Group Plans Campaign Against G.O.P. Donors: Sends warning letter to potential Swift Boaters

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: New York Times

Nearly 10,000 of the biggest donors to Republican candidates and causes across the country will probably receive a foreboding “warning” letter in the mail next week. The letter is an opening shot across the bow from an unusual new outside political group on the left that is poised to engage in hardball tactics to prevent similar groups on the right from getting off the ground this fall.

Led by Tom Matzzie, a liberal political operative who has been involved with some prominent left-wing efforts in recent years, the newly formed nonprofit group, Accountable America, is planning to confront donors to conservative groups, hoping to create a chilling effect that will dry up contributions. “We want to stop the Swift Boating before it gets off the ground,” said Mr. Matzzie, who described his effort as “going for the jugular.”

The warning letter is intended as a first step, alerting donors who might be considering giving to right-wing groups to a variety of potential dangers, including legal trouble, public exposure and watchdog groups digging through their lives.

The group is also hoping to be able to respond if an outside conservative group broadcasts a television advertisement attacking Senator Barack Obama, or another Democratic candidate, by running commercials exposing the donors behind the advertisements.

Judd Legum, who was the research director for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign, has signed on to play the same role for Accountable America....

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/us/politics/08donate.html

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Good.

About damn time our side started playing offense.

[MrModerate]

2. Preemptive war hasn't worked out so well in America's recent past . . .

This strikes me as creepy and stalkerish, likely to breed a potentially vicious backlash that could be worse than any damage caused by groups these folks fund.

Color me doubtful.

[kestrel91316]

3. Yeah, spines are SO UNCOOL. We need to be more like jellyfish.

[MrModerate]

15. It has nothing to do with spines . . .

And everything to do with human nature.

Let's say you're a potential donor to one of these swiftboater groups and you get a message from some pissant little liberal group setting itself up as arbiter of your right to express your opinion (or whatever). You gonna tremble in your boots? Or are you gonna say, "Fuck these twerps. Here's my check for a thousand bucks."

Let's say you're a (demonstrably spineless) member of the MSM and your boss issues a memo saying "Liberal groups are stalking potential 527 donors and threatening them with . . . well, I don't know *what* they're threatening, but it's not good." What's your next lead story?

Let's say you're an undecided voter and you hear: "Liberals send hate mail to potential Republican donors." And you say, "that doesn't sound like 'Change I can believe in' . . ."

etc.

My point is this is likely to be both offensive, provocative, and ineffective. You might think it's showing a spine -- I think it's stalking . . . and IMO, would play out as far more negative than positive.

[yardwork]

20. Ok, you raise some points that deserve thought. Let's look at them one by one.

1. Potential donors to this group are going to contribute for one reason only - getting McCain elected is in their financial interest. They will contribute no matter what. I doubt that anything will stop them from contributing except the very real threat that illegal or embarrassing things about them would be revealed. That might stop them.

2. The media hates all Democrats because the media is owned by a few huge corporations. They will stop at nothing to get McCain elected. Nothing anyone does could make the situation worse for Democrats.

3. Undecided voters were heavily influenced by the Swift Boat Liars last time. We need to stop it from happening again. It's far more important to stop the smears before they begin. Most undecided voters already dislike "liberal groups." This won't change their mind one way or the other.

I think this is a good idea.

[Dan]

36. Yup, don't go to a gunfight with a knife.

[LiberalFighter]

40. It also puts them on notice that any of their contributions will be researched.

To see if they were legal. Research any possible connections with other contributors that only contributed because money was funneled to them.

They should check contributions to state party organizations to see if contributors made contributions to multiple states.

[MrModerate]

47. You think these donor are afraid of . . .

The bunny-slipper brigade googling for donor lists? It seems unlikely.

