FEC won't regulate political blogging

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spaceprophet
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FEC won't regulate political blogging

Post by spaceprophet » 09-06-2007 04:42 AM

Wait til the Bush crime family hears about this news. The sh!t will hit the fan. And Bill O'Liely will have a stroke.

WASHINGTON - DailyKos, an influential political Web site that serves as a virtual bulletin board for liberals, qualifies as a media entity exempt from federal campaign finance regulations, the Federal Election Commission said Tuesday.

The FEC said the Web site, operated by blogger Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, cannot be regulated as a political committee and can freely post blog entries that support candidates.

Conservative blogger John C.A. Bambenek had argued in a complaint last month that the site should comply with campaign finance laws because such entries amounted to "a gift of free advertising and candidate media services."

The FEC disagreed.

"While the complaint asserts that DailyKos advocates for the election of Democrats for federal office, the commission has repeatedly stated that an entity that would otherwise qualify for the media exemption does not lose its eligibility because it features news or commentary lacking objectivity or expressly advocates in its editorial the election or defeat of a federal candidate," the FEC said.

The commission also rejected a complaint by Rep. Mary Bono, R-Calif., alleging that her 2006 Democratic opponent, David Roth, coordinated efforts with a blogger to advocate her defeat in the November 2006 general election. Bono won.

The FEC said the blogger, Michael L. Grace, acted in the capacity of a volunteer and his blogging efforts did not constitute an "in-kind service" subject to financial disclosure rules

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Last edited by spaceprophet on 09-06-2007 04:49 AM, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by majda » 09-06-2007 01:23 PM

That's good news for bloggers! It's a door that swings both ways, so both sides would be wise to leave it alone.
"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." ~ Patrick Henry

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Post by RTIF » 09-06-2007 01:25 PM

Yes, this is a win for all. I don't think anyone is going to have a stroke since each side slings it, but good!

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Post by spaceprophet » 09-06-2007 04:08 PM

RTIF wrote: I don't think anyone is going to have a stroke

Bill O'Reilly has been frothing at the mouth now for quite some time trying to get the government to use it's vast powers of fascism to censor and/or shut down the Daily Kos as a terrorist organization.

Bill O'Reilly smears Daily Kos.
It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man. - Jack Handey

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Post by Linnea » 09-06-2007 11:28 PM

Fabulous news, Spaceprophet!

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Corvid
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Post by Corvid » 09-06-2007 11:39 PM

Does this mean that I can say what I really feel?

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Post by Shirleypal » 09-06-2007 11:45 PM

Yes it does Corvid, say away. :D

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Post by RTIF » 09-07-2007 05:44 AM

Who listens to Bill O'Reilly or Daily Kos??? Both nuts.

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Post by Linnea » 09-07-2007 09:53 AM

A Daily Kos you at least get the truth and news not available in the msm - albeit it with a progressive slant. With O'Reilly - there is much obfuscation and even lies.

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Post by Shirleypal » 09-07-2007 10:24 AM

O'Reilly has gone off the deep end, hope he keeps it up, you never know he could get himself fired.

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