Posted on 09/19/2007 4:55:38 AM PDT by TheRobb7
The ranking Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform wants to convene a hearing on whether The New York Times violated campaign-finance laws when it granted a discounted rate for MoveOn.org’s “General Betray Us” ad.
Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) asked committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) Tuesday to convene a hearing on the issue, saying that any rate change “for political advertising could constitute an unlawful campaign contribution.”
According to media accounts, the “open rate” for the ad should have been $181,000. The liberal group said it paid $65,000.
“The difference between the ‘open rate’ and the actual rate paid by MoveOn.org raises the possibility that The New York Times, as a media company not subject to campaign-finance restrictions for its own messages, unlawfully subsidized the message of MoveOn.org by giving it a discounted rate for its advertisement,” Davis said.
The lawmaker wants the panel to investigate the newspaper’s advertising rate structure, whether others had been offered the same rate as MoveOn.org, why the group had to play significantly less than the “open rate” and whether this constituted a violation of campaign-finance laws.
Every time the NYT publishes and article, it is making an illegal campaign contribution to the Democratic Party.
Nothing to see here, move along.
I really hope the GOP doesn’t overplay its hand on this.
You’re right, but I think it might be difficult to get enough people fired up about it. The illegal immigration issue was something that affected everyone. To some people, this move on/NYT matter doesn’t seem so important.
You are right there.
Are you kidding me??? We’re talkin Tom Davis here.
Even if nothing comes about this in the end it’s good for the Republicans to keep this going and add some other things on just to keep pounding in the minds of Americans who the traitors are.
It would be a stretch to find that an ad criticizing a general is an endorsement of any particular candidate for office.
This is an attempt to embarrass the NY Times (which is nigh impossible to do as they have no shame). It’s gotten enough play already so it should just be left alone.
Moveon.org has plenty of time to discredit themselves before the next election. We want them to be even more outlandish, not less so.
Asked Waxman? yeah, that’ll work. /tu
Even if nothing comes about this in the end it’s good for the Republicans to keep this going and add some other things on just to keep pounding in the minds of Americans who the traitors are.I agree up until the point where overzealous GOP lawmakers try to pursue official congressional action on it. I mean, come on, we all know how this always ends. An issue that was working for Republicans will be turned around on them, rightly or wrongly. Once the public gets the idea that Republicans are trying to exploit it for political advantage, the tables will be turned. The story will be that Republicans are trying to censor MoveOn.org and punish the NYT. It doesn't matter if that's not the case at all. Just like Clinton was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice, but the liberal media turned it around to make it “all about sex.”
I think we should go back to the good old days in which a newspaper had to declare their bias. Truth in advertising.
New York Times would be known as the New York Democratic Times. Or maybe the New York Socialist Times. Or maybe the New York Hilary Times.
Oh sure, and that very same media will play along...
“Hey MSM, we need you to run this story about how much you suck! Hey, wait a minute we said ‘you’, not ‘we’!!!”
If the uphold McStain/Feindgold, they have to pound the old gray whore with it. where is the downside?
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