American Crossroads’ Attempted “Poof” Scam

How does political operative Karl Rove’s brainchild, American Crossroads, take a self-described “fully coordinated” ad with a candidate and turn it into an uncoordinated ad?

American Crossroads says, “poof” you’re an uncoordinated ad.

And then it goes to the dysfunctional Federal Election Commission with this mind-boggling magic trick and counts on at least three of the six FEC Commissioners to agree with the American Crossroads “poof” scam that an ad “fully coordinated” with a candidate is not an ad coordinated with a candidate at all.  

Think I am kidding?

Tomorrow, the FEC will consider an Advisory Opinion Request from the Rove-backed Super PAC, American Crossroads, which exists for the sole purpose of electing and defeating federal candidates.

American Crossroads proposes in its Advisory Opinion Request to run ads that are “fully coordinated with incumbent Members of Congress facing re-election in 2012 insofar as each Member would be consulted on the advertisement script and would then appear in the advertisement.” American Crossroads asks the FEC to find that these “fully coordinated” ads are not coordinated ads under the campaign finance laws.

Only in Washington.

American Crossroads is seeking to make a mockery of both the nation’s campaign finance laws and Supreme Court decisions that require spending by outside groups to be “independent” from candidates. This mockery would come at the great expense of the American people since these campaign finance laws exist to prevent corruption.

The question for tomorrow at the FEC is which of the Commissioners will join with American Crossroads to mock and eviscerate the campaign finance laws that the Commissioners have been appointed to interpret and enforce on behalf of the American people.

Stay tuned.

Democracy 21 and the Campaign Legal Center filed comments with the FEC detailing why the American Crossroads Advisory Opinion Request should be rejected.