Swift Boat

merri ok

see lacivita

early pioneer dark money superpac? 527?

LaCivita DCI trump campaign 2024

see attack strength BS

harlan crow (adelson?)

CU Floyd Brown bossie fahrenheit 4111

see corsi

steve schmidt

Barb Comstock

bak 919 has some new

mma tag:

https://mediamatters.org/stories-and-interests/swift-boat-veterans-truth

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cu fdn wiki 4 24

... Activities

Political ads

The Foundation sponsored ads in support of President George W. Bush "and our Troops" in an anti anti-war movement. "The ads featured former Senator and star of 'Law and Order' Fred Thompson. The ads encouraged ALL Americans to come together and Support President Bush and our men and women in uniform as they fight the war on terror."^[9] See Citizen United's YouTube page^[10] and Fred Thompson ads "Courage"^[11] and "Soldier"^[12] posted on YouTube by the Foundation.

In September 2005, as President George W. Bush addressed the United Nations as it celebrated its 60th anniversary, the Foundation posted "ads on a truck circling the block just outside the UN building, on a ferry on the East River, and on a billboard banner across 42nd Street from the UN" in a "new advertising campaign blasting the world organization" ... The "signs reading Broken Promises: The United Nations at 60 ... [were] advertisements for a new, in-depth documentary on UN failures".^[13]

American Sovereignty Action Project

Funding

The Presidential Coalition

Expenditure records show The Presidential Coalition making disbursements for rent and payroll to Citizens United and Citizens United Foundation.^[14][15]

Donations: Donatelli Group and the Swift Boat connection

The Citizens United Foundation's donation page^[16] states that "Your generous, tax-deductible gift at this time will help us restore the control of our government back to its citizenry."

Donations to the Citizens United Foundation can be made through DonationReport.com, plus an extension code for Citizens United Foundation.^[17] Citizens United utilizes DonationReport.com for its online store using a separate extension code.

The connection for the DonationReport.com website^[18] arrives at a Login^[19]—requiring both a User ID and Password—which belongs to eDonation.com, a member of The Donatelli Group, a fundraising company that has raised campaign funds for the Republican National Committee, Republican National Convention, Bush-Cheney '04 Inc., John McCain, the NRA^[20] and an exhaustive list of Republican members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as other political organizations.^[21]

The Donatelli Group, using its "primary segment" Campaign Solutions^[22], is associated with Creative Response Concepts, the public relations firm that advised Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the "organization that accused Kerry of inflating his Vietnam War record" during the 2004 presidential campaign.^[23]

The Donatelli Group, which produced the RNC website^[24], also created the SWIFTBOATVETSFORTRUTH.ORG website July 30, 2004, with Connell Donatelli Inc.^[25] (a.k.a. The Donatelli Group) as Registrant. Connell Donatelli Inc. was also listed as both Administrator and the Tech Organization for the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth website.^[26]

Mailing lists

The Citizens United Foundation Mailing List is offered for sale by NextMark.^[27]

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intelligencer 2024

To the extent LaCivita has achieved any notoriety in his career, it is for his role helping run the Swift Boat campaign that has been credited with sinking Kerry in 2004. Early in the campaign, allegations were bubbling on the right that the Democrat, campaigning as a war hero against post-9/11 George W. Bush, was inflating his record in Vietnam. These same veterans were furious Kerry had denounced the war after returning home, and one named John O’Neill teamed up with Jerome Corsi, who would later inspire Donald Trump on his birther crusade, to write a book called Unfit for Command. But it was LaCivita who turned their fringe allegations into a campaign funded by millions of dollars in shadowy contributions. The operation cut campaign ads with vet testimonials questioning Kerry’s service.

“He just knew how to frame the message and how to deliver it,” says one person involved in the effort. “We could have done cookie-cutter campaign ads, but he knew that wouldn’t have worked. He’s a political animal, and he always wants to be in the fight.”

The Swift Boat campaign stretched the boundaries of what had been considered within bounds of acceptable politics, both by using an outside, dark-money vehicle in a presidential campaign in the pre-super-PAC era, and also for broadcasting what were later revealed to be demonstrably false claims against Kerry.

Still, today most Republicans operatives view the episode as one to be proud of, and it provides a template for how LaCivita will go after Joe Biden and the Democrats: not by attacking what is perceived as Biden’s weaknesses but his strengths. If Biden portrays himself as the person defending American democracy from Trump, then, as LaCivita told the Line Drive podcast, they will argue “it’s Biden that’s really against democracy, right? Biden against democracy — that stands for BAD.”

“You lose elections when you surprise the electorate,” says Hogan Gidley, a Line Drive co-host who was the Trump 2020 campaign’s press secretary. “Everybody knew Clinton was a dirtbag, and so the whole Monica thing didn’t shock anybody. And so the media and the left want you to think that Joe is just Ol’ Steady Hand Joe who keeps everything stable. But then you have all the instability, all the chaos, and the projection onto our party of the things that Democrats are guilty of doing. Chris has a way of reframing the argument so that it takes away their opponent’s strongest argument and takes away something that America believes about a candidate.”

After cutting down John Kerry, LaCivita started to develop a reputation of bringing a kind of devil-may-care attitude to politics. In 2010, during Rand Paul’s run for Senate, GQ published a story about a bizarre tale from Paul’s college days when he and a buddy, both stoned, allegedly forced a fellow female student to worship a made-up god, “Aqua Buddha.” The campaign considered suing GQ, but, according to McKay Coppins’s book, LaCivita laughed it off as “fucking hilarious. I love that.”

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ralph n mentions o

14 years later, 'Swiftboating' still stings John Kerry ...

https://www.houstonchronicle.com › houston-texas › houston › article › 1...

Sep 28, 2018 - When John Kerry considers Houston, his thoughts go to recovery ... The effect of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and the TV ads they ran .... The ads circulated heavily in Ohio, a state George W. Bush won by 118,000 votes.

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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/14-years-later-Swiftboating-still-stings-13264202.php

.... j o'n sez proud of book]

The division between two men who served on the same Swift Boat in the same war at different times maps out cultural fissures that, despite nearly half a century, haven’t been filled.

‘Genghis Khan!’

Last year documentary filmmaker Ken Burns presented an 18-hour documentary, “The Vietnam War,” on PBS. While in Houston to promote the project Burns suggested that the film was as much about the war’s aftermath as it was about the history of the conflict.

“We live in a country beset by divisions that first metastasized in Vietnam,” Burns said. “This idea: ‘My way or the highway,’ no compromise, red state/blue state. That all has roots in Vietnam. … We certainly haven’t reconciled this war.”

Brinkley agreed. “We’re still fighting that war, no question,” he said. “People are heading into their 80s now, and they’re still beating each other up over Vietnam. It was this great unraveling of American between these hawks and doves, and years later a consensus has not emerged. There’s scholarly consensus and academic consensus, that the war was a mistake. But especially in the conservative movement, there’s this feeling that Kerry was representing the wrong side.”

