Angie Voigt did the digging where the paid media just scratched the surface and found apparently illegal ties to Dow Constantine's campaign.
... Leafing through campaign finance documents available to the public from the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC), Seattle Times Reporter, Keith Ervin, reported in an August 5th story that an independent, "non-partisan" political action committee (PAC) calling itself "Citizens to Uphold the Constitution," had an interesting link to the Dow Constantine campaign: they share the same treasurer, Jason Bennett. Surprisingly, that was the end of Ervin's interest in the matter.She has more.According to their expenditures report filed to the PDC, Citizens to Uphold the Constitution, paid $11,300.25 to Washington, D.C.-based vendor, "The Clinton Group," to perform robocalls attacking Susan Hutchison. The sponsor of the group who purchased the vendor services is named as Jason Bennett, who, according to the Seattle Times article, is also Dow Constantine's treasurer.
The situation appears to be a violation of RCW 42.17.020 and WAC 390-05-210. The RCW, in section 28, defines independent expenditure, which forbids collaboration between a candidate (the candidate's campaign staff or any agent of that campaign) and a group or person purchasing advertising for that candidate or against the candidate's opponent.
The link between Constantine's treasurer, Jason Bennett, and this Political Action Committee looks sordid enough, but there's even more. Jason Bennett is a veteran political consultant and Olympia insider who has helped win democratic majorities in the state legislature and worked for Senator Maria Cantwell's staff before opening his own political consulting firm, Argo Strategies, in Seattle. He is a sophisticated player whose firm advertises its ability to get progressive democrats elected. Good for him. Being that he is integral to the political scene, there should be no question that he knows the laws. In fact, his website claims, "Argo Strategies is a political consulting firm specializing in treasury and compliance work...let us navigate the campaign waters, you go and win!"
So, just to review: it is illegal for a candidate's campaign to coordinate with independent groups who finance attack ads against opponents or who fund campaign activities in support of said candidate.
And she follows it up with a short article The Tangled Web Continues...
Hat tip to commenter "Zon."
Posted by Ron Hebron at September 10, 2009 07:42 PM | Email This"We actually do all the illegal crap we meritlessly accuse Republicans of"
Recall they tried to pull Dino down for ties that didn't exist.
Posted by: Andy on September 11, 2009 07:30 AMAgreed. We being those who live outside of the City-State of Seattle, that aids and abets corruption.
Posted by: KDS on September 11, 2009 07:35 AMhttp://www.salon.com/opinion/paglia/2009/09/09/healthcare/index.html
Dow Constantine is a perfect example of what she writes about. Naturally he's an attorney.
What happened to all those "peace and love" people that went to Woodstock? Well the truth is they really weren't nice peace loving people after all. They ended up being "progressive" attorneys, teachers, and journalists. Oh, and "activists". Those tolerant folks brought us political correctness and endless "conciousness raising" seminars. The people who "just wanted to be free" and get "the man" off their backs, now order bicycle riders in Seattle to wear helmets. Can you imagine what they'll do if they get national healthcare? Believe me, these folks can't wait to become the government lifestyle police.
Their heirs are Obama, and Dow Constantine. Dishonest, scary, perpetually angry people.
Warren Magnuson and Henry Jackson would want nothing to do with these people.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on September 11, 2009 08:54 AMYeah, apparently that's the ONLY thing they are "required" to wear when riding bikes in Seattle...DOOPH!!!
Posted by: scott on September 11, 2009 12:53 PMIs Jason Bennett making the trip to Bellevue or will he be appearing in Olympia at the PDC instead? My guess is it's being swept under the rug as we speak. Has anyone asked Sandeep about Bennett? You can bet Dow won't say a word.
Posted by: Smokie on September 11, 2009 02:52 PMIs Jason Bennett making the trip to Bellevue or will he be appearing in Olympia at the PDC instead? My guess is it's being swept under the rug as we speak. Has anyone asked Sandeep about Bennett? You can bet Dow won't say a word.
Posted by: Smokie on September 11, 2009 02:52 PMCount on them doing a last minute (where it's hard to respond) nasty job on Susan Hutchison--wall to wall TV and radio spots trashing her reputation with some made up garbage. It's the only way they know how to operate.
The best way to trash the opponent is with a PAC. That way they can pretend the candidate has clean hands. You'll find Argo Strategies name attached to many PAC's in this state. Wasn't very bright of them to get caught with a campaign staffer on a PAC which benefits the candidate, though. Usually they're more careful than that. I wouldn't call it a mistake as much as I'd call it Democrat arrogance. But I'm biased.
Posted by: Camille on September 11, 2009 03:20 PMI think as well they know the press will provide them a certain amount of cover by simply not reporting facts that are inconvenient to the liberal cause. There's a reason the Van Jones stories were buried deep in the Seattle Times and simply ignored as far as I saw on every TV news except Fox. Negative Sarah Palin stories were on the front page day after day last fall.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on September 11, 2009 03:46 PM
The Tea Parties, the resignation of Van Jones, and now the exposure of ACORN.
Obama went too far. This is just the beginning.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on September 11, 2009 06:14 PMThe political winds are shifting and Dow Constantine can't afford to make many mistakes in this race. It isn't 2008 anymore Dorothy.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on September 12, 2009 06:54 PMI knew it the moment I hit the send key.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on September 12, 2009 07:05 PMThe bogus 2 million number is wishful thinking and an exaggeration of a lie from Matt Kibbe (FreedomWorks prez) who quoted non-existent reports from ABC News.
Most sources report "tens of thousands".
yawn....
Posted by: scottd on September 13, 2009 07:24 AM"tens of thousands" might also be a wishful liberal estimate. The truth probably lies somewhere in between.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on September 13, 2009 07:32 AM