So who did fund the Osama ad?

[dsc]

Yesterday was supposed to be the day we found out whose money was behind the Americans for Jobs and Progressive values. I have read here that since they have disbanded they don't have to report the money. Is that true? Inquiring minds would like to know.

[dsc]

1. kick

democracy matters even when the victim of dirty tricks is Dean.

[On the Road]

3. I've Been Wondering, Too

the only two things I've seen on DU have been:

(1) The group was set up by a union.

(2) One of the founders of the 527 was, or had been at one point, John Kerry's campaign manager.

I cannot vouch for either one. Anyone else following this more closely?

[dsc]

4. that isn't entirely true

One of the big contributers, who later pulled out, was a union. We have no idea who the others were.

[Anwen]

2. How were we going to find out?

I would definitely like to know...

[dsc]

5. They were supposed to file reports

on their contributers on the 2 of Feb. So far I have seen nor heard anything.

[raj]

6. This Year's Democratic Attacks May Be Next Year's Republican Fodder

Here is what I found pretty quickly.



This Year's Democratic Attacks May Be Next Year's Republican Fodder

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A9525-2003Dec17¬Found=true

<snip>
The ads, which use a picture of Osama bin Laden to assert that Dean is
weak on foreign policy, were financed by an organization run by one
man, Edward Feighan, who has contributed $2,000 to Gephardt's
campaign, and another, David Jones, who is a former Gephardt
fund-raiser. The group's spokesman is Robert Gibbs, Sen. John Kerry's
former press secretary.

While Americans for Jobs, Healthcare and Progressive Values, the
organization that created the ad, has refused to immediately release
its donor list, the Associated Press reported this week that at least
two labor unions that have endorsed Gephardt have donated $50,000 each
to the group.
</snip>

yeah, my first du post too, so Im sure I screwed up something.

[dsc]

7. No screw up

and all true. But we still have no idea which unions did this. Also we have no idea what, if any, other donors they had. That is what I am after.

[janx]

8. Unions were only part of it. They are the only donors we

know of so far.

I want to know who orchestrated it and who donated.

Sadly, I don't think we'll ever know because the system is so corrupt.

[raj]

9. Two Unions Criticize Ads for Attacks Against Dean

ahh, here we go..

Two Unions Criticize Ads for Attacks Against Dean

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1217-03.htm

<snip>
Both unions, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Laborers' International Union of North America, have endorsed Representative Richard A. Gephardt, who said yesterday that he knew nothing about the group running the commercials.
</snip>

[newyawker99]

11. Hi raj!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[King of New Orleans]

10. Robert Gibbs

Gibbs left the Kerry campaign when Kerry fired his first campaign manager.

It seems pretty obvious that Gephardt backers were behind the ad.

Did the unions know what their money was being used for? probably not.

Did Gephardt know about the ad in advance? Who knows.