[MrModerate]

46. Okay . . . thanks for the sincere response. Here's mine:

1) The watchdog group doesn't have the resources (money or smarts) to do anything to intimidate donors. If they're really the top donors they're rich and powerful and they swat nuisances without a second thought. I have no confidence the watchdog group will be able to find anything out about these people that would cause them to change their behavior one whit -- with the exception of pissing them off and making them more likely to donate. Carrying out intimidation attacks against such donors will primarily have the effect of making progressives look like trogs without actually impeding regressives.

2) No debate on the bias of media owners. Handing your enemy more ammunition seems like a suboptimal strategy.

3) Swiftboating needs to be opposed by facts, ridicule, legal action when called for, public opprobrium, etc., etc. Groundless threats to supporters of swiftboating orgs just won't.do.any.good.

[yardwork]

66. It looks like we need more information.

1) Clearly, this won't work unless the watchdog group is qualified and has the resources to follow through.
2) The only way to get bad press for Republicans is to hand the corporate-owned media something so deliciously scandalous that they can't afford to ignore it. Ratings trump all in the short run. Sure, they're told to cover up for Republicans and make Democrats look bad, but if the watchdog group finds something really good, the media won't be able to resist talking about it at least once. That might scare some wannabe swift boaters away.
3) I agree completely with your point, which is why I think this is a good idea.

[bahrbearian]

30. I agree, we could do a little swift boating ourselfs

McCain is ripe for it, New Rules and the repugnants made them up.

[Love Bug]

34. No, it's not swift boating, but truth telling

I don't see anything here to suggest this group is just going to make up a bunch of lies about donors or McCain. They are just going to turn over the big donor 'rock' so all of the squirming vermin are exposed to the light.

[MrModerate]

48. The evidence is that this watchdog group . . .

couldn't scare a chihuahua.

No resources, no credibility, and a weak plan.

[blogslut]

50. I disagree

Tom Matzzie used to the Washington Director for MoveOn.Org as well as the fellow that handled the online organizing for the Kerry-Edwards campaign. Dude has friends and contacts out the wazoo.

[Deny and Shred]

68. They are simply proposing to follow the money, and expose people.

This approach is not an attack, it's a counterbalance to the PAC attack ads. Given how easy it has been for a few 'fatcats' to drop a check, and swing a Presidential election, I'm all in favor of making a few think twice.
Will hardcore wealthy supporters take all the necessary steps to attempt to insulate and distance themselves from their contributions to mudslinging organizations? Probably. Will the proposed 'investigations' come up short in these cases? Probably.
Will it make it perceivably more difficult for the donors a rung or two down the ladder to simply write a check and walk away? Yes, and that is the point. The GOP-related PACs will be hitting up all the same people as last time, and a bunch more, in lower tax brackets. If 'the insurance guy' thinks it will affect HIS livelihood directly, he just might not get involved.
Since 'no credibility, a weak plan, but LOTS of resources' by GOP PACs were enough to win two elections, I don't see how you have a problem with it. Kerry had resources and credibility, but lost his credibility because he had NO plan to counteract the smears.
The smears WILL come, but sending this sort of message could prevent it from running wild.

[Gman]

5. Step to the side, Mr. Moderate

This is the big leagues. This is The Show. And it's not for the faint of heart. Turn off the TV and radio, cancel your ISP. Turn them all back on after the election and you'll be in for a great surprise. It will have worked.

[MrModerate]

18. By big leagues you mean . . .

Turd flinging and hate mail? I think I'll pass.

More importantly, I think Obama'll pass, because he's got fairly decent political instincts that tell him this is a really.bad.idea.

[StClone]

28. Facts, logic, hit 'em in the pocket, play hard ball or die

Fear is not Progressive/Liberal. If we can't beat them with an honest no-nonsense approach, how will we beat the Rs? If its in their face slinking around the edges and letting them have their way with us hasn't been too productive.

[MrModerate]

49. But this approach *won't* hit 'em in the pocket . . .

The watchdog group is speaking loudly and carrying a toothpick.

Warning letters that they're going to . . . what? Perform Internet searches to determine if the donations are legit? Threaten to sue people who have lots more money than the watchdog group? Organize boycotts?

