TUESDAY UDPATE: Fox 31’s Eli Stokols:
[I]n an ironic twist, Tancredo is suddenly taking a page out of McInnis’s playbook.
At least the longtime GOP congressman has learned how to cite his sources.
In the new ad, which features edited clips from the original RGA ad, Tancredo sources it this way: “edited RGA video from public domain.”
The ad, which attacks John Hickenlooper for “raising taxes, killing jobs”, is a clever way to go after the Democratic front runner while also rubbing a little salt in the wounds of an embattled Maes, who now can add the indignity of seeing the RGA’s ad working to benefit his opponent to the indignity of the group’s standing refusal to spend money on his own behalf.
There’s just one thing: it might be illegal.
Tancredo’s campaign has not returned phone calls from FOX 31 to explain how the footage was acquired by the campaign, leaving election attorneys to wonder if both parties followed the rules…
Check out American Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo’s new ad–look familar?
That’s right, folks, Tancredo has actually taken footage from the Republican Governor’s Association ad against Democrat John Hickenlooper from earlier this year (back when the RGA was still playing in Colorado), slapped “public domain” on it, and repurposed it for his own.
UPDATED: it’s been suggested to us that there are two legal issues potentially involved here: any copyright asserted by the RGA over the ad, which Tancredo’s campaign attempts to deal with by tagging the footage as “public domain.” But there is also the possible campaign finance issue, you could make a case that this is an in-kind donation by a 527 (which the RGA technically is) to a gubernatorial campaign. After all, the RGA’s ad cost money to produce, didn’t it? We’re not campaign finance law experts, and it’s even harder when you can’t remember anything quite like this having happened before.
Assuming the footage in question really is in the public domain and legally kosher, will the RGA at least say something about it being used by a third-party candidate, as opposed to the actual Republican nominee Dan Maes–who doesn’t have money for his own TV spots?
Or do you suppose they’re cool?
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And it’s a good ad now.
Keep Republicans proud, GOPwhitepower!
is no Republican.
Kill any babies lately?
Is reason enough to run away from Tancredo.
Glad you could help.
and it’s a lie now.
doesn’t that count for anything anymore?
Via 9News.com:
even so, there
The slightest movement in the polls and Pols unloads on the guy.
– ColoradoPols, for many weeks now.
BJ, please explain how Tancredo is going to peel off enough Democratic votes to get elected Governor. Please do explain how those numbers work for Tancredo.
Hickenlooper is a terrible candidate who has no support outside the Denver Metro. Plus, Tanc doesn’t need many Dems.
You have zero credibility.
I could care less whether you believe me though. I was asked a question and I responded.
You weren’t right on him, right?
Hickinlooper has 45-60% support in lots of places outside of Denver metro.
Since Hick is at 44% in the polls, I highly doubt he has as much support anywhere else.
Since Buck is only polling a couple points higher than Hickenlooper, this must mean he doesn’t have much support outside Weld County. It’s sad he’s only supported by his geographic base.
That’s my prediction. And Denver will be pretty close.
Glad to see your knowledge of CO is on par with your other ‘knowledge.’
Garfield will probably lurch further right this year–Obama lost there by 21 votes I think (and won pretty strongly in each of the others). I think Tresi is in trouble, and Kathleen could well split the D vote, handing that state house seat to the Rs. But Bennet will do well enough in each of these counties, winning in at least a couple.
He isn’t going to win anyways so why even spend time litigating such a thing. Hick is in, let it go. Now, let’s move on to the races in which an actual discussion may be relevant.
earlier, I agreed with marilou!
What’s happening? Backwards day on Colorado pols?
You came back as your dark side.
He isn’t going to win anyways so why even spend time litigating such a thing. Hick is in, let it go. Now, let’s move on to the races in which an actual discussion may be relevant.
Fox’s poll (yeah, Fox for fux sake) has Hick @ 44%, Tanc @ 34%, & Amaesing Dan @ 15%. WTF can Tanc or Danny do 2 appeal to indies, who will make this race? NOTHING. Repeat NOTHING!
Poor Beej make sure you someone is watching over you on this cold Nov 2 night. Just hope they can put up w/ all your sad, doleful whimpering.
You’re saying this bizarre ad and the funding issues it raises ISN’T worthy of a story by ColoradoPols?
To me, it sure looks like a campaign finance law violation. If it’s not, what’s to prevent every campaign in the country from slapping “public domain” on all kinds of other ads and basically skirting the campaign finance regulations on a massive scale?
