This article is based purely on Joshua Holland’s article. All quotes are attributed to the article he wrote. On October 30, 2010 for Alternet.
““It’s pretty clear that corporations now have the ability to spend unlimited amounts of money to take on people like my boss.'”
Conservative opponents have “made the race(s) closer than it might … (be) with the help of a bundle of campaign cash from a shady corporate front group called the American Future Fund (AFF).””
“According to the New York Times.” “The American Future Fund’s (seed money,) put up by Bruce Rastetter, exec and reliable conservative donor of an ethanol company.”; “was founded by Nick Ryan, … in 2007,”
“The
New York Times estimated that AFF has spent at least $574,000 on ads attacking the Democrat this cycle, … communications director Caitlin Legacki told AlterNet the figure was closer to $1.8 million, including spending that isn’t strictly counted as “electioneering.” The conservative opponents “also enjoyed another quarter-million worth of attack ads from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.”
“In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, neither group is required to disclose its donors.” (my italics & bold)
“”The
Des Moines Register reported that AFF has spent $8.9 million so far…on behalf of conservative candidates. …”the ‘office’ (of the AFF)….Is a mailbox at a private shipping service store…””
“According to a complaint filed by Public Citizen and several other watchdog groups, AFF “is registered as a 501(c)(4) organization, …under IRS tax code cannot have a primary purpose of influencing elections.” The complaint alleges … ““appears to be violating campaign finance law,” “
“The Register noted… the anonymous nature of AFF’s donors has “raised controversy about who's seeking to influence the political process.” “It’s clear that the group is pulling in tax dollars from corporate interest groups.”
““It’s … clear that corporations now have the ability to spend unlimited amounts of money to take on people” said Caitlin Legacki”
“According to the
Iowa Independent, the group’s leaders include “two media consultants who played key roles in the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads in 2004 and the Willie Horton ad in 1988, both of which helped defeat Democratic presidential candidates.”” And are know to be the sleaze attacks par none.
AFF’s ads have been especially nasty.
According to the New York Times. "Caitlin Legacki told AlterNet that “anytime somebody is not required to stand by their ads, as candidates are, they have a lot more room to be especially vitriolic and especially misleading.” …
““Because there’s no instrument in place for these people to be held accountable, they have free rein.” The ad-checker Political Correction review …
found they (the attack ads) were “not based in fact.””
“The
New York Times … many candidates (are) being pummeled this year by secret money and shamefully false advertising.” In the … Third District, incumbent Democrat Leonard Boswell,
advocates reining in agricultural subsidies that help pad ethanol producers’ bottom lines, is facing a similar onslaught.”
“The river of third-party cash, made legal last year by the Supreme Court, is in part a result of right-wing donors looking to capitalize on an enthusiastic conservative base, and in part by Republicans’ distrust of the National Republican Committee under the leadership of Michael Steele.”
“The result has been … a “super-pac,.” The
Washington Post described (it) as ““a new political weapon” that allows ”independent groups to both raise and spend money at a pace that threatens to eclipse the efforts of political parties.””
“Stuart Rothenberg
writes this week that the Dems ““face the potential of a political bloodbath the size of which we haven’t seen since the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.””
"If that should prove true, it’ll be a result of the GOP successfully expanding the field of seats in play, largely because of the efforts of these third-party groups.
“$500,000 or a million in attack ads has far more impact on a Congressional race than it would a fight for statewide office… “
" The
Washington Post reports that a late fund-raising by the Dem-aligned groups has allowed (the) Dem groups to spend (only) two-thirds of what their opponents have over the past week – Before that the Conservative groups were “outspending their Dem counterparts seven to one.”
“Voters will never know who’s behind the onslaught of advertising the corporate-funded super-pacs are buying. …"
"But be assured that the big corporations and donors will make their identities known to the winners they push into office. The price for their support will be high.””
Joshua Holland is an editor and senior writer at AlterNet.
