Leftist uber-funder George Soros's group America Coming Together has been slapped with a $775,000 fine by the Federal Election Commission - the third largest fine in FEC history, but really only a minor fine considering the crime.
According to the FEC, ACT used tens of millions of dollars of unregulated cash to boost Democratic candidates during the 2004 elections. The Politico reports that, according to the FEC, ACT raised $137 million for its get-out-the-vote effort in 17 states in the 2004 elections, but the FEC found most of that cash came through contributions that violated federal limits or were otherwise barred by campaign rules.
Besides big money from Soros, ACT also got a lot of money from the Service Employees International Union.
A liberal activist merely alleges that Fred Thompson's breaking the rules by campaigning as a candidate while claiming merely "testing the waters" status with the FEC and it makes the news. Now we have a liberal organization hit with the third largest fine in FEC history for illegally raising and spending tens of millions of dollars to influence an American election. And ACT isn't the only group Soros funded to try to influence the election.
So ... do you think this story will be on the national news today or tonight?
Me neither.
As for the fine, it needed at least another zero before the decimal point.
My guess is Soros would happily pay a $775,000 fine as a routine cost of business in order to get away with spending $137 million in illegally raised dollars on partisan campaign activities in the future. This joke of a fine won't do diddly to stop the liberals from breaking the law again in the 2008 election cycle. In fact, the tiny size of the fine relative to the crime may encourage them to increase their breaking of campaign finance laws.
And when it does you probably won't see that story on the evening news either.
—Bill Hobbs is author of Who Is Fred Thompson, a blog-centric look at the presidential candidate.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Soros Fine
August 29, 2007 - 15:30 ET by merlin61Haven't heard one mention of this illegal
action on any t.v. yet today. Saw it on
Drudge only on the internet.
usatoday.com front page
August 29, 2007 - 17:28 ET by uncle_buckYou'll find the story on the front page of usatoday.com under politics section.
Throw the book at them!
Wrong Uncle Buck...the front page is the front page
August 30, 2007 - 10:37 ET by JayTeeThe Politics section is the Politics Section.....The "Front" page precedes that Section. I don't read the USA terror today anymore.....where was the Larry Craig story..did it make the front Page...as in, the "front/first/top" page ?
What good is a Free Press, if it is a False Press ? David Foote GoE
sorry jaytee
August 30, 2007 - 16:13 ET by uncle_buckI saw the story on usatoday.com before I saw it on newsbusters. I visited the usatoday.com website - and right there on the front page of the website - under the link labeled politics - prominently displayed - was this story.
I wasn't referring to the print copy - I did say usatoday.com after all.
When Pigs fly...
August 29, 2007 - 15:37 ET by heldmywout of my.., ummm...
I guess my answer is "no". It won't be mentioned.
Nor will the Hsu-Paw Clinton illegal contributions crime.
I expect non-stop Larry Craig coverage including reenactments, commentary by outraged janitors, reps from the homosexual community, sexual therapists and a musical on Broadway.
Fine Schmine
August 29, 2007 - 15:46 ET by mattmThese crooks ought to be sent to jail as well as being fined the total amount of illegal receipts, not a piddly $775K.
No they won't care
August 29, 2007 - 15:52 ET by ksimm81Because liberals love George Soros and will do nothing to smear him. However, if Rupert Murdoch was hit with this fine......
Forget the fine ARREST Soros
August 29, 2007 - 16:20 ET by Lame CherryIf President Bush is guilty of everything from the sun rising to Chinamen making the Yellow River yellow, the arrest George Soros for election tampering.
This will never make the MSM, but people have to understand the "trends" in what this means. Do not think for a moment that the "cowboys" in the US government are not the ones directing the Soros hit and the money laundering in the Clinton campaign. It is amazing in situations like these how a visit from the US Marshalls or Justice Department reigns in billionaires and co president wanna bes.
The globalists do not want Hillary running as they deem her a looser. They want Al Gore to jump in and that is what Gore is positioning for once enough leverage is jacked on Hillary. You see signs of this, but it is really a stealth operation as of yet.
If these money laundering stories keep popping up, it will mean the end of Hillary and the effective muzzling of Soros.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
Interesting take LC
August 29, 2007 - 20:15 ET by acumenInteresting take LC. But you left out the it's-Hill's-turn-dammit factor. Although trees seem to possess more intelligence than the soon to be Prof, I assure you algore is smart enough not to take any nature hikes in Fort Marcy Park. Simply put, algore doesn't have the stones to take on the Clinton machine, globalist plotting or not. Never did, never will.
