Left Wing Group To Threaten Republican Donors With Legal Action And Public Disclosure
This sounds pretty sinister...
Nearly 10,000 of the biggest donors to Republican candidates and causes across the country will probably receive a foreboding “warning” letter in the mail next week.
The letter is an opening shot across the bow from an unusual new outside political group on the left that is poised to engage in hardball tactics to prevent similar groups on the right from getting off the ground this fall.
Led by Tom Matzzie, a liberal political operative who has been involved with some prominent left-wing efforts in recent years, the newly formed nonprofit group, Accountable America, is planning to confront donors to conservative groups, hoping to create a chilling effect that will dry up contributions.
“We want to stop the Swift Boating before it gets off the ground,” said Mr. Matzzie, who described his effort as “going for the jugular.”
The warning letter is intended as a first step, alerting donors who might be considering giving to right-wing groups to a variety of potential dangers, including legal trouble, public exposure and watchdog groups digging through their lives.
So if you, as a private citizen, make a contribution to a group these guys don’t like they’ll come after you. They’ll sue you. They’ll try to embarrass you. And they’re telling you this ahead of times in the hopes of coercing you into not supporting political groups with your money.
Does this sort of thuggery and intimidation really have a place in American politics? Outside of the obvious chilling effect it would have on free political speech (and yes, political contributions are an extension of free speech) if these guys have any sort of success all it’s going to do is drive currently relatively transparent political contributions underground.
Rather than openly supporting candidates and political causes big-money donors will instead try to hide their support. I don’t think that’s something that benefits any of us.













