Voters Need to Know What "Redboxing" Is and How It Undermines Democracy

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Saurav Ghosh
@SGhoshCLC
Ever heard of "redboxing"? It's an illegal tactic that campaigns use to coordinate with super PACs, while the @FEC looks the other way. New @CampaignLegal blog post explains how it works and why it fosters corruption in government. #democracy #Corruption

campaignlegal.org
Voters Need to Know What “Redboxing” Is and How It Undermines Democracy
Redboxing is an illegal practice in which campaigns publish messaging and signal to supportive super PACs what material they should use in their ads.
11:59 AM · May 13, 2022

https://campaignlegal.org/update/voters-need-know-what-redboxing-and-how-it-undermines-democracy

When you visit a federal candidate’s campaign website, you’ll probably find their biography, a story about why they're running, and their positions on important issues. But you also might encounter a bright red box containing the peculiarly worded headline: “Voters need to see, read, and see on the go…”

That headline might be followed by negative information about the candidate’s opponent, including the type of harshly critical statements that candidates often avoid making directly.

As you scroll down the page, you may find downloadable “B-roll” stock footage of the candidate greeting crowds, or stock images of them smiling, waving, or shaking hands.

You might wonder why the candidate would have this on their campaign website.

What you’re seeing is “redboxing,” an illegal practice in which campaigns publish messaging and signal to supportive super PACs what material they should use in their ads.

*snip*