Saturday, August 21, 2004
Kerry Will File Legal Challenge to Swift Boat Veterans
CNN is reporting Friday afternoon that the Kerry campaign will file a complaint with the FEC.
Wolf Blitzer reported that the campaign will allege that the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth are illegally coordinating their efforts with the Bush-Cheney campaign.
The complaint reportedly demands that the Swiftvets immediately suspend broadcasts of commericals attacking John Kerry's Vietnam War record and return any moneys raised in conjunction with the ad campaign.
The complaint is an extension of Sen. Kerry's charge on Thursday that the Swiftvets are a "front group" for the Bush-Cheney campaign, alleging that the group has broken campaign laws by coordinating their efforts with the White House.
John O'Neill, author of the book "Unfit for Command," which details the charges described in the anti-Kerry commercials, said Friday that he had no connection with the White House, adding that his group wouldn't suspend the ads even if the White House asked them too.
"This isn't his fight," O'Neill told radio host Sean Hannity. "This is between the veterans who served in Vietnam and John Kerry."
CNN CROSSFIRE TRANSCRIPT
CARLSON: Vic, CNN just got word that the Kerry campaign is asking the federal government to take these ads off the air, by force. I thought you were the party of free speech?
KAMBER: We are. I think it's wrong if that's what they've done.
CARLSON: Good for you.
KAMBER: I haven't seen the news. I think it's wrong. The ads should run, as bad as they are, as dishonest as they are. They should run.
CARLSON: You are a principled man.
BEGALA: I have to say, I'm with Vic on that. You know, it will hurt John Kerry if he's perceived as trying to silence anybody.
BUCHANAN: He's also trying to ban the book. He's trying to pull the book from...
BEGALA: Well, God knows people said a lot of untruthful things about Bill Clinton, and we never tried to shut them down by through the legal means. I don't believe in doing that.
CNN is reporting Friday afternoon that the Kerry campaign will file a complaint with the FEC.
Wolf Blitzer reported that the campaign will allege that the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth are illegally coordinating their efforts with the Bush-Cheney campaign.
The complaint reportedly demands that the Swiftvets immediately suspend broadcasts of commericals attacking John Kerry's Vietnam War record and return any moneys raised in conjunction with the ad campaign.
The complaint is an extension of Sen. Kerry's charge on Thursday that the Swiftvets are a "front group" for the Bush-Cheney campaign, alleging that the group has broken campaign laws by coordinating their efforts with the White House.
John O'Neill, author of the book "Unfit for Command," which details the charges described in the anti-Kerry commercials, said Friday that he had no connection with the White House, adding that his group wouldn't suspend the ads even if the White House asked them too.
"This isn't his fight," O'Neill told radio host Sean Hannity. "This is between the veterans who served in Vietnam and John Kerry."
CNN CROSSFIRE TRANSCRIPT
CARLSON: Vic, CNN just got word that the Kerry campaign is asking the federal government to take these ads off the air, by force. I thought you were the party of free speech?
KAMBER: We are. I think it's wrong if that's what they've done.
CARLSON: Good for you.
KAMBER: I haven't seen the news. I think it's wrong. The ads should run, as bad as they are, as dishonest as they are. They should run.
CARLSON: You are a principled man.
BEGALA: I have to say, I'm with Vic on that. You know, it will hurt John Kerry if he's perceived as trying to silence anybody.
BUCHANAN: He's also trying to ban the book. He's trying to pull the book from...
BEGALA: Well, God knows people said a lot of untruthful things about Bill Clinton, and we never tried to shut them down by through the legal means. I don't believe in doing that.
