Rove In 2004: Influence Of ‘Billionaires Who Write The Checks Give Me Some Concern’

Rove In 2004: Influence Of ‘Billionaires Who Write The Checks Give Me Some Concern’
Last night on NBC’s Nightly News, Michael Isikoff reported that a network of special interest money led by Karl Rove is “expecting to raise $250 million to flood the airwaves in these last few weeks of the election.” Rove has been able to raise all of this money from millionaires and billionaires by promising them anonymity.

In 2004, Rove benefited from a similar avalanche of outside money in his quest to help secure President Bush’s re-election. The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth were funded in part by Texas homebuilder Bob Perry, who is now funding Rove’s new group. The Swift Boat group, which operated as a 527, received over $20 million in donations to air television ads that smeared the war record of Sen. John Kerry (D-MA).

After the 2004 election concluded, Rove was asked how he felt about the impact of outside groups spending millions of dollars to shape the outcome of elections. Echoing a line offered by many Democrats today, Rove said the potential for a few wealthy contributors to tip the electoral balance was a concern and could potentially undermine democracy:

Rove said the 527s — named for the section of the tax code they are formed under — potentially undermine democracy by allowing a few wealthy individuals to spend tens of millions of dollars under less stringent disclosure requirements than before campaign laws were overhauled more than two years ago. These groups, first exploited by Democrats and later joined by Republicans, existed because of a huge loophole in the new law.

Democratic donors, led by at least $27 million from billionaire George Soros, funded such anti-Bush groups as America Coming Together and the Media Fund. Republican leaders originally thought these groups would be prohibited by the Federal Election Commission but when they were not, GOP activists joined the 527 parade late in the campaign. The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which ran ads attacking Kerry’s Vietnam War service and anti-war activities, were the most notable of these groups on Bush’s side.

Rove condemned them all.

“I am a firm believer in strong (political) parties, and things that weaken the parties and place the outcome of elections in the hands of billionaires who can write checks and political consultants who can get themselves hired by billionaires who write the checks, give me some concern,” Rove said.

Of course, these days Rove isn’t as big a believer in strong political parties, as he works to build a “shadow RNC.” He also isn’t as concerned about the subversion of democracy at the hands of a few wealthy donors. Instead, when President Obama makes the argument that Rove did in 2004, the Rove of 2010 slams him for having an “enemies list” and engaging in a “desperate political ploy.”

UPDATE In a Fox News interview with Bill O'Reilly on Nov. 1, 2004, here's what President Bush said:
O'REILLY: OK. Do you think the swift boat vets' charges against Kerry are unfair?
BUSH: I think that these ads -- first of all, I said clearly, all these ads, these 527s, with billionaires funding campaigns, ought to be gone.
UPDATE In an interview with CNN on Aug. 31, 2004, Rove said:
ROVE: Look, I'm against all the 527 ads and activities. I don't think they're fair. I don't think it's appropriate. They're misusing the law. They all ought to stop.

The outlaw Karl Rove is doing it again !!!

Karl Rove is trying to steal elections again for the Republicans.


Our TV's, radios, and mailboxes are being inundated with lies and smears against Democrats.

Who's paying for all those attacks? Rightwing billionaires like the Koch brothers, rightwing corporations like FOX News, even foreign corporations dedicated to stealing our jobs.

Who's "the architect" of this effort? Karl Rove.

Karl Rove stole the White House for George Bush in 2000 by getting 5 Republicans on the Supreme Court to throw out 175,000 votes and appoint Bush. He stole Congress for Republicans in 2002 by forcing a divisive vote for invading Iraq based on his WMD lies. He stole the White House for Bush again in 2004 through phony terror alerts and the Swift Boat smears against war hero John Kerry.

And now he's at it again. He turned FOX News into a 24x7x365 Republican political machine, and even appears on FOX to smear President Obama personally. He set up a criminal secret slush fund to take millions from billionaires and corporations and spend it all smearing Democrats. (We are urging Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.) He vigorously defends other corporate slush funds like the Chamber of Commerce.

But we can beat Karl Rove in November, just as we did in 2006 and 2008. Here's what we must do, starting immediately:

Vote straight Democratic
Tell everyone we know to vote straight Democratic
Even tell strangers to vote straight Democratic
Here are all the resources you need:
http://www.democrats.com/2010-gotv

In many states, early voting has begun so you don't have to wait for Election Day. After you vote, you can zap political ads, throw out political mail, and spend your free time telling friends and strangers to vote straight Democratic. This will be good for America, good for your mental health, and good for your soul.

Share your thoughts in our new blog:
http://www.democrats.com/dont-let-karl-rove-steal-another-election

Thanks for all you do!

Bob Fertik

PS: I wish the Obama Admin had the cajones to prosecute Karl Rove !!!