Politics Republican’s Questionable unlimited Cash Cow called PACs, Joe Wilson included

we are in

PlanetUSA.us

united states’s directory

Updated Post October 6, 2010

Previously in this blog I mentioned Karl Rove American Cross Roads is one of the biggest spenders behind a lot of political groups. I also talked about how these and how these PACs shared the same post office, the same treasurers, and how South Carolina Joe Wilson’s PAC is run by a Lobbyist all seem something the American people should be wary of in our elections.

Rove-backed group faces allegations of tax abuse
By:
CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
(CNN) – A major conservative group backed by Karl Rove is being accused of U.S. tax law violations for operating as a non-profit institution and shielding its donor list from the public domain by two campaign finance watchdogs in a letter sent Tuesday.
Democracy 21 and the Campaign Legal Center are urging the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the political activities of Crossroads GPS, the organization, backed in part by Rove, that has structured itself as a tax-exempt “social welfare” 501(c)(4) organization. As part of its tax exempt status, the group is allowed to both raise unlimited amounts of money and keep the names and organizations of their contributors secret – an allowance that facilitates groups of this type to raise considerably more money then standard so-called 527 groups which have to report their donors.

The IRS stipulates 501(c) (4) groups may intervene in campaigns “as long as its primary purpose is the promotion of social welfare.” But the line between the “promotion of social welfare” and attacking Democratic candidates is far from clear and one the IRS has yet to articulate.
But no matter where the line is drawn, Crossroads GPS has crossed it, the watchdog groups say in their complaint filed with the IRS.
“In our view, Crossroads GPS is a classic example of a 501(c) (4) organization that is impermissibly using its tax status to spend tens of millions of dollars in the 2010 congressional races while hiding the donors funding these expenditures from the American people,” Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer said.
A spokesman for Crossroads GPS called the allegation “baseless.”
To Read the entire article go to link:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/05/rove-backed-group-faces-allegations-of-tax-abuse/

Posted October 2, 2010
A lobbyist is treasury to Joe Wilson’s PAC, South Carolina leadership PAC, Carolina Majority PAC.
What is a PAC?
Political Action Committee (PAC) — A popular term for a political committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. Most PACs represent business, labor or ideological interests. PACs can give $5,000 to a candidate committee per election (primary, general or special). They can also give up to $15,000 annually to any national party committee, and $5,000 annually to any other PAC. PACs may receive up to $5,000 from any one individual, PAC or party committee per calendar year. A PAC must register with the FEC within 10 days of its formation, providing name and address for the PAC, its treasurer and any connected organizations. Affiliated PACs are treated as one donor for the purpose of contribution limits.
PACs have been around since 1944, when the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) formed the first one to raise money for the re-election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The PAC’s money came from voluntary contributions from union members rather than union treasuries, so it did not violate the Smith Connally Act of 1943, which forbade unions from contributing to federal candidates. Although commonly called PACs, federal election law refers to these accounts as “separate segregated funds” because money contributed to a PAC is kept in a bank account separate from the general corporate or union treasury.
Many politicians also form Leadership PACs as a way of raising money to help fund other candidates’ campaigns. Since June 2008, Leadership PACs reporting electronically must list the candidate sponsoring the PAC, as per the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007. Leadership PACs are often indicative of a politician’s aspirations for leadership positions in Congress or for higher office. (A breakdown of spending by Leadership PACs is available on this web site.)
For more information on PACs, check out the FEC’s “Campaign Guide for Corporations and Labor Organizations” and the “Campaign Guide for Nonconnected Committees” (both available in PDF format). For an alphabetical list of PAC acronyms, abbreviations, initials, and common names, see the FEC’s list of PACRONYMS. A chart showing changes in the number of PACs between 1977 and 1998 is also available on the FEC’s web site.

The following information on PACs can be found on the link below:
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacfaq.php

Biggest of the these PACs are run by Republicans. These Political Action groups are considered fronts. There are some Democrats that uses this but according to the most AP Press Republicans have raised 6 times the amount money from anonymous donors. Also you will see there is not an elaborate maze of these groups among the Democratic Party. Karl Roves is well know for his PAC. Compared to Republicans PACs are very few among the Democratic Party. Also Among the Democratic Party there is no elaborate scheme of PACs masquerading as something else. Unlike the Republicans whether or not they are running for office there PACs are a strong important part of the Republican Party. Commission group doesn’t even reinforced rules even if the information is very suspect.