The war plays a significant part in Kerry’s memoir, as one would expect. Kerry’s distinguished CV includes time spent as Secretary of State and years as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. But his return from Vietnam became a flashpoint for cultural divisions. On April 22, 1971, Kerry, as a representative of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, testified before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the war.

The second paragraph of his prepared statement described accounts by some soldiers associated with the Vietnam Veterans Against the War: “They told stories that at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Ghengis Khan.”

The opening paragraph claimed these atrocities were “not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis.”

Forty-seven years later, O’Neill remains outraged by the assertion. “Ghengis Khan!” O’Neill exclaimed.

“Look, the war was openly debated. There was nothing wrong with debating it. There were a lot of good people opposed to the war. I disagreed with him. But my real problem was his false claim. That this was an Army of Ghengis Khan. I knew that to be a lie. Some of the best people I’ve known in my whole life were in my unit. Bad things happened. But this was not the Army of Ghengis Khan. It was a destructive suggestion, and it was extremely harmful to a lot of good soldiers. And also to the wives and children of those who died.”

Kerry and O’Neill appeared on “The Dick Cavett” show in 1971 for a debate.Video from the show underscores irreconcilable differences, and not just because of the way the men presented themselves — O’Neill wide-eyed and agitated, Kerry reclined and soft-spoken. But they also came across as engaged in a non-parallel disagreement. O’Neill’s concern was representation of the soldiers, Kerry’s was representation of the war.

Kerry’s book includes an excerpt from his Senate testimony: The famous part in which he asks, “How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam?”

Brinkley called that , “One of the best lines ever written by any American politician. It’s eternal.”

And Brinkley also recognized that the segment about atrocities caused needless provocation. Kerry didn’t include the paragraphs about atrocities in the book, cuts that could’ve been made due to regret or simply to keep down a word count.

It doesn’t matter to some.

“He’s never apologized for any of it,” O’Neill said. “Never.”

The debate was their last interaction for decades. O’Neill became a successful attorney in Houston. Kerry was elected to the Senate.

‘I wouldn’t vote for me’

Fast forward to 2004 and the Democratic primary for president. America’s involvement at the time in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan meant armed conflict was on the collective mind as questions of national security were at the surface of conversations about the presidential election.

Months earlier, the Democratic frontrunner was presumed to be Howard Dean. But Kerry pulled off wins in Iowa and New Hampshire.

“His service really propelled his candidacy,” Brinkley said. “He had Jim Rassmann, whose life he’d saved in Vietnam at his side in Iowa, even though Rassmann was a registered Republican. Americans have a tendency to admire their veterans. And when he gave his acceptance speech at the DNC he said, ‘Reporting for duty.’ ”

Long before that convention, though, and unbeknownst to Kerry, a hornets nest had already been stirred.

Brinkley in early 2004 published “Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War,” which drew significantly from Kerry’s war journals as well as interviews conducted with most of the soldiers who served with Kerry.

The book sat poorly with Admiral Roy Hoffmann, who was compared unfavorably to the adrenalized Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore in the film “Apocalypse Now.” Hoffman had written commendations for Kerry for his time on the Mekong Delta. But he felt burned by the book. Hoffmann reached out to other Swift Boat veterans, who met in Dallas in April 2004. Hoffman became chair of the resulting organization: the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. O’Neill because of “Unfit for Command” became the most visible in the group.

The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth hired press representation and began fundraising. One of their first backers was Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, who in a 2002 Chronicle profile was referred to as “one of the most modest heroic patriots we have,” by a Texas Republican Party chair. And he was called “Darth Vader” by Annise Parker, then a Houston city councilwoman.

Perry, who died in 2013, was a fascinating and divisive figure who, at least from a political perspective, operated in the shadows. He avoided interviews, and often avoided the politicians and causes to whom and which he donated. He was a private man who believed in causes, and funded them well.

The first Swift Boat Veterans for Truth press conference was held May 4, 2004. O’Neill’s book was published in August, when the TV spots began to run.

The Swift Boat ads were as deceptive as they were effective, featuring testimony from soldiers who never served with Kerry speaking vaguely about lies and loyalty. They questioned the extent of the injuries for which he received three Purple Hearts.

“If I were a citizen watching that ad, if that was my principal frame of reference, I wouldn’t vote for me,” Kerry wrote in his memoir.

The ads circulated heavily in Ohio, a state George W. Bush won by 118,000 votes. Bush had carried Ohio four years earlier by 165,000 votes; so perhaps they had negligible or no effect. Brinkley believes Kerry would’ve fared better in Ohio had he linked up with Sen. John Glenn instead of North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.

Regardless, the Swift Boat ads drew the ire of many who served with Kerry, including Rassmann, as well as Sen. John McCain, who called the ads “dishonest and dishonorable.”

McCain’s relationship to Kerry bears mention. When Kerry arrived in the Senate, McCain, like many Vietnam veterans, regarded him warily because of his public opposition to the war. But they worked through their differences and became friends.

“We came to understand each other,” Kerry said. “We both came to service from a similar place. Both sons of greatest generation parents. We both had a sense of duty, an obligation to and love for country. Then he saw the war differently than I did.”

Kerry’s relationship to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is colder.

He said “it infuriates me,” that the phrase “swiftboating” became codified terminology for political attacks rooted in untruth.

‘We will never get past this’

O’Neill eventually retired from practicing law. Earlier this year he wrote a book about George Strake, the late Texas oil man, and the part Strake played in unearthing a tomb beneath the Vatican. Time has done nothing to soften his feelings about Kerry. “We will never get past this. I just don’t see it, honestly. He lived his life in a destructive way, and I hope for him he can still turn it around.

“At some point we’ll both face the guy who decides who’s telling the truth and who’s right. Until then, that’s where we are.”

The title of Kerry’s book suggested that at 74, he would like to enjoy each extra day. Like the decades-spanning feud and like so much unresolved animosity in our culture, it goes back to the war.

“Those of us lucky enough to come back from the war, we had a very strong feeling that it was a gift that others weren’t so lucky to enjoy,” Kerry said. “And with that comes a very special sense of responsibility. Live a purposeful life. Give back. Honor those who laid down their lives. ‘Every day is extra’ is about life being fragile and short.”

andrew.dansby@chron.com

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S B ad:

Any Questions? (2004)

As Dubya learned from his old man, sling enough mud and some of it will stick. Any Questions? wasn’t an official ad, but was tacitly endorsed by Bush and adopted the style of a stirring war homily (think Band of Brothers: the Documentary) as a group of Vietnam vets smeared John Kerry’s war record. It later transpired that none of them had served alongside him, and Bush was of course a draft dodger, but the damage was done.

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srcwtch

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT) "registered their group under Section 527 of the U.S. tax code and went public at a news conference held in the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on May 4, 2004." [1]

The group, rebranded as Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, is an advocacy organization formed in 2004 by opponents of John Kerry's U.S. presidential campaign. (The group's name refers to the class of boat on which Kerry and some of the organization's members served in the Vietnam War.)

Primary projects have been: their www.swiftvets.com website, the book Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry (released by the conservative Regnery Publishing), and a series of television advertisements challenging John Kerry's military record and activism against the Vietnam War.

