Not Doing Arthur Branch Proud: Fred Circumvents Election Law With Online Advocacy
Posted by Mike Gehrke on August 15, 2007 at 01:30 PM
Lobbyist Fred Thompson lays out how his impression campaign finance law by circumventing the law which he helped write.
Since former Senator Fred D. Thompson of Tennessee has not yet declared his presidential candidacy, he cannot advertise on television, on radio or in newspapers to promote his political ambitions.
But on the Internet, his supporters can turn to his official Web site, www.imwithfred.com, where they are solicited for donations and asked to spread the word to friends, hold fund-raising parties and call talk-radio programs on his behalf. Visitors to the site can watch his “FredCast” and read “the Fred File” to get his views on issues like the economy and immigration law.
Mr. Thompson, a Republican, has been able to set up what looks like a stealth campaign on the Internet because federal election laws and enforcement have failed to catch up with the surge in campaigning in cyberspace. As a result, he has been able to promote his positions and raise money through his Web site, all while technically remaining a noncandidate.
And that status enables him to remain on television on “Law and Order” reruns without NBC facing demands from other candidates for equal time. It exempts him from the more rigorous rules on reporting donors that declared candidates must adhere to.
Comments - 5 »
Comments - 5 «
If there is anything more evil than the Republicans. I would like to hear it? That is what happened to the K Street money makers that put them down. You wait and see they will go too far someday and BAMB the Democrats will get them too.
Posted by freeforall on August 15, 2007 at 04:02 PM
Suspend Law and Order? Parish the thought. The jerk better not "offically" run for president.
Posted by SandyH on August 15, 2007 at 05:15 PM
Evil? More evil? I hope you begrudge me this. How about Mohamicidal Maniacs bent on the subjugation of humanity, or at least the deaths of all those who refuse to bow down and prostrate themselves before their god. I think that is fairly evil, don't you?
Posted by NiemandBinich on August 15, 2007 at 11:56 PM
The Republicans are doing so much, It would be difficult for all the Courts and all the prosecuters to bring them to justice. I think Bush, Chaney, Karl Rove, and others must have read Helter Scelter and copied it using the American people as pons.
Posted by freeforall on August 16, 2007 at 10:09 PM
Has anyone considered the possibility that Fred Thompson's stealth campaign to raise money on the inernet without declaring his candidacy is just that - a stealthy way to get money without being legally obligated to spend any of it on a campaign? I doubt NBC would be very happy about not being able to show Law and Order without equal time for other candidates. Since Law and Order is all they ever show these days, they wouldn't have room in their schedule for all the other candidates, anyway. So maybe ol' Fred has no intention to declare.
Posted by eldon on August 17, 2007 at 07:04 PM
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