Most Democrats disagree with these types of campaign financing say it will ruin the Democratic Process and Republicans say it will enhance the political process.

PBS Need to Know: Campaign Finance 10/01/10 http://video.pbs.org/video/1605133422/
On PBS it talked about Karl Rove and the increase of these PACs.
Some of these groups share the same office.
Karl Rove American Cross Roads is one of the biggest spender behind a lot of political groups.

Below here are a couple of PACs in Virginia taking in a lot of money but they have different names but all have the same address.

Official PAC Name:
LIFE AND LIBERTY PAC INC
Location: RESTON, VA 20191
Industry: Abortion Policy/Pro-Life
Treasurer: Alexander, Eldon L.
FEC Committee ID: C00438747
(Look up actual documents filed at the FEC)

Life And Liberty Pac Inc 2008 – Money, Politics, Committees …
LIFE AND LIBERTY PAC INC:
2400 EARLSGATE CT RESTON, VA 20191
Interest Group Category–Affiliated Party–Affiliated Candidate
http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/committees/life-and-liberty-pac-inc.asp?cycle=08 ·

FEC Committee ID #: C00417857
MINUTEMAN PAC INC
2400 EARLSGATE CT
RESTON, VA 20191
Schedule E (INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES)
Treasurer Name: Eldon Alexander
Date Signed: 08/01/2006
DECLARATION ALLIANCE PAC
2400 EARLSGATE CT; RESTON, VA 20191

Rightmarch.Com
2400 Earlsgate Ct, Reston, VA 20191

Virginia Life & Liberty PAC,
2400 Earlsgate Court
Reston,VA 20191
Donation, Patrick McSweeney, 5/22/2003, 1000 …

100 PRO LIFE PAC
2400 EARLSGATE COURT
RESTON VA 20191

Republican Joe Wilson of South Carolina leadership PAC, Carolina Majority PAC
Carolina Majority PAC, PO Box 65796, Washinton, DC 20035 -Mark Balente III, Treasurer
Carolina MAjority PAC is a leadership PAC for Rep Joe Wilson South Carolina. It shares the post office box with Milead Fund, Miker and MIKE PAC, and the same treasurer with MIKER and MIKE PAC.

Alecander, Eldon L. also serves as Treaurer of Faith and Freedom Foundation “The Faith and Freedom Foundation is a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to restoring the principles of America’s founding fathers to their rightful place in American life. It is not a political organization, and takes no position on candidates or elections. Rather, it aims to educate Americans of all parties and persuasions about the God-given rights that underlie our republic.”

The so called Faith Freedom Foundation says it isn’t a political organization but if you notice on it’s home page it has the following recomended news and sources as follow only a sample from there Home page:
America’s Founding – Heritage Foundation research papers;Social Justice Lessons from the Life of Jack Kemp : Hope, Growth, and Enterprise ;Obama’s Political Elite Leaves the Voters Behind ;Property Rights and Free Markets: Economic Principles of America’s Founders Bureaucratizing the American Government or the Renewal of Self-Government ;Leading By Listening ;Alan Keyes is Loyal to Liberty ;On Harry Reid’s “gay rights” priorities, FRC ask is telling ;Rush to Judgment on Gay marriage? ;America’s Real Party System- Part 4 ;Is GOP sizzling or fizzling or quisling? ;Obama’s fellow travelers- Bowing to whatever Islamists want?
http://www.faithandfreedomfoundation.com/about.php

MARK VALENTE III is a lobbyist including being the Tresurer of Joe Wilson’s PAC Carolina majority. http://www.implu.com/lobbyist/38228
Mark Valente III is President of Valente & Associates. Mr. Valente brings his long record of active participation in government and public service, which includes serving in the Office of Public Liaison at The White House, to assist the firm’s clients in the areas of government and legislative affairs.
From 1986-1989, Mr. Valente was the Director of the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) Coalition Development Department, and also served as Senior Advisor to the National Voter Coalitions Division for the Bush/Quayle ’88 campaign and in a similar capacity for the Dole/Kemp ’96 and the Bush/Cheney campaigns.