The group's credibility has been challenged due to misleading, false or inconsistent statements. [2][3] A detailed review of the claims in their book is also available. [4]

The SBVT propaganda smear campaign was financed by Sam Fox, a billionaire and hardline rightwinger.^[5] The fact that Fox financed this project was revealed during his Senate confirmation hearings to become US ambassador to Belgium. Although the Senate blocked his confirmation pointing out Fox's pernicious activities, George Bush appointed Fox over the authority of the Senate during a "Senate recess". Furthermore, the PR company responsible for the SBVT (and whose bill Fox paid) was Arthur J. Finkelstein and Associates run by Arthur J. Finkelstein, the "dirty-tricks guy for the Republicans". ^[6] Finkelstein is best know for his black-propaganda campaigns that are primarily character assassinations or smearing -- as the SBVT campaign demonstrates.

• 1 Post-election Plans
• 2 Mission
• 3 Navy Inspector General Report on Medals
• 4 History
• 5 Affidavits as 'evidence'
• 6 SBVT television advertisements
• 7 Racist comments by Jerry Corsi of SBVT
• 8 SBVT, Susan Arceneaux, and The Majority Leader's Fund
• 9 Chris LaCivita, media strategy adviser to SBVT
• 10 Websites
• 11 Extension Articles
• 12 Contact Information
• 13 Related SourceWatch Resources
• 14 External links
  • 14.1 Records & Data
  • 14.2 Articles & Commentary

Post-election Plans

In late November 2004, The Hill reported that SBVT "is pondering its next step." One possibility, said former SBVT consultant Chris LaCivita, is that "the Swiftvets will become a full-time public-relations outfit for veterans." LaCivita, a former Marine who served in the first Gulf War, said "many conservatives are disgusted with what they see as a left-wing caricature of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam as 'crazed hippies that went around mowing people down.'" Veterans "endure a lot more, and they do a lot of good things people back home never hear about," said LaCivita. [7]

SBVT founder Roy Hoffmann told The Hill, "We have definitely an interest in continuing our work on the discharge and activities in regard to the POWs. ... At this point, we really haven't made any firm decisions. We feel that our primary mission has been accomplished." But Hoffman guessed that SBVT "members would probably be interested in fighting a future Kerry bid for the White House." [8]

Mission

click here.">Yp7P5b_boz4The group is devoted to calling Kerry's war record into question, particularly with regard to the length of his tour of duty and the nature of the injuries for which he received threePurple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star. It has also questioned claims by Kerry that he was sent on an illegal mission to Cambodia in December of 1968.

"Our mission is to provide solid factual information relating to Mr. Kerry's abbreviated tour of duty as a member of Coastal Division 14 and Coastal Division 11. Since many who are involved with Swiftvets.com themselves had swift boat duty and knew John Kerry personally, they are in a unique position to provide such information," their website previously stated. [9]

It also takes issue with Kerry's remarks 30 years ago that "war crimes" were taking place throughout the military conflicts in and about Vietnam "on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command." [10][11] In a May 2004 letter to Kerry, the SBVT wrote "It is our collective judgment that, upon your return from Vietnam, you grossly and knowingly distorted the conduct of the American soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen of that war (including a betrayal of many of us, without regard for the danger your actions caused us.) Further, we believe that you have withheld and/or distorted material facts as to your own conduct in this war."

In his testimony before Congress, Kerry recounted statements by Vietnam Veterans at the Winter Soldier hearings of incidents by some troops in what were alleged to be war crimes. [12] These comments were later played back, out of context, in the SBVT ads. [13] [14]

Navy Inspector General Report on Medals

In September 2004, Vice Admiral Ronald A. Route, the Navy inspector general, completed a review of Kerry's combat medals, initiated at the request of Judicial Watch. In a memo to the Secretary of the NavyGordon R. England, Route stated [15]

"Our examination found that existing documentation regarding the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals indicates the awards approval process was properly followed. In particular, the senior officers who awarded the medals were properly delegated authority to do so.

In addition, we found that they correctly followed the procedures in place at the time for approving these awards."Conducting any additional review regarding events that took place over 30 years ago would not be productive. The passage of time would make reconstruction of the facts and circumstances unreliable, and would not allow the information gathered to be considered in the context of the time in which the events took place."Our review also considered the fact that Senator Kerry's post-active duty activities were public and that military and civilian officials were aware of his actions at the time. For these reasons, I have determined that Senator Kerry's awards were properly approved and will take no further action in this matter."

History

The SBVT criticisms against Kerry are not the first time that SBVT leader John E. O'Neill has campaigned against him. [16] Writing in The New Yorker, Joe Klein reported that, in 1971, Richard Nixon's chief counsel Charles Colson formed the Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace, featuring O'Neill, to publicly criticize Kerry.

Klein recounted a conversation with Colson years after the war in which Colson said of Kerry: "He was a thorn in our flesh. He was very articulate, a credible leader of the opposition. He forced us to create a counterfoil. We found a vet named John O'Neill and formed a group called Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace. We had O'Neill meet the President, and we did everything we could do to boost his group."

The New York Times reported that the initial SBVT meeting comprised 10 veterans gathering in the Dallas office of Merrie Spaeth of Spaeth Communications, Inc. Spaeth is the widow of Tex Lezar, "eternal Kerry antagonist and Dallas attorney" John E. O'Neill's law partner. [17]

The website for SBVT was registered on April 14, 2004, under the name of Lewis Waterman, the information technology manager for Gannon International, a St. Louis company that has diversified interests, including in Vietnam. Joe Conason wrote in Salon that "although Waterman wouldn't discuss why he had set up the Web site, he didn't deny that his boss, Gannon president and CEO William Franke, had asked him to do so." [18]

"The information about my client is confidential," Waterman told Conason. He acknowledged knowing, however, that his boss Franke is a Navy veteran who served in Vietnam on swift boats.Gannon vice presidentStephen D. Hayes, who oversees the company's office in Alexandria, Va., is likewise a swift boat veteran who first met Franke when they served together in the Mekong Delta.

On May 4, 2004, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth went public at a news conference organized by Merrie Spaeth at the National Press Club.

Spaeth defended her role, insisting that she had no connection with the Bush re-election campaign. "Being director of media relations with Reagan is a long way from being part of the Bush team. Anyone who understands politics knows that. The Kerry people have jumped all over me as a Bush operative. I haven't been involved in this [Bush/Cheney] campaign, and I wasn't involved in 2000. The Swifties are asking people to be open-minded and look at the facts," Spaeth told the Dallas Observer's John Gonzalez.

