Dangerous campaign loophole, or free speech?

Howard Troxler: A federal judge has thrown out Florida's laws that regulated ECOs. And Gov. Charlie Crist's administration has just decided not to appeal. That means ECOs — there were 105 registered in Florida before the ruling — will be unregulated by the state in the coming election cycle. We likely are in for an increase in this kind of politics.

And since ECOs will no longer have to disclose their finances to the state (only to the feds, and after the election), Floridians won't know who's paying for it. Critics warn that this is a tempting loophole. Why not shift more money into the unregulated ECOs, instead of going through all the bother of regulated accounts?

On the other hand, aren't these groups made up of Americans who have the perfect right to speak?

*

Comments

[Michelle]

Thank God for the First Amendment and for Judge Mickle.

In Orlando, Ax the tax leader Doug Geutzloe was criminally prosecuted by his longtime political opponent our "Double-dipping" State Attorney Lawson Lamar for not having a disclaimer required by these statutes. The law is unconsitutional and it's now thrown out but Doug had to spend over $100,000 defended himself because a flyer he sent out didn't say "paid political..."
Great ruling for the Fourth. What a gift to the Republic Judge Mickle has given us. God Bless America and Judge Mickle!

[First Amendment AND fianancial campaign disclosure]

First Amendment AND fianancials made publci. The ECOs that spend so much money they influence elections.

Some spend millions, others hundreds of thousand, other into the thousands.

Legislature needs to find reasonable amount.

[It free speech y'all.]

Congress shall make no law infringing on the freedom of speech. The 14th Amendment makes it apply to state and local government.

Campaign finance is a law restricting free speech and violates the 1st amendment. Those who support campaign finance have contempt for the electorate to figure things out for themselves---and they want to also control the electorate.

September looms with US Supreme Court on campaign finance and Alito will show his greatness and his ability to read and understand the plain words of the US Consitution. And it will evisterate the lobbyists and their bundlings.....

[Susan S]

Did Ray Sansom send money to an ECO from his CCE? Where did it go from there? I'm just learning about all of these groups so I can't say how it works, but if we don't have full disclosure, the criminals will continue to drive our state into the ground.

It's time for real reform and clean elections.

[how 'bout them repiggies]

I have it already figured out that if a "group of citizens" takes out an expensive television ad for a right-wing cause, that big corporate money is already behind it. Some privileged group of fat cats will benefit, at the expense of the citizenry.

I am an absolute fundamentalist in regard to free speech, so I don't think that the disclosure requirement is a good idea.
The press and the blogosphere are quite good at ferreting out the source of the money, so there is a role for them to play.

A special note to repiggies:

On July 4, we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, in case you don't know. It is not a time to indulge in an orgy of fascistic militarism, the very thing that our founders fought over two centuries ago.

There is no such mention of an establishment of a particular religion in the Declaration nor in the Constitution of the United States. Please stop inferring that there is. It simply isn't true.

[10:13]

we all pray for you.....

[July 4th]

the US Constitution is a very liberal document (classical liberal). Funny how the democrats are considered liberal now, but liberalism now means centralized power and statism.

[how 'bout them repiggies]

10:13, I pray for you as well, that you will stop tarnishing the good name of Jesus as a tool for absolute power and wealth-grabbing.

Sadly, evangelicals have tossed aside the notion of a true, humble, Christ-based love of their fellow human beings.
The sounding brass and the tinkling cymbals have overtaken evangelicalism today.

[Democrats are the pigs at the trough, bro]

The real piggies:

pelosi & democrats spending spree on all things democratic and acornish....

[how 'bout them repiggies]

It takes one to know one, pal.

[This gives carte blanche to hidden and covert political operatives]

Susan,good to see you again today.The idea behind this law was transparency of who was funding elections such as presidential elections.
The law requires a paper trail,now? Oh no is all I can say.
You know a thought I just had was,if the conspiracy crowd thinks Obama is really a plant by a covert operation that started at birth,wouldn't they want to see where his advertisement money comes from?
What this does mean is the same guy that fought to stop a re-count in the election of a President when he worked for Bush and the Republicans(Roberts) he was able to keep hidden the origination of funds backing elected officials.
This is NOT about freedom of speech or the press,nobody said they couldn't talk all they wanted,the law just required a "signature" or verification of origination.

[terminator]

big surprise stuffed suit, empty chair, backbone of jello (Chuck Crist) opted not to appeal!
gee I wonder how many millions Chuck's campaign will be raking in from the ECO's and CCE's?
further proof our government is fundamentally corrupt and it's time for the citizenry to start taking matters into their own hands.

[Heritage wins another for the extremists]

Not so slowly the extremists are gaining ground.This allows ultra right wing extremist groups like Heritage Foundation to control who we Floridians will have representing us in DC.
I have another amendment I would like to bring up to show that the extremists only recognize Articles that favor them or help to keep fear high in their "base."
*Amendment VII-In suits at common law,where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars,the right of trial by jury shall be preserved,and no fact tried by a jury shall be reexamined in any Court of the United States,than according to the rules of common law.
The extremists are in the extreme minority,the best way to control the masses is propaganda.Now we will have no idea who is putting out ad's until after this ever so important next election.
One thing is certain,people from afar will influence who will represent us here in Florida.
This will be a battle of Propaganda rather then a battle of issues.

[Heritage wins another for the extremists]

Not so slowly the extremists are gaining ground.This allows ultra right wing extremist groups like Heritage Foundation to control who we Floridians will have representing us in DC.
I have another amendment I would like to bring up to show that the extremists only recognize Articles that favor them or help to keep fear high in their "base."
*Amendment VII-In suits at common law,where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars,the right of trial by jury shall be preserved,and no fact tried by a jury shall be reexamined in any Court of the United States,than according to the rules of common law.
The extremists are in the extreme minority,the best way to control the masses is propaganda.Now we will have no idea who is putting out ad's until after this ever so important next election.
One thing is certain,people from afar will influence who will represent us here in Florida.
This will be a battle of Propaganda rather then a battle of issues.

[Obama and democrats hate free speech---it interfers with their plans.....]

ACORN is a proto-Leninist, thuggish group of far left radicals who want to overturn American society and create a Marxist state

[Floridian for Accountability]

There is no harm in disclosure. Candidates have to disclose where their money is coming from, why should issue organizations being any less accountable? Say what ever you want- but we should be able to see who is funding your message.

[why are the "repiggies" so scared of little old Pelosi]

I have never seen an entire wing of a political party so scared of two people as the extremists are scared of Pelosi and Reid.
Look at this upcoming election,the bashing has intensified and looks to get really ugly and its thier own party members!!!
Had Limbaugh,Coulter,Hannity and others NOT done their daily McCain bashing,the (R)'s would be in the White house.
Those of you who love to hate? Should want to kick Limbaugh and his kind to the curb.It's NOT Pelosi and Reids fault Obama got in the White House,,,
that was your own People!

[Bill Embry]

How is a funding disclosure an infringement on free speech?
I would like to see discussion on this issue!

[how 'bout them repiggies]

The repiggies, with the White House and in total control of the Congress until November 2006, managed to inflict that off-the-books financial sinkhole known as the Iraq war.

That stupid war has been the source of so much wealth redistribution in this nation. Where are all the pro-market zealots on this one?

They are quiet about Bush/Cheney and recent repiggie rule
because even they know how disastrously inept and monstrous it was. They can't deal with the truth.

I feel sorry for President Obama. He has a thankless task,
doing his best to sort out the mess left by the repiggie trash.

From economic disasters to torture, the repiggies have been in charge. Will our nation survive their disastrous
mismanagement?

[praying for a democratice rout in '10]

repubs had control of the house, not the senate. the dems now control it all with 60 senators. only if the republicans did control it........

[Aquaserpent]

I would not like to see an infringement on free speech; however a lager majority of the voting public relies on commercials to make their political decisions. I usually don’t mind when someone messes up their own existence however in politics they are taking me and mine with them.

I have said for decades that we need publicly funded campaigns. We have the rich funding their employees (candidates), to a level where most opposition candidates cannot get their message through. Additionally we need a level playing field; an Independent candidate should not have to exceed the level required for a Democrat or Republican to qualify for the same race. Furthermore televised debates should be required to allow all qualified candidates to participate.

The fact that the electorate is getting wise to the fact that being a politician is not a state of being that delivers one beyond the vices of everyday living is refreshing. However with that being said, these vices go beyond sex and more often than not include finances. I have often asked why is it that a politician can; accept a campaign contribution that equals say 0.25% of their total campaign financial requirements and that does not affect their ability to govern fairly. Conversely a Civil Servant cannot accept even a lunch say equal to 0.004% of their annual pay for fear it will unduly influence their decision making processes. I often ask is the politician a person of higher moral fiber that allows them to function beyond what is considered normal for the rest of us. Or is it that we are being lied to and they are bought and paid for by their contributors? I personally think it is just coincidence that almost 100% of the time when you follow the money favorable legislation follows, but hay I’m just a stooge.

[how 'bout them repiggies]

1:52 is not telling the truth. Is this on purpose?

The repiggies controlled both houses of Congress from 2001-2006. The House shifted to democrat control after the November 2006 elections. The Senate shifted to democrat control with the elections in November 2008.

It's public record.

[Susan S]

A couple of friends and I have been looking up campaign finance reports from Hillsborough candidates today. There's one family that has something like 30 companies registered at the same address, with most or all of them donating heavily to (mostly) GOP candidates.

[who cares?]

More unintended consequences from the people who want to limit "the money in politics."

[Vote Democrat - always]

Have you noticed that the fascist-Libertarian wingnuts are hiding behind the First Amendment again? Of course we know that the real reason is they use these ECOs far more than Democrats and they're just desperate to avoid the kicking they're dueto get from the from the voters in 2010, who all sufferning from the disaster of their failed policies. Gotta protect (hide) the flow of out of state dollars from the corporate scum that want to influence our elections.

[terminator had Empty suits number from day one]

terminator again I have to agree that you were right on the mark with Charlie. He's not a RINO he's just an any way the wind blows panderer.

[terminator]

8:06
thanks. I've got a pretty good sense of one who's full of themself and Chuck certainly fills that bill.
you should have seen him in the bathroom at DOE patting his hair and straightening his tie while he admired himself in the mirror!
Chuck's got so much plastic he could be recycled!

[the extremists could say this interferes with his or her pursuit of happiness]

The disclosure form has not one thing to do with free speech.
There is no guarantee of hiding the origination of money to pay for campaign
advertising in the constitution.
You have fellow extremist Adam Putnam telling everyone the measure of success in campaigning,is how much money you have collected!!!
Yeah,do you think the national level extremists are mad about Putnam's people saying that because Rubio is still on empty!!!

[Hey how 'bout those extremists? they're sure good at losing elections]

"The real piggies:

pelosi & democrats spending spree on all things democratic and acornish....

Posted by: Democrats are the pigs at the trough, bro | July 03, 2009 at 10:39 AM"
The primary reasons the Democrats have control of both houses as well as the presidency,just months after '04 election's the rapidly deepening debt,money taken from Social security fund,no WMD's found,More scandals,the middle class set a new record for losing ground while the tax cut recipients gained in all categories of wealth.
How did Obama win so easily? The far right extremist beat up on McCain for months,Limbaugh,Hannity,Coulter,Boortz and so many more bad mouthed McCain so much,the black guy with no experience and a Muslim name easily beat McCain.
Its the extremists,they don't care what voters want from a politician, they want the voters to conform to the "extremist" politician!
The mouth pieces are all involved in telling us who to vote for,doesn't matter how that hurts a Republican that can win.
If Rubio's extremists all beat up on Crist enough,the Democrat will win.
Blame Limbaugh for the Democrats feeding at the trough,its his fault.

[DISGUSTED]

Until there is true campaign finance reform, politics will remain as corrupt as is, and representative government will remain dead. Truly disgusting. Special interests buy our government. Talk about a tea party.

[rats leaving the ship of state----bailing on Obama and his massive debt]

Obama: Carter Redux. Disaster in 2010 and 2012. Second coming of Reagan. History repeats......

[Paul D. Harvill]

And since ECOs will no longer have to disclose their finances to the state (only to the feds, and after the election), Floridians won't know who's paying for it. Critics warn that this is a tempting loophole. Why not shift more money into the unregulated ECOs, instead of going through all the bother of regulated accounts?

On the other hand, aren't these groups made up of Americans who have the perfect right to speak?
_________________

Money is the mother's milk of elections.

Better to know the sources of and the pollutants contained within the mother's milk than not.

Toxic chemicals are contained within ECOs.

So toxic as to cause cancer on the body politic.

[Boca Grande]

how 'bout them repiggies: strange reading that you support at least one liberty. Perhaps there is hope for you yet.