Campaigns use other ads all the time, usually to respond to attack ads or to criticize an opponent’s ad. Whether Tancredo is engaging in fair use by using the RGA’s “Stripes” ad in snippets and in a TV frame, which, after all, does indicate it’s “quoting” another ad, is a good question, but the answer is by no means obvious.
With this add, Tancredo IS grasping at straws!
because it has an echo effect.
… make a god-damned fool of myself and the Colorado Republican Party.
We the former constituents of Tom Tancredo in the 6th Congressional District know that this sorry excuse for a Congressman never accomplished a damn thing except to suck off the public teat for ten years while writing his vanity-press books and running for president on the taxpayers’ dime. And now he’s sponging off the public by drawing a Congressional pension – much of which he accrued after violating his term limits pledge – in direct opposition to the party platform of the party he’s running under.
What a sleazebag. This latest ripoff ad just proves it.
That’s one helluva endorsement. And one of the few out-front, tell-it-like-it-is, made-me-a-beliver posts on this site. I’d say thanks even if I disagreed with you. But I don’t. Well said, HGF! OK, another one: !
have powdered his nose.
This is so obviously colusion. And so obviously another example of the moral relevancy of the TeaPub (TeaPubConstipation? They’re morphing so fast!) Party.
However, they are Dominionists, so … No foul, no harm?
Still haven’t seen the Post cover this and Fox31 not only has asked the obvious question — is this legal? — but also is trying to get facts on whether or not it is legal. Anyone else seen any coverage at all beyond Pols and Fox31?
http://www.pollster.com/blogs/…
This poll has Tommy T within ten of Hick. As in other polls Hick is unable to get above 45%.
Never heard of the pollster but their Senatorial numbers are similar to what other polls are showing.
https://www.pulseopinionresear…
Found an interesting analysis of the Colorado political scene published by Public Policy Polling on Dec. 6 when Ritter was tanking in his own party, especially among Hispanics, (and a month before he dropped out of the gubernatorial race.
Extending the analysis to today, it looks like Tancredo may be the catalyst for a Democratic sweep of the state. The point is that the governor’s race sets statewide turnout numbers and helps determine results for all statewide and congressional races.
Note: Only 1-day left to vote for a poll of the Colorado races at the top of the web page link. PPP will poll the top 2 choices, and CO is at No. 3!
http://publicpolicypolling.blo…
No money
No big name supporters except Dog the Bounty Hunter.
No organization
&
Hickenlooper has spent a lot of money on TV and
Tancredo is only down ten. Add to that new revelations about Maes that will cause his numbers to drop even further and this could become a close race in a hurry. Tancredo is still the longest of long shots. If and that is a big if the latest poll is accurate Tancredo is running surprisingly well
Hickenlooper has pre-paid for a lot of TV, but not yet run that many ads on TV. Those of you who watch TV can expect to see a few more ads in the upcoming weeks.
Hopefully, Hickenlooper will put out a couple generic “Democrats are good for Colorado” types of ads to help the down ticket races.
Hick’s money is for Hick.
I’m not holding out for any favors. If he had wanted to run as a ticket, I think that strategy would have been revealed by now.
and has prepaid for others
I mean, it’s such a blatantly obvious violation of campaign finance laws!
If candidates can get away with the “public domain” fig leaf, what’s to prevent all other candidates and 527 committees from just copying each other over and over to avoid having to comply with the laws? A candidate like Maes with $15,000 to his name can just STEAL an ad from a 527, Hickenlooper or even Tancredo and just Photoshop his own picture on it. It’s ludicrous.
of TV ads aren’t that big a part of the cost of running an ad, so the savings would be minimal.
Lifting the “Stripes” ad was clearly meant to remind voters (those few paying close enough attention last spring) about the yucky feeling they got about Hickenlooper when they saw the original ad. It’s not the same as just copying an ad wholesale, like you’re suggesting.
But, seriously, you’ve seen some of those 527 ads attacking Bennet? Someone could make those on iMovie in a couple hours if he or she knew what to do.
One dollar of illegal in-kind contribution carries the same fine as $100. Fifty bucks a day.
That’s why nobody’s filed one. Same reason they haven’t filed a complaint about Poundstone’s $300 contribution to Maes.
Unless there’s some earned media value in filing a complaint, the piddly little fine is not enough of a hinderance on Tancredo to be worth the effort. It’s not like it would keep him off the ballot or something.