CREW Files Complaint Against Minnesota Republican Party

Steve, you still don’t get it You were the one who made a big deal about that “the FEC was willing to take up this claim”.  These are your words, not mine.  Nor was it any implication of anything you might have said.

The FEC takes up all “claims” that anyone (you, me, Master of None, CREW, etc.) files at the FEC and then conducts an investigation.  The FEC, in that regard, is like a bus that picks up anyone standing at the bus stop.

If you have information to the contrary, here’s your chance to put it out in the open.

Otherwise, your making a big deal about that “the FEC was willing to take up this claim” is a case of making a big deal about nothing. 

I wonder what Repya thinks of this Did you make an effort to contact Ron Carey for comment?  He probably won’t talk to you, but in fairness, why not give him the opportunity?

Also, I’d encourage you to contact Joe Repya for comment.

Ike …as interested in fairness as a hog is interested in holy water.

Any strings attached? This would be a great place for Joe to disclose that both CREW and The Center for Independent Media (Joe’s employer), are both heavily funded ($100K+) by the Sunlight Foundation.

Are you opposed to transparency? Are you opposed to transparency?

The Sunlight Foundation was founded in January 2006 with the goal of using the revolutionary power of the Internet and new information technology to enable citizens to learn more about what Congress and their elected representatives are doing, and thus help reduce corruption, ensure greater transparency and accountability by government, and foster public trust in the vital institutions of democracy. We are unique in that technology and the power of the Internet are at the core of every one of our efforts.

Our initial projects – from the establishment of a Congresspedia, the making of “transparency grants” for the development and enhancement of databases and websites, and two separate efforts to engage the public in distributed journalism and offer online tutorials on the role of money in politics efforts – are based on the premise that the collective power of citizens to demand greater accountability is the clearest route to reform.

Sunlight’s work is committed to helping citizens, journalists and bloggers be their own best watchdogs, both by improving access to existing information and digitizing new information, and by creating new tools and websites to enable all of us to pool our intelligence in new, and yet to be imagined, ways.

Sunlight Foundation’s funding is specifically delgated to DC, as was stated clearly in the Foundation’s press release.

Please use the comments section to continue discussions of the stories themselves, as per our comment policy.

Thank you.

CIM is CIM New Journalist Fellows should:

  * Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived, and disclose unavoidable conflicts.

huh? My comment was specifically about Joe being more transparent about the ties between CREW and CIM. 

So? What does your comment have to do with the story?  Do these ties make the story any less true?  If so, you should explain why.

So The story is 100% true.  CREW did file a complaint.

But….

CREW is a 501(c)(3) public charity.  As such, it is barred from political activity that directly or indirectly supports a candidate or party in an election.  There is considerable room for debate if complaints such as this and other actions by CREW constitute political activity, but Joe’s article won’t mention anything about it.  Why is that?  Perhaps it’s because his funding and CREW’s funding are from the same source. 

Don’t you want to know the motivation behind the news articles that you read? 

I agree with Master of None The most interesting aspect of any story is “why”.

Good work, MON!

As I said before, Bodell is about as interested in fairness as a hog is interested in holy water.

And add freedom from conflicts of interest to that list.

So, let’s see.. A member of the MNGOP complained about massive systemic corruption within that organization.  No one disputes that fact. 

You agree that the FEC was willing to take up this claim. 

You agree that CREW filed a complaint compelling the FEC to do so…but now you claim the story is that the reporter’s parent organization might have a second level removed contact with an organization that might have a contact with the organization that filed…whatever…what?

The massive systemic corruption among the MNGOP seems to be the story here.  I’m not sure what else Ike and MON consider “newsworthy”.  Care to enlighten?

What do we know about the FEC and CREW? You write that the “FEC was willing to take up this claim.”  Do we know if the FEC is like a public transit bus, which picks up all riders (read “claim”)? 

You write that the “CREW filed a complaint”.  Do we know if the CREW is front organization for the Democratic party and/or left wing groups?  Do we know who staffs the CREW?  Do we know what their political backgrounds are like?  Do we know where their money comes from?

Many questions….few answers.

We won’t get those from the reporter that wrote this story. 

What’s next?  Reprinting CREW press releases?  Digging through Ron Carey’s garbage? 

Finally, as we say in criminal law, the fact that someone says you did something wrong doesn’t mean that you did something wrong.  And, here, I thought that sentiment was a a mark of faith for the left-wing. 

This is too rich Carey and the MNGOP should and will get a fair hearing.  I don’t think I ever implied otherwise.

As to the rest, “Do we know if the CREW is front organization for the Democratic party and/or left wing groups?  Do we know who staffs the CREW?  Do we know what their political backgrounds are like?  Do we know where their money comes from?” etc.

Actually, yes we do.  They’ve cleverly tried to cover their tracks by setting up a website answering these questions, as I’m sure you figured out by yourself.  You did actually put some research into this, right?  You’re not just running off half-cocked are you?

I’m still amused by how Hilary Clinton was painted as a nutter for suggesting a “vast right wing conspiracy” but every time something happens you guys don’t like you jump up and down screaming that it must be the vast left wing conspiracy.  Really, keep it up.  It’s great fun for the rest of us.

not at all “.but now you claim the story is that the reporter’s parent organization might have a second level removed contact with an organization that might have a contact with the organization that filed”

No, that’s not at all what I claimed.  All I asked is that Joe disclose a possible conflict of interest as is required by MiniMoni’s code of ethics, and that he possibly give a little more information about CREW and their political ties. 

