Posted June 1, 2006

Main article: Chasing the Shadow

527s on the Attack

By ZACH PATTON

State-level 527 spending is on the rise, and this year’s elections could easily see record amounts of unregulated cash. Most of the money spent by these groups goes to television advertising, but in many cases, the public doesn’t know who’s actually funding the ads. That lack of disclosure can encourage negative attack ads, say advocates for tightening restrictions on 527 activities.

In 2004, two state-level races gained attention because of the heavy spending by 527 groups. In Washington State, a group called the Voters Education Committee spent $1.5 million against a candidate for attorney general. The organization turned out to be a front group funded solely by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

In West Virginia, a coal magnate almost single-handedly funded an effort to oust a sitting state Supreme Court justice, starting a 527 group called And For the Sake of the Kids that spent $3.6 million in the race.

Here is a selection of attack ads from those two races (ads courtesy of TNS Media Intelligence/CMAG):

1. "A record of failure ..."
In this ad against Washington attorney general candidate Deborah Senn, a 527 called the Voters Education Committee attacks Senn’s record as the state’s insurance commissioner.
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2. "An atmosphere of indimidation and distrust ..."
This ad, also from the Senn race, was paid for by a political action committee established by the Republican State Leadership Committee. Critics of 527s say they should be held to the same funding restrictions and disclosure requirements as PACs.
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3. "Too soft on crime ..."
This ad was funded by And For the Sake of the Kids, which spent $3.6 million to defeat a West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Warren McGraw. The ad portrays McGraw as soft on crime, pointing to a decision McGraw had supported, which ended a convicted child molester’s sentence early.
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