You know the ad I'm talking about. The one with all the happy children thanking Bob for supporting charter schools. The one with the subliminal cross in a brick wall one child is looking through. The ad that looks, acts, and smells like an ad for Bob Schaffer for Senate video. Of course, technically, it isn't because it was paid for by a 527 from Virginia called US Term Limits and has a disclaimer saying so at the end of the ad.
However, look was the title of the video is on youtube: Bob Schaffer for Senate video
Here's a screen capture of that page:
(click for a larger image)
Zappatero had the following comment in his similar post so we agreed to combine them:
Silly me thought there were other violations of campaign law. But, there's still plenty of time for Bob, and his pit boss Dick Wadhams, to screw something else up in his campaign.
And so CREW has filed an FEC complaint. (click through for CREW statements.)
Update The youtube video, youtube account have been deleted, and all references to Bob Schaffer have been removed from http://termlimits.org. However, in the comments I've posted screen captures from google's cache. Silly Wabbit, covering up is for the guilty.
The ad violates federal election law in two ways. First, anyone who pays for an ad expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate is required to file a report describing the expenditure within 48 hours after the ad first runs. This ad first aired on March 26, 2008, meaning that a report should have been filed with the Commission no later than 11:59 p.m. on March 28, 2008, but no report was filed.
Second, such television ads must include an audio statement that the person paying for the communication is responsible for the ad's content, which the USTL ad does not.
CREW's executive director Melanie Sloan said today, "USTL tried to turn this Schaffer campaign ad into an issue ad by never mentioning that Mr. Schaffer is a candidate or referring to the upcoming election. USTL's intent to affect the Colorado senate race was revealed, however, when the group posted the ad on YouTube labeling it "Bob Schaffer for Senate video." Sloan continued, "This is nothing more than a campaign ad in issue ad clothing.
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