Posted on 10/30/2007 12:16:40 PM PDT by Richard Poe
| by Richard Lawrence Poe Monday, October 22, 2007 |
Permanent Link More Columns |
CALL IT Bloggergate — the subversion of the blogosphere by Democrat money.
Six years ago, most bloggers leaned right-of-center politically. Then something happened. The blogosphere made a sudden, screeching, 180-degree swerve to the left.
What caused this upheaval? For years, we could only speculate. Now, at last, we have caught a glimmer of the truth. It is not a pretty picture.
“We are . . . putting together a network in the blogosphere,” Senator Hillary Clinton announced on August 4, 2007 at the YearlyKos Convention, a gathering of leftwing bloggers in Chicago.
Her remarks became public two months later, on Oct. 2, when an anonymous person posted a shaky, hand-held videotape of her speech on YouTube.
In the video, Hillary takes credit for the rapid proliferation of leftwing blogs, which she attributes to the work of “institutions that I helped to start and support like Media Matters and Center for American Progress…”
The two groups Hillary mentions are 501(c)3 tax-exempt organizations, forbidden by law from coordinating their efforts with political candidates. If indeed Hillary “helped to start and support” these groups, plotting with them to subsidize political bloggers, Hillary and both groups would be guilty of a federal crime.
The Bloggergate scandal first emerged in January 2005 when leftwing bloggers Jerome “The Blogfather” Armstrong of MyDD and DailyKos founder Markos Moulitsas Zuñiga admitted to getting cash from Howard Dean's presidential campaign.
Bloggergate heated up in October 2006, when Republican blogger Michael Brodkorb of Minnesota discovered that many leftwing bloggers in his state were getting cash “fellowships” from an outfit called the Center for Independent Media (CIM).
Brodkorb learned that CIM worked from an office in Washington, DC owned by Media Matters for America.
My co-author David Horowitz and I described the close relationship between Media Matters and Hillary Clinton in our book The Shadow Party: How George Soros, Hillary Clinton and Sixties Radicals Siezed Control of the Democratic Party.
We noted that Media Matters was launched by the Center for American Progress (CAP), an organization described by the leftist journal The Nation as “a shadow government, a kind of Clinton White-House-exile – or a White House staff in readiness for President Hillary Clinton.
CAP was founded in July 2003 by billionaire Democrat donor George Soros, working closely with Morton Halperin, director of U.S. advocacy for Soros’ Open Society Institute. To run their Center, they appointed John Podesta – former Clinton White House Chief of Staff. To help organize it, they recruited Harold Ickes, former Deputy Chief of Staff for the Clinton White House.
The Center launched Media Matters in May 2004, touting the group as a watchdog for conservative bias in the media. Its founding president was David Brock, a former conservative journalist turned leftist.
The New York Times of May 3, 2004 noted that Media Matters was formed “with help” from the Center for American Progress; that CAP had “loaned office space” to Brock; and that CAP president Podesta had “introduced [Brock] to potential donors.”
“Mr. Brock . . . has also spoken with Senator Clinton, Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota and former vice president Al Gore about his project,” The Times reported.
No sooner had Media Matters opened for business, than Brock began pressuring Congress to ban Rush Limbaugh from American Forces Radio and Television Service — an effort which continues to this day.
Much as CAP spawned Media Matters, Media Matters in turn spawned the Center for Independent Media (CIM), in April 2006.
CIM co-founders David S. Bennahum and Alexandra Savino are both Media Matters alumni. Mr. Bennahum helped found Media Matters, serving as one of its original senior fellows. Miss Savino worked for Media Matters as a blogosphere analyst.
CIM recruits, trains, directs and finances an army of leftwing bloggers through its “New Journalist” program. The program application offers bloggers a three-month, renewable fellowship which includes “a stipend of $4,500 to be paid over three months,” “editorial mentorship from experts in the field of blogging and/or journalism,” access to expensive databases such as LexisNexis, as well as free legal advice, training, and technical support.
On its NewJournalist.org Web site, CIM claims to run a “fast-growing network of 40 journalists”. It lists 34 of its “fellows” by name.
