Earlier today I noted how AP reporter Sara Kugler painted the McCain/Palin campaign as having "banned" print reporters from asking the Republican vice presidential candidate questions as she met with foreign leaders. This despite no concern by the AP or other print outlets back in July when Barack Obama conducted closed-door meetings with European heads of state.
Now a NewsBusters tipster has brought to my attention that Kugler shelled out a few benjamins to a liberal 527 during the 2004 campaign.
From OpenSecrets.org:
Contributor Occupation Date Amount Recipient KUGLER, SARA
NEW YORK,NY 10014AP/JOURNALIST 8/21/04 $342 America Coming Togethe
America Coming Together is now defunct, but didn't sunset without controversy. In August 2007, the Federal Election Commission levied what it reached a settlement with ACT that amounted to the "third largest civil penalty in an enforcement matter in the Commission’s thirty-three year history":
ACT raised approximately $137 million in connection with the 2004 elections - approximately $33.5 million in federal funds and approximately $103.5 million in non-federal funds. ACT's activities focused on voter contact, voter registration and get-out-the-vote activities in 17 states. The FEC concluded that approximately $70 million in disbursements characterized by ACT as "administrative expenses" for door-to-door canvassing, direct mail and telemarketing were actually attributable to clearly identified federal candidates and were required either to be paid with 100% federal funds or to be allocated between federal and non-federal candidates based on the time or space devoted to the candidates. Under either method, ACT was required to use a substantially higher proportion of federal funds than that reflected in either the estimated or adjusted funds expended allocation ratio for administrative expenses used by ACT in 2003-2004.
The Commission also concluded that even for the approximately $30 million in disbursements that could properly be characterized as administrative and generic voter drive expenses, ACT should have used at least 90% federal and 10% non-federal funds. Therefore, ACT should have used approximately $27 million in federal funds and approximately $3 million in non-federal funds to pay for these expenses.
The conciliation agreement sets forth that ACT failed properly to attribute and report expenditures attributable to specific candidates, failed properly to allocate and report joint administrative activities and used non-federal funds to pay the federal share of such allocated expenses. The agreement also requires ACT to pay a $775,000 civil penalty and cease and desist from further violating the law and Commission regulations.
The Commission is also releasing a separate Factual and Legal Analysis addressing allegations of illegal in-kind contributions made by ACT to the DNC and John Kerry for President. The Commission investigation of these allegations uncovered no evidence of coordination between those organizations and ACT.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
We should now require full
September 23, 2008 - 17:19 ET by d1carterWe should now require full disclosure from the MSM...
Palin, in a bubble, meets her first world leaders
September 23, 2008 - 17:53 ET by mitchfloridaBy SARA KUGLER, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Sarah Palin met her first world leaders Tuesday.
It
was a tightly controlled crash course on foreign policy for the
Republican vice presidential candidate, the mayor-turned-governor who
has been outside North America just once.
Palin sat down with
Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. The
conversations were private, the pictures public, meant to build her
resume for voters concerned about her lack of experience in world
affairs.
"I found her quite a capable woman," Karzai said later. "She asked the right questions on Afghanistan."
The
self-described "hockey mom" also asked former Secretary of State Henry
Kissinger for insights on Georgia, Russia, China and Iran, and she'll
see more leaders Wednesday on the sidelines of the United Nations
General Assembly meetings.
It was shuttle diplomacy, New
York-style. At several points, Palin's motorcade got stuck in traffic
and New Yorkers, unimpressed with the flashing lights, sirens and
police officers in her group
So McCain's throwing out
September 23, 2008 - 19:49 ET by SchnikeysSo McCain's throwing out the "You don't get foreign experience by campaigning overseas" argument, too, eh?
What a fool.
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"My morality is your morality."
Campaign finance reform
September 23, 2008 - 18:28 ET by imau2fanPerhaps you're only half joking, but........
The requirement that political candidates say "I approved this message" at the end of their ads--was that not a provision of McCain-Feingold?
To which I've always said if I'd been in McCain's shoes, I would have accepted that on one condition--that journalists also be required to accompany their reports with their party affiliation and total $$$ contributed to each party.
Hey, if we can regulate the speech of politicians, why not journalists too? Seems only fair.
Or to take it a step further, journalists feel it's necessary to label as "conservative", organizations like MRC or the Heritage Foundation, so that readers take their press releases with an appropriate grain of salt. Well then, why shouldn't journalists be subject to the same labeling?
They should refuse
September 23, 2008 - 19:16 ET by kgThey should refuse participating in an article due to conflict of interest the way judges and lawyers are supposed to.
"Forget change, I want improvement!"
You can expand on those thoughts...
September 23, 2008 - 18:47 ET by Indiana Joe... here, if you're so inclined.
"... smells like... victory." - Robert Duvall
It is a shame that the situation with the MSM...
