The Presidential Coalition
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This article is part of the Center for Media & Democracy's spotlight on front groups and corporate spin. |
The Presidential Coalition LLC is a Republican front group that registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a Section 527 political action committee on June 30, 2005. It is affiliated with Citizens United. David N. Bossie is listed as president and manager.[1]
In the 2005-2006 election cycle, The Presidential Coalition raised $707,485 in contributions and expended $7,256,082.[2] From January 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006, the PAC reported $322,637 in contributions and $3,733,433 in expenditures.[3]
Contents
Purpose
According to its IRS filing information, the PAC was "Organized to directly or indirectly accept contributions and/or make expenditures to influence the selection, nomination, election or appointment of individuals to federal, state or local public office, or office in a political organization." Michael Boos is listed as contact person.[4]
Swiftboating Hillary Clinton
On January 20, 2007, Robert Novak, columnist with the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote in Townhall.com:[5][6]
- "People on Republican mailing lists this week received an appeal for funds from Dick Morris, President Bill Clinton's political strategist in 1995-1996, asking for a contribution of between $25 and $100 or more to finance a film documentary critical of Sen. Hillary Clinton.
- "Signing the letter as 'Former Clinton Adviser,' Morris wrote: 'If you liked how the Swift Boat Veterans turned the tide against John Kerry, you understand how a top Clinton aide can turn the tables and stop a Clinton-style liberal from becoming the next president of the United States.'
- "Morris' appeal was made through the Presidential Coalition, run by conservative activist Dave Bossie. The letter described Morris as dedicated to electing presidents like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Since 1996, Morris has been an author, columnist and television commentator."
Donatelli Group and the Swift Boat connection
The web address for the Coalition's donation page is that for DonationReport.com[7], plus an extension code for the Coalition.
The connection for the DonationReport.com[8] website arrives at a Login page[9]—requiring both a User ID and Password—which belongs to eDonation.com, a member of The Donatelli Group, a fundraising company that has raised campaign funds for the Republican National Committee, Republican National Convention, Bush-Cheney '04 Inc., John McCain, the NRA[10], and an exhaustive list of Republican members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as other political organizations.[11]
The Donatelli Group, using its "primary segment" Campaign Solutions[12], is associated with Creative Response Concepts, the public relations firm that advised Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the "organization that accused Kerry of inflating his Vietnam War record" during the 2004 presidential campaign.[13]
The Donatelli Group, which produced the RNC website [14], also created the SWIFTBOATVETSFORTRUTH.ORG website July 30, 2004, with Connell Donatelli Inc.[15] (a.k.a. The Donatelli Group) as Registrant. Connell Donatelli Inc. was also listed as both Administrator and the Tech Organization for the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth website.[16]
Expenditures
Citizens United/Citizens United Foundation
Expenditure records show The Presidential Coalition making disbursements for rent and payroll to Citizens United and Citizens United Foundation.[17][18]
Caging
Expenditure records for February through June 2006 show The Presidential Coalition making disbursements to the Washington Intelligence Bureau, 4128 Pepsi Place, Chantilly, Virginia 20151, for "Caging".[19][20]
Federal Election Commission reports
- January 27, 2006: "The Presidential Coalition LLC (DC) reported raising $63,700 and spending $935,231 in the last six months of 2005. Major expenses included $492,790 to IAG (WV)[21] for survey/polling; $174,073 to Infocision (OH)[22][23] for telemarketing; and $210,323 to UFS (OH)[24] for postage/direct mail. David N. Bossie is president and manager of the 527 group. The group registered on 6/30/05, but does not indicate where it got the other $871,153 used to pay expenses. Citizens United is listed as an affiliated organization."[25]
- April 19, 2006: "The Presidential Coalition LLC reported raising $108,147 and spending $1,588,073 in the first quarter. The group paid IAG (WV) $650,974 for surveys and polling. They paid Infocision $258,551 for fundraising. They paid UFS (OH) $362,981 for postage and direct mail."[26]
- July 18, 2006: "David Bossie’s Presidential Coalition reported raising $147,390 and spending $1,210,129. They paid IAG (WV) $385,375 for polling; Uniontown Fullfillment Services (OH) $296,972 for mail and postage; Infocision Management Corp (OH) $154,464 for telemarketing. They also paid $5,000 to the Libby Legal Defense Trust."[27]
- October 16, 2006: "David Bossie’s Presidential Coalition, a Section 527 group, reported raising $175,945 and spending $1,194,051 during the third quarter. They paid Issue Advocacy Group (WV) $493,200 for survey/polling work. They paid Infocision Management Corp (OH) $157,108 for fundraising."[28]
Presidential Coalition Donors Mailing Lists
NextMark offers the Presidential Coalition Donors Mailing Lists (List ID #180129) to the consumer market, with a "5,000 NAME MINIMUM ORDER".[29]
Virginia State Board of Elections
"The Presidential Coalition LLC is an Out-of-State PAC that filed registration papers with the State Board of Elections in April [12] 2007 with the stated purpose of 'Conservative public policy.'" David N. Bossie of Ashton, Maryland, is listed as Treasurer.[30]
Contact information
1006 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Washington, DC, 20003
Phone: 800 942-1970
FAX: 202 547-5421
E-mail: michaelboos AT citizensunited.org
Web: http://www.goppresident.org/index.html
Resources and articles
Related SourceWatch articles
References
- ↑ "527 Activity," Money In Politics Databases, Political Money Line, April 19, 2006.
