Michelle Malkin » Document drop: The “Accountable America” warning letter targeting GOP donors

Document drop: The “Accountable America” warning letter targeting GOP donors

By Michelle Malkin • August 8, 2008 01:23 PM

Scroll for updates… “non-partisan” my you-know-what…Freedom’s Watch responds…

As noted by See-Dubya last night, the oh-so-tolerant leftists have launched a campaign to send “WARNING” letters to potential GOP donors in a thuggish attempt to depress Republican fund-raising. A reader sent me a copy of the actual letter from “Accountable America”–the brainchild of the same MoveOn miscreants who spearheaded the General Betray Us smear. Look:

Ironies and hypocrisies abound. Let us count the ways.

You’ve got the nutroots brigade digging up the addresses of GOP donors to chill their political free speech while these same left-wing operatives and their followers label it “stalking” to publish public e-mail contact information for anti-war shills, or to Google Democrat donors, or to vet Democrat health care sob stories by actually reporting on their financial status.

When we do it, it’s intimidation. When they do, it’s “accountability.”

Dan Riehl makes a related point about a liberal blogger who dug into the background of a McCain donor.

When we do it, it’s bullying. When they do it, it’s journalism.

Can you imagine if a conservative group took it upon itself to send a “WARNING” letter to potential Democrat donors worded exactly like the MoveOn missive?

Voter intimidation!

Speech suppression!

Politics of fear!

Climate of crushing dissent!

BushNazi tactics!

What do PFAW, the NAACP, the ACLU, and the rest of the purported champions of political free speech and intimidation-free elections have to say about the anti-GOP donor warning letters? How about you, Barry O, self-appointed crusader against the politics of fear?

***

Update: Accountable America’s website is here, describing itself as “a non-partisan, non-profit corporation.” Now, Google “Accountable America.” As of this moment, you’ll see it described in the tagline as “dedicated to electing Democrats to the state legislature across America.”

Here’s the screenshot:

That partisan tagline is also in the source code of the website’s homepage (hat tip: reader Kevin). Click for larger image:

Update: Freedom’s Watch, which is a main target of the “Accountable America” thugs, responds. They will not be intimidated…

Freedom’s Watch Chief of Staff Joe Eule today issued the following statement in response to the formation of Accountable America, a new left-wing group headed by Tom Matzzie, and its intimidation tactics aimed at conservative advocacy organizations and donors.

“The creation of an organization whose primary purpose is to intimidate Americans into abandoning their First Amendment rights is a sad commentary on what now passes for legitimate debate on the Left. Tom Matzzie’s desire to invade the lives of private citizens – I suppose that makes him a political peeping Tom – is an affront to free speech and an attempt to stymie the freewheeling political debate that has long been the hallmark of our nation. With his latest effort, Matzzie has taken our politics beyond the gutter, right into the sewer, and I have a feeling Accountable America will backfire spectacularly.”

Posted in: MoveOn.org

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#101

On August 8th, 2008 at 6:45 pm, Armigerous said:

Somebody needs to just hack their data base and find out exactly who the plan on sending these letters to and preempt the little prick by emailing a pic of him working out of his mommy’s basement to everybody on his list and just laugh his blubbery ass right out of town
#102

On August 8th, 2008 at 7:24 pm, prendad said:

When Tom Matzzie says we is der Master Race,
We “Heil!, Heil!” right in Tom Matzzie’s face.
Not to love Der Liberal is a great disgrace.
So we “Heil!, Heil” right in Der Liberal’s face.
When Herr Matzzie says Liberals own the world and space,
We “Heil!, Heil!” right in Herr Matzzie’s face.
Matzzie: “Are we Liberal supermen?”
Pelosi: “Aryan-pure supermen!”
Boxer: “Ya, we is the supermen!”
All: “Super-duper supermen!”
#103

On August 8th, 2008 at 7:52 pm, NY Andy said:

CrazyFool,

Freedoms Watch
#104

On August 8th, 2008 at 8:20 pm, starlightwoman said:

On August 8th, 2008 at 2:06 pm, ConMom said:
Ya, non-partisan, right. Their tag-line on google is “Dedicated to electing Democrats to the state legislature across America.” As my 10 year old would say, “well, der!”

So much for non-partisan
#105

On August 8th, 2008 at 8:43 pm, purplepeep said:

brooklyn red said:
Today I got this e-mail from the RNC… anyone know if this is something I want to do?? I am uhhh, suspicious

I would be, too, Red. Email addresses can be easily spoofed and “toolsbars” can feed a whole lot of info to parties with less than honorable intentions.

