney bumper stickers," said Shilling. "I asked them if the Swift boat veterans were coming to Gainesville, and the woman I talked to said yes."
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And one last thing: a picture, taken from outside the campaign office in question....They say they "don't know how it got there, yet here it shows up on the bulliten board clearly visible from the front door (the office was closed):

Busted

 

[RyMickey]

Maybe if Kerry actually stood for something and stated his beliefs (other than the drone-like response "I served my country in Vietnam"), he wouldn't have to go after something like this. Granted, Bush is not exactly the best president ever, but when I have no idea where Kerry stands on what I believe is the most important issue this election (which is terrorism - for the war/against the war/"I would've gone to war"/"I wouldn't have gone"), there's no way I can possibly vote for him.

I'm sure Kerry served his country proudly, but I completely agree that his speaking out against Vietnam was used for his political gain at the time. He does whatever he can to gain the vote that he can at the time.

Had the Democrats put somebody up there that might have actually stood for something, they might have had me taking a look. But wishy-washy Kerry's flip-flopping irritates me immensely.

BTW, maybe I'm missing something, but I still don't understand why what was happening with the flyer in the Bush office would be an issue. The Swift Boat captains are obviously for Kerry to lose, the Bush campaign is obviously for Kerry to lose. Why can't they put this on a bulletin board? Plus, when Democratic-run groups like Move-on.org run ads comparing Bush to a Hitler (which makes me nauseous), they get no sympathy from me.

RyMickey

 

[cati]

xx

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Personally, I find it very disturbing that Kerry is trying to et the book banned, or if he can't stop the publisher, then he's asking bookstores not to carry it. Last I check, this was America, we had free speech, and intelligent people can have differing opinions. People on the left keep saying Bush will take away our freedoms, but I don't see that from him--I do see it with Kerry.

I also think it's blatant hypocrisy for Kerry to be complaining about the Swift Boat ads when MoveOn.org got millions ($50M ? I'm not sure--he said he'd give tons if it would defeat Bush) from George Soros, specifcally to defeat Bush, and Kerry said and did nothing. the Swifties have less than $1, and he's crying. Personally, I agree with Bush--let's agree to stop all the 527 ads. That would seem fair. As it stand,s Kerry just sounds like a crybaby--not a quality I look for in a president.

 

[bsnyder]

Where's the proof in these acusations, wvrevy? The flyer's not going to cut it.

 

[BostonTigger]

Originally posted by BuzznBelle'smom
Personally, I find it very disturbing that Kerry is trying to et the book banned, or if he can't stop the publisher, then he's asking bookstores not to carry it. Last I check, this was America, we had free speech, and intelligent people can have differing opinions. People on the left keep saying Bush will take away our freedoms, but I don't see that from him--I do see it with Kerry.

I also think it's blatant hypocrisy for Kerry to be complaining about the Swift Boat ads when MoveOn.org got millions ($50M ? I'm not sure--he said he'd give tons if it would defeat Bush) from George Soros, specifcally to defeat Bush, and Kerry said and did nothing. the Swifties have less than $1, and he's crying. Personally, I agree with Bush--let's agree to stop all the 527 ads. That would seem fair. As it stand,s Kerry just sounds like a crybaby--not a quality I look for in a president.

 

[spearenb]

Boo Hoo Hoo.....

Michael Moore's movie shows around the world and does Bush's camp ask for theaters not to show it?

Richard Clarkes book is sold around the states and does Bush's camp ask for stores not to sell it? He has an hour long interview on 60 Minutes and does Bush's camp ask 60 Minutes not to play it?

O'Neil's book is sold in the states and does Bush's camp ask for stores not to sell it?

NO!

SBV book is sold and their commercials play on TV and does Kerry's camp ask for the stores/publisher not to sell and for TV stations not to play the commercials?

YES! and they even threaten frivilous lawsuits!!!

Now I asks ya.... Who is the most scared?

 

[shortbun]

Originally posted by RyMickey
Maybe if Kerry actually stood for something and stated his beliefs (other than the drone-like response "I served my country in Vietnam"), he wouldn't have to go after something like this. Granted, Bush is not exactly the best president ever, but when I have no idea where Kerry stands on what I believe is the most important issue this election (which is terrorism - for the war/against the war/"I would've gone to war"/"I wouldn't have gone"), there's no way I can possibly vote for him.

I'm sure Kerry served his country proudly, but I completely agree that his speaking out against Vietnam was used for his political gain at the time. He does whatever he can to gain the vote that he can at the time.

Had the Democrats put somebody up there that might have actually stood for something, they might have had me taking a look. But wishy-washy Kerry's flip-flopping irritates me immensely.

BTW, maybe I'm missing something, but I still don't understand why what was happening with the flyer in the Bush office would be an issue. The Swift Boat captains are obviously for Kerry to lose, the Bush campaign is obviously for Kerry to lose. Why can't they put this on a bulletin board? Plus, when Democratic-run groups like Move-on.org run ads comparing Bush to a Hitler (which makes me nauseous), they get no sympathy from me.