I wonder what Repya thinks of this Did you make an effort to contact Ron Carey for comment?  He probably won't talk to you, but in fairness, why not give him the opportunity?

Also, I'd encourage you to contact Joe Repya for comment.

Ike …as interested in fairness as a hog is interested in holy water.

Any strings attached? This would be a great place for Joe to disclose that both CREW and The Center for Independent Media (Joe's employer), are both heavily funded ($100K+) by the Sunlight Foundation.

Are you opposed to transparency? Are you opposed to transparency?

The Sunlight Foundation was founded in January 2006 with the goal of using the revolutionary power of the Internet and new information technology to enable citizens to learn more about what Congress and their elected representatives are doing, and thus help reduce corruption, ensure greater transparency and accountability by government, and foster public trust in the vital institutions of democracy. We are unique in that technology and the power of the Internet are at the core of every one of our efforts.

Our initial projects – from the establishment of a Congresspedia, the making of “transparency grants” for the development and enhancement of databases and websites, and two separate efforts to engage the public in distributed journalism and offer online tutorials on the role of money in politics efforts – are based on the premise that the collective power of citizens to demand greater accountability is the clearest route to reform.

Sunlight's work is committed to helping citizens, journalists and bloggers be their own best watchdogs, both by improving access to existing information and digitizing new information, and by creating new tools and websites to enable all of us to pool our intelligence in new, and yet to be imagined, ways.

Sunlight Foundation's funding is specifically delgated to DC, as was stated clearly in the Foundation's press release.

Please use the comments section to continue discussions of the stories themselves, as per our comment policy.

Thank you.

CIM is CIM New Journalist Fellows should:

  * Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived, and disclose unavoidable conflicts.

huh? My comment was specifically about Joe being more transparent about the ties between CREW and CIM. 

So? What does your comment have to do with the story?  Do these ties make the story any less true?  If so, you should explain why.

So The story is 100% true.  CREW did file a complaint.

But….

CREW is a 501(c)(3) public charity.  As such, it is barred from political activity that directly or indirectly supports a candidate or party in an election.  There is considerable room for debate if complaints such as this and other actions by CREW constitute political activity, but Joe's article won't mention anything about it.  Why is that?  Perhaps it's because his funding and CREW's funding are from the same source. 

Don't you want to know the motivation behind the news articles that you read? 

I agree with Master of None The most interesting aspect of any story is “why”.

Good work, MON!

As I said before, Bodell is about as interested in fairness as a hog is interested in holy water.

And add freedom from conflicts of interest to that list.

So, let's see.. A member of the MNGOP complained about massive systemic corruption within that organization.  No one disputes that fact. 

You agree that the FEC was willing to take up this claim. 

You agree that CREW filed a complaint compelling the FEC to do so…but now you claim the story is that the reporter's parent organization might have a second level removed contact with an organization that might have a contact with the organization that filed…whatever…what?

The massive systemic corruption among the MNGOP seems to be the story here.  I'm not sure what else Ike and MON consider “newsworthy”.  Care to enlighten?

What do we know about the FEC and CREW? You write that the “FEC was willing to take up this claim.”  Do we know if the FEC is like a public transit bus, which picks up all riders (read “claim”)? 

You write that the “CREW filed a complaint”.  Do we know if the CREW is front organization for the Democratic party and/or left wing groups?  Do we know who staffs the CREW?  Do we know what their political backgrounds are like?  Do we know where their money comes from?

Many questions….few answers.

We won't get those from the reporter that wrote this story. 

What's next?  Reprinting CREW press releases?  Digging through Ron Carey's garbage? 

Finally, as we say in criminal law, the fact that someone says you did something wrong doesn't mean that you did something wrong.  And, here, I thought that sentiment was a a mark of faith for the left-wing. 

This is too rich Carey and the MNGOP should and will get a fair hearing.  I don't think I ever implied otherwise.

As to the rest, “Do we know if the CREW is front organization for the Democratic party and/or left wing groups?  Do we know who staffs the CREW?  Do we know what their political backgrounds are like?  Do we know where their money comes from?” etc.

Actually, yes we do.  They've cleverly tried to cover their tracks by setting up a website answering these questions, as I'm sure you figured out by yourself.  You did actually put some research into this, right?  You're not just running off half-cocked are you?

I'm still amused by how Hilary Clinton was painted as a nutter for suggesting a “vast right wing conspiracy” but every time something happens you guys don't like you jump up and down screaming that it must be the vast left wing conspiracy.  Really, keep it up.  It's great fun for the rest of us.

not at all “.but now you claim the story is that the reporter's parent organization might have a second level removed contact with an organization that might have a contact with the organization that filed”

No, that's not at all what I claimed.  All I asked is that Joe disclose a possible conflict of interest as is required by MiniMoni's code of ethics, and that he possibly give a little more information about CREW and their political ties. 

Steve, you still don't get it You were the one who made a big deal about that “the FEC was willing to take up this claim”.  These are your words, not mine.  Nor was it any implication of anything you might have said.

The FEC takes up all “claims” that anyone (you, me, Master of None, CREW, etc.) files at the FEC and then conducts an investigation.  The FEC, in that regard, is like a bus that picks up anyone standing at the bus stop.

If you have information to the contrary, here's your chance to put it out in the open.

Otherwise, your making a big deal about that “the FEC was willing to take up this claim” is a case of making a big deal about nothing.