Allegations Trump Adjudication Where Media Is Concerned
Politics Frank Salvato, Managing Editor
August 24, 2007
URL: http://www.newmediajournal.us/staff/fsalvato/08242007.htm

The Hill, a publication that covers congressional events in Washington DC, ran a front page story about a lawsuit filed by Leftist blogger Lane Hudson. Hudson, notable for exposing the non-sex scandal involving former Congressman Mark Foley, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against former Senator and all-but-announced presidential candidate Fred Thompson. His complaint accused Thompson of breaking the law by violating the FEC’s "Testing the Waters” clause. It seems Mr. Hudson now fancies himself some sort of unofficial political "watch-poodle.”

The interesting thing about this is that Hudson’s partisan and rather obnoxious complaint over Thompson’s candidacy (or non-candidacy) was filed within the context of one of the murkier FEC regulations. It is apparent that the mere mention of Thompson’s name catapulted what should have been simple blog fodder to the front page of a respectable political publication.

Another interesting aspect – and perhaps a more troubling one – is that the complaint is based on an as of yet unsubstantiated accusation of campaign malfeasance. It infers malfeasance.

This brings to the forefront a logical question. When does the accusation of malfeasance trump the actual adjudication of campaign finance fraud, in particular the biggest case of campaign finance fraud in US history? The answer: When the person at the center of that campaign finance fraud has the surname of Clinton.

As outlined in detail in the seven part series, The Fraudulent Senator, Hollywood businessman Peter F. Paul underwrote a gala event and fundraiser for Hillary Clinton’s 2000 senatorial campaign in return for a promise that Bill Clinton would act as a rainmaker for his private company after leaving office. The event netted a sorely needed $1 million in hard money donations for Hillary Clinton’s campaign, donations needed to keep the campaign from going broke.

An FEC investigation into documents filed by the Clinton campaign found the amount reported from this event to be grossly under-reported. Adjudications were made and fines were assessed to that effect. Inexplicably, the US Department of Justice never investigated any of the crimes associated with the campaign finance fraud, the largest case of campaign finance fraud in US history.

Ironically, the Clintons never came through for Mr. Paul and his privately held company collapsed a short time after. There is currently a lawsuit pending in California in which Senator Hillary Clinton will be called to testify, barring any legal wrangling to exempt her from fulfilling her obligation to the courts.

Critics of Mr. Paul – many in the mainstream media and left-wing political advocacy communities – point to the fact that he is a convicted felon and routinely dismiss his validated accusations. They completely disregard the fact that when Hillary Clinton was taking the money facilitated by Mr. Paul she never blinked an eye. Neither did she return the money received from the event underwritten by Mr. Paul.

Those who use the "convicted felon” argument in attempting to discredit Mr. Paul’s assertions are relativistic. The federal government routinely uses the testimony of convicted felons and criminals to achieve favorable outcomes in trials. You need only to look at the two border agents sitting in jail thanks to the testimony of a confessed drug smuggler and border jumper to prove this point.

Further, the fact that Mr. Paul is a convicted felon (an interesting story in its own right) is irrelevant due to the fact that the FEC documents and investigation proving the campaign finance fraud committed by Hillary Clinton’s 2000 senatorial campaign are independent of Mr. Paul. The adjudication of campaign finance malfeasance is based on documents filed and testimony given, generated during an FEC sanctioned investigation. Mr. Paul’s felon status has little, if anything to do with the FEC investigation. It is a smoke-screen for those attempting to deflect the public’s sitcom attention span away from the crime that was committed.

Where Mr. Hudson’s complaint against Senator Thompson is concerned, we can chalk it up to one of two things and maybe a little bit of both. One, he is exhibiting the sad societal norm of being grossly and haughtily impatient, in this instance where the presidential campaign feasibility process is concerned. And two, it is the by-product of a campaign cycle initiated literally a year too early.

In the end, Senator Thompson’s exploratory staff will be found to have committed no crimes and no campaign malfeasance and Mr. Hudson will have gotten his name back into the media. I suspect that the latter was the overall goal from the start.

But Hudson’s attempt at grabbing the media spotlight by trying to smear a good man for politically opportunist reasons brings to the forefront two disturbing questions. Why didn’t the Justice Department pursue criminal charges against Hillary Clinton – and those of her Senate 2000 campaign staff judged guilty by the FEC – for having perpetrated the largest case of campaign finance fraud in US history? And why does an allegation from a Leftist blogger against a Republican presidential frontrunner – announced or not – get front page attention from a respected political publication when the biggest case of campaign finance fraud in US history did not?

Frank Salvato is the vice president and executive director of Basics Project a non-profit, non-partisan, 501(C)(3) research and education initiative. He also serves as the managing editor for The New Media Journal. His writing has been recognized by the US House International Relations Committee and the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention. His organization, Basics Project, partnered with America's Truth Forum in producing the first ever national symposium series addressing the root causes of radical Islamist terrorism with events taking place in Washington DC, Las Vegas, NV and scheduled to take place in additional locations across the country. Mr. Salvato has appeared on The O'Reilly Factor on FOX News Channel and is the host of the NMJ Radio show broadcast global on NetTalkWorld global talk radio and broadcast live on BlogTalk Radio. He is a regular guest on The Right Balance with Greg Allen on the Accent Radio Network, syndicated on over 25 stations nationally and on The Captain's America Radio Show catering to the US Armed Forces around the world, as well as an occasional guests on radio programs across the country. His opinion-editorials are syndicated nationally and he is occasionally quoted in The Federalist. Mr. Salvato is available for public speaking engagements.

Opinions expressed by contributing writers are expressly their own and may or may not represent the opinions of The New Media Journal, BasicsProject.org, its editorial staff, board or organization. Reprint inquiries should be directed to the author of the article. Contact the editor for a link request to The New Media Journal. The New Media Journal is not affiliated with any mainstream media organizations. The New Media Journal is not supported by any political organization. The New Media Journal is a division of BasicsProject.org, a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) research and educational initiative. Responsibility for the accuracy of cited content is expressly that of the contributing author. All original content offered by The New Media Journal and BasicsProject.org is copyrighted. Basics Project’s goal is the liberation of the American voter from partisan politics and special interests in government through the primary-source, fact-based education of the American people.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance a more in-depth understanding of critical issues facing the world. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 USC Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

hit counter

The New Media Journal.us © 2011
A Division of BasicsProject.org
 

Dreamhost Review