Spaeth told the NYT that she had only visited the White House once during the presidency of George W. Bush. Initially she said she had been there as a guest of Kenneth Starr, who had been her client. She later confirmed doing public speaking training work in 2003 for Bush's chief economic adviser, Stephen Friedman. When asked if she had worked with other White House officials, Spaeth said "The answer is 'no' unless you refresh my memory." [19]

Prompted by her comments, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a Freedom of Information request for the White House information on contacts with Spaeth and a number of others associated with the SBVT.[20]

In late August 2004, Bloomberg reported that :{Benjamin Ginsberg, a Patton Boggs attorney, had provided legal advice to SBVT.}::{ Ginsberg had been an attorney for the Bush campaign during the Florida recount and was counsel for the Bush 2004 re-election campaign. A spokeswoman for SBVT, Jennifer Webster, said "it was an effort to make sure we were doing everything legal, that's why you hire a lawyer." Webster said Ginsberg was sought out because he had worked on election law and had worked with the }:Republican National Committee. [21]

Following the public revelations that he worked for both the Bush campaign and SBVT, Ginsberg resigned. In his resignation letter to Bush he wrote "I have decided to resign as national counsel to your campaign to ensure that the giving of legal advice to decorated military veterans, which was entirely within the boundaries of the law, doesn't distract from the real issues upon which you and the country should be focusing."[22][23]

The SBVT book Unfit for Command, published by Regnery Publishing has sold well with strong support from conservative cable programs. Robert Novak, who has a syndicated column with Creators Syndicate and appears on CNN's Crossfire program, has touted the book but without revealing that his son, Alex Novak, is head of marketing for Regnery. Robert Novak dismissed concern about the failure to disclose the link, telling the New York Times "I don't think it's relevant." [24]

Affidavits as 'evidence'

According to John Gonzalez, the newly formed group hired former-FBI-agent-turned-private-investigator Tom Rupprath, "to locate swift boat vets and to dig up whatever he could regarding Kerry's service record."[25]

John O'Neill told the New York Times that the private investigator was hired as a "neutral way of actually questioning people involved in these incidents." [26]

Central to the SBVT media campaign has been a reliance on sworn affidavits to be provided as 'evidence' to journalists. However, Patrick Runyon, who provided a statement about the mission for which Kerry was awarded his first Purple Heart, found the interest in his views to be more partisan than neutral. When his statement was returned for his signature, he told the New York Times, references to being fired on had been removed. "It made it sound like I didn't believe we got any returned fire ... He made it sound like it was a normal operation. It was the scariest night of my life," he said. [27]

Commander George Elliott--who praised Kerry's conduct during the Vietnam War--provided an affidavit criticizing Kerry for being awarded a Silver Star.

However, what appeared at first as a coup for them appeared to backfire when, on August 5, 2004, a Boston Globe article reported that Elliott had recanted his criticism of Kerry. The article quoted Elliott as saying, "It was a terrible mistake probably for me to sign the affidavit with those words. I'm the one in trouble here." The affidavit states that the incident for which Kerry received the medal was actually shooting "a wounded, fleeing Viet Cong in the back." Elliott said he felt "time pressure" to sign the affidavit "That's no excuse," Elliott said, "I knew it was wrong. ... In a hurry I signed it and faxed it back. That was a mistake." [28]

In the same article Elliott maintained that, "based on the affidavits of the veterans on other boats," Kerry's being awarded the Bronze Star and third Purple Heart might be questionable. He said: "I simply have no reason for these guys [signing the other affidavits] to be lying, and if they are lying in concert, it is one hell of a conspiracy. So, on the basis of all of the information that has come out, I have chosen to believe the other men. I absolutely do not know first hand."

On August 6, 2004, Elliott claimed he had been misquoted in the Boston Globe article, and reaffirmed his original statement with another affidavit. However, since issuing the second affidavit Elliot has refused to speak to reporters. [29]

In an affidavit released in July 2004, Larry Thurlow claimed that Kerry's statements that the five boats on that patrol came under small arms fire on March 13, 1969 was "totally fabricated." [30][31]

The Washington Post reported August 19, 2004, that the military records of Larry Thurlow, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, contain several references to "enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire" directed at "all units" of the five-boat flotilla. Both Kerry and Thurlow were awarded Bronze Stars for their actions on that day. According to the Washington Post, Thurlow's citation praises him for providing assistance to a damaged swift boat "despite enemy bullets flying about him."

But James Rassmann, who Kerry pulled back into the boat after he was knocked overboard following an explosion, "said he has never had any question that Kerry deserved the Purple Heart." [32] In response to the controversy fueled by the SBVT campaign, the Kerry campaign released an advertisement featuring Rassmann, who described himself as a Republican.

The success of the SBVT campaign in gaining profile also prompted reluctant participants in the debate to come forward. William B. Rood was an officer serving in another swift boat on the day Kerry's actions led to him being awarded his Silver Star. Rood, now the editor of the Chicago Tribune, wrote a 1600-word account of the events that day.

"The critics have taken pains to say they're not trying to cast doubts on the merit of what others did, but their version of events has splashed doubt on all of us. It's gotten harder and harder for those of us who were there to listen to accounts we know to be untrue, especially when they come from people who were not there," Rood wrote. [33]

"But I know that what some people are saying now is wrong. While they mean to hurt Kerry, what they're saying impugns others who are not in the public eye," he wrote.

SBVT television advertisements

In August 2004, SBVT aired its first television advertisement, accusing Kerry of lying about his war record, in three swing states. [34]

One of the SBVT told the New York Times that it would be spending $500,000 on the advertisement but declined to comment on how long it would remain on the air. "A Kerry aide said the buy was far smaller, $156,000 in seven smallish markets like Green Bay, Wis., and Toledo, Ohio, suggesting it was a 'vanity buy' intended to attract news coverage," the Times reported.

The SBVT television advertisements were produced by the Alexandria, Virginia-based Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm (SRCP). SRCP worked for Senator John McCain in 2000 and George H.W. Bush in 1988. [35]

If the aim was to gain more free airtime coverage than paid advertising time, the strategy was successful. While the SBVT ad and official statements by the group correctly claim only that the speakers "served with" Kerry, not that they were on the same boat, the distinction was lost on others. Only one of the members of SWVT was actually a crewmate of Kerry.

The August 4, 2004, edition of Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes dedicated coverage and airtime to the SBVT campaign, referring to the group as Kerry's "crewmates." [36]

The second of their advertisements--Sellout--featured comments, taken out of context, from John Kerry's 1971 Senate Testimony interspliced with comments from other veterans. The advertisement opened with a brief excerpt featuring Kerry stating "soldiers had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads ..." and then cuts to veteran Joe Ponder: "The accusations made against the veterans who served in Vietnam was just devastating."

The advertisement omitted the beginning of Kerry's sentence, which referred to what had been said by veterans themselves at a meeting in Detroit as part of the Winter Soldier Investigation. The transcript of Kerry's evidence included him telling the committee that at the Detroit meeting "many very highly decorated veterans testified to war crimes committed in Southeast Asia" and relived the "absolute horror of what this country, in a sense, made them do."

