Tue Jun 19, 2012, 06:45 PM

Obama’s Lawyer Demands Information on Group’s Donors

Source: NY Times

By MICHAEL D. SHEAR

The lawyer for President Obama demanded on Tuesday that Crossroads GPS disclose its donors, saying in a complaint to the Federal Election Commission that the group is plainly a “political committee” subject to federal reporting requirements.

In the complaint, obtained by The New York Times, Robert F. Bauer, the campaign’s chief counsel, writes that the group — founded by Karl Rove, among others — can no longer shield the identity of its donors by defining itself as a “social welfare” organization.

“Crossroads seems to believe that it can run out the clock and spend massive sums of money in this election without accounting for a trace of its funding,” Mr. Bauer wrote in the complaint, filed Tuesday. “Now, a federal appellate court has issued a ruling that makes clear that Crossroads is out of time.”

The case Mr. Bauer cites is “Real Truth About Obama v. FEC,” in which the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that the government must determine the “major purpose” of groups like Crossroads.

FULL stroy at link.

Read more: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/19/obamas-lawyer-demands-information-on-groups-donors/?partner=EXCITE&ei=5043

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11 replies	Author	Time	Post
Obama’s Lawyer Demands Information on Group’s Donors (Original post)	Omaha Steve	Jun 2012	OP
If money is speech	Mz Pip	Jun 2012	#1
Very good. If they are proud of what they're doing, reveal their sources. Elections are important.	freshwest	Jun 2012	#2
Damn, maybe Obama has finally learned how to throw a punch.	TrollBuster9090	Jun 2012	#3
What's good for the goose...	Roy Rolling	Jun 2012	#4
Right on; recommend. Let's force the issue. nt	babylonsister	Jun 2012	#5
Obama’s Lawyer Demands Information on Group’s Donors	clang1	Jun 2012	#6
K&R n/t	bobthedrummer	Jun 2012	#7
Make them prove whether or not the North Koreans are financing them..	Bandit	Jun 2012	#8
Kicked and recommended.	Uncle Joe	Jun 2012	#9
Guys, I know that we'll never be able to match these crooks dollar for dollar, but	Liberal_Stalwart71	Jun 2012	#10
K & R	Quantess	Jun 2012	#11

Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2012, 07:12 PM

Mz Pip (23,886 posts)

1. If money is speech

we should at least be able to see who's talking.

Reply to this post

Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2012, 07:12 PM

freshwest (32,410 posts)

2. Very good. If they are proud of what they're doing, reveal their sources. Elections are important.

Reply to this post

Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2012, 08:14 PM

TrollBuster9090 (1,650 posts)

3. Damn, maybe Obama has finally learned how to throw a punch.

And the timing is perfect. Apparently it was only Republican hit men who knew about timing with the Swiftboat attacks during the 2004 election. The timing of this is perfect. THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ELECTION ISSUE, not some stupid parliamentary sidebar on the back page of the New York Times.

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2012, 09:33 PM

Roy Rolling (1,017 posts)

4. What's good for the goose...

is good for the gander, as they say.

They should follow their own philosopy of "if donors aren't doing anything wrong then they won't mind disclosing their participation."

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2012, 10:36 PM

babylonsister (144,370 posts)

5. Right on; recommend. Let's force the issue. nt

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2012, 11:59 PM

clang1 (884 posts)

6. Obama’s Lawyer Demands Information on Group’s Donors

For those that wish to support:

http://my.barackobama.com/Disclose-Your-Donors

--

Something big happened in Richmond last week -- and a couple millionaires and billionaires are hoping you didn't notice.

The U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed last week that groups like the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity and Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS should have to disclose exactly who's behind the millions of dollars they're spending to influence this election.

They're going to try to avoid this for as long as they can. After all, they have a vested interest in being able to spend millions anonymously to influence our elections -- many of the corporations and individuals funding their organizations don't want their agendas to receive scrutiny from the press or the public.

We can make sure they don't get away with hiding these donors -- or their agendas. But it's going to take a lot of us standing up, putting our foot down, and saying "Hell no."

We've put together a petition demanding that these secret front groups disclose for the country exactly who their donors are. Do what these guys won't do: Let the country know exactly what you stand for by adding your name today.

Ask yourself: Don't we all have a right to know exactly which corporations and individuals are spending millions in attack ads to influence elections -- and what their agendas are?

If you agree, add your name today:

http://my.barackobama.com/Disclose-Your-Donors

More soon,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 03:03 PM

bobthedrummer (23,247 posts)