It would be interesting to
August 29, 2007 - 16:24 ET by Del DolemonteIt would be interesting to see how many of the candidates Soros' money backed actually won their races.
Pity he didn't just curse a bunch over the radio.
August 29, 2007 - 16:26 ET by sarcasmoOk, bad-continual-joke, but you all probably get the point whether or not you're all laughing at the moment...
JMR
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.
Soros fined by FEC
August 29, 2007 - 16:43 ET by PeterIt hasn't been on the media around here. It seems when a democrat has problems the formerly MSM circle the wagons. When a Republican has problems it is open season. That is just my view from the center.
This will be kept quiet.
August 29, 2007 - 16:51 ET by c5thenAt least until it appears on FoxNews. At that point the other MSM outlets will have to at least acknoledge it.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic
c5, you taking bets on
August 29, 2007 - 16:58 ET by bassndudec5, you taking bets on that?
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
You kidding?!!
August 29, 2007 - 17:09 ET by c5thenI never underestimate the possibility that the MSM will go to extreme lengths to hide the wrong-doing of a powerful liberal.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic
Yeah, I think they'll have to acknowledge it
August 29, 2007 - 18:12 ET by RoverIf Fox makes a point of it, the other MSM outlets will have to acknowledge it.
But I'd predict them spinning it about how the campaign finance laws are so complex, it was all just a big mistake, but one which the Adminstration is using as an opportunity for their henchmen to punish their political rivals for supporting poor, underdog "progressive" candidates. They'll interview "political analysts," who are liberal activists but not identified as such, discussing what they describe as Republican persecution. They won't talk to a single Republican about it or, if they do, the time ratio will be larger that four to one, or the "republican" will be a RINO happy to criticize the administration for the free publicity he'd get as a result, or the "republican" will simply be incoherent, or edited to make his points appear incoherent.
Rover
FEC Slaps Soros Group for
August 29, 2007 - 17:10 ET by motherbeltFEC Slaps Soros Group for Campaign Finance Abuses; Will Media Care?
Um.......no.
Concur Mother
August 29, 2007 - 20:02 ET by acumenConcur mother. The incestuous demediacrats that triumphantly tout McCain/Feingold while beating the GOP culture-of-corruption drum aren't about to bite the hand that feeds them.
Maybe this will get some ink after the 2008 election. But the older I get the more cautious I become with my investments so I'm putting my money on pigs flying first.
Some Are "Covering" It
August 29, 2007 - 17:26 ET by Del DolemonteA Google news search just after 5 PM EDT shows that USA Today, the Washington Post blog, the NY Times blog, and MSNBC are all mentioning this.
However, the NYT story doesn't even mention Soros at all!
USA today mentioned soros in headline
August 30, 2007 - 16:14 ET by uncle_buckWhich is what caught my attention.
They make me so mad
August 29, 2007 - 18:30 ET by krismcsherryBesides big money from Soros, ACT also got a lot of money from the Service Employees International Union.
I hate my union. Now I want to know how much. They just never stop with the liberalism. I wonder what percentage of SEIU members disagree with the union's practices.
As for the fine. It's nice to see something done but it's just a nano-drop in the bucket. I suppose this means Soros and his minions will be all the more sneaky from now on.
Hmmm. Lets see about the deterent effect...
August 29, 2007 - 19:26 ET by c5thenACT illegally raised "most" of the $137 million dollars and what was the fine? Lets assume that "most" means significantly more than 50%. Lets put the low end at $70 million. After illegally raising and distributing at least $70 million to influence the outcomes of numerous elections, they are fined $775,000. That is 1% or less of the illegally obtained funds!!!!
There can be NO deterent to further infractions like this when the consequenses are so insignificant.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic
ACT, ACORN, etc.
August 29, 2007 - 19:27 ET by PawpawNWhen do the ACORN trails start all over the US? Seems they've been fined and also taken to court. Never hear a thing about this. I can understand not hearing about the dead voting because who are they gonna tell!!
Who are the members of the FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION?
August 29, 2007 - 19:30 ET by PawpawNCan we please have a listing of the members of the FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION, who it reports to, if judges, lawyers involved, etc.
The Revenuers should beat
August 30, 2007 - 02:57 ET by fastfoodThe Revenuers should beat down thier door and confiscate something, anything equal in value to the $137M + and throw Act and Soros both in the huscow, as well as make both pay taxes on the $.
If it ain't broke, why screw it up.