Sat
Oct 31 2009
01:02 pm
Rules governing political mailings
By: Rachel

This morning I got my third mailing from one candidate without a "paid for" notice on it. This has led me to question whether I understand the rules for such labeling.

Can somebody clue me in?

Topics:
reform4's picture

From what I recall...

Submitted by reform4 on Sat, 2009/10/31 - 8:19pm.

.. it is definitely required by state campaign law, unless that was changed in the last year.

However, there are a lot of campaign laws that are routinely ignored and never enforced (someone told me they are supposed to be on yard signs too, but almost nobody does that). I was shocked to find out how many officials didn't file required financial disclosures (or do so incorrectly).

Even so, most printing firms will usually remind you if you forget.

The law is whatever rules we enforce.

Rachel's picture

they are supposed to be on

Submitted by Rachel on Sat, 2009/10/31 - 8:40pm.

they are supposed to be on yard signs too, but almost nobody does that

Actually, they do. Take a drive and check out the Council candidate yards signs. All that I've seen have the proper disclaimer, albeit in small letters.

ShannonSz's picture

a very good point...did not

Submitted by ShannonSz on Sun, 2009/11/01 - 4:04am.

a very good point...did not realize this was required on all mailings etc....thanks

Tamara Shepherd's picture

Hornback on Lockett signage

Submitted by Tamara Shepherd on Sun, 2009/11/01 - 9:37am.

FYI, I caught a post Brian Hornback made on his blog recently alleging that our Lockett Recall Initiative had broken the law for having failed to indicate our group's treasurer on our "Recall Bill Lockett" signs. Brian's post also indicated that he had contacted the Election Commission and confirmed that we haven't yet appointed any treasurer, so he called us on that, too.

We had asked Greg Mackay early on about our responsibility in this regard and he had explained to us that we don't need to address any of these matters, including filing any financial disclosure reports with the state, until after we collect those 40,000 petition signatures and see them certified by the EC. After I read Brian's post, I called Greg again to confirm my understanding--and I again got the same instruction from him.

The guidelines for issue-oriented campaigns differ from those for candidate campaigns, so Brian's post at his blog was incorrect.

(Actually it was libelous, but we won't go there...)

Gregg Lonas's picture

Exactly

Submitted by Gregg Lonas on Sun, 2009/11/01 - 5:50pm.

Just look at Bill Phillips he admits the he signed the wittness blocks on his campaign finance disclosure forms for his own reasons committing forgery. The official complaint is in the Attorney General's office right now. I hope it goes to a Grand Jury. It is just pathetic that an elected official serving a suspended 11 months 29 days for assualt against his wife can then commit forgery and nothing happens. There have been a few other complaints filed locally for violations of campaign finance rules and to my knowledge nothing ever happens. I believe a few of these have been noted on Knoxviews before: Andrew Graybeal, Scott Moore, Bill Phillips just to name a few. Nothing happens to these folks because campaign finace laws are just not enforced in Knox County.

StaceyDiamond's picture

mailings

Submitted by StaceyDiamond on Sun, 2009/11/01 - 8:55pm.

Having not early voted this year I've got the full force of accusations and name-dropping, its fun!

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