"They told the stories at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war, and the normal and very particular ravaging which is done by the applied bombing power of this country," Kerry said. [37][38]

On its website, the SBVT sidesteps addressing what were specific statements of veterans, instead portraying Kerry's comments as being against all Veterans. "For more than thirty years, most Vietnam veterans kept silent as we were maligned as misfits, addicts, and baby killers. Now that a key creator of that poisonous image is seeking the Presidency we have resolved to end our silence." [39]

As the coverage of the SBVT claims became more widespread, Kerry's campaign was forced to respond. Speaking at a firefighters convention in Boston, Kerry criticized George W. Bush for not publicly distancing himself from the campaign. "The fact that the President won't denounce what they're up to tells you everything that you need to know--he wants them to do his dirty work ... The president keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that," Kerry said. [40]

Defenders of SBVT's campaign have argued that their activities are similar to those of a number of 527 committees, like MoveOn.org, which campaigned against Bush.

Racist comments by Jerry Corsi of SBVT

The claim to objectivity by the Unfit for Command book also appeared to be undermined by the revelation that Jerome Corsi (also known as Jerry Corsi), listed as co-author (O'Neill claims Corsi acted as "simply an editor"), regularly posted comments to a conservative website portraying Muslims and Catholics as pedophiles. The Associated Press reported that in one posting to freerepublic.com, he wrote: "Islam is a peaceful religion--just as long as the women are beaten, the boys buggered and the infidels are killed."

Free Republic is one of the conservative websites where Corsi's racist contributions were posted. Scott Swett, webmaster of WinterSoldier.com and Free Republic's Director, is also the webmaster for the Swift Boat Veterans website--further indication that the group is neither unbiased nor nonpartisan.

In another message Corsi wrote: "So this is what the last days of the Catholic Church are going to look like. Buggering boys undermines the moral base and the lawyers rip the gold off the Vatican altars. We may get one more Pope, when this senile one dies, but that's probably about it." Asked about his comments, Corsi said they were meant as a joke and he apologized. [41]

However, an examination of the full list of Jerome Corsi's Free Republic postings reveals that Corsi has made hundreds of them, many of which are racist. A February 2003 posting by Corsi asked "Who are the Frogs going to cry to when the ragheads destroy the Eiffel Tower?" [42]. And in March 2004, Corsi even made the wild claim that "JaneFondaKerry is being heavily funded by Iranians--check out how [Al] Gore was funded by the Chinese in 2000." [43]

SBVT, Susan Arceneaux, and The Majority Leader's Fund

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth appears to have sought professional help with Federal Election Commission compliance. In May 2004, it paid $7500 to Political Compliance Services Inc., a consulting company in Fairfax, VA. [44] Political Compliance Services describes itself as "an accounting services vendor specializing in FEC regulations. Our comprehensive approach to your individual accounting needs will deliver you from the headaches and legal ramifications of FEC non-compliance." [45]

However, Political Compliance Services itself appears to have strong Republican ties. All of its known clients are conservative. [46] Its administrative contact Susan Arceneaux is a Republican stalwart involved with several right-wing organizations. She is treasurer of The Majority Leader's Fund [47], a listed contact for FreedomWorks [48], and was the custodian of records for David Horowitz's defunct 527,**PoliticalWar.com** Inc. [49][50]

On August 24, 2004, the extent of Arceneaux's involvement with SBVT became clear. According to The New York Times, SBVT had admitted the previous day that Arceneaux "helped set it up and works for it." TheTimes had discovered that Arceneaux "is given as the contact person on the post office box that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth lists as its address." The article also pointed out that The Majority Leader's Fund "receives significant financing from Bob Perry," the major donor to SBVT. [51][52]

Chris LaCivita, media strategy adviser to SBVT

On August 25, 2004, the New York Times reported that Chris LaCivita was working for Swift Boat Veterans for Truth as an adviser on media strategy. LaCivita works for the DCI Group, a Republican lobbying firm. He is also involved in Progress for America, a conservative 'grassroots' organization which was set up by Tony Feather, who is a close ally of **Karl Rove**.

According to the article [53] , "Mr. LaCivita said yesterday that he worked as a private contractor for DCI and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and that there was no coordination between the firm and the group. 'Obviously, I don't work for the Bush campaign,' he said. Mr. LaCivita described his role as providing advice on the news media and placing advertisements. Asked to describe how close his involvement was or how Mr. Ginsberg was involved, Mr. LaCivita referred calls to a spokesman for Swift Boat Veterans, which declined to comment."

A Richmond Times-Dispatch article shed further light on LaCivita and SBVT. According to the article, LaCivita said: "I'm a Republican. What are they going to do, go to a Democrat? ... They came to me because I'm a combat veteran myself and I could identify with them ... I provided guidance and counsel in the paid media campaign." [54] The article also said that asked whether he wrote the ad himself, LaCivita said the "veterans wrote the ad."

The article also explains how SBVT was put in contact with LaCivita. "Retired Rear Adm. Roy Francis Hoffmann, chairman of the swift-boat group and a virtual neighbor of LaCivita in Chesterfield County ... said CRC (Creative Response Concepts), a public-relations firm in Arlington, put the group in touch with LaCivita. CRC is involved in a number of conservative causes." [55]

Websites

The Donatelli Group, which produced the RNC website [56], on July 30, 2004, registered the SWIFTBOATVETSFORTRUTH.ORG website with Connell Donatelli Inc. (a.k.a. The Donatelli Group) as registrant. Connell Donatelli Inc. also registered the SWIFTBOATVETSFORTRUTH.COM website on July 30, 2004, with CD, Inc. as both the website's administrator and tech organization.

The SWIFTVETS.COM website ("SwiftVets.com | The Real Story on John Kerry's Military Service") was registered with the registrant Domains by Proxy, Inc., registered through GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com). Data dates from November 21, 2005.

Extension Articles

Due to the length of this article, several sections of this page have been moved to separate pages. These are:

• Complaint against SBVT filed with the FEC
• SBVT Membership
• SBVT Funding
• SBVT Researchers
• Personal Expressions
• Swift Boat Veterans for Kerry (Vets who served with Lt. John F. Kerry, and publicly supported him)

Contact Information

PO Box 26184

Alexandria, VA 22313

Email: Latch AT swiftvets.net

Website: http://www.swiftvets.com

Related SourceWatch Resources

• 527 committee
• Bush National Guard Veterans for Truth
• Charles Wyly and Sam Wyly
• Chris LaCivita
• Creative Response Concepts
• DCI Group
• front groups
• George W. Bush's military service
• Marc Morano
• Merrie Spaeth
• Political Compliance Services Inc.
• Progress for America
• Susan Arceneaux
• Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Republican Connection
• Swiftboating John Murtha
• Texans for Truth
• USANext
• Vietnam Vets for the Truth
• Arthur J. Finkelstein
• Sam Fox

External links

Records & Data

• John F. Kerry's Official Navy Records.
• Schema-root.org: Swift Boat Veterans For Truth current and archived news feeds.
• John Kerry's Vietnam medals. Links to all the key documentation, including U.S. Navy material not on the official Kerry site and statements by veterans who where really there and who support Kerry.
• There are other veterans groups opposing Kerry too such as Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry and Vietnam Special Forces Against Kerry.
• Swift Boat Veterans For Truth's IRS Report of Contributions and Expenditures for April 23-June 30, 2004 (PDF).
• **^** Jennifer Siegel, Controversial Envoy to Belgium Vows More Campaign Giving, Forward, 13 April 2007.
• **^**  Jeff Halper, Dirty Politics, KPFA, 16 January 2006, relevant section starts at the 33:35m mark. ("They use the most sophisticated American PR firms, specially a guy called Finkelstein that you have never heard of in the States, but he is the dirty tricks guy for the Republicans. When Karl Rove and the Republicans when they go through all the campaign and you start getting negative advertising, the dirty tricks, and the Swift Boats, the dirty-dirty stuff, that is Finkelstein.")