It could be what’s called a “phish”. If you don’t know the term it refers to a means (often fake “bank websites”) to get you to enter personal info, especially credit card/billing info. (Phish=fishing for info).

I’d avoid using it. Besides, it’s not that big of a deal to go to a candidate’s actual secure website - it will show https in the address bar instead of just http - to make a contribution. No sense in letting strangers “into your PC”.
#106

On August 8th, 2008 at 8:53 pm, purplepeep said:

starlightwoman said:
On August 8th, 2008 at 2:06 pm, ConMom said:

Ya, non-partisan, right. Their tag-line on google is “Dedicated to electing Democrats to the state legislature across America.” As my 10 year old would say, “well, der!”

So much for non-partisan

Also, Starlite, as I noted upthread - the page’s source html connects it to the “Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee” which consists of current Democrat elected officials:
DLCC Board Of Directors.

That’s pretty fishy, if not illegal. Somebody who cared to dig a bit into the connections between these two might run into some things that would put both these groups into legal hot water.
#107

On August 8th, 2008 at 9:01 pm, brooklyn red said:

purplepeep, yeah it don’t smell right thanks.
#108

On August 8th, 2008 at 9:03 pm, zorro said:

On August 8th, 2008 at 3:35 pm, Boomer said:

Maybe the DOJ or the FBI need to be made (aware) of the threats made by the Accountable America organization. Not that they would ever do anything about it.

Well the democraps have the Sig Heil down pat, now, as herself mentioned, the brown shirts are on the march. I think the Feds will take actions.
#109

On August 8th, 2008 at 9:53 pm, fulldroolcup said:

Did you see the photo of Matzzie sitting sullenly in front of his PC, with a bicycle in the background?

Man, as gravitationally challenged as he is, our boy Tom will need to strap some Monster Truck tires on that thing in order to have a hope of riding it.

Maybe the Messiah can tell him how to inflate them properly.

Best Matzzie quote: “I kin still WARSH myself wif a RAG on a STICK”
#110

On August 8th, 2008 at 9:58 pm, JT said:

The funny thing was lgm accepting this organization blindly (boo freakin hoo douche bag). Tells you everything you need to about a liberal and an Obama voter. Vetting is optional, so is character.
#111

On August 8th, 2008 at 10:44 pm, katablog said:

Oh my, their website is full of such hypocrisy that the IRS should have a field day! Take a look at http://www.accountableamerica.com/people - only “people of interest” happen to be Republicans. I wonder why Tony Ruzzo and some of Obama’s other pals aren’t there. Where is Norman Hsu?

Next, the “non-partisan” group has this page http://www.accountableamerica.com/about. Does that look non-partisan to even the most foolish of people?

Lastly we have $100,000 Reward Offered for Information Leading to Convictions of GOP Organizations Who Violate the Law Accountable America will shine a spotlight on Republican donors …. so that’s why we aren’t seeing Norman Hsu and Tony Russo.

Note to the poster who asked if they could collect the reward: No. You don’t appear to be exposing GOP Organizations when reporting this liberal group.
#112

On August 8th, 2008 at 10:53 pm, katablog said:

To Brooklyn: RNC Toolbar though I gotta say, no, I would never use it. Too much potential for fraud.
#113

On August 8th, 2008 at 11:26 pm, grumpy_old_soldier said:

Just googled “Accountable America” and got the same thing Michelle did earlier…

Aug 8, 2008 … Dedicated to electing Democrats to the state legislature across America.
http://www.accountableamerica.com/ - 19k - 12 hours ago - Cached - Similar pages

Go figure!
#114

On August 9th, 2008 at 12:03 am, olsantaroy said:

Went in search of accountableamerica web site after reading story and comments. Failed. Found Accountable 2 America. Reading Mission statement made me feel as if I was hearing John Edwards voice. Could this be the same place?
#115

On August 9th, 2008 at 12:56 am, USN RET said:

I just left a comment on their site, saying they convinced me to make my first donation to the Republican Party due to their attempt to suppress free speech. Lets see if it goes up.
#116

On August 9th, 2008 at 1:18 am, Tuesday said:

On August 8th, 2008 at 1:51 pm, Jim M. said:

I wonder if the Obama donors in the Middle East got the same letter?

You know they couldn’t. Obama staffers hid the addresses of their ME donors, aside from lumping them under some funny names. Nah, not under “Hussein” either.
#117

On August 9th, 2008 at 4:18 am, Micheleeroo said:

So now the democrats want to ape the KGB. How (un)surprising.
#118

On August 9th, 2008 at 5:00 am, American Elephant said:

I’ll be contacting the Federal Elections Commission and the IRS about these guys on Monday. I don’t know if their thuggish behavior is technically illegal, but pretending to be a non-partisan group and not paying taxes definitely is, when they are so clearly hyperpartisan.

