Author Topic: Democrats' opposition research got exposed — this time, not by the Russians  (Read 867 times)

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Offline Sanguine

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By John Solomon, opinion contributor — 07/11/19 04:30 PM EDT

Democrats' opposition research got exposed — this time, not by the Russians

When the Russians hacked the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in summer 2016, one of the crown jewels obtained by Vladimir Putin’s team was the party’s opposition research files on then-GOP candidate Donald Trump.

It was quite a blow to the DNC, because political parties usually guard their research zealously, hoping to use it with the news media and political commercials to help ding their political rivals without leaving fingerprints.

But the Democratic Party committee that helps elects candidates to U.S. House seats has exposed scores of its own opposition research files on GOP candidates, past and present, on the internet. They just aren’t easy to find...

https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/452670-democrats-opposition-research-got-exposed-this-time-not-by-the-russians

Offline Sanguine

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Very, very sneaky.

Offline Victoria33

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Opposition Research companies are legal and used by candidates to find out information about their opposition candidates.  If the Democrat National Party and Republican National Party want to post this information on the internet for the benefit of their candidates, there is nothing wrong with that.  The National Parties also have voter lists for every state and those are there for their candidates to use - there is a code to get to those lists and I had the Republican code to Texas lists. 

Opposition Research companies are getting slammed for researching candidates which is perfectly legal.  It would be good for you to know your opposition had filed for bankruptcy 6 times.  Good to know another one was in drug rehab 12 times.  A person's past behavior means something if that person is going to work for the public.

Offline Sanguine

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@Victoria33 that's not the aim of this story though.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2019, 03:00:51 am by Sanguine »

Offline Victoria33

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"But the Democratic Party committee that helps elects candidates to U.S. House seats has exposed scores of its own opposition research files on GOP candidates, past and present, on the internet. They just aren’t easy to find..."

Doesn't this say the Democrat Party put their opposition research on GOP candidates on the internet so their candidates could get to them?  Did I miss something?  :beer:

Offline Sanguine

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"But the Democratic Party committee that helps elects candidates to U.S. House seats has exposed scores of its own opposition research files on GOP candidates, past and present, on the internet. They just aren’t easy to find..."

Doesn't this say the Democrat Party put their opposition research on GOP candidates on the internet so their candidates could get to them?  Did I miss something?  :beer:

It's this:

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But actually it provides a window into how political parties craftily perform an end run around federal campaign laws that limit how much parties can contribute to support candidates directly. Those laws also outlaw coordination between candidates and their supporters.

Offline Victoria33

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@Sanguine

You said: "But actually it provides a window into how political parties craftily perform an end run around federal campaign laws that limit how much parties can contribute to support candidates directly. Those laws also outlaw coordination between candidates and their supporters."
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I covered that when I said it is legal.  It appears whomever is trying to make it illegal.  The National Parties are there to help their candidates.  They gather money to help their candidates and used some of that money to buy opposition research and they put it on the net for their candidates.  Both parties do it.  Whoever wrote that statement about how much parties can help their candidates is wrong.  I will look that up for you tomorrow.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2019, 04:08:25 am by Victoria33 »

Offline Victoria33

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@Sanguine
@Cyber Liberty
@mystery-ak

https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/candidate-taking-receipts/contribution-limits/

The above link is more than you ever wanted to know about contributions to candidates or PACs.  National Committees normally don’t contribute cash to candidates until THE candidate is elected for the general election.  This is the important part:  I know common work of National Committee to all candidates is no charge to candidates: Voter Lists, Opposition Research, General Information for candidates, etc.

Just as I did not pay to view/copy Republican Party Voter Lists on the web by using a code word, candidates can view/copy these lists without paying and it appears opposition research on candidates are also there for candidates.  It is new to try to call that information a contribution in-kind.  I think the original article posted here is a hit job, untruth, trying to damage the Democrat National Committee.

Here is a new one: 4-22-2019.  Will this opposition research paid for by the Republican National Committee for the 2020 election, have to make this an in-kind contribution to candidates?   It has not been done before or if it has, it is unknown to me.  Consider the rest in quotes:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republican-national-committee-pays-tiny-unknown-intelligence-firm-for-2020-opposition-research-on-democrats/ar-BBWbuUb

Republican National Committee pays tiny, unknown intelligence firm for 2020 opposition research on Democrats

The Republican National Committee has hired a tiny, unknown company, which is run by an Army veteran who leads a private intelligence firm, to dig up opposition research on Democrats for the 2020 campaign.

The company, called the Outliers Group, received $10,000 from the RNC in March for research and consulting services, according to its latest Federal Election Commission filing. It marks the first time the organization has been paid by any political entity since its founding, FEC records show.

"This was for Democrat oppo research services. Searching for and analyzing public records," Mike Reed, the RNC's deputy chief of staff of communications, told CNBC in an email describing Outliers' role. "We partner with a variety of firms to assist us with this type of work – as we are doing research on dozens of Democrat candidates in preparation for 2020."

Outliers is such an unknown entity that leaders of President Donald Trump's campaign hadn't heard of it. "Not heard of either" [the Outliers or Clerestory], a senior Trump campaign advisor told CNBC.

Veteran Republican strategists haven't heard of The Outliers, either. "Never heard of them," said Cam Savage, a Republican consultant who founded GOP advisory firm Limestone Strategies.

Outliers is run by Rob Berra, a former U.S. Army infantry officer and managing director of intelligence gathering firm Clerestory Research, which also isn't known as a go-to firm for the GOP.

Berra's LinkedIn page identifies him as the director of the Outliers and as Clerestory's managing director.

On its own LinkedIn page, Clerestory describes itself as a company that delivers "open source intelligence that empowers clients to make superior tactical and strategic decisions." Opposition research firms often dive deep into open source intelligence, which is data publicly available but often hidden in the archives of the internet, and deliver it to their clients.

Reed, the RNC spokesman, declined to discuss Berra's research targets or the information he gathered for the $10,000 payment. Emailed requests for comment from Clerestory Research were not returned.

Outliers is based in Arlington, Virginia, business records show, while Clerestory is located less than a block away from the White House. The RNC appears to be Outliers' sole client.
While March marked Outliers' first payment from the RNC, the committee has a history of turning to similarly small limited liability companies for consulting work.

In March, the RNC paid Excelsior Strategies out of Arlington $30,000 for management consulting. The same firm received an equal amount in February. The RNC paid St. James Strategies $20,000 last month and a combined $40,000 between January and February.
The RNC also paid opposition research juggernaut America Rising Corporation $20,000 in March and just over $27,000 in February.

Republican strategists said the RNC's Outliers hiring could be a sign that the party is turning to a wide range of groups for help in collecting as much dirt as possible well before the Democratic Party chooses its presidential nominee.

"Perhaps they have a specific strength in an area of interest, perhaps the RNC is looking to try something different from their traditional vendors to see what kind of product they might receive," Christian Perry, former deputy campaign manager for John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, told CNBC.

He also hinted at another potential reason for why the RNC might be branching out.
"America Rising is not exactly full of Trump loyalists," Perry said.

Offline Formerly Once-Ler

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“Sometimes we publish research and polling so it can be helpful,” the official explained.

To Democratic candidates? I asked.

“Yes,” but then the official immediately clarified: “We take our obligation to avoid improper coordination very seriously.”

 :rolling:

Offline Sanguine

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Offline Cyber Liberty

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Thanks for the link and analysis, @Victoria33!  This is, I understand, one of your wheelhouses.
For unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death — if you’re unvaccinated — for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm. Sloe Joe Biteme 12/16
I will NOT comply.
 
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