Articles & Commentary

• See extensive list of hotlinked articles.

---

Banana Republicans, the latest book by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber, lays bare how the “right-wing conspiracy,” as represented by the national GOP and its functionaries in the media, think tanks and lobbying establishment, is undermining dissent and squelching pluralistic politics in America. An excerpt is available. It can be ordered online. All royalties from book sales go to the Center for Media and Democracy, which publishes SourceWatch.

---

Notes: This article was created May 4, 2004. Portions of this article were taken from an article about Swift Boat Veterans in the Wikipedia, dating from July 17, 2004.

Categories: 

• Front groups portal
• Front groups
• Scandals
• Politics (U.S.)
• Elections (U.S.)
• Political dirty tricks

==

http://www.nndb.com/org/316/000058142/

|Stephen G. Butler|Business|c. 1948||CEO of KPMG, 1996-2002|

|Louis C. Camilleri|Business|1955||CEO of Altria|

|Tim Griffin|Politician|21-Aug-1968||Congressman, Arkansas 2nd|

|Michael E. Murphy|Government|1962||Founding partner, D.C. Navigators|

|**Bob Perry|Business|30-Oct-1932||Perry Homes, Republican financier|

|T. Boone Pickens|Business|22-May-1928||Texas oilman, founded Mesa Petroleum|

===

==

 Stephen F. Brauer

Born: 1945

Birthplace: St. Louis, MO

Gender: Male

Race or Ethnicity: White

Sexual orientation: Straight

Occupation: Business, Diplomat

Party Affiliation: Republican

Nationality: United States

Executive summary: US Ambassador to Belgium, 2001-03

Military service: US Army Corps of Engineers (1st Lt, Vietnam, 1968-70)

Wife: Camilla Thompson Brauer

    University: BA Economics, Westminster College Missouri (1967)

    Administrator: Trustee, Washington University in St. Louis (1991-)

    Hunter Engineering CEO (1980-)

    Hunter Engineering COO (1978-80)

    Hunter Engineering (1971-)

    US Ambassador to Belgium 2001-03

    Member of the Board of Ameren (2006-)

    Member of the Board of Hunter Engineering (as Chairman)

    Bank of America Private Client Board

    Americans for Truth in Politics 

    Bush-Cheney '04 

    Cantor for Congress 

    Council of American Ambassadors 

    Free and Strong America PAC 

    Friends of Roy Blunt 

    George W. Bush for President 

    John McCain 2008 

    McCain-Palin Compliance Fund 

    National Republican Congressional Committee 

    Progress for America Voter Fund 

    Prosperity PAC 

    Romney for President 

    Santorum 2006 

    Spirit of America 

    Swift Boat Veterans for Truth 

    Todd Akin for Senate 

    Bush Pioneer 2000 

==

attempt on obama:http://www.thenation.com/blog/169420/new-swiftboat-group-hits-obama-leaks-will-media-play-along#

New 'Swiftboat' Group Hits Obama on Leaks—Will the Media Play Along?

Greg Mitchell on August 16, 2012 - 2:16 PM ET

It’s a word that’s entered the political language—much like attaching “-gate” to the end of every scandal, real or faux. It’s “swiftboating” or “to swiftboat” or “he got swiftboated.” Of course, this goes back to the successful effort by a well-funded, allegedly “nonpartisan” group to destroy John Kerrey and his stellar military record—one of his chief attributes—in his race for president in 2004.

In a ludicrous and imprecise use of the term recently, the GOP claimed the Democrats were “swiftboating” Mitt Romney by bringing up so many questions about his years with Bain and his refusal to release tax returns. One difference, of course, is that most of those claims had a factual basis. But there will no doubt be a lot of more comparable (to 2004) “swiftboating” coming up in the next two months or so.

The media did not strongly combat the anti-Kerry lies in 2004 so it’s uncertain what will transpire this year. Fact-check sites are now numerous but they often take one shot at a pack of lies, get attention and praise, and let it disappear, even as the lies continue.

A major 2012 Swift Boat example emerged just yesterday.

A new group of ex–military and security veterans—allegedly “non-partisan” but actually made up mainly of GOPers and Tea Partiers—has launched a fresh attack and site vs. Obama, claiming he and his cronies leaked info on the Osama bin Laden raid for political gain. Of course, this brings these critics into the race for political gain.

“Chad Kolton, who was spokesman for the director of national intelligence in the Bush administration and now represents the Opsec group,” the New York Times reported yesterday, “said that because the it was classified as a 501(c)(4) educational group under the tax laws, it was not required to identify its donors. He said the group had raised nearly $1 million since June and intended to run television and Internet ads, as well as host showings of ‘Dishonorable Disclosures’ in swing states.”

Here’s that over-the-top, clearly partisan, twenty-two-minute video just released Wednesday. It already has had 242,000 views on YouTube: 

Thankfully, some in the media have already critiqued it, and the new group. “It’s a dishonest hatchet job that’ll make you long for a shower, especially since the ‘stars’ of the video present themselves as concerned citizens with no partisan motivations,” Juliet Lapidos charges in an opinion piece just posted on the Timessite.

Reuters swiftly covered the Obama camp’s response to the ad: “The Republicans are resorting to ‘Swift Boat’ tactics because when it comes to foreign policy and national security, Mitt Romney has offered nothing but reckless rhetoric.”

And Reuters took aim at Opsec’s nonpartisan claim: “The group’s president, Scott Taylor, is a former Navy SEAL who in 2010 ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for a congressional seat in Virginia. A spokesman for the group, Chad Kolton, served in the Bush administration as a spokesman for the Director of National Intelligence.A former CIA officer who appears in the OPSEC video, Fred Rustmann, has given interviews to conservative news outlets including the Newsmax website and Fox News.” The Los Angeles Times also noted the backgrounds of the attackers.

Here’s more from the Lapidos’ critique at the Times: “Anyone who watched Mr. Obama’s late-night address in which he announced bin Laden’s death will remember that he praised the ‘tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals’ and the ‘years of painstaking work by our intelligence community.’ The Opsec video includes a clip of that address, but omits the ‘heroic work’ and ‘painstaking work’ lines so that it seems as though Mr. Obama gave himself undue credit.