Probably’ll call my Representative and ask him to do the same as well.
#119

On August 9th, 2008 at 9:32 am, davidleerothmann said:

Hey, LGM. Would you ok with a Conservative 527 group sending out a letter to heavily Hispanic areas stating a few simple facts about the penalities for using a false identification in order to vote, or altering a valid State ID card? I mean, that is all true, it is against the law to alter an ID or present false documents. And, as you say, if everyone is legal then they have nothing to fear, right?

I hope you won’t go too crazy, because me and some of my VERY wealthy friends down here in Texas are looking into forming a group to do just that very thing. Can I get a statement from an avowed liberal endorsing our program? I suggest just what you wrote about these guys; LGM (Liberal) says, “If you stay legal, you have nothing to worry about!”
#120

On August 9th, 2008 at 11:28 am, jtex said:

“Accountable America is a non-partisan, non-profit corporation. We do not seek to elect or defeat candidates or endorse candidates for federal office.”

You know, if a Duck calls himself a chicken that don’t make him a chicken. These a$$holes calling themselves “non-partisan” sure as hell doesn’t make them non-partisan. I think the letter speaks for itself. They’re about as partisan as you can get.

.
#121

On August 9th, 2008 at 12:08 pm, shimauma2 said:

I don’t know if this has been mentioned yet, but seeing the left direction that the RNC has taken, I’ve not dedicated any cash to any republican cause since Fred Thompson dropped out and if the leftards are too obtuse to notice that a lot of conservatives feel this way, they deserve all the heartburn they can get.
#122

On August 9th, 2008 at 1:02 pm, sfcmac said:

Speaking of ‘digging into people’s lives’, I bet if someone shook Tommy boy’s closet, the skeletons would rattle like crazy.

Matzzie isn’t much of a ‘threat’ , all things considered. He’s more of a sniveling, pitiful slob, with a lot of unresolved pathological issues.

In other words, he’s a candy ass.
#123

On August 9th, 2008 at 1:35 pm, tgusa said:

Well I don’t know about the rest of you but this is fine with me. The way it is now with what I have seen from these brownshrirts I don’t need much of a reason the strike back. Just a teeny tiny display of this kind of behavior toward anyone whom I consider on my side is enough. Anyone on my side is threatened or attacked they can count on me to back them up if I am in the area. These leftists are cowards for the most part if they feel threatened they call the police faster than you can say moonbat.

Violence is only necessary if they provoke it and unless you are a small girl with your back turned you are probably safe. It’s easy getting under their skin, what they really fear is exposure that’s why they are doing this, they are channeling once again. So what you do is watch them, take pictures or pretend to take pictures, doesn’t matter which. Get a flying bug from radio shack and take one of those miniature film cameras that you get with the wrestling toys and mount it on it. Proceed to overfly these leftists they will believe it’s the evil bushitler spying on them and go nuts. There are lots of ways to do it, be creative, you know you can.
#124

On August 9th, 2008 at 2:57 pm, dan708 said:

It’s not right when either side of the aisle uses false or misleading names for their organizations, although in this case, the tone of the letter makes it pretty clear that it was written by a lib organization. The quality of American politics just keeps sinking further into the mud. It would be easy to blame sleazy political operatives, but ignorant voters and non-voters need to accept some blame for not paying attention.
#125

On August 9th, 2008 at 6:32 pm, simcoe said:

4. If a Section 501(c)(3), (c)(4) or (c)(5) organization is found to have the improper primary purpose of influencing elections it could face:

i. Fines.
ii. Public exposure of anonymous donors.
iii. Loss of tax-exempt status.
iv. Levy of unpaid taxes and interest.
v. Criminal penalties.

Maybe an example would help clarify: MoveOn.org.

Clear now? I think you understand.
#126

On August 9th, 2008 at 8:48 pm, Kendra said:

Accountable America is registered as a
Domestic Non Profit Corporation. Does that make them a 501(c) as well? Or perhaps he’s considered a political organization as far as the IRS is concerned? Either way I’m curious if his letter writing campaign violates his non-profit status in a way that the IRS could shut him down.
#127

On August 9th, 2008 at 10:15 pm, Kendra said:

Lol! He’s removed his meta tags that said:
“Dedicated to electing Democrats to the state legislature across America”

I knew he would so post those page source screen shots!
#128

On August 9th, 2008 at 11:42 pm, Minicapt said:

Further details from IowaHawk

Cheers
#129

On August 10th, 2008 at 9:05 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

jtx wrote:
You know, if a Duck calls himself a chicken that don’t make him a chicken. These a$$holes calling themselves “non-partisan” sure as hell doesn’t make them non-partisan. I think the letter speaks for itself. They’re about as partisan as you can get.

