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FEC fines three groups for illegal fundraising in 2004 campaign
Washington Post via Minneapolis Star Tribune ^ | December 13, 2006 | R. Jeffrey Smith

Posted on 12/14/2006 7:32:06 PM PST by neverdem

A MoveOn.org fund, Swift Boat Vets and the League of Conservation Voters will pay more than $600,000.

WASHINGTON - The Federal Election Commission on Wednesday slapped heavy fines on three independent fundraising groups that it said had illegally injected tens of millions of dollars into the 2004 presidential campaign, concluding unanimously that the funds were drawn from large donors and corporations in violation of election laws. The fines, which totaled $629,500, targeted two Democrat-leaning groups and one Republican-leaning group.

More than $950 million was funneled through organizations known as 527 groups in the 2004 and 2006 elections, much of it from wealthy donors and corporations otherwise barred from having such a large financial impact.

The group listed as Swift Boat Veterans and POWs for Truth will pay $299,500. In the 2004 campaign, the group leveled unsubstantiated allegations about Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry's military record in Vietnam.

The MoveOn.Org Voter Fund raised and spent $21 million against President Bush in 2004, including more than $2.5 million from investor George Soros. It was fined $150,000.

The League of Conservation Voters will pay $180,000. The group ran anti-Bush ads on environmental issues.

Prominent election lawyers said the FEC's decision to fine the three groups was unlikely to stanch such funding in the 2008 election. While the fines imposed Wednesday add new uncertainty for large donors, the underlying FEC rules remain so murky that the strength of the precedent is unclear, the lawyers said.

Other campaign finance lawyers said even the risk of future fines may not deter the wealthiest donors, who would only be dunned long after the donations had been spent and elections decided. They said the ruling may encourage large donors to use other sorts of tax-exempt advocacy groups, which have not been subject to FEC regulation in the past...

(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004campaign; fec
Groups penalized for breaking campaign finance laws in 2004 election USA TODAY

What a steaming pile!

1 posted on 12/14/2006 7:32:08 PM PST by neverdem
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To: neverdem

"Unsubstantiated" my donkey! When is Senator John Kerry going to level with the American people and sign an SF180? <..crickets chirping..> I thought so...


2 posted on 12/14/2006 7:35:34 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (Hailey Barbour/John Bolton 2008)
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To: neverdem

Why does the Soros group only pay $150k while the Swift Boat vets get slapped with twice as much?


3 posted on 12/14/2006 7:38:38 PM PST by rabscuttle385 (Sic Semper Tyrannis * Allen for U.S. Senate in '08)
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To: neverdem

And Hillary????? Peter Paul donated how much money to her campaign and she never reported it.....why does she get off???????


4 posted on 12/14/2006 8:02:52 PM PST by HarleyLady27 (My ? to libs: "Do they ever shut up on your planet?" "Grow your own DOPE: Plant a LIB!")
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To: rabscuttle385
Why does the Soros group only pay $150k while the Swift Boat vets get slapped with twice as much?

Because the FEC is a bipartisan panel, and like all bipartisan panels in Washington, it has to be staffed with bulldog Democrats and lapdog Republicans.

Imagine the 9/11 Commission were in charge of overseeing our elections. You'd probably end up with the same thing.

5 posted on 12/14/2006 8:21:20 PM PST by GoBucks2002
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To: GoBucks2002; rabscuttle385
This sort of thing is to be expected from an institution like the FEC.

It's fascistic in concept and orientation and the types of people willing to work for it are inherently totalitarian.

No real American would work ten seconds on or for the FEC.

Wouldn't let these guys near a cashregister nor a baby's bottle either ~ conversion's their first name.

6 posted on 12/14/2006 8:28:11 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: neverdem

Moveon.org spent $21million (including illegal foreign contributions) and yet they are still considered a "grass roots" organization. What kind of grass is George Soros, Billionaire, smoking?


7 posted on 12/14/2006 8:36:56 PM PST by weegee (Remember "Remember the Maine"? Well in the current war "Remember the Baby Milk Factory")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Where's Kerry's 180?

8 posted on 12/14/2006 8:48:07 PM PST by Seadog Bytes (OPM - The Liberal 'solution' to every societal problem. (Other People's Money))
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To: neverdem
"the funds were drawn from large donors and corporations"

I'm 172 pounds, and the Swift Boat Vets never asked my wieght. I'm hardly "large" and not incorporated.

9 posted on 12/14/2006 9:24:52 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (Heads up, people! The Nazis are back. They're more numerous and gearing up with atomic weapons.)
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To: neverdem

Hey this is great news for frenchie! Now he can face the American people and say "I was cleared by a government agency. I really was in Cambodia and the splinter in my ash really was worth a Purple Heart. See I told you so!"
Yeah right! Bring it on french man, bring it on!


10 posted on 12/15/2006 4:38:00 AM PST by jmaroneps37 (Millions of Democrat babies aborted in 1988 or earlier did not vote this year.)
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