Possible Campain Fundraising Scandal (Dean and Clark)

[Dreadsox]

I am not sure how accurate this is....it may not turn into anything....

but according to the drudge report:

[Q]CAMPAIGN CASH RACE TURNS INTERNATIONAL; MOVEON.ORG CENTER OF INTRIGUE; CLARK SEEKS CANADIAN SUPPORT, WEBSITE SHOWS

**Exclusive**

Frustrated with the lack of domestic support, left-leaning website MoveOn.org has apparently been reaching beyond American borders to generate cash revenue over the internet!

The provocative international fundraising strategy threatens to embroil the presidential candidacies of General Wesley Clark and former Vermont Governor Howard Dean. Both men are named on international fundraising websites suggesting donations to MoveOn.org.

MoveOn.org, which has been running ads critical of the Bush Administration, has named an "International Campaigns Director," the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

It is not clear how much money has been raised -- to date-- from foreign sources, but political websites from London to Portugal to Montreal are directing their citizens to stop the American president George Bush by donating to MoveOn.org!

Wesley Clark's official campaign website has been offering a link to "Canada For Clark", which in turn advises Canadians: "Non-Americans can't by law, give money to any particular candidate's campaign. But we can support pro-democracy, progressive American organizations like MoveOn.org, which do their best to spread the ugly truth about Bush and publicize the Democratic message. Click here to donate to MoveOn.org."

The top traffic referrer to CanadaForClark.com Is Clark' s Official Campaign Website. http://clark04.com/grassroots/.

Dean04Worldwide.com is a noncommercial and volunteer website offered by Corinne Sinclair, a non-US citizen, based in London. Domain registration information indicates the website name servers are owned by PromoHosting.com, a website hosting service based in Portugal. Dean04Worldwide.com encourages non-Americans across the global to help Dean win the 2004 election.

A notice on the website explains how to provide funds to MoveOn.org, since non-Americans cannot donate directly to the Dean campaign.

Late last week, a Swedish website removed an "EU-MoveOn.org Fundraising Appeal," claiming MoveOn.org "No Longer Accepts Contributions From Non US Citizens/Permanent Resident Aliens."

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who has been headlining moveone.org events, is said to have vocalized serious concerns about the website accepting cash from foreign sources, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

"To avoid even the appearance of impropriety, we are not going to take contributions from overseas," Wes Boyd, one of the founders of MoveOn.org, explained this weekend.

Boyd refused to disclose how much revenue had already been generated from overseas sources.

Developing... [/Q]

 

[Dreadsox]

[Q]MoveOn.org has spent more than $2 million to run commercials assailing Bush's Iraq policies, questioning his economic record and accusing him of giving handouts to big business. [/Q]

So Dean's machine urges international supporters to support him by giving to move on. Then they, put on ADS against the President.

LOL....and now the Teacher's union, a group based inside the USA is not allowed to run ads for or against a candidate?

 

[Dreadsox]

Wait....there was no legal authority? Or was it Nuns or Buddist monks.....Al Gore works with MoveOn.org....LOL

 

[Dreadsox]

[Q]But it is style more than substance that distinguishes Dean Democracy from its predecessors ? cyberstyle. When the Supreme Court upheld the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance-reform law last week, it was a ratification of New-New fund-raising practices. Soft money ? that is, giant corporate contributions to political parties ? is out; giant personal contributions to nonparty activist organizations like MoveOn.org are in. "The irony is, the Democratic National Committee could use soft money to run positive ads about our candidates," a prominent Democrat told me last week. "The law says MoveOn.org isn't allowed to promote individual candidates. They're limited to informational ads, like the ones they're running now about Bush. In other words, this is a reform that will result in a tidal wave of negative ads."[/Q]

From this weeks time.....Oh thank you Supreme court...LOL

So now we get Negative ads from an organization that has been collecting INTERNATIONAL money! This smells rotten.http://www.time.com/time/election2004/columnist/klein/article/0,18471,562114,00.html