Mr. Valente served as an elected City Councilman from Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, from 1981-1989. Mr. Valente is regularly consulted by policy makers in both the United States Congress and the executive branch and currently serves on the steering committee of the Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee (ARMPAC), which is House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s (R, TX-22) leadership PAC, as well as Treasurer for the Fund for American Opportunity PAC, former Senator Spencer Abraham’s (R, MI) leadership PAC.

Mr. Valente also serves as Treasurer for the Majority Initiative to Keep Electing Republicans (Mike R Fund), the leadership PAC for Congressman Mike Rogers (R, MI-8); Treasurer for the Carolina Majority PAC, Congressman Joe Wilson’s (R, SC-2) leadership PAC; Secretary for the Mi Lead Fund, Congressman Pete Hoekstra’s (R, MI-2) leadership PAC; and Treasurer for Mike PAC, Congressman Mike Ferguson’s (R, NJ-7) leadership PAC.
To read the rest entry about Mark Valente just go to site: http://www.8thdistrictdems.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=312&Itemid=56

A guide to the ‘shadow GOP’: the groups that may define the 2010 and 2012 elections

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100805/el_yblog_upshot/a-citizens-guide-to-the-shadow-gop
Other groups closely involved in the effort are Resurgent Republic, a polling and research group that aims to shape the GOP message, and the Republican State Leadership Committee, a group focused on state elections. Gillespie founded Resurgent Republic, while he chairs the RSLC.

American Crossroads: Founded in March by Rove and Gillespie to counter ad spending from liberal outfits like MoveOn.org and labor unions, this 527 group says it plans to raise and spend upwards of $50 million before November. So far, the group is focusing on 11 key Senate races, including Nevada, where the group has run two ads attacking Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. But Collegio says American Crossroads will begin targeting House races closer to Election Day. According to Internal Revenue Service records, the group has raised roughly $8.5 million so far — including $1 million from Dallas energy executive Trevor Rees-Jones.

Crossroads GPS: A spinoff of American Crossroads, this 501-c4 group can keep its donor list private — a major selling point for individuals and corporations who want to anonymously influence elections. While it won’t run ads, the group is picking up some of the pricey administrative tasks that the RNC has usually taken on, including building a database that allows them to microtarget voters in certain congressional districts with outreach specific to their interests.

American Action Network: Modeled in part after the liberal Center for American Progress, this 501-c4 group is headed up by former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman and managed day-to-day by Rob Collins, a former top aide to House Minority Whip Eric Cantor. Together with its sister group, the American Action Forum (see below), the outfit plans to be something of a GOP think tank, helping to craft the Republican message. But this side of the operation will focus more on advocating candidates than on policy development. A GOP source tells The Upshot the group is looking to spend as much as $25 million to influence the midterms. Already, the group has launched an ad against Charlie Crist, who quit the GOP to run as an independent in Florida’s Senate race. The group has just launched a $450,000 campaign trashing Democrat Paul Hodes in New Hampshire’s Senate race.

American Action Forum: An offshoot of the American Action Network, this group will focus more on formulating policy and helping GOP candidates deliver their message than on running ads attacking specific candidates. Fronted by Doug Holtz-Eakin, a former economic adviser to John McCain’s presidential campaign, AAF lists Coleman and former governors Jeb Bush and Tom Ridge as board members.
Resurgent Republic: Founded by Gillespie and several GOP pollsters last fall, this group aims to be the Republican equivalent of Democracy Corps, a polling and research group founded by Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg and former Clinton operative James Carville. The nonprofit group will try to improve GOP messaging through polling and research groups and will work directly with other Republican groups in the network.
Republican State Leadership Committee: This 527 group plans to spend at least $40 million to influence state elections, including local House and Senate races, ahead of next year’s planned redistricting debate. While Gillespie is the chairman, other advisers on board include former Rep. Tom Reynolds, who used to chair the House GOP campaign committee, and former RNC chair Mike Duncan (who is also working for American Crossroads).

Other related Blogs:
Joe Wilson Plays follow the Leader to John Boehner and Lobbyists, Rather than Leading South Carolina
Joe Wilson South Carolina leadership PAC, Carolina Majority PAC isn’t squeaky clean,especially when it came to Quentin Nesbitt -Politics