SOROS/LEWIS ALERT Rich activists, hoping to sway voters, give vast sums to 527s

BOSTON GLOBE ^ | September 21, 2004 | Michael Kranish

[Liz]

Critics sue, allege FEC has failed to enforce law

WASHINGTON -- Peter B. Lewis is one of America's most colorful billionaires. He is chairman of Cleveland's 26,000-employee Progressive Insurance Corp., owns one of the world's largest yachts, and is a major backer of efforts to decriminalize marijuana.

Lewis is one of thousands of Americans from across the political spectrum who have contributed to independent political committees, known as 527s, in this election cycle. But Lewis's contributions -- like those of a handful of other wealthy activists, including billionaire George Soros and Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens -- are not typical.

They are enormous. Lewis has given more than $14 million to the independent political groups, bankrolling attack ads, telephone solicitation drives, and voter-turnout efforts. The vast sums that have been funneled into national politics by Lewis and other deep-pocket donors, say campaign reform advocates, violate the spirit, if not the letter, of a 2-year-old law designed to get unlimited donations -- known as "soft money" -- out of the campaign process.

"A relatively few individuals are providing enormous, enormous sums of money to influence federal elections in ways that violate the federal campaign finance laws," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, which advocates campaign finance change.

--SNIP--

Political advertising and field work by the 527s can be found in every battleground state and from both sides of the nation's ideological divide, although to date Democratic-leaning organizations have amassed the biggest war chests and done the most advertising. Lewis's favorites, such as MoveOn.org and America Coming Together, have launched blistering critiques of President Bush. Senator John F. Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee, has been attacked by the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth and other groups.

[Liz]

In the six weeks until Election Day, the number of independent political ads by 527s is expected to skyrocket. This is not the way that authors of the campaign finance law envisioned the system working. Last week, two of the law's coauthors, including US Representative Martin T. Meehan of Massachusetts, filed suit in federal court, alleging that individual donations to independent groups should be limited to $5,000. In a boost for Meehan's argument, a federal judge on Saturday ruled on a lawsuit Meehan filed two years ago, finding that the Federal Election Commission's weak implementation of the campaign finance bill created "an immense loophole" for evading restrictions on donations. That lawsuit did not directly affect 527s, but Meehan is now hoping for a similar ruling in the case dealing directly with the groups."It is clear that the FEC has become a dysfunctional agency that does more to subvert the law than to enforce it," Meehan said yesterday, adding that he expects a similar ruling in his favor on the issue of 527 groups. Continued...

[anton]

Now wait a minute. Isn't Progressive insurance a "high risk" car insurance company? I would think that it would be antithetical to Progressive's shareholders' best interest to legalize marijuana.

Do I own any Progressive stock? I'd better check.

[Liz]

ping

[sauropod]

Bad link.

[Liz]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/advertising/articles/2004/09/21/rich_activists_hoping_to_sway_voters_give_vast_sums_to_527s/

[Liz]

I'd dump this one fast if I were you.

[sauropod]

Thx.

[anton]

I asked investor relaations to confirm that this was the same moron!

[CzarNicky]

After the election I think we need to investigate some of these "activists."

[PreciousLiberty]

and is a major backer of efforts to decriminalize marijuana.

I'm sure the author of the original article meant this as "a bad thing", but decriminalization of marijuana in particular, and drugs in general, should be a major part of the true conservative agenda.

The unwinnable and unethical "War on Drugs" is a major drain on our country, has resulted in the highest per capita prison population in the western world, and is a fundamental affront to the concept of a "free country".

By the same logic, McDonalds should be illegal - those hamburgers kill, you know.

[niteowl77]

Isn't Progressive insurance a "high risk" car insurance company?

They insure a few acquaintences that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot policy.

[saveliberty]

I have had a thought recently (yes, I am slow on the uptake) that as Soros is the greedy capitalist pig he supposedly hates. But he stands to make billions in trashing the US dollar, which is the logical consequence of Democratic tax and spend policies. Why should there be different results this time when it always comes out the same?

This leads me to believe that he is viewing the Democratic Party as useful idiots to serve his will and his own personal and political fortune.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Isn't it sweet that my $100 contribution to the SVFT had a greater effect than all of Soros's million$?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WASHINGTON -- Peter B. Lewis is one of America's most colorful billionaires. He is chairman of Cleveland's 26,000-employee Progressive Insurance Corp., owns one of the world's largest yachts, and is a major backer of efforts to decriminalize marijuana.

So is Soros.

[sgtbono2002]

The rich are dumping money into the Kerry campaign through 527's and Kerry is saying these are the folks he will raise taxes on.

I aint smart but something tell me theres a fox in this henhouse.

[saveliberty]

Someone smarter than the average bear figured out that there is a difference between those of us who earn a lot (aka the "evil rich") and those who have a lot of money but did not earn it (funders of K's 527's).

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Just a brief note. All the money and 527s in the world have not helped John Kerry one iota up until now, and any money spent on his behalf going forward may as well be thrown in the street. Kerry, regardless of having his wife, Michael Moore, George Soros, Harvey Weinstein, etc. is going down big time.

[olde north church]

a little info on currency speculator george soros
currency speculator

[Liz]

Admittedly, so far, so good. Even Soros could not have predicted SBVT initiatives and forged TANG documents.

Election day is still six weeks away.....let's hope Soros and his billions don't snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

[Liz]

Heh........meekonegop's got some great Soros pics.