The Kerry campaign just keeps coming with attack after attack on the Swifties. He calls them Republican activist and Bush cronies, but what about MoveOn.org? They attack Bush all the time with nary a whimper from the President. Perhaps he is thicker skinned? In any case lets look at these two 527s, info courtesy of opensecrets.org:
OpenSecrets.org's description:
Begun in 1998 to protest the impeachment of President Clinton, the group has become a powerful political force since then. Its political action committee, the MoveOn PAC, spends millions of dollars to support the election of Democratic candidates. The MoveOn.org Voter Fund is raising soft money, which may be contributed in unlimited amounts, for TV ads in key battleground states that are critical of President Bush.
Oh, but wait. Soros also decided to donate to John Kerry! According to the OpenSecrets.org donor look-up he donated $2000 to the Kerry Campaign. Remember, however, that Soros is a Liberal and is not allowed scrutiny in his donations. Only Conservatives or people who support Bush are culpable.
Looking at the Swifties now:
OpenSecrets.org's description:
SBVT represents Vietnam Swift boat veterans who are critical of Democrat John Kerry's decision to make his military service a major part of his campaign for president. The group questions Kerry's record in Vietnam and denounces his anti-war activities following his military service. The group's donors include some major Republican contributors.
Yeah, they are the big bullies here. The issue is that Kerry can only attack the Swifties by saying they are associated with Bush, and in the end it won't work. Bush's connection to the Swift Boat Vets is the same as Kerry's to the MoveOn.org group. Kerry cannot prove a connection, and in the end it won't matter. His only defense is to attack the issues raised, and he will do no so thing.
Another thing to look at is the top 10 donors to 527 Committees. You'd expect huge rich rich rich Republicans to fill the top but you'd be wrong. Here they are:
1 Peter Lewis
Peter B Lewis/Progressive Corp
Cleveland, OH
$14,030,000
Joint Victory Campaign 2004 $7,750,000
America Coming Together $2,995,000
MoveOn.org $2,500,000
Marijuana Policy Project $485,000
Young Democrats of America $250,000
PunkVoter Inc $50,000
2. George Soros
Soros Fund Management
New York, NY
$12,600,000
America Coming Together $5,000,000
Joint Victory Campaign 2004 $4,550,000
MoveOn.org $2,500,000
Campaign for America's Future $300,000
Democracy for America $250,000
SOROS, GEORGE
NEW YORK,NY 10106
SOROS FUNDS MANAGEMENT/INVESTOR
3/31/2003
$2,000
Kerry, John
3 Steven Bing
Shangri-La Entertainment
Los Angeles, CA
$8,086,273
Joint Victory Campaign 2004 $6,964,846
MoveOn.org $971,427
Americans for Progress & Opportunity $150,000
4 Andrew & Deborah Rappaport
August Capital
Woodside, CA
$2,910,000
Music for America $1,550,000
New Democrat Network $1,100,000
Democrats 2000 $200,000
America Votes $50,000
EMILY's List Non-Federal $10,000
5 John A & Lawrie Harris
Changing Horizons Fund
Berwyn, PA
$1,674,000
League of Conservation Voters $1,478,000
State Conservation Voters Action Fund $130,000
Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund $28,000
Sierra Club $28,000
MoveOn.org $10,000
HARRIS, LAWRIE R MS
BERWYN,PA 19312
3/31/2004
$1,000
Kerry, John
6 Lewis Cullman
Cullman Foundation/Cullman Ventures
New York, NY
$1,650,000
Joint Victory Campaign 2004 $1,000,000
America Coming Together $500,000
MoveOn.org $100,000
Americans for Jobs, Healthcare & Values $50,000
CULLMAN, LEWIS B
NEW YORK,NY 10017
CULLMAN VENTURES/PRESIDENT
2/27/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John
7 Agnes Varis
Agvar Chemicals
New York, NY
$1,500,000
Joint Victory Campaign 2004 $1,500,000
VARIS, AGNES
NEW YORK,NY 10019
AGVAR INC./DOCTOR
3/16/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John
8. Alida R Messinger
Alida Messinger Charitable Lead Trust
New York, NY
$1,158,000
America Coming Together $500,000
League of Conservation Voters $500,000
State Conservation Voters Action Fund $133,000
Democrats 2000 $25,000
MESSINGER, ALIDA R
NEW YORK,NY 10112
SELF/PHILANTHROPIST
6/11/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John
9. Fred Eychaner
Newsweb Corp
Chicago, IL
$1,150,000
America Coming Together $500,000
Media Fund $500,000
Voices For Working Families $150,000
EYCHANER, FRED
CHICAGO,IL 60614
NEWSWEB CORPORATION/PRESIDENT
4/5/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John
10. Susie Tompkins Buell
Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation
San Francisco, CA
$1,020,000
Joint Victory Campaign 2004 $1,000,000
EMILY's List Non-Federal $20,000
BUELL, SUSIE TOMPKINS
SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111
RETIRED/RETIRED
3/12/2003
$2,000
Kerry, John
8 out of 10 also donated to Kerry, the max of $2000. The rest they are pouring into 527's, for some odd reason...
Yeah, those 527 have NOTHING to do with helping Kerry.