Feds to make a ruling over politicking on the Web

[Geee]

Washington Examiner:

A political action committee is looking to figure out whether it can safely use the Internet to support national political candidates, or whether the Federal Election Commission might seize the opportunity to impose the kind of regulations Democrats have been striving to attain.

 

The request for an advisory opinion, filed on behalf of Citizen Super PAC, asks the FEC whether it would be permissible to email supporters of a candidate's campaign, or whether that would cross a line prohibiting coordination with candidates.

 

"If a PAC mails out 1,000 letters soliciting funds for a candidate to its mailing list, then the cost of those mailers constitute either an independent expenditure or an in-kind contribution to the candidate if the letter was sent in coordination between the PAC and the candidate," explained Chris Gober, a co-founder of the PAC.

[Valin]

 

 

FEC commissioners have battled with each other for the past several years over whether campaign finance regulations should extend to content on the Internet. Democrats have advocated for expanding the agency's power, arguing that social networking websites such as Twitter and new media outlets like the Drudge Report are wielding undue influence.

 

Democrats could be conflicted in their response to Gober's filing due to its implications for Correct the Record, a super PAC founded by left-wing operative David Brock in support of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. In a quest to elude campaign finance regulations, the organization has successfully argued that it should be exempt from anti-coordination laws as long as communications it receives from Clinton's campaign are being transmitted openly on the Internet.

 

Gober said the activity wasn't an exact match with what Citizen Super PAC is attempting to accomplish, but that the Clinton supporters should be watching. "The rules governing 'coordination' do not place a blanket prohibition on all forms of communication between a candidate and a super PAC, and we are certainly seeking more clarification as to where to draw the lines of distinction.

 

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Canute in the 9th century showed us the absolute futility of controlling money in politics.