Virginia Group's ads called slap at Pa. voters-refuses to disclose backers

[bronxiteforever]

Posted on Wed, Oct. 31, 2007
Philadelphia Daily News
By BOB WARNER


A Virginia-based group that refuses to disclose its financial backers has purchased about $1 million in television airtime, apparently trying to influence the election of a state Supreme Court justice in Pennsylvania.

The Center for Individual Freedom, a nonprofit corporation with headquarters in Alexandria, ran its first ad over the weekend, lauding one of the Republican court candidates, Superior Court Judge Maureen Lally-Green.

A spokesman for Lally-Green described the ad yesterday as an exercise of the Virginia group's First Amendment rights.

More Here

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20071031_Groups_ads_called_slap_at_Pa__voters.html

[Bunny]

1. What a crock!

<snip>
Pennsylvania's campaign-finance laws prohibit corporate donations and require pre-election disclosure of contributions and expenditures.

But the Virginia group, registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, apparently believes it is not subject to those laws, because its advertising does not specifically urge anyone to vote for Lally-Green.
<snip>


Those ads have been all over the television these past few days, and no reasonable person could conclude that they are doing anything BUT "urging anyone to vote for Lally-Green". What a big steaming pile.

[PRETZEL]

2. Eric Shippers appears to be the head of CFIF

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_5_19/ai_97874294

I'll try to see if I can fird out more about this.

(on edit)
Shippers left in 2003. New director
http://www.cfif.org/htdocs/freedomline/current/in_our_opinion/mazzella_named_director.htm