Conservative candidates faced with consequences from scam solicitors.

The telephone calls come in 12 hours a day and they all sound the same. First there is the sound of dead silence for one or two seconds while I say "Hello," and then the call connects to what sounds like a room full of people all making their own calls. The caller comes on the line and begins to recite a legal statement that I hear several times a day: "I'm calling on behalf of xxxxx". I'm sure you are, you are a paid employee working for a professional fund-raising company and a very large percentage of the money you raise becomes a profit for your employer and very little goes to the person you are calling about. I have developed two strategies to handle this, first, when I answer the phone and I hear the first seconds of silence I know it is coming from a mass marketer who has probably called 5 phone numbers at once and waits to see who answers first. All I do is simply hang up before the caller comes on the line. My second method, if the caller is already there is to interrupt his legal pitch by telling him, "I do not respond to telephone solicitations." and I hang up the phone before he can read any more from his scripted message.

Dear Nelson, Michael Bloomberg and his liberal allies think their $700,000 smear campaign will pressure me into changing my vote on the Manchin-Toomey gun control bill. They couldn't be more wrong. As a mother, I am 100% dedicated to fighting gun violence. But I also have the experience to know that expanding an already broken background check system will not prevent a deranged individual or criminal from obtaining and misusing firearms. That's why I've been working to find solutions that will stop criminals and those who are mentally ill from obtaining guns. And that's why I've helped introduce and voted for the Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act, which doesn't just improve the existing background check system, it tackles the inherent issues behind gun violence by: Punishing those who try to access guns illegally; Addressing mental health gaps in the criminal justice system; Boosting resources to improve school safety; and Criminalizing gun trafficking and straw purchases. I will continue pushing for the Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act until it becomes law. Bloomberg and company can spend as much as they'd like distorting my record and smearing my character, but I won't back down. Will you stand with me and help me fight back by making an emergency donation of $25, $50, $100 or more right away? I've spent nearly my entire career fighting crime. As Attorney General, I cracked down on sexual predators and prosecuted and convicted dozens or murderers. And if I learned one thing, it's that there are no easy answers to eradicating violent crimes. Even if the proposed expansion of background checks had been in place, unfortunately it wouldn't have prevented a horrific tragedy such as the one in Connecticut — where the perpetrator obtained the firearms he used from his mother, who owned them lawfully. I want to find solutions that will stop criminals and those who are mentally ill from obtaining firearms. I want to make sure we punish those who try to access guns illegally. And I want to improve the nation's mental health system so that those who are on the front lines can identify the warning signs of mental illness and help those in need get proper help. But restricting the Constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners is not the answer, and misleading television and radio ads are counterproductive and only help to poison this important discussion. Please stand with me today and help me fight back by making an emergency contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more. Thank you in advance for your support. Sincerely, Kelly Ayotte U.S. Senator P.S. I'm 100% committed to fighting gun violence, and one quick glance at my record will confirm this. But I urgently need your help to fight back against an onslaught of attacks from Michael Bloomberg and various liberal activist groups. Please make an emergency contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more today to help me set the record straight. Thanks—Kelly Paid for by Friends of Kelly Ayotte

Then the emails come into my mailbox a dozen at a time and they all have a similar catch-phrase at the bottom: "Paid for by friends of xxxx" and more often than not they don't accept replies. And does the person whose name is mentioned even know you are sending these out? I could set up an account and claim to be friends of anyone and solicit contributions in their name. If I just take out a single newspaper ad supporting them - does it make my profits legal? Some don't even bother. In the last national election, probably the most important and crucial one in our history, dozens of scam operations purchased mailing lists from notable Republicans like Karl Rove and began asking for donations via email, telephone solicitations and bulk postal mailings in the name of popular conservative candidates. And almost none of the money they raised was ever seen by the candidate or spent in their name. Congressman Allen West was a favorite, probably because he was so popular. His photo appeared on at least a score of different solicitations. The Tea Party is another. Can you imagine how many different iterations there are using the two words Tea Party in the body or prefix of a group? i.e. American Tea Party, Tea Party of America, etc. I have no idea which ones are legitimate and which are scams any more. Now I'm getting emails from "Friends of Senator Kelly Ayotte", the popular conservative Republican from New Hampshire  and Nevada Republican Sharron Angle, the NRA Life Member who lost the Senate race to Democrat Harry Reid. After being burned by the scams in 2012 I have serious doubts about the emails and phone calls and bulk mail that arrives every day.

The only legitimate way I know to contact an elected official is through their government web site and because I agreed so much with the message received from Kelly Ayotte I wanted to verify that it came from her campaign. I sent an email to her Senate address - and never got a reply. Is someone or some group using Kelly Ayotte's name for personal gain or is this legitimate? I don't know but I do know I am skeptical and won't fall for this again. I rather like her campaign, too, and would like to help but not after what happened last year.

And my other favorite is Sharron Angle. She became the underdog favorite that forced the NRA to withhold their endorsement of Democrat Harry Reid. I made a few contributions to her campaign last year and have wondered ever since if she got them. Now I'm on her mailing list - or at least I am on someone's mailing list that is using her name. I can't be sure.

Here is an update to the email solicitation I received from Our Voice Pac. I found the web site Open Secrets had a breakdown on the receipts and expenditures for this group. It seems that in the 2012 election cycle, Our Voice Pac didn't contribute any money to any Federal elections campaign.

