GOP threatens to sue radio stations to stop Dem ads in Montana

[quaoar]

Well, looks to me like we have hit a sore spot. I say time to double the ad budget. These kind of ads should be run against every Republican with any ties to Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay. Drive it home.

Here's a copy of the letter the GOP is sending out to radio stations:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/stories/2005/08/08/republicansTryingToGetMontanaAdPulled.html

[SteppingRazor]

1. Note that the Republican letter states that Abramoff...

never contributed to Burns' _election campaign_. What about contributions in other areas?

[quaoar]

5. No contributions eh?

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2005/03/29/news/02money.txt

The Washington Post reported in early March that Burns had diverted a $3 million grant meant for impoverished Indian schools to the Saginaw Chippewas in Michigan, one of the richest tribes in the nation.

The tribe was a client of GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who is under investigation by the FBI and Congress for allegedly buying legislative favors with campaign contributions and bribing Congressional aides.

Burns has received $137,000 in campaign contributions from Abramoff and his tribal clients, the Post reported. Also under scrutiny is a 2001 trip to the Super Bowl for two Burns staffers that may have been paid for by Abramoff.

In a recent newspaper column, Burns acknowledged the trip took place, but insisted his staff had cleared it with the Senate Ethics Committee ahead of time.

[swag]

11. The money went to Burns' PAC. The RNC lawyers are being

very weasely in declaring that Burns' "campaign committee" didn't get paid by Abramoff. Of course not. Big Sky PAC got the money.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/04/17/build/opinion/30-gazette-opinion.inc

[Supersedeas]

16. flying high on technicalities -- just give our cronies a pretext -

[kbm8795]

2. How utterly odd. . .

that the Republican Party would find "misleading" information inappropriate. They'd have a better chance at intimidation if they would contend that "fear-and-smear" is their own patented approach to campaigning.

The culture of corruption must be exposed!

[deutsey]

3. They must hate the Dems for their freedoms.

:eyes:

[xchrom]

4. lol -- now how amusing is that?

to think that repukes would be up in arms over being ''smeared''?
well, they're the experts...

[Norquist Nemesis]

6. But, but, but...

I thought lawyers were the enemy! Don't you need a lawyer to file suit and go to court? :crazy:

[Frances]

7. Where were these people when

the Republicans were publicizing lies against John Kerry?

I'll never forgive the Republicans for those bandaids at the Republican National Convention.

[Chipper Chat]

15. Ooooooh - you hit a sore spot with me.

GOP Convention '04 - I can still see that fat smartass smirky woman (I think she was from Texas) with the bandaid on her face. I had never seen anything so insulting in my life. To trash an American veteran while crowing that the Republican Party is the party of values. How many of her rich relatives volunteered for Vietnam? I doubt many. What a BITCH! I'm still boiling!
(Thanks for letting me vent).

[Beetwasher]

8. Wahhh! Wahhh! Wahhh! Stop Telling the Truth or WE'LL SUE YOU!!!!

LOL!!! Pansy's.

Montana's going all Dem baby!

The Dems better start working on a "Western Strategy", I think it could work.

[Bluzmann57]

12. "Western Strategy"

I have been keeping an eye on Montana since this guy Schweitzer got elected governor. He seems to have his act together and may be future presidential material. He could help lead the charge for the western states, imo. If the Dems can carry the far west, then we can say the hell with the south and take over the White House in '08. Sounds like the Montana Dems have hit a nerve and thats a good thing. Keep it up.

[SteppingRazor]

13. True, but...

Just getting Montana wouldn't cut it. We'd need to take the West Coast, plus Nevada, Colorado, and some Southwest states, like Arizona and New Mexico.
I'm assuming, of course, that certain Western states (I'm looking at you, Utah, Idaho and Wyoming ;) ) are beyond hope.

[TheFarseer]

18. Western strategy seems doable to me

With the right candidate (no one from New England) Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, and Iowa were very close. If you think Montana is doable, Missouri, Arizona and Arkansas were even closer than the Big Sky State. Another thing I think is important: all the rural counties in that Ohio house of reps election went to Hackett. Are rural people finally realizing the republicans don't give a shit about rural people?

[swag]

14. I'm so pleased that DSCC is giving some attention to this race.

Montanans I know are sick to death of Burns and his funky scumbag ways. Montana's red-state leaning, tenuous as it is, has always been more small-l libertarian than it has been Republican, and the fact that it's the Republicans who are destroying liberties and bloating government is not lost on Montanans.

[Frances]

17. I like the idea of a Western strategy too

nt

[flaminbats]

9. Talk about frivolous lawsuits!!

Too bad Republicans can't accept criticism, they've only given us ammo for another ad. True Republicans always believe what they see on telivision!! :nopity:

[gratuitous]

10. Look who's running to the trial lawyers . . . again

What will the cause of action be -- definition of character? And the laughable assertion that Abramoff didn't "contribute" to the Burns election campaign! No, he just raised and funneled tens of thousands of dollars for the campaign. That can hardly be called a contribution now, can it?

And isn't it odd that the Republicans are now trying their best to create some distance between themselves and their crooked political operative before he's been convicted of a crime, or even indicted? I wonder how this plays with Jack? Gotta hurt his wittle feelings, doncha think?