Piffle that will, IMO, do nothing except piss donors off and make progressives look like wannabe bullies with no muscle to back it up.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

6. Time to keep your powder dry?

Go home, child. It's time for the grownups to go to work.

[MrModerate]

19. Sounds like thuggery to me . . .

Not exactly 'change I can believe in.'

[Plucketeer]

24. Thuggery?

What'll you call it if we're the only ones to be on the receiving end of it - Principled??? Remember what "principled" got us last time? Just to jog your memory - he leaves office on January 20th. And - he's been SO principled (GOP principled) that the country's in a shambles.

But you take the "high road" and we'll do what we have to to make sure McBush isn't there to take the keys from Chimpy.

[StClone]

33. Kerry experience proves

We need another approach.

[cliffordu]

43. That's exactly right.

:patriot:

[MrModerate]

51. This watchdog group has nothing to do with an effective response to swiftboating . . .

. . . which Kerry didn't deliver . . . and everything to do with spouting impotent threats and making progressives look weak, whiney, and ineffective.

It's not high road or low road to point out that John McCain is decrepit, disingenous, addled by ambition, and unsuited by character and temperament to be president.

Threatening people who want to help pay for political ads is something else entirely.

Let's pretend that Rush Limbaugh forms a group, the purpose of which is to track MoveOn donors and threaten them with public exposure of their 'misdeeds.' Pretty stupid, huh?

This is the same thing.

[dmr]

54. The difference is Limbaugh can 'expose' me for donating to MoveOn

and it won't mean a thing to me because I stand by my donations because my donations were spent on clean and legal and truthful politics.

If, however, I donated to a group that functions only to spread lies, rumors, innuendos, or other unsavory means, then I would not want my family, friends, neighbors to know that I am not the salt of the earth citizen I claim to be.

You speak of very wealthy people who will dismiss this. I'm not so sure that your neighborhood insurance man, Realtor, or well-to-do, but not filthy rich developer would like the added scrutiny. I wouldn't do business with them if I knew they partook in dirty politics. Seriously, I would not.

There was a time I would have whole-heartily agreed with you. But, the people on the Right notoriously play dirty and they get nastier as each year passes. I've no problem with this group trying to do something. Hell, what they plan to do is nothing compared to what has already been done by the Republicans.

[MrModerate]

55. But the local insurance guy isn't on the watchdog group's list . . .

"Top donors" is the phrase I've seen. Admitedly, there were some small donors to the original swiftboat group (especially after their 15 minutes kicked in), but the big bucks came from fatcats who didn't care who knew they were fat.

My objection to the whole plan is that it's dirty politics (which costs us, especially in a year where we're relying on people being "inspired" to vote) and which won't work.

[davidinalameda]

59. yes and no

these fatcats may not care right now but after exposing them to the light, they might

there is some hotel owner in San Diego who gave a lot of money to the people running the campaign to ban gay marriage; his hotels have been hit with protests and boycotts, etc

He probably thought that his donations wouldn't be publicized. These people are like cockroaches; expose them to the light and they'll run away

[Occulus]

74. And how do you feel about "Know Thy Neighbor"?

In December of 2005, KnowThyNeighbor.org published the names of all 148,000+ petition signers and altered the dynamic of the petition process in several important ways:

1. Anti-gay marriage activists and supporters lost their veil of anonymity. KnowThyNeighbor.org believes that citizens who sponsor an amendment to take people's rights should never be allowed to do so under the cover of darkness.
2. Gay citizens from all across Massachusetts were inspired to speak out in defense of their equal rights. Finding the names of friends, neighbors, family, co-workers, etc... helped trigger many into a state of activism. Uncomfortable but desperately needed conversations continue to take place every day as a result.
3. Putting the names online led to the discovery of rampant fraud in the signature collection process. Both civil and criminal investigators have been assigned by the Attorney General.

[Plucketeer]

77. They make movies

about worlds like the one you envision. Fantasy places like Shangra-la or Camelot. Are you writing from one of those?