Our Voice PAC Contributions to Federal Candidates

Select a Cycle:

This PAC didn't make any contributions to federal candidates in the 2012 election cycle.

Based on data released by the FEC on March 25, 2013.
Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center.

Interest Groups

Lobbying

Our Voice Recipients, 2012

Select cycle:

Outside Spending: Independent Expenditures, Electioneering Communication & Communication Costs by Targeted Candidate as of April 11, 2013:

Grand Total: $0
Total For Democrats: $0
Total Against Democrats: $0
Total For Republicans: $0
Total Against Republicans: $0
Why don't the numbers add up? When available, independent expenditures made during the last two weeks are collected from the FEC on an hourly basis. Figures for the Independent Expenditures, Communication Costs and Coordinated Expenses totals cover the entire 2011-2012 election cycle and include data obtained from the Federal Election Commission as of April 11, 2013 and may not include the most recent expenditures. Based on data released daily by the FEC on April 11, 2013.

Dear Patriot, President Obama and his Administration are hiding more than we thought. How do we know that? They’re still dodging questions. They’ve lied from the beginning – first about whether the attack on Benghazi was terrorism, then about why it was done, and who did it. They left Americans stranded in Benghazi and then lied to cover up their failure and incompetency. Our Voice PAC has documented each cover up. If you haven’t seen our Benghazi series of videos, you should check it out and tell your friends. Today, President Obama said that the only thing we know about the attacks is that “Americans died in Benghazi.” Eight months after the attack, that answer is unacceptable. We’ve been documenting this Administration’s attempt at covering up the events in Benghazi since November, so click here to take a look back. Sincerely, Sharron Angle

Paid for by Our Voice Political Action Committee

Last October, the liberal web site Media Matters, published an article about these scams. Of course, they did so to also discredit the conservatives who rented out their mailing lists but they quoted a large portion of the original story published on Politico about the scam. It was there that I learned how so much of my contributions were wasted. Media Matters, being consistently one-sided has not published any stories about Barack Hussein Obama's fraudulent campaign finance deals.

Right-Wing Media Help "Scam PACs" Raise Money From Their Readers

Blog ››› October 17, 2012 1:22 PM EDT ››› BEN DIMIERO & OLIVER WILLIS

Conservative media figures and outlets have sent out to their email lists numerous paid fundraising solicitations from "scam PACs" whose directors are apparently looking to cash in on the election season.

Politico reports today that a new "cottage industry" has sprung up during the presidential race in which vaguely-named super PACs have used major Republican national campaigns like Rep. Allen West's re-election bid in Florida to "raise money for themselves and build their email lists."

The groups have been sending out fundraising pitches promising to help West or defeat Obama in November, but "those chunks of $25 and $50 don't often find their way to any serious campaigns to beat Obama or boost West." The article quotes West's campaign attorney saying that the "vast majority of the groups that we know are engaged in this have done nothing for West."

As explained by Politico, "political operatives can create a PAC and corresponding website on the cheap, drop some cash to rent an email list and, voilà-- in come the small-dollar contributions from grass-roots Republicans." 

Conservative outlets like RedState and Townhall and media figures like Dick Morris and Mike Huckabee have been enabling these so-called "scam PACs" by renting out their email lists for these fundraising pitches.

Politico highlights Black America's Political Action Committee (BAMPAC), a group that has donated $10,000 to West's campaign but has nonetheless been sent a cease and desist letter by West. The group rented Dick Morris' email list as recently as last week. Prior to last week's email, Morris, who has used his email list to cash in on various political candidates and campaigns for years, has sent out numerous emails from PACs highlighted by Politico.

Morris has sent fundraising solicitations from BAMPAC with subject lines like "Save Allen West" on August 1, August 10, August 25, September 19, and October 9.

Morris has also sent out fundraising emails from other groups mentioned in the Politico report, including Conservative Strike Force PAC, which has reportedly "given nothing to the Congressman." Morris rented his list to "Conservative Strike Force PAC" on August 17, September 5, and September 24. 

This morning, Morris again rented his list to Conservative Strike Force, which was seeking donations ostensibly to help Rep. Michele Bachmann. According to the email, "We absolutely must raise this $16,750 today!" 

The fundraising pitches come with a disclaimer from Morris that the messages are from a "paid sponsor."
Erick Erickson's RedState.com rented their list to BAMPAC on August 1, August 23, September 13, September 28 and October 10.

All rented RedState emails include a disclaimer that the message is from a paid advertiser and that the message "reflects the opinions and representations of our advertiser alone." On the other hand, the disclaimer also notes that "From time to time we find special opportunities we believe you as a valued customer may want to see."

Conservative site Townhall.com rented their list out to BAMPAC on July 25 and August 16.

Fox host Mike Huckabee rented his list out to BAMPAC on October 8. Huckabee's email came with a disclaimer that the message is from a "paid sponsor" that does not "necessarily reflect my views."

And even though Congressman Allen West apparently lost his reelection bid - due in part that the Democrats managed to turn out more votes for his opponent in one county in Florida than there were registered voters, I am still receiving solicitations via postal and email from him or at least from people using his name. Last year I also sent several contributions to more than one group claiming to raise money for him, before I learned that many of them were scams. But due in part to the fact that Allen West conceded the election rather that fight the voter fraud, I lost all respect for him. And that is my personal consequence to the 2012 debacle.

My name is Nelson Abdullah and I am Oldironsides