Kerry Press Release: Campaign Asks BC04 to Explain the Web of Connections

[Skinner]

For Immediate Release
August 26, 2004

Kerry Campaign Asks Bush-Cheney to Explain the “Web of Connections”
***New Web of Connections Chart Below***

Washington, DC – Kerry-Edwards campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill wrote the following letter to Bush-Cheney campaign manager Ken Mehlman today:

Dear Mr. Mehlman:

For three weeks now, your campaign has been saying there are no ties between the Bush campaign and “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.” But the web of connections grows wider and wider every day. Yesterday we saw confirmation of another connection when your general counsel, Benjamin Ginsberg, was forced to resign for providing legal advice for this group.

Enclosed you will find a chart that makes clear the web of connections between President Bush and the “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.” Now that you have this chart and the accompanying fact sheet to back it up, I wanted to ask you several specific questions that deserve your prompt response.

1. Ken Cordier served on the Bush Veterans Steering Committee and also stars in the latest “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” smear ad. As a member of the steering committee presumably he was involved in policy development. What information about the Bush campaign’s veterans policy did he share with the “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth?” Did he ever discuss his activities with this smear group with anyone in the Bush campaign? How many times did “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” activities come up at Bush Veterans Steering Committee meetings?

2. Yesterday on Fox News Karl Rove confirmed that he and Bob Perry are longtime friends. Bob Perry is the largest contributor to the Texas Republican Party and a longtime supporter of President Bush. When was the last time Karl Rove and Bob Perry spoke, and did they discuss the “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth?”

3. Based on newspaper accounts, we know Merrie Spaeth was involved in the underhanded shadow campaign against John McCain in 2000. She also helped organize the “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” and did the debate prep for President H. W. Bush. She has also admitted that she advised Bush Administration officials in the White House as recently as last year. Was Merrie Spaeth ever contacted by anyone from the Bush campaign, including you, about “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth?”

4. John O’Neill’s law firm, Clements, O’Neill, Pierce, Wilson & Fulkerson, has many connections to President Bush. In fact, Margaret Wilson, Mr. O’Neill’s law partner, served as General Counsel to Governor Bush and followed him to Washington, where she worked as Deputy Counsel for the Department of Commerce. Did she ever discuss “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” with President Bush, members of his administration or any Bush-Cheney campaign officials?

5. If you say there’s no connection, why did the Bush-Cheney campaign office in Florida pass out “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” flyers to promote a joint anti-John Kerry rally in Gainsville, Florida last weekend?

6. According to news reports, you have worked with “Progress for America,” a newly formed 527 group that has announced it’s going to spend $35 million to attack John Kerry and whose executive director is a top advisor to the “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.” Have you had any additional contact with this group? Have Karl Rove or other Bush officials – either in the White House or on the Bush-Cheney campaign – had contacts with this group?

7. How many times did Karl Rove and Benjamin Ginsberg meet? Did they ever discuss the “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth?”

These questions go to the heart of why so many people now believe that “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” is nothing more than a front group for the Bush-Cheney campaign. The longer President Bush waits to specifically condemn this smear, the more it looks like he’s behind it.

It’s time for the President to stand up and specifically condemn “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.” Not only is this a smear on John Kerry’s distinguished military service; it’s an insult to all veterans who’ve served their country.

The American people want to hear an honest discussion of the issues. They’re concerned about the economy and the troubling situation in Iraq. Today, as we enter week four of this smear campaign, I’m asking you to talk to the President and ask him to heed Senator McCain’s call and condemn this smear. The American people deserve better.

Sincerely,

Mary Beth Cahill

-30-

THE FACTS:

“Web of Connections”
Oh, what a tangled web they’ve weaved…

Karl Rove – Bush’s White House political director; longtime associate to Bob Perry; consultant to Hutchison; most senior advisor to Bush campaign.

Ken Cordier – Former Bush-Cheney campaign advisor—forced to resign after appearing in Swift Boat Veterans for Bush commercial.

Benjamin Ginsberg – Former General Counsel to Bush Cheney—forced to resign for improper relationship as counsel to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth

Harlan Crow – Bush Foundation Trustee; Longtime friend of Bush family; Longtime fundraiser for Bush family; Donated at least $25,000 in seed money to the Swift Boat Vets for Bush.

Bob Perry – Largest Republican donor in Texas; Donated hundreds of thousands to Bush family campaigns; Donated at least $200,000 in seed money to the Swift Boat Vets for Bush; Close colleague of Rove in Texas Governor’s race; Longtime friend of John O’Neill.