RyMickey

These arguments are all the same, over and over again-the same
thing is said by both sides.
As for the flip flop of John Kerry. Rigidity goes hand in hand with
many mental illnesses and George Bush is so inflexible, someday
he'll crack. Probably, he won't be in the public eye but there is
something SO Nixon about him(except the intelligence of course).
I'll take a politician who can change his mind any day. Dry drunk,
msysogenists make horrible presidents as evidenced by our current chief.

 

[WilmaBud]

"Dry drunk?" That's a bit hostile and uncalled for IMHO. He acknowledged he had a problem with alcohol a long, long time ago, and he's been sober ever since.

Also, now Bush is "mentally ill" (or at least on the brink of it)? That's over-the-top, don't you think?

Wow!

 

[jennyanydots]

there'a huge difference between free speech and defamation. If someone publishes defamatory material, why shouldn't the victim ask publishers and bookstores not to carry the book?

whatever you think of Michael Moore's movie, he was careful not pt put anything in the movie that would be defamatory in the legal sense. nasty, perhaps. opinionated, definitely. suggestive of wrongdoing, maybe. but not defamatory -- knowingly publishing a falsehood. hence, asking theaters not to show the movie is censorship. the book, on the other hand, has material that is blatantly defamatory, and anyone who publishes it can be held liable to Kerry in a court of law.

a flyer in a campaign office, in and of itself, is not conclusive proof that Bush and the Swift Vets are working together. but it is evidence that suggests a connection.

 

[JPN4265]

Originally posted by wvrevy
This, from MSNBC:
------------------------


------
Now, here is a new development (and from Faux News itself )
------
Group's Flier Found in Bush Camp Office
Saturday, August 21, 2004


CRAWFORD, Texas — A volunteer for John Kerry (search) said Friday he picked up a flier in a Bush-Cheney campaign office in Gainesville, Fla., promoting Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (search), a group the Bush campaign has insisted for weeks it has no connection to.

The Kerry campaign e-mailed the flier to news organizations Friday, declaring that the Bush-Cheney campaign was "busted" for coordinating "in their smear campaign against John Kerry."

At Bush-Cheney campaign headquarters outside Washington, spokesman Steve Schmidt said: "The Bush-Cheney campaign has nothing to do with that piece of paper. ... I don't know how it showed up at the campaign headquarters."

"The Bush-Cheney campaign would object to any flier like this being displayed in any Republican headquarters," said Schmidt. He characterized the campaign operation in Gainesville where the flier was found as county GOP offices used by Bush-Cheney volunteers.

The flier distributed at Alachua County Republican Party headquarters promotes a weekend rally sponsored by "Swift Boat Vets for Truth" and other groups.

Bill Shilling, a Kerry volunteer in Gainesville, says he went to the GOP offices there Thursday and picked up the flier from a pile of literature on the table.

"The flier they gave me was on the same table as some Bush-Cheney bumper stickers," said Shilling. "I asked them if the Swift boat veterans were coming to Gainesville, and the woman I talked to said yes."
-------------
And one last thing: a picture, taken from outside the campaign office in question....They say they "don't know how it got there, yet here it shows up on the bulliten board clearly visible from the front door (the office was closed):

Busted

The New's stations are now reporting that the flier was planted by a Democratic operative to implicate the Bush Administration. The FBI has been called in to investagate.

Doesn't look good for the John-John's.

 

[cati]

xx

 

[Laz]

Looks like we have two children (Bush and Kerry) who are not playing well together. Maybe we should put them both in a corner without supper!

Both sides need to start focusing on something other than the mud they slinging.

 

[cati]

xx

 

[jennyanydots]

where are you getting your information, JPN? I'm not seeing it on MSNBC or Fox or CNN.

 

[JPN4265]

Originally posted by jennyanydots
where are you getting your information, JPN? I'm not seeing it on MSNBC or Fox or CNN.

Where all the knee jerk liberals get their news from: Opra, Jerry Springer, David Letterman, Jay Leno, etc.

 

[jennyanydots]

in other words, you were being sarcastic.


the truth of the matter is that Kerry has leveled a serious charge at Bush. whether it can be sustained remains to be seen. and it's not going to be decided on whether a flier was in a campaign office.

 

[orvilleair]

I don't even know if the flyer is real. The picture looks like it is floating on the bulletin board. Agree with Jennyanydots that I haven't seen this in the news yet, but we'll see.

 

[JPN4265]

Originally posted by jennyanydots
in other words, you were being sarcastic.


the truth of the matter is that Kerry has leveled a serious charge at Bush. whether it can be sustained remains to be seen. and it's not going to be decided on whether a flier was in a campaign office.

Yes, couldn't help myself.

 

[Teejay32]

Before I got here I was wondering how close the SBVT staff was to the Bush campaign. There's a good strategist at work here I think.