 

[verte76]

Dread, I just took a look at that "Canada for Clark" site. I know some people in the Clark campaign I really respect, as well as good people in the Kucinich, Dean, and Kerry campaigns. Anyway this particular site is directly aimed at Americans. There isn't any mention of $$. They are encouraging Americans to *vote* for Clark. Of course this is controversial but not, to my knowledge, technically illegal since no money is changing hands. I'm going to investigate some of this other stuff, however. It could be fishy. I know not all of my fellow liberals are honest. If anyone is breaking any laws, investigate and yes, bust them for any illegal activities. This is embarrassing.

 

[verte76]

Now I've looked at the MoveOn site. Holy !!! They are taking donations at an international site. I've been getting MoveOn e-mailings for almost three years. They are not allowed to endorse candidates. I didn't know anything about that international site. I do now.
Damn.

 

[Dreadsox]

Not GOOD!

And surprise....Gore...has been making speeches for them...

 

[verte76]

Not GOOD!

And surprise....Gore...has been making speeches for them...

Yes, I notice. That's not shocking to me.

 

[anitram]

Well, as much as I want Bush gone (dear Lord, 4 years + 322 more days of him makes me all kinds of ill), I would never contribute to something like this. I don't know how many Canadians would be so stupid to throw money away when they could instead support a party up here - you know, one that can actually effect positive change in Canada?

 

[Elvis Presley]

So much for campaign finance reform. Can't get dollars from special interests and unions anymore? Well then, hey, let's get financial support for our candidate from other countries and - uh - what do you mean that's illegal?

 

[Dreadsox]

From the Canadians for Wesley Clark Website

[Q]

Re: MoveOn.org
..and Drudge's column

CanadaForClark.com is a brand new website and has failed to make any sort of
impact (until Drudge took notice). The majority of visitors to this site are American,
and by our estimate, not a single Canadian donated to MoveOn.org through our site (even if they had tried, the Moveon.org donation page would've denied non-Americans the chance to donate!). The link to MoveOn.org has of course been removed, as we have just become aware of the organization's new rules concerning foreign donations. We completely agree with the guidelines they have established, and it is indeed unacceptable for non-Americans to contribute financially to American politicians. Just as its wrong for the American government to interfere with the governments of other democratically elected leaders of democratic nations
(for example, Venezuela)--but it is doubtful that we'll ever see anything on Mr. Drudge's website about past or present American anti-democratic actions. Only when a pro-Clark site from Canada emerges, does Drudge decide that interfering in other nations elections is wrong. We find that intriguing.

In addition, we dispute the claim that we are somehow "interfering" with the American election process. If you are concerned about interference in American elections, look no further than corporations such as Diebold. See Black Box Voting for more information on how elements within the US are undermining the very concept of democracy.

Nonethless, CanadaForClark.com will remain a blog-type news site regarding General Wesley Clark, and nothing more. Americans are still free to donate, as always.

Also, we appreciate the hatemail from Bush-lovers and anti-Clark fanatics, but we would like to stress three points before any more messages are sent our way: 1) Nothing we have done is illegal (it was moveon.org's past policy to accept international donations, not ours), and it is doubtful that our link has led to a single donation, 2) Wesley Clark and his campaign have absolutely nothing to do with this website, and 3) Canada is not a Communist nation.

? 2003, CanadaForClark.com - This site is not affiliated in any way with the official Clark campaign
Email us![/Q]

http://www.canadaforclark.com/donate2.html

 

[verte76]

I'm embarrassed at the idiots who claim that Canada is a Communist country.

 

[nbcrusader]

The clever editor at the CanadaForClark.com website?

 

[deep]

From the Canadians for Wesley Clark Website



Also, we appreciate the hatemail from Bush-lovers and anti-Clark fanatics

at least they appreciate your mail