Mullings: An American Cyber-column By Rich Galen

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Chemical Ali McBeal

Wednesday April 9, 2003

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All anchors adore alliteration. That was one of the reasons that taking out the restaurant in which Saddam and his sons were supposed to be meeting was repeated every three minutes for about 36 straight hours: Bunker Busting Bombs was too good to pass up:

Bunker Busting Bombs Burst Beneath Bistro. Boss & Boys Believed Blown to Bits. "Baghdad Bob" Blusters Boldly. Ballot Balloons for Bush, in Britain.

"Baghdad Bob" is Iraqi Minister of Information Said Sahaf.

Now, a break from war news to dabble in domestic dealings:

Senator John "Regime Change" Kerry and his campaign staff fell all over themselves to remind reporters that Kerry fought in Vietnam and was awarded a Bronze Star, a Silver Star, and three Purple Heart medals.

They claimed that people who thought Kerry's saying the US needed a "regime change" in the current context were, in essence, suggesting that Kerry is unpatriotic.

No one, with any standing said that, implied that, or suggested that.

What people ARE suggesting is that he showed a lack of judgment. For someone running for President of the United States that is a very, very serious problem.

Roll Call newspaper was busy this week. In one piece, reporter Brody Mullins wrote:

"To conserve cash in the post-soft-money era, the Democratic Party's presidential candidates are increasingly turning to unpaid political advisers and part-time consultants to run their campaigns."

Here's the problem: If someone who does politics for a living happens to be employed by a company which is a corporation, then giving "unpaid" advice is, in effect, a corporate contribution which is illegal - and WAS illegal even before the current campaign finance law was enacted.

That includes working for a discount. According to FEC documents, providing "goods or services at less than the usual and normal charge" must be listed as an in-kind contribution which, by a corporation, is forbidden to a Federal campaign.

If a consultant is being paid by one campaign and is using that fee to provide enough income to work for a Presidential campaign, then the first campaign should list the amount of the fee attributable to the Presidential campaign as a donation; and the Presidential campaign should list it as a receipt.

If the first campaign is not a Federal campaign and is in a state which allows corporate contributions to state and local candidates, then the Presidential campaign is, in effect, laundering the dreaded "soft money." This, in big time politics, is known as a loophole.

Ok. Enough of that.

Here's another Roll Call item: The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Maine in the 2002 election was a woman named Chellie Pingree. She was beaten like a drum by Republican Senator Susan Collins.

Ms. Pingree tumbled down I-95 and landed on her feet in Washington, surfacing as the new president of Common Cause.

Common Cause's name is always preceded, in press reports, by the phrase "The non-partisan citizen's lobby ..."

First of all, for all its self-proclaimed good works, Common Cause has always REFUSED TO DISCLOSE THE NAMES OF ITS DONORS. This is occasionally pointed out by the press, but has not generated enough embarrassment to cause the organization to change its policy.

Second, according to a piece by Roll Call's Amy Keller, Ms. Pingree:

"Was spotted hobnobbing Tuesday night with numerous Democratic politicos at a book-signing party;"
"Attended a fundraising dinner at the Women's Democratic Club for the 21st Century Democrats;"
And, in the best Common Cause tradition, unapologetically stated: "There's no secret that I'm a Democrat. I ran for the U.S. Senate and everybody knew that. And I have a tremendous number of friends who are Democrats."

Mullfave election lawyer, Cleta Mitchell reminded us that Common Cause: "was started by John Gardner, a lifelong Democrat. ... [Pingree] was the Democratic nominee for the Senate from Maine ... and the person who preceded her was Scott Harshbarger, an unselected Democratic candidate for governor of Massachusetts."

Common Cause non-partisan? Only an Iraqi Minister of Information could say that with a straight face.

Quagmire Watch: According to Shirley & Banister Public Affairs the word "quagmire" has occurred in 839 articles about Iraq since March 19.

On the Secret Decoder Ring page today: The official definition of the word "alliteration;" The official translation of the alliteration in the first bullet; A link to the official FEC web page where you can look up all sorts of things; An official photo of the new Elite Republican Guard armored vehicle; An official WW I poster; And a nice Catchy Caption by an official Army photographer.

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