[StClone]

31. I respect your view

But this isn't about preemptive manure spreading: it's being Proactive.

[rhett o rick]

41. were you one of John Kerry's political advisors in 2004? We are at war Mr

we need to take off the gloves. Let em bring on the backlash. I want a fight after the lousy spineless bullshit in 2004. we are at war my friend.

[blm]

79. This is an OUTSIDE Dem group doing battle. Too many Dem lawmakers/groups would NOT back up Kerry

as they feared getting on Bush and Rove's radar. When Kerry hit back and countered Bush and the swifts, too many Dems would stay silent and not provide the wall of noise needed and that Bush had from the right without even asking.

Why? Because the best known Dems had already sided with Bush and would be on TV supporting his decisions and in Bill Clinton's case even DEFENDING Bush's decisions in every interview he did during his summer2004 book tour.

Try remembering 2004 more accurately - there is a Research Forum here at DU that contains the counterattacks as they happened - it would be more helpful if people recalled that campaign with clarity instead of siding with the corpmedia and rewarding their complicity instead of acknowledging it.

[Hekate]

52. So how is the tea & crumpets approach working in Queensland, Australia, where your profile says...

... you hail from?

Odd that in the time you've been on DU you haven't noticed how American Democrats trying to play by the rules have simply gotten run over by the trucks being driven by Republican thugs.

Or maybe you have noticed and it doesn't bother you. It bothers the hell out of us, and we would like our country back, thank you very much.

Nothing that this group is suggesting is illegal or immoral, as far as I can tell. Just smart and adaptive to the circumstances.

Hekate

[MrModerate]

53. Tea and crumpets are not so popular around here since . . .

Australia is not actually England. And besides, I'm American, so I never developed the palate to appreciate clotted cream.

What the watchdog group wants to do doesn't seem illegal (as best I can tell from the NYTimes article), but if its "warning" letters threaten extralegal actions (or could incite others to extralegal actions) they might well be. Immoral . . . hard to say. Again, depends on the content of the warnings and what's done with whatever information the group manages to dig up.

Ineffective? Yeah. Likely to cause a backlash that will cost.dems.votes.in.November? Hell, yes.

IMO, but that's the way I see it.

[Leftist Agitator]

64. "Australia is not actually England."

I apologize for the ignorance of my fellow Americans, fellow American.

Quick aside: Would you happen to know how hard is it for an American graduate student to get into an Australian doctoral program?

[blm]

65. This is an OUTSIDE group - outside groups, DNC and left media failed Kerry and this group

is doing what most on the left FAILED to do while Kerry was appropriately doing his part as the PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE and all aspects of his role to win that election.

[fascisthunter]

71. why don't you call it "Terrorism" Too

:eyes:

[yardwork]

17. I can't think of a downside to this as long as the group stays truthful.

It shouldn't be difficult to find illegal behavior on the part of anyone likely to contribute to Swift Boat Liars.

Live by the sword, die by the sword. I have no problem with this. In fact, I think it's a good idea.

[Spiffarino]

56. This strikes me as perfectly timed and legitimate

Since St. Ronnie took office in 1981, Democrats have backed down almost every time they are confronted with well-financed bullshit smears and innuendo, afraid to take them on for fear of losing power. So what happened? They lost power anyway because they refused to meet force with greater force.

The GOP and the oligarchs who fund it play rough and dirty, and they never back down. That's how they win. Unless we cowboy and and meet their fists with iron pipes and shivs, they will continue to fuck us over.

This is a great idea. Bring it on, bitches.

[Demeter]

69. It's Probably Too Late, Anyway

Those kinds of campaigns take months to plan.

[fascisthunter]

70. Conflating Pre-emptive Wars with this.... how ridiculous

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Sounds like a real smart plan to me.

Cut 'em off at the knees!!!

[The Wizard]

22. Hitting them in the knees with a crow bar

sound like more fun.

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. Hate to tell you, but they're on to you.