Those of us who spent the last six years watching bemused as the blogosphere swung left have at last gained some insight into how this mysterious process unfolded.
Now the IRS and the FEC must act upon that insight and purge the blogosphere of dirty Democrat money.
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Richard Lawrence Poe is a contributing editor to Newsmax, an award-winning journalist and a New York Times bestselling author. His latest book is The Shadow Party: How George Soros, Hillary Clinton and Sixties Radicals Siezed Control of the Democratic Party, co-written with David Horowitz. |
It’s excellent! Sent a copy, with HTML for the links, to the NY Times as an OpEd Contributor. If they decline, then try the Washington Post, LA Times or USAToday. If all of them decline, try the Wall Street Journal.
Can someone explain to me why the GWB Justice Dept does NOT go after these apparent, if not obvious, crimes?
Hey! Hillary’s legs are magnificent! They are insured for a million dollars. Besides she is the spitting image of Ilsa Koch, the bitch of Buchenwald. I’ll bet she’d be good at making lampshades.
I have a theory.
It has always bothered me that BJ became so friendly with GW’s dad. My theory was to get an ally in ‘the family’ to go soft of BJ because ‘he is such a nice guy.’ I seem to recall a quote in a book I read about the early Ark days when a particular journalist was giving BJ a particularly bad time. Hirraly invited him to lunch one day, cozied up to him some way(threatened) and he eased off on them. Same strategy applies with BJ and 41.
“The Center launched Media Matters in May 2004, touting the group as a watchdog for conservative bias in the media.”
Talk about a white whale .....
[...cozied up to him some way(threatened) and he eased off on them.]
Are you suggesting blackmail?
Drat
Send, not Sent
Send a copy, with HTML for the links, to the NY Times as an OpEd Contributor. If they decline, then try the Washington Post, LA Times or USAToday. If all of them decline, try the Wall Street Journal.
Wake Up America!!
"Stalin was a piker compared to these neo-truther aparachniks democratchniks.
Six years ago, bloggers also had the feel of being everyday citizens. Now many come across as paid hacks. Thanks for a great post, Richard.
do I really have to say it???
“Extortion of money or something else of value from a person by the threat of exposing a criminal act or discreditable information.” (Yahoo dictionary for blackmail).
“threatened” may have been a little harsh. In the example about the reporter, it may have been on the order of “do you value your journalistic career?” kind of statement. Sort of what they did to GQ mag to spike a story. Don’t recall the book defining what may have been suggested.
In ref to the Bush thought, I think BJ just used what, everyone admits, is a very strong and likable personality. I think it is quite likely that if one likes a person they may be less likely to offend them. Plus 41 and 43 respect the institution of the Presidency more than BJ and spouse.
Go Richard! Who is going to charge her with this Federal crime?!
It’s called apathy. Don’t give a damn,etc. HAS
anyone noticed the comic strip, Doonesbury, has joined
the Hillary bandwagon?? D-Bury haS been one of the
worst Bush BaSHERS ever since 2000. Ironically, the
comic strip is not with the rest of comics..but is usually
found on your Editorial section to make sure it hits the
political junkies like us. Hillary’s paid staff..cover
all basaes..watch for it and you can notice it...some
is subtle but will get more aggressive as elections
come up..........JK
5.56mm
BTTT
Trudeau was bashing the elder Bush years before 2000. He’s just another partisan media shill.
The two groups Hillary mentions are 501(c)3 tax-exempt organizations, forbidden by law from coordinating their efforts with political candidates. If indeed Hillary "helped to start and support" these groups, plotting with them to subsidize political bloggers, Hillary and both groups would be guilty of a federal crime.Thanks Richard; I wonder if this is connected to H's call for regulation of the internet? I mean, if she was already doing this, she'd figure out that she'd need some cover fire later. Obviously, these are not the same. But since she'd already been shot down regarding internet regulation, it wouldn't be palatable for opponents of it to come after her now. Remember, she turned her law firm conflict of interest into "won't stay home to bake cookies."
Hey Rich, keep up the good work.
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