- ↑ "Soft Money in the 2006 Election and the Outlook for 2008: The Changing Nonprofits Landscape: Federal 527 Organizations Raising or Spending $200,000 or More in 2005-06," The Campaign Finance Institute, downloaded February 12, 2007.
- ↑ Federal 527 Organizations Jan. 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006, Campaign Finance Institute.
- ↑ The Presidential Coalition, LLC. "527" Political Organization Filing Information: Contribution and Expenditure Details, CampaignMoney.com.
- ↑ "Pelosi Power Play?" Townhall.com, January 20, 2007.
- ↑ Robert Novak, "Pelosi goes over the heads of energy, environmental committee chiefs," Chicago Sun-Times (FindArticles.com), January 21, 2007. Scroll down to "Dick Morris' appeal".
- ↑ DonationReport.com, The Presidential Coalition, accessed June 27, 2007.
- ↑ DonationReport.com website.
- ↑ Login page, DonationReport.com.
- ↑ Erin McPike, "Two Republican Web Giants Form Connell Donatelli Inc.," CampaignLine.com, August 20, 2004.
- ↑ Client list for CampaignSolutions.com.
- ↑ eDonations.com.
- ↑ Deb Reichmann, "Activists Priming for Supreme Court Battle," Associated Press (Committee for Justice), June 9, 2005.
- ↑ "Information on the RNC Organizers," One People's Project, August 29, 2004.
- ↑ Connell Donatelli Inc. website.
- ↑ "Re: Bush, O'Neill, Swifties and Purple Heart Band-aids," Mailgate, September 11, 2004.
- ↑ The Presidential Coalition, LLC. "527" Political Organization Filing Information: Expenditure Details, CampaignMoney.com (page 1).
- ↑ The Presidential Coalition, LLC. "527" Political Organization Filing Information: Expenditure Details, CampaignMoney.com (page 2).
- ↑ The Presidential Coalition, LLC. "527" Political Organization Filing Information: Expenditure Details, CampaignMoney.com (page 1).
- ↑ The Presidential Coalition, LLC. "527" Political Organization Filing Information: Expenditure Details, CampaignMoney.com (page 2).
- ↑ Issue Advocacy Group (IAG), 3350 Woodville Drive, Huntington, WV 25701
- ↑ InfoCision Management Corporation, 325 Springside Drive, Akron, OH 44333
- ↑ InfoCision Management Corporation website.
- ↑ Uniontown Fullfillment Services (UFS), 3455 Forrest Lake Drive, Uniontown, OH 44865
- ↑ "527 Activity," Money In Politics Databases, Political Money Line, April 19, 2006.
- ↑ "New Section 527 Filings," Money In Politics Databases, Political Money Line, April 19, 2006.
- ↑ "Section 527 Activity," Money In Politics Databases, Political Money Line, July 18, 2006.
- ↑ "Section 527 Activity," Money In Politics Databases, Political Money Line, October 16, 2006.
- ↑ Presidential Coalition Donors Mailing List, lists.NextMark.com.
- ↑ Donor Profile: Presidential Coalition LLC, VPAP.org.
External articles
- "Dick Morris to make Anti-Hillary Clinton Doc," MetroPost.com, January 20, 2007.
- "Dick Morris reportedly planning to 'Swift Boat' Sen. Clinton," Media Matters for America, January 21, 2007.
- Mark Liberman, "What's the (native) language?" Language Log, January 21, 2007.
- "Let the False Flag Attacks Begin," BreakForNews.com/The Next Level Forum, January 22, 2007.
- "Dick Morris: Biggest Nothing Tries To Stay In The News," DebateBothSides.com, January 22, 2007.
- Mark Liberman, "Native language? Plagiarism," Language Log, January 22, 2007.
- Zeno, "A GOP scam?" Halfway There Blogspot, January 22, 2007.
- Mark Liberman, "Text Laundering," Language Log, January 23, 2007.
- Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, "To Conceal Donors, Some Political Groups Look to the Tax Code," Washington Post, April 17, 2007.