Right-wing sites are already up at arms over this. They're organizing to stop progressives from "swiftboating" them. I'm not kidding. They used that word.

[Yavin4]

8. Good

Those right wing groups will be fighting this group instead of Obama.

Fight 'em over there instead of here.

[TooBigaTent]

9. At least, for the first time, they will have someone actually opposing them.

The fight will be more even because even if they "are on to" the group and increase their efforts, the other side (us) will be doing SOMETHING.

That has to be a net gain for our side.

[cliffordu]

44. Good. Let them squirm.

[CitizenPatriot]

10. play hard

let them. We don't swiftboat them with LIES the way they already have with Obama.

don't let these stupid threats scare anyone -- we are not the side who has anything to hide here.

rep donors are already on the block for the 2 donations of 50 k they had to give back yesterday. the only people who need to be afraid are the thieves and liars.

Hit them HARD, the way a bully hits. Hit 'em hard, fast, and keep doing it. It's the language of dominance they understand.

[santamargarita]

11. We need to support this...

Play rough!

[RBInMaine]

12. GOOD ! DAMN TIME WE GOT SOME BALLS AND PLAYED TOUGH !

[mckara]

13. Attack, Attack, Attack!!!!!!!!

:patriot:

[peacetalksforall]

Non-profit - plus - legal aggresive action - music to the ears. Go!

I don't want to put a damper on my glee by saying

I will assume that none of them are with the DLC

it sounds like a plan that is not like the DLC at all.

The DLC would say - don't respond, don't do anything, we'll take care of it Sunday mornings and sometimes during the week when a couple of our top people will appear on corporate tv and a couple of radio interviews and you can count on us to be nice about it and not make waves. We wouldn't want anyone criticizing the Dems.

[Arugula Latte]

14. Great!

We need more more more of this kind of aggressive defense/offense.

These liars should be exposed, and information about them should be spread far and wide.

[OnionPatch]

16. This is a GREAT idea!!!

They need to have a light shone on them so Americans can know who they are and understand their motives. It's about time someone exposes the people behind the propaganda. :applause:

[Maestro]

21. I'm all for it. Fight the lies!

:thumbsup:

[DailyGrind51]

23. It's about time "our side" goes on offense with this stuff!

Roaches scatter when the light is turned on them!:thumbsup:

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Beregond2]

26. It's a mistake to warn them ahead of time.

That makes it look like an attempt to blackmail them into silence. Much better to hit them hard as soon as the ads appear, so they learn that these ads do them more harm than good.

[cobalt1999]

27. These donors are mostly cowards

The threat of exposure will have most of them running away like rats.

Good move.

[Mira]

29. This is pre-emption at its best - I really really think this a brilliant move.

We have been bullied with fear tactics for a long time. Let them feel a little heat.
I'm thrilled.

The pig I'm posting looks so real, maybe they will fly this time

[bertman]

32. HALLELUJAH!!! IT'S ABOUT TIME

Where do I send my hard-earned cash?

Let those bastards know that if they play dirty, then we play dirty. They play clean, we play clean. There are no refs in this game, so the teams have to save themselves.

I especially like the part about exposing who the donors are if they are affiliated with any business entity. Run newspaper ads, TV and radio commercials, magazine ads telling exactly who these assholes are, and ask fair-minded Americans to stop buying their products until they stop slinging mud. There's nothing like the threat of economic losses to clarify the minds of the "free-market" types.

That tactic would give the average, frustrated voters a tangible way to channel their anger toward those who are corrupting our electoral processes and to do something about it. Right now many of us feel helpless even though we WANT TO DO SOMETHING. Just telling an American consumer who NOT TO BUY FROM makes taking action about as easy as it gets.

[angrycarpenter]

35. I think they are just painting a target

on themselves. They are about to try threatening people who can buy any number of lawyers, snoops, hitmen, thugs, congressmen, and policemen.

They may be too tied up in defending themselves to do much good for democrats.

[Blue_Tires]

37. kick for truth

[TankLV]

38. It's about time...

but from reading the article - it seems this group has had serious trouble following thru on it's threats...

