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GOP uses Twitter to share internal polling data (1 Viewer)

mcintyre1

Footballguy
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/17/politics/twitter-republicans-outside-groups/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Washington (CNN) -- Republicans and outside groups used anonymous Twitter accounts to share internal polling data ahead of the midterm elections, CNN has learned, a practice that raises questions about whether they violated campaign finance laws that prohibit coordination.

The Twitter accounts were hidden in plain sight. The profiles were publicly available but meaningless without knowledge of how to find them and decode the information, according to a source with knowledge of the activities.

The practice is the latest effort in the quest by political operatives to exploit the murky world of campaign finance laws at a time when limits on spending in politics are eroding and regulators are being defanged.

The law says that outside groups, such as super PACs and non-profits, can spend freely on political causes as long as they don't coordinate their plans with campaigns. Sharing costly internal polls in private, for instance, could signal to the campaign committees where to focus precious time and resources.

...

Posting the information on Twitter, which is technically public, could provide a convenient loophole to the law — or could run afoul of it.

"It's a line that has not been defined. This is really on the cutting edge," said Paul S. Ryan, senior counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan organization focused on campaign finance issues. "It might not be legal. It's a cutting edge practice that, to my knowledge, the Federal Election Commission has never before addressed to explicitly determine its legality or permissibility."

At least two outside groups and a Republican campaign committee had access to the information posted to the accounts, according to the source. They include American Crossroads, the super PAC founded by Karl Rove; American Action Network, a nonprofit advocacy group, and the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is the campaign arm for the House GOP.

...

The accounts that CNN reviewed were active in the months ahead of this month's election, which gave Republicans their largest majority in the House since World War II and control of the Senate. They were live until Nov. 3 but deleted minutes after CNN contacted the NRCC with questions.
 
The money in politics is never going away. Ever. The best course of action from here is to require instant, public, full disclosure of all contributions.

 
The money in politics is never going away. Ever. The best course of action from here is to require instant, public, full disclosure of all contributions.
That would be a good start, but I disagree that its never going away. It's a tough fight, but we could certainly force the decision with a call for a constitutional amendment. That only happens through citizens forcing it at the state level, though.

 
Yeah, we need a Constitutional admendment to rid ourselves of those horrible First admendment rights.

 
The money in politics is never going away. Ever. The best course of action from here is to require instant, public, full disclosure of all contributions.
That would be a good start, but I disagree that its never going away. It's a tough fight, but we could certainly force the decision with a call for a constitutional amendment. That only happens through citizens forcing it at the state level, though.
Great. Create an amendment. What will the language be, exactly?

There is no language you can create that either A) won't have massive loopholes, and/or B) won't wildly infringe on free speech.

 
I'm actually impressed. And despite my political sympathies, I file this one under "if you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin."

 
The money in politics is never going away. Ever. The best course of action from here is to require instant, public, full disclosure of all contributions.
That would be a good start, but I disagree that its never going away. It's a tough fight, but we could certainly force the decision with a call for a constitutional amendment. That only happens through citizens forcing it at the state level, though.
You actually believe that ordinary citizens can have an effect on legislation in this country? Sorry to burst your bubble but that doesnt happen anymore.

 
The money in politics is never going away. Ever. The best course of action from here is to require instant, public, full disclosure of all contributions.
That would be a good start, but I disagree that its never going away. It's a tough fight, but we could certainly force the decision with a call for a constitutional amendment. That only happens through citizens forcing it at the state level, though.
Great. Create an amendment. What will the language be, exactly?

There is no language you can create that either A) won't have massive loopholes, and/or B) won't wildly infringe on free speech.
Before we get to new amendments, how about we reverse the idiotic Citizens United decision for starters?

 
The money in politics is never going away. Ever. The best course of action from here is to require instant, public, full disclosure of all contributions.
That would be a good start, but I disagree that its never going away. It's a tough fight, but we could certainly force the decision with a call for a constitutional amendment. That only happens through citizens forcing it at the state level, though.
Great. Create an amendment. What will the language be, exactly?

There is no language you can create that either A) won't have massive loopholes, and/or B) won't wildly infringe on free speech.
Before we get to new amendments, how about we reverse the idiotic Citizens United decision for starters?
Free speech is a #####, amirite?

 
The money in politics is never going away. Ever. The best course of action from here is to require instant, public, full disclosure of all contributions.
That would be a good start, but I disagree that its never going away. It's a tough fight, but we could certainly force the decision with a call for a constitutional amendment. That only happens through citizens forcing it at the state level, though.
Great. Create an amendment. What will the language be, exactly?

There is no language you can create that either A) won't have massive loopholes, and/or B) won't wildly infringe on free speech.
Before we get to new amendments, how about we reverse the idiotic Citizens United decision for starters?
Obviously, if you can write language that gets rid of the money in politics, we don't need to worry about that decision, since it would immediately become unconstitutional. Now, let's get back to what you want the rule to be. What language do you want?

 

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