Bush Campaign Lawyer Tied to Group's Anti-Kerry Ads

[BuddyLee]

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - A top lawyer for President Bush (news - web sites)'s re-election campaign has been providing legal advice to the group that has accused Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites) of lying about his Vietnam War record, informed sources said on Tuesday.

Bush said on Monday the Swift Boat ads should be stopped along with others run by independent groups. He said Kerry should be proud of his war service.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...gn_bush_ads_dc

This election takes a different turn each day.

[Spoiled]

Originally Posted by BuddyLee

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...gn_bush_ads_dc

This election takes a different turn each day.

after the GOP convention it will be clear who the winner will be i think...

[SamSpade]

I still think there's a big difference between having staff appear on both groups and what the Democrats did at least until this spring, which was to actually coordinate protests and functions WITH the 527's.

That said, I agree with Bush, that 527's are bad for the system.

[ylexot]

News Flash! Lawyers have multiple clients. That's not illegal!

It would be illegal if the Bush campaign paid for the lawyer to help them.

[ylexot]

Here's a better article...

Ginsberg contends that by offering legal advice to both the Bush campaign and the Swift Boat group, he has done nothing different than other election lawyers in Washington, including attorneys for Kerry and the Democratic National Committee who have also advised soft-money groups. Representing campaigns, parties and outside groups simultaneously is legal and allowed under the law and by the FEC, he said.

[Steve]

This really is not unusual if you think about it. By having the same legal councel for the candidate and the 527, the lawyer can help both groups stay within compliance of the FEC regulations. The lawyer can act as arbitrator in a sense. Of course, he can also be the middleman who passes directives back and forth.

[vraiblonde]

Another sterling example of the Democrat double-standard - "We can do what we want. If YOU, however, do the same thing, we're going to smear you in the media and make a very large deal out of it!"

[ylexot]

UPDATE: The lawyer resigns from working for the Bush campaign

[ylexot]

More new info...
A senior House Democrat, Michigan Rep. John Dingell, sent a letter asking Attorney General John Ashcroft to investigate the possible "illegal coordination" between the two. The Bush campaign and the veterans group have denied any coordination.



Bush should say something like "go right ahead, but while you're at it, look into the Kerry campaign and groups like moveon.org"

[ylexot]

Now this is more like it...
"Senator Kerry says he wants to talk about the issues. Today's political stunt is an interesting way of showing it," McClellan said. "If Senator Kerry was interested in focusing on the issues, he would join the president in calling for a stop to all these ads by these shadowy groups."