My advice: Just DO IT - don't TALK about it...

anything less, and it's another waste of money going down some rat hole...

[derby378]

39. John Kerry, pull up a chair and watch how it's done downtown...

He should have mounted a serious response to the Swift Boaters. He failed to do so, and it cost him at the ballot box, allowing Diebold to hand the election to Bush.

[cliffordu]

42. Excellent!! Roaches cannot stand the light. I prefer a blowtorch and a pair of

needlenose pliers......

But exposing them to daylight will work for me....

[SlingBlade]

45. Now That's What I'm Talking About

Kick em in the nads and call their Mommies little whores

Friggin Repukes !

[Spiffarino]

57. This should be kicked straight to the top of DU

If these folks are serious, I will start sending my donations ASAP.

I've had it with pansy politics. Put away the feather pillows, pull out the lead pipes and bust some heads. They don't know what it's like to be on the receiving end. Let's show 'em.

[lancer78]

58. This is stupid.

Why did the morons in charge of this group go tell their plans to the media? One of the principles of war is surprise, and now the element of surprise has been eliminated. The swiftboaters will use donor lists to extract donations from small time donors. If these idiots had kept quiet, they might have shocked the swiftboaters into submission with a sudden attack.

[fascisthunter]

72. to place them on Notice

hence: "A shot across the bow"

Now swift boaters will know there will be accountability before they act.

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

60. Maybe it isn't good to sound threatening, but exposure is important

Big money groups who funnel cash into dirty ads like they did to Kerry deserve to be exposed. I think it's important to let voters know who's funding the Republican Party and why they are doing it. When voters realize that the negative ads are coming from covert elitist groups, they are far less likely to submit to the propaganda. (this of course works both ways)

Most of all, voters need to understand what kinds of policies the GOP donors are trying to push and why they are BAD for America. Tell 'em, "be afraid, be very afraid!"

[calimary]

61. Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

It's ABOUT FRICKIN' TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:
:toast: :party: :woohoo: :applause: :headbang: :thumbsup: :bounce:

[David Zephyr]

62. It's about time. It's like taking the masks away from Klansmen who were always cowards.

As long as, what Jackson Browne called, the "men in the shadows" are allowed to stay in the shadows, as long as the Klansmen can hide their cowardly faces behind their stupid sheets, they will act like the bullies they are.

But pull that sheet off from their faces, put a spot light into their shadows, and guess what: they go way. They run away. Bullies are always cowards. Once confronted they run.

This is long overdue.

[yardwork]

67. Yes, I agree.

[Doug.Goodall]

63. The accountableamerica.com website is registered by proxy

The owners of the website are going to expose the right wing donors, but they hide their own identity.

I smell a rat here. This looks like a Karl Rove shuck and jive. http://www.accountableamerica.com/ comes on line on August 5, and two days later it is publicized by the New York Times as big news.

This looks like it was planned, and the plan was to make Democrats look bad.

[Robb]

75. Looks good to me. /nt

[fascisthunter]

73. Excellent News

and about friggin' time!

[roseBudd]

76. Smart move, I found out that Carl Linder & relatives of Chiquita, Great American Ballpark, etc gave

to Swifties in a big way in Oct, 2004. He also gabe Bush Great American Ballpark for a rally on Oct. 30, 2004.

[Judi Lynn]

82. George H. W. Bush held controlling interests in Chiquita (United Fruit) in 1969. Creepy! n/t

[Raster]

78. Hear! Hear! Fuck moderation, decorum and gentlemanly conduct.

A nosebleed is usually the only reward for taking the high road in politics. It's time for wealthy enablers of the swift boat liars and slanderers to get what they give--IN SPADES! Truths must be told. Let Americans see the real faces of those that shit on democracy. Expose their identities and let America decide. It's about fucking time!

[CLG_News]

80. That is great. n/t

[Mad_Dem_X]

81. That's the way to play the game!

We gotta start fighting back! Hell yeah!