Bloggers may get a break from FEC

[RealGun]

Groups Weigh In on Web Politicking

Complete Washington Post article requires registration

Excerpt:

Groups Weigh In on Web Politicking
FEC Urged to Exempt Most Activists From New Regulations

By Brian Faler
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, June 5, 2005; Page A06

A raft of lawmakers, campaign finance watchdog groups, election lawyers and bloggers urged the Federal Election Commission on Friday to exempt the vast majority of -- if not all -- individual political activists on the Internet from new regulations.

<>

The authors of the campaign finance reform law, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) and Reps. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) and Martin T. Meehan (D-Mass.), filed a joint statement urging the agency to ignore individuals' politicking on the Internet and focus instead on tightening rules governing online activities of unions, corporations and state political parties.

The lawmakers asked the FEC to exempt ordinary individuals and all bloggers from such regulations. <>

 

[DRZinn]

Why not just repeal the damn thing?

 

[Marko Kloos]

Because the CFRA is very effective at what it was meant to be: incumbent protection.

 

[longeyes]

I get it: Individual freedom tolerable, freedom in association "dangerous."

Repression of free speech is repression.

 

[geekWithA.45]

Actually, the FEC is cutting themselves a break.

Bloggers very quickly arrived at a concensus of massive noncompliance with FEC regulations.

 

[RealGun]

Some may cast doubt on their motives, but it shouldn't go unnoticed that CFR sponsoring Senators are interceding here. The immediate problem is the zealous regulators.