Posted on 09/21/2008 6:34:42 AM PDT by Mobile Vulgus
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) donated nearly $5.5 million to three non-profit, leftist political groups to beat Republican politicians in Florida, Michigan and Ohio this year. AFSCME gave to Campaign Money Watch, Patriot Majority and Patriot Majority Midwest.
AFSCME's role, however, was not well known until now. Detractors say that this shadowy financial support violates the spirit of campaign finance reform and open government.
Allowing non-profits to raise and spend unlimited union or corporate funds violates the spirit of laws aimed at curbing special interests in elections, said Meredith McGehee of the non-partisan watchdog Campaign Legal Center. "These groups can play the role of a hit man in a campaign and do it in a way that's not very transparent," she said.
Labor groups are hiding "behind shadowlike front groups to prop up their candidates of choice," said Ken Spain, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. This week the group asked the FEC to investigate Patriot Majority, saying it should not operate as a non-profit.
And here is the main problem. Unions reaching out far past their role for the mere reasons of personal power...
Read the rest at Publiusforum.com...
As a State employee, I for one can tell you they don’t speak for me!
By Fredreka Schouten, USA TODAY
Since July, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has donated almost $5.5 million to three groups: Campaign Money Watch, Patriot Majority and Patriot Majority Midwest. Those groups have spent more than $2 million on TV ads attacking GOP Sens. Ted Stevens of Alaska and John Sununu of New Hampshire and five GOP lawmakers and House candidates in Florida, Michigan and Ohio. The ads don’t mention AFSCME by name.
If the AFSCME targets lose on Nov. 4, the results could help expand the Democrats’ majorities in Congress. Since January 2007, AFSCME has given more than $1.6 million to Democratic candidates.
Excerpt.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-18-union-money_N.htm
5.5 mil. ,,,,,, And they claim we’re in a recession .
Doesn’t the public employee these people?
The answer to this is give whatever small amount you can to fight this.
http://twoseats.nrsc.org/orders/search.aspx
This is the most powerful union on earth. We are owned by them because the government is owned by them.
This must be the gang that believes watching one guy work a shovel
while 6 guys stand around and watch in an administrative capacity
is the way government can get us out of a financial crunch.
OK, now its clear...LOL
We always need to be aware of what the enemies of the Constitution and our economy are planning.
In this case it would be “Central Planning” starting with the politburo in Obama’s five and ten year plans to Central Party Socialism.
I second that. They don’t speak for me either.
So the employees of these organizations which are funded by our tax money are donating our own money to Obambi’s campaign?
So the Dims are taking our own money to help us cut our own throats?
Typical.
Wonderful. /S
Consider the irony, these are all public employees being paid by taxpayers. The union bosses take money from their paychecks without their consent and hand it over to one political party. So, literally we are all paying for the donations which are reaching liberal politicians despite the fact that not a single person being taxed has ever been asked for that money.
Democrats could not survive as a national party if not for the hundreds of millions (or billions) in free media from ideologically aligned MSM along with the hundreds of millions in direct contributions and in-kind efforts by unions who confiscate employees wages without approval. Should make democrats quite proud.
Perhaps we should pass yet another law that says Unions moneys donated to political parties should be equally distributed between all parties. 50% to Republicans and 50% to the Dim Dhims.
I wonder how they’d like them apples.
They are just pissed Hellary didn’t get nominated.
I was stuck in the stupid union for 2 years as a 911 dispatcher. They sent out tons of letters asking me to vote for John Kerry and also Hillary. Yikes. I spent a lot of time faxing, phone calling, and letter writing asking them to stop mailing me very scary mail. I left that job 3 years ago - this spring I received a bill for $2750 in past dues payable immediately. They even said I could pay by credit card. Uh, after the phone call I made to them, I haven’t received anything else from them. Think they make the teamsters look like saints. What is that law that a person can ask for their union dues not be used for political ads?
Paging Russ Feingold .. Russ Feingold .. Red Courtesy phone
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