Information sought on Focus on Family political spending

[angka]

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_2714448

"A Denver advocacy group Thursday called on James Dobson to release his 2004 campaign visit records to clarify whether he and Focus on the Family followed tax rules that limit nonprofit groups' involvement in political activities.

Michael Huttner, executive director of ProgressNow.org, formerly the Rocky Mountain Progressive Network, said his group does not have proof that rules were had violated, only that "red flags" had been raised about whether Dobson used the group he founded 28 years ago to improperly organize support for candidates."

See also: ProgressNow.org press release: Call for Dobson to Release Campaign Visit Records

http://www.progressnow.org/weblog/archives3/permalink/004341.cfm

[NVMojo]

1. They need to audit this clear back to before Clinton left office!!!

Keep growing the nards, Dems, keep growing em!! One step at a time!

[redqueen]

2. Agree - they should audit the past 12 years' worth of contributions.

nards?

[DrZeeLit]

9. Audit contributions to those who pushed the Impeachment and even

those who defeated, through vicious campaign, the Health Care bill.

And even those who began the White Water stuff.

I'd say this guy, this Dominionist (as he calls himself) is in it up to his created-in-god's image, eyebrows.

[angka]

17. righties against filibusters?

http://mediamatters.org/items/200504260005

Yesterday, it was opposed to filibusters. Seven years ago, it was in favor of them. That's when Clinton and a then-Democratic plurality in the Senate wanted a man named James Hormel to become the ambassador to Luxembourg. Hormel, of the Spam-and-other-meats Hormels, was gay, as the Senate minority bottled up Hormel's nomination with filibusters and threats of filibusters, minority relative to cloture, to breaking up a filibuster.

They did that for a year and a half. The Family Research Council's senior writer, Steven Schwalm, appeared on National Public Radio at the time and explained the value, even the necessity, of the filibuster.

"The Senate," he said, "is not a majoritarian institution, like the House of Representatives is. It is a deliberative body, and it's got a number of checks and balances built into our government. The filibuster is one of those checks in which a majority cannot just sheerly force its will, even if they have a majority of votes in some cases. That's why there are things like filibusters, and other things that give minorities in the Senate some power to slow things up, to hold things up, and let things be aired properly."

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. This is what we need!

One of the fundies' advantages is that uninformed people who are mainstream religious or who are indifferent and remember the organizations of their childhood, which were more concerned with individual "salvation," may not be aware that organizations like Focus on the Family are political fronts.

[Sadie5]

5. Don't know why?

Or how they got my phone # since it's unlisted, but this group keeps calling me to get my opinion on abortion, Terri Schiavo, etc. They always get Dem answers. If caller ID tells me it is them(area code 202) and I don't answer they just keep calling back until I answer. If I hang up they call back again until I answer their touch tone questions. I am on the atty gen. no call list BTW.

[meganmonkey]

11. The Do Not Call list only covers sales calls, mostly

Some fundraising, 'market research', and polls are exempt.

[dissent1977]

8. Thats right

This is one of the methods the right wing uses to skirt campaign finance laws. They have churches which are tax-exempt do their campaigning for them. Not only does it win them votes, but it makes it appear as if Republicans have a monopoly on religion because no one hears churches advocating for any candidates on the left. That is because we know this is an improper use of the church for political purposes, but because the GOP does not have much of a concern for ethics they do it anyways.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

15. Hey, dissent1977!

Have you been to the Minnesota Forum under State and Country Forums yet?

Drop by and say hello, and welcome to DU!

[dissent1977]

16. Thanks for the invitation

I did not realize there was a Minnesota forum I will check it out.

[icymist]

10. Not only political fronts, I might add, but...

Tax exempt political fronts. We, the opposition, actually support these fuckers because we have to, in a way, pay twice for our political fronts. This because the money our opposition doesn't pay plus the extra money we have to pay, equals twice the price! Politics in this country is just not fair as long as religious fronts working for a political party is exempt from tax.

[Robbien]

4. Wonder if Dobson is required to release those records?

Going to his online site, it is difficult to determine which part relates to his charitable activities and which part relates to his political action activities. Its not hard to believe the money has the same problem.

[angka]

6. heh...

it's quite the easily-accomplished bamboozle.

besides, god's okay with it.

[angka]

7. bump!

:kick:

[Democat]

12. They need to file a lawsuit or some sort of official request for the docs

Just sending out a press release won't get this done!

[angka]

13. stay tuned.

watch this space, it will come...

[calimary]

14. Indeed? Man, I HOPE so! Poor widdle Focus on the Pharisees...

I would LOVE to see them sued. Divert some of their damned money toward having to defend themselves instead of buying political influence. NAIL 'EM.

[angka]

18. bumpë

:kick: