FEC Complaint Filed About Collusion By CTR w/ Clinton Campaign (Now w/ Bonus Material)

Sorry, I don't see this article on any "reputable" sites yet. From the Washington Free Beacon

FEC Complaint Accuses Clinton Campaign of Illegally Working With David Brock’s Super PAC

The Campaign Legal Center charges that Brock’s PAC Correct the Record contributed nearly $6 million in in-kind donations to the Clinton campaign in the form of coordinated expenditures, Law Newz reported. Such donations are prohibited by federal law, according to the complaint.

The Campaign Legal Center said in its complaint the PAC publicly acknowledges its coordination with the Clinton campaign and charged that its multi-million-dollar operation is more extensive than a volunteer blogging movement.

“Correct the Record is a $6 million Washington D.C.-based political committee that spends millions on opposition research, message development, surrogate training and booking, professional video production, and press outreach for the benefit of the Clinton campaign—and by its own admission, does so in full coordination with the Clinton campaign,” the Campaign Legal Center said in the complaint. “Because Correct the Record is effectively an arm of the Clinton campaign, million-dollar-plus contributions to the super PAC are indistinguishable from contributions directly to Clinton–and pose the same risk of corruption,” the group said in a statement.

The article also says Bernie referred to Brock as 'scum of the earth' in May. I had missed that. Priceless.

Free Beacon picked up this story from Law Newz

Here's the statement by Campaign Legal Center where you'll see that they filed this complaint against CTR and also complaints against two groups supporting Trump.

“We have been forced to file these complaints because a dysfunctional FEC has been sitting idly by as the campaigns of the presidential candidate of both major parties are involved in unprecedented coordination with super PACs in violation of the law,” said Larry Noble, general counsel for the Campaign Legal Center. “These are not minor or technical violations. According to the Supreme Court, unlimited campaign spending by wealthy interests can corrupt candidates unless totally independent of a campaign. Giving a large contribution to a super PAC that is coordinating with the Trump or Clinton campaign is the same as giving it directly to the campaign and buys the same direct access and influence over that candidate.”

Found this in the Campaign Legal Center filing - it's a link to an article of CTR information from a year ago claiming that the information on Hillary's secret server was MORE SAFE than had those emails been on the .gov account because wild'n'crazy international hackers would never, evah find her server in Chapaqua... or sumpin'. Funniest thing I've read all week: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/09/11/clinton-defenders-now-contend... Best line:

“So, I think that the — the use of that server, which started with my husband, certainly proved to be effective and secure.”

Here's what Campaign Legal Center says about itself:

The United States of America is the world’s leading democracy—the continued legitimacy of which depends on defending and strengthening the public’s voice in the political arena. The Campaign Legal Center represents the public interest in the courts, before regulatory agencies and legislative bodies. The right to vote and to participate equally in the electoral process regardless of wealth are fundamental to maintaining and improving our democratic society. Restrictions on the right to vote, and elections dominated by wealth, strike at the heart of representative government. Protecting the right to vote and defending our democracy from the corrupting influence of big money go hand in hand—they are both about ensuring that the voices of all citizens be heard and truly matter. As the Supreme Court noted five decades ago: “No right is more precious in a free country than that of having a voice in the election of those who make the laws under which, as good citizens, we must live.”

It's about damn time someone officially filed this with the FEC. Check out the initial press release from when Corrupt The Record separated from American Bridge, specifically indicating that it intended to collude with the Campaign, because, it claimed, it would not be spending money on advertising and therefore was exempt from laws saying SuperPACs and campaigns need to be separate. It also stated it's intention to work with the DNC:

Correct The Record, though a SuperPac, will not be engaged in paid media and thus will be allowed to coordinate with campaigns and Party Committees.

Correct The Record Press Release

In addition to whatever was going on behind the scenes, the Clinton Campaign has also hired CTR to do research for it. This is a clip from and FEC filing for Hillary's campaign earlier this year:

FEC Correct The Record

Here's the link, page 1332 and link.

Need additional reasons to dislike Brock and CTR? This is the SuperPAC, you'll recall, which began paying people to post on blogs and social media in support of Clinton. (I'm TOTALLY sure no one at TOP was paid to post propaganda!)

UPDATE: I realize that many feel this is too little too late because it's nearly certainly NOT going to be a game-changer for this election cycle. I'll grant you that, but I am HUGELY relieved that someone has filed an ACTUAL objection to this illegality rather than just letting it get swept under the proverbial rug. To me this is significant in and of itself. We now have documentation that what Brock has been bragging he can get away with has been noted by election watchers. This may lay some foundation for change going forward. To me, that is SOMETHING, and as cynical as I have become this season, I am well chuffed about it.

Hat Tip to GreyWolf for the following links:

HILL’S SHILLS: Hillary Clinton’s “Correct The Record” (aka Paid Trolls) names publicly listed on FEC website

“In order to shut down as many pro-Sanders FB pages as possible, Brock’s Super PAC, Correct the Record, paid trolls $1M to post porn, and in some cases paedophilia to those pages, then thousands of other trolls would flag the page, causing automatic shutdown by Facebook’s bots. They have continued their attacks today. This is what Hillary will stoop to, no matter how low or vile. For her, election fraud and voter suppression didn’t do enough. So now she allows paedophiles to work for her. This is what our election year has come to.”

These are apparently the disbursements in the FEC filing.

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Lily O Lady's picture

about anything actually coming of this. Hillary got off. Police charged with murder get off.

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"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

Steven D's picture

unfortunately and will be resolved like all FEC cases, long after the election is over, if at all.

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"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

Not Henry Kissinger's picture

Yet another Federal watchdog too scared to bark until after the burglars are long gone.

Guess they'll get on CTR right after they get around to closing the foreign campaign contributions loophole.

Sometime after January 2017 I'd suspect. If ever.

Thanks for the update.

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The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

Shahryar's picture

The Colorado Buffaloes won a particular game by an error made by the referree. It was an outrageous error, where the ref lost track of the downs and Colorado, coached by a devout Christian!!, received a 5th down, scored a touchdown for the victory. The coach, who should have had a conscience, was glad to take the gift, although he really should have forfeited. But he didn't. Colorado then went on to be crowned National Champions by voters who were dumb enough to think the Buffs really won the game I mentioned. Or who didn't care. "Too late", they might have thought.

And that's what would happen if it turned out there was clear evidence of deliberate voter fraud that actually overturned the will of the voters. "Oh well" they'd say, "too late, Hillary won, nothing can be done about it now".

I've got to find an island somewhere so I can ignore all this.

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riverlover's picture

I have a place on an island, not US. But I can see the US, 2 miles over water. Unfortunately the house is not presently occupy-able. My headache, correct that--one of my headaches. For a coupla hundred thou (Canadian $$) it could sleep 8, sharing one toilet indoors. Any "guests" would be welcome in winters when even many Canadians flee to FL and beyond south. Cabin fever. But year-round ferry access to mainland Ontario, to Kingston, a cool town.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

ggersh's picture

all just useless acronyms.

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Alligator Ed's picture

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ggersh's picture

regardless it's been a long time since our government worked for the people.

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Steven D's picture

is worth a damn, if the head is rotten.

In other words, those who lead these federal agencies and departments, and their bosses in the Executive Branch, set the tone for whether they do the job and enforce the laws for which they have been granted authority and given a mandate, or, alternatively, let critical tasks and investigations slide whenever the enforcement of those laws conflicts with the agenda of the political appointees. And the political appointees, as we well know, are influenced by those who contribute money to their campaigns or "charitable foundations."

Thus, we see the corruption of supposedly independent organizations such as the FDA, SEC, FEC, FBI and DOJ. Even otherwise formerly highly respected agencies, such as OSHA and the EPA in recent years has become immersed in the filth of oligarchic control and influence peddling that permeates our political system.

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"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

riverlover's picture

We are all so frustrated now. I will pm some stuff, but we must be unionized, in the best sense of the word, for a direction out of this morass.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

snoopydawg's picture

Anita Hill during the Thomas hearings. Totally slut shamed her and agreed with everything Thomas said about Anita and ignored the fact that other women had come forward to accuse Thomas of sexual harassment.
And Hillary is working with him?
Another Hillary is the defender of women knocked down.
I'm with shah, I think we should pool our money and find a private island somewhere.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

riverlover's picture

How brave are you?

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

the Clintons. I would not be surprised bet if that was why they hired him. As LBJ said of J.(for Jackass) Edgar Hoover,

It's probably better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in.

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From Kos?

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MsGrin's picture

plus, I think if there *are* paid folks, they likely signed up in 2016 and many of us would not yet have come to know them in the first quarter of the year before we were purged from site.

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'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

They appear to be having a meltdown over the speech transcripts.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WayOfTheBern/comments/56frc4/wikileaks_release_...

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Thanks.
Disbursements data: Viewing about 2,000 filtered results [...] Wow!
Not only shills, but corporations galore. Every sector is covered, they are paying travel, credit card bills, every kind of expense. For whom? By whom? Is whom the proper word? Sounds funny after ya think it out loud a few times.
Edit: Top five sorted by Amount :

Recipient - State ... Amount

  1. AMERICAN BRIDGE 21ST CENTURY - DC ... $400,000.00
  2. FRANKLIN FORUM - DC ... $200,000.00
  3. BONNER GROUP - DC ... $159,375.00
  4. PAYROLL DATA PROCESSING - FL ... $104,842.95
  5. PAYROLL DATA PROCESSING - FL ... $101,531.76

Oom

Biggrin

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are CTR shills paid and flown in to cheer her. And sworn to secrecy in case she has an "episode."

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salted around venues to trigger clapping, cheering, booing, standing Os, etc. at the times the speechwriters want it. Others present tend to join in, once something starts.

Almost nothing about politics is genuine anymore.

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The ACLJ has filed its third Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the lawless Obama State Department, its biggest one yet.

The suit was filed yesterday in federal court in Washington, D.C. It not only demands answers about the Obama Administration’s collusion with the Clinton Foundation, but it also ratchets up our litigation efforts against the Obama Administration by asking the federal district court in Washington, D.C. to deal with the Administration’s pattern and practice of flouting the law.

Our complaint directs attention to the fact that the Obama Administration “has a reputation for flaunting and disregarding its public accountability and FOIA obligations.” The ACLJ currently has two other FOIA lawsuits filed because the government has failed to respond as required by statute to the ACLJ’s lawful FOIA requests.

It’s no longer just about getting the records and the truth. We are fighting back against repeated and unabashed lawlessness. We’re now demanding that our federal judiciary get to the core of the problem here – where the Obama Administration claims openness and transparency, it continues to practice a pattern of lawless corruption.

This latest lawsuit follows up on our FOIA request demanding answers and documents involving Clinton Foundation friends and donors receiving special treatment from the Obama State Department while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

judges (still alive) were probably appointed by Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, or Obama. Nuts!

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Down with Tyranny has finally gotten around to the "I" word.

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/

The title of the article is "Progressives Must Prepare for TPP-Passage; Pres. Kaine's VP-Selection; & Parties' Realignment.

DWT is a Kossack. Gaius Publius, plus three other writers. I found the site Gaius crossposts on DK.

DWT has exhaustively documented how the DSCC and the DCCC have deliberately worked to keep progressive Democrats, like, most famously, Greyson and Edwards, out of congress.

DWT is supporting Mme. Cr., but that lapse in judgment does not negate the value of their reporting throughout this last year.

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Mary Bennett

After President Hillary:

• Fails to credibly distance herself from Obama passing the TPP through post-election lame-duck session of Congress; and
• Is blamed for the pain of the (hopefully gradual) recessionary end of current economic recovery;
… The Republican majority in House of Representatives will impeach Hillary because this can:

• Win support from many Trump voters and non-voters; and
• Demonstrate alignment against "illegal" or "should be illegal" cover-ups and, more broadly, against business-as-usual;
… Senate vote on impeachment will probably pass (unless Hillary resigns "for health reasons") because:

The above is from DWT. I am rather unimpressed by the site's reasoning as to why they think Senate Democrats will vote for removal. Except for the vote to not authorize military intervention in Syria, I have yet to see Senate democrats, as a body, pay very much attention to what voters want. I will say that Chief Justice Roberts is a hard core conservative Catholic, and is likely to rule admissible any evidence of scandal or malfeasance by both Clintons if it can at all be proven.

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Mary Bennett

Azazello's picture

but the House will impeach her for sure, probably the first chance they get after inauguration day.

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We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.

anyone thinks that the embarrassment of an impeachment trial would be enough to prevent Mme. Cl. from blowing up the entire Middle East?

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Mary Bennett

MsGrin's picture

embarrassment. Many don't understand the term with respect to themselves.

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'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

I will respect the sensibilities of the Caucus and not use the language describing how I feel.

But anyone who still doesn't understand that Her will do anything and everything to "legitimize" Her coronation as Empress of the Corporate States -even to the point of violating every law on the books- hasn't been paying attention.

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Vowing To Oppose Everything Trump Attempts.

what matters is what those charged with enforcing the rule of law Don't Do. Otherwise, that woman would have been languishing away at Club Fed by now.

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I missed it somehow. I'm sure nothing will come of it either. I saw this about a week or so ago

Inside Correct the Record: Post-Debate PLOT!

http://www.realtruenews.org/single-post/2016/09/27/Inside-Correct-the-Re...

Scroll down to 6:18, see this We have the use of an NSA intrusion package.

Sounds hard to believe they would have access to something like that, until you think of all the things we've seen these past months.

Then, this

BUSTED: Hillary Clinton’s “Correct The Record” (aka Paid Trolls) names publicly listed on FEC website

http://www.northcrane.com/2016/10/06/hills-shills-hillary-clintons-corre...

Which leads to this, here you can search for names of the Correct the Record employees. Not quite so funny when the shoe is on the other foot.

https://beta.fec.gov/data/disbursements/?two_year_transaction_period=201...

And now, your news. These people have been running rampant through any Bernie-type reddit subs, buying off mods and taking over. It's pretty easy to see why she hates the internet. I'll be interested in what happens next.

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