“Cue Dave Lamorte, a retired C.I.A. officer, who says: ‘The administration didn’t capture, or kill or eliminate bin Laden or anybody else. There’s a whole lot of folks in the intelligence and the military community who have been working on this for a very long time.’ Then Ben Smith, a former Navy SEAL, chimes in with his best Don LaFontaine impression: ‘Mr. President, you did not kill Osama bin Laden. America did.’ ”

---

LAT: Dilanian

...They are members of a new nonprofit group called Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund. Known as OPSEC, military shorthand for operational security, the group says it has raised about $1 million for TV ads and a short film called “Dishonorable Disclosures,” which criticizes the Obama administration for alleged national security leaks.

The organizers say they don’t intend to release a list of their donors or their members. Neither is required by law.

“It’s time for President Obama and other administration officials to stop jeopardizing national security operations for political gain,” said Fred Rustmann, an OPSEC member, who worked at the CIA for 24 years before he retired in 1990.

Rustmann and two other key members of the group, all self-described Republicans, have a history of talking openly to the media about national security, a review of articles and transcripts shows.

Rustmann appeared on Fox News’ “Hannity and Colmes” in 2005 to discuss Valerie Plame Wilson, a covert CIA operations officer who was outed in July 2003 by members of the George W. Bush administration.  A federal jury convicted I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, who was chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, of four felony counts for his role in the crime.

Rustmann, who had supervised Plame during her early years at the CIA, argued on Fox that disclosing Plame’s name was not a significant breach of national security. He discussed details of her training, her career and her cover.

“It isn't a big deal,” he said about the illegal disclosure of the covert officer’s name. “It was a light, nonofficial cover.”

Scott Taylor, chairman of OPSEC, is a former Navy SEAL. An unsuccessful Republican candidate for Congress in Virginia in 2010, he sat down with NBC News last summer for a documentary titled “Secrets of Seal Team Six.” The film said the military had urged former SEALs not to talk.

And OPSEC member Chad Kolton, a former spokesman for the director of National Intelligence during the George W. Bush administration, helped make the office “more accessible to reporters, including regular off-the-record briefings by senior analysts on global hot spots,” according to a newswire report that announced his departure to form a communications firm.

==

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth

http://216.92.66.74/index.php?title=Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth

big GOP funderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/:{Bob_J._Perry:(style="background-color:#ffff66;"):}:

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Honesty_on_Issues 527 link to Enron

In the 2004 election cycle, Perry gave $4.45 million to Swift Vets and POWs for Truth (formerly Swift Boat Veterans for Truth), a 527 group; he was the largest single donor.^{[^^3]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_J._Perry#cite_note-TPM-2006-09-14-2)

In that cycle, Perry also donated $3 million to Progress for America Voter Fund. In all, he donated almost $8.1 million to 527 groups in 2003-2004.^{[^^3]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_J._Perry#cite_note-TPM-2006-09-14-2)^]

In mid-2006, Perry donated $5,000,000 to found a new 527 group, the Economic Freedom Fund. The $5 million makes the group one of the top ten in the 2006 election cycle.^{[^^4]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_J._Perry#cite_note-3) He also appears to be the sole donor to Americans for Honesty on Issues. These groups have primarily paid for negative advertisements targeting Democratic Party candidates in the 2006 United States general election.

Background

SBVT asserted that Kerry was "unfit to serve" as President based upon his alleged "willful distortion of the conduct" of American servicemen during that war, and his alleged "withholding and/or distortion of material facts" as to his own conduct during that war.^{[^^2]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-lettertokerry-1) This claim caused tremendous controversy during the election, particularly because some perceived the veterans as partisans who had not been in a place to assess Kerry,^{[^^3]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-factcheckrepfunded-2) while several other Vietnam veterans who served alongside Kerry or under his command disputed the criticisms and supported Kerry in his presidential aspirations.^{[^^4]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-acctsincomplete-3)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-returnshome-4)^5]

SBVT stated that "Kerry's phony war crimes charges, his exaggerated claims about his own service in Vietnam, and his deliberate misrepresentation of the nature and effectiveness of Swift boat operations compel us to step forward."^{[^^6]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-5) The group challenged the legitimacy of each of the combat medals awarded to Kerry by the U.S. Navy and the disposition of his discharge. (See John Kerry military service controversy.) Further, SBVT said that Kerry's later criticism of the war was a "betrayal of trust" with other soldiers, and that by his activism he had caused direct "harm" to soldiers still at war. (See John Kerry VVAW controversy.

...

Book

SBVT founder and spokesman John O'Neill and Jerome Corsi are listed as coauthors of the book *Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry*, published by Regnery Publishing. A best-seller upon its release in August 2004,^{[^^44]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-43) it criticized Kerry's judgment in battle, his truthfulness, his entitlement to certain medals, and his later anti-war activities. The book was based in part on interviews with veterans who served in or with Kerry's division, and also on biographies of Kerry.^{[^^45]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-44) Several members of Kerry's crew stated that O'Neill failed to interview them; some veterans who were interviewed asserted that their statements were edited to strip out material favorable to Kerry.^{[^^46]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-45) Neither O'Neill nor Corsi had any firsthand knowledge of Kerry's service. O'Neill served on the Swift boats after Kerry left Vietnam and Corsi never served in Vietnam.^{[^^47]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-46)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-47)^48]

After controversial statements made by Corsi became public, O'Neill denied Corsi's coauthorship of the book, saying that Corsi was "simply an editor and not really any sort of co-author."^{[^^49]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-48)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-49)^{50]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-49) However, portions of the book^{[^^51]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-excerpts-50) contain material also found in articles posted under Corsi's name at http://WinterSoldier.com, a website critical of John Kerry,^{[^^52]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-communistshonorkerry-51)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-coordinatingwithenemy-52)^{53]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-coordinatingwithenemy-52) and O'Neill is cited in a later book as describing Corsi as helping to write "Unfit for Command," and urging him to back out of media appearances after the controversial comments became public.^{[^^54]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-53)

[edit] Controversy

[edit] Truth of allegations

A major part of the SBVT controversy centered on the group's testimony. The SBVT statements were accompanied by sworn affidavits, although one affiant, Al French, later admitted he had no firsthand knowledge of what he had sworn to.^{[^^55]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-callforresignation-54)

The first SBVT ad was contradicted by the statements of several other veterans who observed the incidents, by the Navy's official records, and, in some instances, by the contemporaneous statements of SBVT members themselves.

