New York Times and MoveOn.org's

"Mistakes" Are Illegal Under Federal Campaign Finance Laws

ACU to Press FEC to hold both parties accountable for illegal soft money contribution to MoveOn.org Admitted by the New York Times

ALEXANDRIA, VA - Following the American Conservative Union's FEC complaint against the New York Times Company and liberal PAC MoveOn.org, both have now admitted that the rate paid by MoveOn for its full page ad in the NYT was not a discount given  to others in the ordinary course of business, a violation of federal law.

MoveOn.org paid the New York Times only $64,575 for its full-page attack ad on General David Petraeus instead of the standard full-page, section A ad rate of $181,692.

On Sunday the New York Times admitted it gave MoveOn.org a discount of $77,508 in violation of its own policies.  The ACU believes that MoveOn.org actually received a discount of $117,117.

New York Times Public Editor Clark Hoyt said, “For nearly two weeks, The New York Times has been defending a political advertisement that critics say was an unfair shot at the American commander in Iraq.  But I think the ad violated The Times's own written standards, and the paper now says that the advertiser got a price break it was not entitled to.”

David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union stated, “The discount was not just a mistake, it is illegal under federal law.  The New York Times has been the leading cheerleader for any and every restrictions on political speech by citizens and citizens groups railing for years against ‘soft money’ and the ‘corruption’ in politics of ‘soft money.’”

What is soft money?  Corporate contributions to federal political action committees like MoveOn.org from a corporation like the New York Times.

MoveOn.org now says it will pay $77,083 of the portion owed to the New York Times.  Again, the ACU contends that the difference owed is actually $117,117.

ACU will continue to press the FEC to conduct a full investigation of the illegal discount.  We still are not convinced that MoveOn.org is paying the correct amount. And in any event, the original discount is/was illegal and both the New York Times and MoveOn.org have to be held accountable for their violation of campaign finance regulations. Small citizens groups pay fines every day to the FEC for minor violations. These liberal behemoths deserve the same punitive, aggressive, intrusive investigations and civil money penalties that others must endure from the FEC.  Bank robbers don't get off the hook just because they pay restitution.  The corrective action comes only after public outcry and ACU's legal action taken against them.

Keene concluded, “ACU will vigorously work to insure that the FEC treats the New York Times Company and MoveOn.org the same way other less influential people are treated.  The Times needs to feel the pain from the campaign finance laws it has helped to impose over the years.”

On September 14, 2007, ACU filed a complaint with the FEC against MoveOn.org Political Action and the New York Times Company for violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended and the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.  The New York Times Company's “discount” is in effect a corporate soft money contribution to a federal political committee. MoveOn's acceptance of this corporate soft money contribution exceeds federal contributions and is a clear violation of FEC laws.