Vermont Campaign Law Violated by Democratic Advocacy Group
June 30th, 2011
Montpelier, Vermont: A Vermont campaign finance law was violated when a Democratic advocacy group spent more than $500,000.00 on ads of negative nature in last year's gubernatorial campaign. The law was violated a judge ruled, because the group failed to register with the state, as well as failed to require disclosure reports, or even properly include identification information in the ads.[1]
A civil lawsuit was filed by that state of Vermont against Green Mountain Future, a group under the Internal Revenue Service tax code, mainly funded by the Democratic Governors Association.[1]
Republican candidate Brian Dubie was bashed in TV commercials by the Green Mountain Future group for his positions on the re-licensing of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant during the November gubernatorial election.[1]
Green Mountain Future made it clear that in their opinion they were an issue-oriented group and they did not need to register with the state as a political action committee. Washington Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford said that the ads were "clearly intended to advocate against Dubie's election," and rejected the group's contentions that the ads could not be regulated due to the reason that they focused just on the issues.[1]
Judge Geoffrey Crawford went on to write in his 14-page ruling that, "It would require someone with the cheerful incredulity of a very young child to conclude that the two political advertisements, prominently featuring Lt. Governor Dubie's name and photograph and aired just prior to the gubernatorial election, had neither the intention nor the effect of advocating against his election."[1]
Green Mountain Future will have a hearing held sometime later to determine their penalties.[1]
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