Bush appointee buying Kerry domain names. Illegal?

[blm]

>>>>>>>>>>
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/02/20040223-4.html

Q Scott, there's an appointee in the Veterans Administration, John Thomas Birch, who has bought up domain names on the internet, Veterans for Kerry, and such. He has helped -- he helped the President in the 2000 campaign on veterans issues, and I wonder if Mr. Birch is acting on behalf of the campaign, if he's acting in concert with you, with --

MR. MCCLELLAN: I don't know anything about those activities. You might want to address that question to the campaign.
<<<<<<<

[maddezmom]

1. what a bunch of slimeballs!

:puke:

[bif]

2. Remember when they bought bushsucks.com?

And it was an official George Bush for President site? I checked it lately and it was available again.

[Gman]

5. It was bought up by buydomains.com

but it is available. Originally it was registered to Karl Rove.

[ShimokitaJer]

3. Acquiring the domain names is certainly not illegal

But if he attempts to host a website that appears to be sponsored by Kerry but actually spreads disinformation, there could be some legal problems there.

Of course, by the time the site is noticed, the Kerry campaign has reacted to it, and any legal proceedings could be begun, the damage might have already been done.

On the other hand, a couple of high-profile revelations of this kind of disinformation linked back to a Bush supporter could have the reverse effect, creating further distrust of Bush and his cronies.

[blm]

9. I meant illegal for an employee of the administration. Illegal? Unethical?

.

[HFishbine]

10. Yeah, that may be illegal

No expert, but there are restrictions to undertaking campaign activities while on the (government) job or with the use of government property. If this guy was doing this from his office, he may well be in some poop.

[TacticalPeek]

11. Did he deprive the gov of the faithful and honest services of its emploee?

Most likely, in this instance the conspiracy would be a conspiracy to defraud - for the broad federal
fraud statute, too, may apply here. If two federal government employees agree to undertake actions
that are not within the scope of their employment, they can be found guilty of defrauding the U.S. by
depriving it of the "faithful and honest services of its employee." It is difficult to imagine that
President Bush is going to say he hired anyone to call reporters to wreak more havoc on Valerie
Plame. Thus, anyone who did so - or helped another to do so - was acting outside the scope of his or
her employment, and may be open to a fraud prosecution.

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20031010.html


I'm becoming a law and order liberal. :evilgrin:

[HFishbine]

20. More relevant statute

Sec. 734.306 Participation in political activities while on duty, in uniform, in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties, or using a Federal vehicle.


(a) An employee may not participate in political activities subject to the provisions of subpart E of this part:

(1) While he or she is on duty;

(2) While he or she is wearing a uniform, badge, insignia, or other similar item that identifies the employing agency or instrumentality or the position of the employee;

(3) While he or she is in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by an individual employed or holding office in the Government of the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof; or

(4) While using a Government-owned or leased vehicle or while using a privately-owned vehicle in the discharge of official duties.

http://www.defenselink.mil/dodgc/defense_ethics/ethics_regulation/734/subpartc.html

[ShimokitaJer]

21. You forgot the Patriot Act special exception

(5) Unless said political activity is intended to support a member of the Bush administration or cover up lies of said adminstration




Okay, I made that up... but it COULD happen

[charlie]

4. Haha

It was the original crop of squatters who bought up all the good Bush-related URLs that prompted the "there oughta be limits to freedom" remark from the dipshit.

[corporatewhore]

6. try going here

http://txdemocrats.com/ it aint illeagal

[DoctorMyEyes]

7. Kerrys campaign should have bought

a few dozen or so domain names just to keep this from happening. Yeah, it's slimey - but it's been done long enough to expect it and prevent it. Domain names are cheap.

[JVS]

12. They dropped the ball

[zbdent]

8. There have been some interesting court cases on the domain

squatters - Unless these domains have actual content, then Kerry could have them legally removed from ownership.

[JVS]

13. They'll probably fill the sites with attacks on Kerry

That's what I would do if in their position at least

[Atlant]

15. Sure, by December or so. That'll help. (NT)

[BL_Zebub]

14. When has being illegal or unethical stopped Team Bush?

Is anyone actually surprised by this?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

16. It's all good...

http://gwbush.com/

[PVnRT]

17. Slimy, yes, illegal, no

Anyone can buy any domain name. Remember, Bush did the same thing in 2000, buying up names like BushSucks and so forth.

The best thing to do is put together $125 and get the domain before anyone else does. It's horseshit that people can do that, but there's no law against it.

[HFishbine]

19. Probably illegal

if he did it while on the job:

Sec. 734.306 Participation in political activities while on duty, in uniform, in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties, or using a Federal vehicle.


(a) An employee may not participate in political activities subject to the provisions of subpart E of this part:

(1) While he or she is on duty;

(2) While he or she is wearing a uniform, badge, insignia, or other similar item that identifies the employing agency or instrumentality or the position of the employee;

(3) While he or she is in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by an individual employed or holding office in the Government of the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof; or

(4) While using a Government-owned or leased vehicle or while using a privately-owned vehicle in the discharge of official duties.

http://www.defenselink.mil/dodgc/defense_ethics/ethics_regulation/734/subpartc.html

[Catholic Sensation]

18. i was bored so i typed something like "joelieberman2004.com" or something

similar, and I was led to the Bush-Cheney re-election site. This isn't news, this is simply Bush and his ilk being a bunch of dickheads.