September 23, 2008 - 18:59 ET by PrairieSkyhas devolved to the point that it has. Personally, I'd prefer a return to a time when a reporter's political views were kept strictly under wraps. I'm in my late 40's, and when I was a kid growing up, it was difficult if not impossible, to discern a MSM journalist's political leanings. I don't know what they are teaching in journalism schools right now, but the word impartial must not be a part of the curriculums.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
So, one person, in one day,
September 23, 2008 - 17:28 ET by ThisnThatSo, one person, in one day, was able to uncover a well-hidden, unadvertised contribution to an organization that acted illegally.
And 30 lawyers, in Alaska since Aug 25, have found what? Nothing you say?
And yet -- what does the MSM focus upon?
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
An AS IF moment
September 23, 2008 - 17:55 ET by LeftCoastRightieI knew Kugler's whining is true to form. She'd whine about press access to Palin but not BarryO's closed door.
On a separate matter but similar - I wonder why there is no traction to Taheri's report that BarryO advised the Iraqi gov not to make decisions about troop withdrawal until he gets in office. Treason?
Oh and if I can mention too - someone in American Thinker says BarryO will dump Biden for Hillory after the VP debate. Biden will have health issues.
Left Coast R
September 23, 2008 - 18:17 ET by BlondeI too, wondered about the BO demand that the Iraqis leave the troop draw down recommendations until after the election. It had a bit of a splash, then just went poof.
The Biden "health issue", I think, is an internet rumor....motherbelt posted a link earlier from Snopes. I got the e-mail yesterday.
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
Shep Smith
September 23, 2008 - 18:14 ET by TheAssessorWatching Fox and am wondering if anyone can tell me what is it about Shep Smith? He's beginning to sound like an angry lefty.
He can be hard to tag...
September 23, 2008 - 18:23 ET by PrairieSkySometimes Shep comes across as right, sometimes left, sometimes in the center. Truth be told, I'd just as soon not know or be given a clear idea which way he tilts politically. There's enough of that coming from the left right now.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
Shepard Smith is definitely
September 23, 2008 - 18:58 ET by mitchfloridaShepard Smith is definitely left of center. Not a flaming liberal, but left of center.
If I had to categorize him...
September 23, 2008 - 19:01 ET by PrairieSkygenerally, I'd agree...
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
Thanks
September 23, 2008 - 19:02 ET by TheAssessorThanks for the relpies. I have been wondering if it's just 'me'.
No...rest easy...
September 23, 2008 - 19:07 ET by PrairieSkyIt is definitely not just you. I think most clear thinking people see exactly what you are seeing...
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
TA... Just you ..heck no,
September 23, 2008 - 19:12 ET by bigtimerTA...
Just you ..heck no, he is nothing but a wimping, crying, leftist baby...on top of that he did his best to help incite riots in NO during Katrina...he and Geraldo together, they were the first time I ever emailed Fox, let alone call them....evidently along with other people.
Of course Fox had nothing but shows defending them later and having them on as brief guests for their defense...like BOR, H&C, F&F....I won't ever forget it.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
My Take On Shep Smith
September 23, 2008 - 19:05 ET by CapedConservativeCapedConservative
I know that he subscribes to Global Warming and he was a very vocal critic of the lack of FEDERAL response to Katrina but had ZIP to say about Ray "School Bus" Nagin. There have been a number of other examples to indicate to me that he must switch on Olberman when he signs off every evening.
CC
FBI investigation after threats to news orgs?
September 23, 2008 - 19:15 ET by wdhorningThere is an un-proven allegation that the way people are acting it could be there have been some personal threats on people's lives. This may be due to the current FBI investigation of the big four companies that were mentioned in the news today.
Keep in mind, that just as in the world of gansters, where there are billions at stake, for those "crooks" who have ripped off the public that the FBI is investigating, the same kind of threats and "hits" made by gansters may going on right now . This has scared a lot of people.
And there is a lot that has been said about Obama's ties to one or more of these companies. So, there may be perceived or real threats that has news people thinking they better give Obama fair or better than fair treatment right now. Remember too, that Obama is alleged to have also had associations in the past with the Chicago mob, Weather Underground, Black Panthers and even some Muslim radicals.
With the stronger investigation tools to deal with terrorism today, those tools may also at this moment be digging more deeply into Obama's past, which if true (even if Obama has done nothing wrong), coud possible be a source of perceived or actual threats, so the un-proven allegation goes.
However, allegations or not, of course until the FBI unravels all of this, Obama is in the clear, and will likely even stay in the clear. Besides Obama, other members of Congress could be under investigation as well for their ties to the corrupted organizations, including members of both parties.
They really don't even
September 23, 2008 - 19:00 ET by Indiana JoeThey really don't even bother to hide it anymore.
"... smells like... victory." - Robert Duvall