DailyKos:TheClinton527

Let'sbeclear:whena527formsfortheexpresspurposeofelectingordefeatingaparticularfederalcandidate,andengagesinpublicadvocacytowardssuchends--asopposedtodiscussingissues--itisbreakingthelaw.Period. TheMediaFund,SwiftBoatersandother527shavepaidsix-figurefinesforactinglikeapoliticalactioncommittee--i.e.,engaginginexpressadvocacyandsolicitingitsdonorswiththemajorpurposeofhelpingidentifiablefederalcandidates--butwithoutabidingbyanyoftheindividualcontributionlimitsordisclosurerequirementsattachingtoPACs.

Butwhenyou'velost25of36contests...

AlliesofHillaryClintonplananexpensive,stealthcampaigntobuttressherstandinginthemust-winstatesofOhio,TexasandPennsylvania.

They'recanvassingClintondonorsforpledgesofupto$100,000inthehopeofraisingatleast$10Mbytheendofnextweek.Themoneywillbeplacedintheaccountofapoliticalcommitteeorganizedundersection527ofthetaxcode.

ABCNewshasmore:

ABCNewshaslearnedthatagroupofDemocraticpoliticoshavesetupanewindependent527organizationcalledtheAmericanLeadershipProject(ALP)withtheexpresspurposeofhelpingSen.HillaryClinton,D-NY,beatSen.BarackObama,D-Illinois,inOhio,andpossiblyTexasandPennsylvaniaaswell.

Freefromcampaignfinancerules,ALPwillnotbelegallypermittedtocoordinatewiththeClintoncampaign,butitisclearlyintendedtohelpher.

...ALPhasdevelopedthreeadsaimedattarnishingSen.BarackObama,D-Illinois,asatalkerandnotadoer--theadsarecalled"Ifspeechescouldsolveproblems"--andtheywillcontrastObamaandClintononissuesofimportancetomiddleclassvoters,suchastheeconomy,healthcare,andthemortgagecrisis.

TheplanrightnowisfortheTVadstoneveractuallymentionObama--rather,thestatementsaboutrhetoricvs.realitywillgoafterhimthroughimplication,thecontrastbetweenClintonandObamaalreadybeingsowell-known.

Iwanttohighlightthatlastquotetomakeclearthelengthstowhichthis527willhavetogotoevenarguablyhaveacasethatit'sdiscussing"issues"andnotcandidates. Maybethey'vefoundamagicloophole,butinalllikelihood,theyhaven't,thoughtheirfirstadfollowsalltherulesintermsof"don'tmentiontheelection!justtellpeopletomakephonecalls!"

Why? BecausebasedonthoseFECprecedents,agroupthatformsontheeveofprimaryelections,advertisesonlyintheimmediateprimaryelectionstates,andhasnotrackrecordwhatsoeverofanykindof"issueadvocacy"outsidesuchcontext...well,it'sdamnhardinthosecircumstancestoclaimyou'renotinitforthepurposeofinfluencingtheelections. 

[Theonlypieceofthepuzzlewedon'thaveyetiswhat'sbeingtoldtopotentialsupporters,butsincethewebsitelistedinthatadproducesadeadlink,wehavenoidea.]

The527'sleadershipmightbecountingontwothings:first,withoutafunctioningFederalElectionCommission,anycomplaintfiledagainstthis527remainsanullity;and,second,anysubsequentfinemightjustbeseenasanecessary"tax"ontheirefforts,thecostofdoingbusinesstogetClintonelected. Twoweeksago,theWSJquotedtwooftheseClintonbundlers:

"We'rejusttryingtofigureoutthingstodotohelp,"Ms.Buellsaid."Weallfeelverypassionateaboutit,sothequestionis,whatisthebestthingwecandotogetheracrossthefinishline?"

AnotherClintonfund-raiser,whodidn'twanttobenamedbecausehehasn'tmadeafinaldecision,saidhemaypumpasmuchas$500,000intotelevision,radioandnewspaperadsforMrs.Clinton....Thispersonsayshefeelshehasdoneallhecanforthecampaignfromtheinside.Hehasdonatedthemaximum$2,300allowedbylawfortheprimarytoMrs.Clinton,andhehastappedouthisfund-raisingnetwork.HesaysMrs.ClintonmustwininTexas,OhioandPennsylvaniatosecurethenomination,butheworriesthathercampaignwillnotbeabletoaffordtofundtheadsshewillneed.

Havingmajorcampaignbundlersinvolvedinguttingtheindividualcontributionlimitscannotbetheanswer.

InDecember,bothBarackObamaandJohnEdwardsdemandedthat527spurportingtosupportthemceasetheiractivitiesanddenouncedtheirefforts;willClintondothesame?  

update,7:06pEST:WehaveourfirstClintonreaction:

"Icertainlycan'timaginethatSen.Obamaisinanypositiontomakeanissueofthis,giventhefactthattherewasa527organization--IbelieveitwascalledVoteHope--thatspentmillionsofdollarsonhisbehalfinCalifornia."

AccordingtoFECreports,VoteHopespent$50,675.10onpro-Obamaindependentadvertisingexpenditures

--DailyKosBlog;courtesyofFrankLeidermann,ActingEditor