Posted on 12/27/2006 10:33:26 AM PST by girlangler
November 16, 2006
FEC fines Sierra Club By Jim Snyder
A Federal Election Commission settlement with the Sierra Club will likely put new limits on how explicit outside groups may be when trying to influence voters.
The environmental group agreed to pay a $28,000 fine to settle charges that it had paid for a brochure that expressly advocated the election or defeat of candidates in the 2004 presidential and Senate races from its corporate treasury.
Because the Sierra Club brochure was found to contain express advocacy, it was determined to be an independent expenditure.
Campaign finance laws prohibit money from a corporate treasury to pay for independent expenditures.
FEC Chairman Michael Toner described the settlement as “one of the most important express advocacy cases the commission has resolved in recent years.”
The settlement provides a bit more clarity to a Supreme Court decision, McConnell v. FEC, that found that the definition of what constitutes express advocacy goes beyond so-called “magic words,” such as “vote for” or “vote against.” That had been the previous standard used.
This does not mean I agree with everything Sierra Club advocated. Their hypocrisy of many members was shown when they refused to take a stand on immigration - that indicated that many (not all) of the members have an agenda other than supporting the environment.
Trying to protect the many scenic and historic features is neither liberal nor conservative - it reflects a love of this country.
That is good to know. Many fine, well-intentioned institutions in this country have gone to he!! after being infiltrated by anti-American liberals.
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
The Sierra Club is beginning to rival the ACLU as the organization that I love to hate. They are just as destructive in their own way. Boy do I hate both of these groups.
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