And you can spit roast a Duck or a Chicken, or in this case a Chicken Duck.
These “a$$holes” provide plenty of room for the spit.
One thing I would have John McCain and some of his fellow ‘moderates-mavericks’ learn: Hitting Back is Good-Hitting First is Better. Roast Duck is good.
—
His Messiahship be mocked- the Botox Broad 2
Allie OOP OOP be praised
#130

On August 10th, 2008 at 10:05 am, Mojave Mark said:

If these guys were just a black church they could keep their non-profit status AND influence elections too. Woo hoo!
#131

On August 10th, 2008 at 12:58 pm, Republicanvet said:

Soooo, this group wants to pay a reward of $100K to whistle blowers to uncover “unlawful” activities of 501(c) and 527 groups.

Sounds like a challenge. How many leftwing, supposedly non-profit or 527 groups are pretty blatant at supporting political causes? This bunch should be flooded with complaints…for groups such as ACORN. There’s a group that already has at least two whistle blowers who have filed affidavits.

Are they going to investigate them?

How about Planned Parenthood?

How about any number of churches where Jesse Jackknife shows up to drum up support?

If a complaint were filed with this group, could you sue them if they failed to pay the reward?
#132

On August 10th, 2008 at 1:23 pm, Republicanvet said:

On August 8th, 2008 at 4:02 pm, southsideironworks said:

This is the Whois report from the shell organization that hosts accountableamerica.org:

Domain ID:D153188466-LROR
Domain Name:ACCOUNTABLEAMERICA.ORG

Everytime I have read ACCOUNTABLEAMERICA so far on this thread, my brain immediately transcribes it to:

Account BlameAmerica for some reason.
#133

On August 10th, 2008 at 1:53 pm, Republicanvet said:

Interesting to see the source code on their contribution page connected to Democracy in Action….another clearly non-partisan group.

function helpopen(){
window.open(’https://secure.democracyinaction.com/dia/recurringInfo.html’, ‘win’,'width=500,height=300′);
#134

On August 10th, 2008 at 2:01 pm, Republicanvet said:

…and an interesting statement posted in their Press Releases section:

August 10, 2008

Statement of Accountable America on Meta Data Error

It was brought to our attention late on August 9th that Accountable America’s website meta data contained information suggesting we were involved in state legislative elections around the country. This was a technical error related to using a templated open-source software package. Attached below is a statement from the company providing us Internet services.

Statement from BuzzMaker Concerning Meta Data Error

BuzzMaker LLC separately and at different times contracted with Accountable America, Inc. and another organization unrelated to Accountable America, Inc. to build and host their websites. During the content management system implementation of the Accountable America website, a technical oversight by BuzzMaker resulted in meta data from the other organization’s website appearing on the Accountable America, Inc. website. Neither BuzzMaker, the other organization nor Accountable America, Inc. were aware of the error prior to its publication in the blogosphere. When it was brought to our attention, the error was immediately corrected.

BuzzMaker deeply regrets and takes full responsibility for the error.

Accountable America thanks the people who alerted us to this error.
#135

On August 10th, 2008 at 2:19 pm, Republicanvet said:

This just gets better and better.

On August 9th, 2008 at 8:48 pm, Kendra said:

Accountable America is registered as a
Domestic Non Profit Corporation.

From your link, it shows:
LAURENCE E. GOLD
1666 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, N.W., 5TH FLOOR
Washington, DC 20009

as the registered agent.

Doing a search on LAURENCE E. GOLD finds this little gem:

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

My name is Laurence E. Gold, and I am Associate General Counsel of the AFL-CIO, the national federation of more than 13 million working men and women on whose behalf I am privileged to appear today. I thank you for this opportunity to speak with you about how union workers make their voices heard through political and legislative activities, and why various measures proposed in recent years to stifle their voices are unworthy of consideration and are particularly inappropriate to consider as elements of campaign finance law revision.

This is really rich. Sending threatening letters to conservatives to stifle their political speech, while sniveling before the Senate on stifling political speech of union members.
#136

On August 10th, 2008 at 11:13 pm, RetFireman said:

So if I expose a Liberal group that does all these alleged heinous acts…do i still get the $100,000?

I mean, they wouldn’t want to be Liberals…I mean Hypocrites, would they?

Oh…wait…Liberal/Hypocrite…six of one, half a dozen of the other.
#137

On August 11th, 2008 at 9:30 am, CommonSensical said:

I’ll bet Rev. Michael Flager got one of these - NOT!

I’m finally registered to comment! Oh happy day!

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