Are Democrat candidates violating campaign finance laws to coordinate attacks on the GOP with Super PACs?
The NRSC thinks so, arguing that there is an unmistakable pattern to these attacks. First an attack shows up on a candidate’s website in “an important message” and within days, it’s made into a commercial by Harry Reid’s Majority PAC or another liberal special interest group. In other words, the “important message” is a directive from the DCCC to outside groups to run an ad. It reeks of coordination, yet this type of coordination is prohibited by law.
On Wednesday, the DSCC tweeted an “important message for New Hampshire,” linking to Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s website:
More attack ads. Paid for by the Koch Brothers and their special interest money. More proof big oil, the Koch Brothers and Wall Street think they can buy our Senate seat for Scott Brown. When Brown was the Senator from Massachusetts he gave big oil and Wall Street billions in special breaks. They gave him millions in campaign contributions. Jeanne Shaheen voted to stop those special breaks. She’s leading the fight for a bipartisan bill to lower energy costs for consumers and create jobs. Jeanne Shaheen. Making a difference for New Hampshire.
After the Shaheen “special message” came out, the NRSC Communications Director, Brad Dayspring made a bold prediction.
Less than 24 hours after receiving the directive from the DSCC, Reid’s Senate Majority PAC reserved hundreds of thousands of dollars of air time in Manchester New Hampshire.
The ad was released, today:
“Scott Brown is carrying some big oil baggage. In massachusetts, he voted to give oil companies big tax breaks – they make record profits, he collects over four hundred thousand in campaign contributions. Now Brown’s shopping for a new senate seat. In oil rich texas? The oil fields of North Dakota? Nope, Brown wants to bring his big oil baggage to New Hampshire. Scott Brown: out for himself and big oil at our expense. Senate Majority PAC is responsible for the content of this advertising.”
How blatant is that? They’re not even trying to hide it.
The NRSC says, “this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this pattern, but it is the most egregious.” Here are some more examples:
— In North Carolina, the DSCC tweeted this “important message” on April 11. Four days later, Harry Reid’s Majority PAC released this ad April 15th.
— Also in North Carolina, the DSCC tweeted this “important message” on March 20th. Six days later, Majority PAC released this ad March 26th.
— In Arkansas the DSCC tweeted an “important message” both on April 7th and April 8th. Patriot Majority released this ad just a week later.
It couldn’t be more obvious that Democrats are trying their best to find ways to skirt campaign laws. Maybe the FEC should look into it.
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