Kay Bailey Hutchison – Longtime friend of Spaeth; Former client of Rove; Current Co-Chair of Bush campaign

John O’Neill – Longtime friend of Bob Perry; Very close law firm connections to Bush as Governor; close friend to Spaeth, former colleague to Speath’s husband/Bush’s 1994 running mate; Front man for Swift Vets for Bush.

Merrie Spaeth – Provided media consulting to Swift Boat Vets; longtime friend of Hutchison; longtime supporter of/donor to Bush campaign; provide debate prep for GHW Bush; met with and gave media training to current, top White House officials; close associate to John O’Neill; Advised smear campaign on McCain in 2000.

Tex Lezar – Late husband to Spaeth; Former running mate with Bush in 1994; law partner to John O’Neill.

Harriet O’Neill – Close associate to John O’Neill, Lezar & Wilson; Bush judicial nominee.

Margaret Wilson – Law partner with John O’Neill, Lezar; Bush Administration official; former counsel to Governor Bush.

Bush-Cheney Campaign HQ Florida – Regional Bush HQ in Battleground State; Coordinated activities with Swift Boat Vets for Bush rally—rally forced to cancel.

Minnesota RNC – Official Republican website in Battleground State; Coordinated linkage with Swift Boat website—provide direct link to Swift Boat commercial.

DCI Group – Political strategy firm with close connections to Bush campaign & Swift vets.

Charles Francis – Longtime friend/supporter of Bush; works for political firm with close ties to both Bush campaign and Swift Vets for Bush; colleague of Lacivita.

Tom Synhorst – Advisor to Bush campaign 2000; “major contracts” with Bush campaign 2004; works for firm with close ties to Swift Vets for Bush; colleague of Lacivita; Worked on anti-McCain phone banking in South Carolina in 2000.

Chris Lacivita – Senior advisor to Swift Boat Vets for Bush; close ties to Bush campaign; associates with Synhorst & Friancis.



www.johnkerry.com
Paid for by Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc.

[phillybri]

1. Nicely done!!!

:kick:

[Massacure]

2. W00T -- anyways, I heard republicans are accusing Kerry of the same thing

What's up with that?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

4. What's up with that?

Nothing. They are empty accusations. Any other questions?

[seabeyond]

6. let them come up with their own flow charts

wink

[mzmolly]

3. Can you say "media blaster" ... I knew you could.

Someone blast this to the media quick.

[DancingBear]

5. For all you doubting Thomases' out there

Here is the next step. Watch these points come up in K&E speeches, watch the surrogates talk about them at each opportunity. What is happening now is exactly what B/C tried to do but failed - shaping perception.

The Medium Is The Message - remember???

This is how the game is played - Death By A Thousand Cuts.

[Union Thug]

7. This is how it's done...

...You don't lower yourself to answering some bullshit charge. You return fire. Keep the exchange going so there is no time to focus on one thing or another until finally we can return the the issue that the first shot was intended to distract us from.

[jean]

8. 'Web of Connections' is way more sinister than 'Shadowy Groups"

I think. Web - spiders, working in the dark, ensnaring unsuspecing victims.

Their 'shadowy groups' doesn't hold a candle to this new one from KE04!

[Triana]

9. Heheheheeeh...

Eeeeeexcellent!

[molly]

10. They cannot deny this!

:kick:

[Karenina]

11. Kick!

:kick:

[NJCher]

12. Damning

Very damning.


Cher

[LunaC]

13. I'm smackin' my lips

This one has some real meat on its bones!

[NightOwwl]

14. I think Mary Beth Cahill is great, but

how much longer are we going to "ask" them to denounce the ads. I think it's time to tell them, sorry, too late, you blew it. Then never mention the ads again, just hit them back hard. We've got plenty on them. Use it!

[Bongo Prophet]

15. Egggselent. WEB of deceit!

Takes time to set up these things.
Cook slowly, raise questions, bring the frog to boil.
:kick:

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. In regards to item #5

5. If you say there?s no connection, why did the Bush-Cheney campaign office in Florida pass out ?Swift Boat Veterans for Truth? flyers to promote a joint anti-John Kerry rally in Gainsville, Florida last weekend?


This is one that I have become very involved with in a personal way.

I am coming to realize, that the Bush Campaign DID NOT coordinate with the Swift Boat Vets, except to invite a couple of them to speak at the event. They DID THIS ON THEIR OWN. They took the Swift Boat Vets name and used it to advance their own agenda.

The whole thing was owned and operated by the Alachua County Republican Executive Committee. Not only did they flagrently break a number of election laws, they used and abused the vets that they tried to sucker into participating.

This one is 100% on the ACREC and the Bu$h Campaign.