Several major newspapers were also skeptical of the SBVT allegations. For example, a *New York Times* news article stated, "on close examination, the accounts of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth prove to be riddled with inconsistencies."^{[^^56]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-birthantikerryad-55) Regarding the medal dispute, a *Los Angeles Times* editorial^{[^^57]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-56) stated, "Not limited by the conventions of our colleagues in the newsroom, we can say it outright: These charges against John Kerry are false." The editorial argued this position on the basis that "Kerry is backed by almost all those who witnessed the events in question, as well as by documentation." On August 22, 2004 *The Washington Post* reported: "An investigation by The Washington Post into what happened that day suggests that both sides have withheld information from the public record and provided an incomplete, and sometimes inaccurate, picture of what took place. But although Kerry's accusers have succeeded in raising doubts about his war record, they have failed to come up with sufficient evidence to prove him a liar."^{[^^58]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-accountsimcomplete-57)

The ABC television show *Nightline* traveled to Vietnam and interviewed Vietnamese who were involved in the battle for which Kerry was awarded the Silver Star. These witnesses disputed O'Neill's charge that there "was little or no fire" that day; they said that thefighting was fierce.^{[^^59]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-abcwhathappened-58) SBVT supporters question whether these witnesses are reliable because they spoke "in the presence of a Communist official",^{[^^60]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-abcnewsorspin-59) but their account of enemy fire is substantially the same as that previously given by another former VC to an AP reporter^{[^^61]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-60) and by the American witnesses, including the only SBVT member who was actually present that day, Larry Clayton Lee.^{[^^62]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-chicagotribrood-61)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-courantbattletested-62)^{63]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-courantbattletested-62)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-63)^{64]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-63)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-64)^{65]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-64) ABC News's The Note opined, "the Swift Boat ad and their primary charges about Kerry's medals are personal, negative, extremely suspect, or false."^{[^^66]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-abcskeptical-65)

Jerome Corsi has said that a picture of Kerry's 1993 visit to Vietnam hangs in the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City as a gesture of "honor" by the Communists "for his contribution to their victory over [the] United States",^{[citation needed]} and John O'Neill has stated that Kerry "is in the North Vietnamese war museum as a hero... . one of the heroes who caused them to win the war in Vietnam".^{[^^67]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-nightline-66) The statement is also repeated in "Unfit for Command" (pp 167–174). However, Josh Gerstein of the *New York Sun* stated in this regard:

In this connection, the web page Corsi and another anti-Kerry veteran originally published on the Kerry museum photo contained the picture of Robert McNamara's 1995 meeting with General Giap, who was misidentified as "Mao Tse-Tung".^{[^^69]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-68) (Photo #10).

In addition, John O'Neill said that in 1971 John Kerry "wanted to abandon ship and leave the POWs [in Vietnam]" and that "[o]n the Dick Cavett show and elsewhere, John Kerry‘s position was that we should accept the Madame Binh seven-point proposal, which called for unilateral withdrawal, setting a date after which at some future time, we‘d negotiate the return of the POWs. So we would set a date. We would withdraw and then we would begin to discuss how to bring them home".^{[^^70]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-scarborough-69) However, in the Cavett debate, Kerry actually said:

Early in the advertising campaign, *Time* magazine surveyed public credence in the SBVT advertisements among those who viewed them. The poll, conducted August 24 through 26, showed that aboutone-third of viewers believed there was at least "some truth" to the allegations. Among swing voters, about one-fourth felt there was any truth to the ads.^{[^^72]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-kerryslips-71)

More recently, an early member of the group, Steve Hayes, stated that he came to believe that the group was twisting Kerry's record, and broke with the group and voted for Kerry. Hayes told the *New York Times*:

The mantra was just 'We want to set the record straight,' Mr. Hayes said this month.It became clear to me that it was morphing from an organization to set the record straight into a highly political vendetta. They knew it was not the truth.

Hayes also told the New York Times that he provided a long interview to Kerry's supporters, backing their version of the incident for which Kerry received the Bronze Star.^{[^^73]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-nytpressingcase-72)

 Connections with Republicans

SBVT characterized itself as a non-partisan group both in the legal sense and in spirit, yet several prominent individuals who assisted SBVT also have had close ties to the Republican Party. According to information released by the IRS on February 22, 2005, more than half of the group's reported contributions came from just three sources, all prominent Texas Republican donors: Houston builder Bob J. **Perry**, a longtime supporter of George W. Bush, donated $4.45 million, Harold Simmons' Contrans donated $3 million, and T. Boone Pickens, Jr. donated $2 million. Other major contributors included Bush fundraiser Carl Lindner ($300,000), Robert Lindner ($260,000), GOP contributor Aubrey McClendon ($250,000), George Matthews Jr. ($250,000), and Crow Holdings ($100,000).^{[^^74]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-opensecrets-73)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-chronoctcontrib-74)^{75]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-chronoctcontrib-74)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-tpjfactsheet-75)^76]

The initial communications consultant for SBVT was Merrie Spaeth, a Reagan administration press officer and a volunteer consultant to Ken Starr in the Clinton impeachment; she was also a spokesperson for "Republicans for Clean Air," a 527 group opposing John McCain's 2000 presidential campaign and funded by Bush supporters who also helped fund SBVT.^{[^^77]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-wikisourcewatch-76)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-bushcallshalt-77)^{78]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-bushcallshalt-77) John E. O'Neill — the primary author of Unfit for Command and a key player in the formation of SBVT — donated over $14,000 to Republican candidates. He co-operated with the Nixon White House in opposing Kerry in 1971, and seconded Nixon's nomination at the 1972 Republican national convention.^{[^^79]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-nbcnixon-78)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-wapooldconflict-79)^80]

Retired Admiral William Schachte, a principal source for the SBVT allegations about Kerry's first Purple Heart, has donated to both of Bush’s presidential campaigns. Schachte was also a lobbyist for FastShip, a firm that recently announced it was receiving $40 million in federal funding for one of its projects. In addition, Schachte's lobbying firm associate, David Norcross, was chairman of the 2004 Republican convention.^{[^^81]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-waposwiftshift-80) Chris LaCivita, Political Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2002,^{[^^82]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-orgsandfinances-81) works as a private contractor providing media advice for SBVT.^{[^^83]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-nytlawyerresigns-82)

The SBVT postal address was registered to Susan Arceneaux, treasurer of the Majority Leader's Fund, a PAC closely tied to the former Congressional leader, Republican Dick Armey.^{[^^84]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-sailingbuddies-83)

Republican activist Sam Fox's donation of $50,000 to SBVT during the 2004 campaign^{[^^85]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-campaignmoneydotcom-84) caused a controversy when Bush nominated him to the position of ambassador to Belgium. Because the Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee indicated that they would not support his nomination,Bush withdrew the nomination; he appointed Fox to the position on April 4, 2007, while Congress was in recess.^{[^^86]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-cnnappointment-85)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-appointment-86)^{87]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-appointment-86)

These ties, along with others (see below), led to suggestions in the popular press that SBVT was a front group for Republicans.^{[^^56]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-birthantikerryad-55)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-dishonorablecharge-87)^{88]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-dishonorablecharge-87)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-phonywar-88)^{89]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-phonywar-88)

 Connections with the Bush campaign

The Bush campaign became part of the general SBVT controversy whenMcCain condemned the first SBVT ad, and said, "I hope that the president will also condemn it." The Bush campaign did not condemn SBVT or the SBVT ads. The campaign did not endorse the group either, stating "We have not and we will not question Senator Kerry's service in Vietnam."^{[^^90]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-wontquestionservice-89) Kerry was dismissive of this statement, saying, "Of course, the President keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that."^{[^^91]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-apkerrystrikesback-90) Kerry also alleged that SBVT was "a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the President won’t denounce what they’re up to tells you everything you need to know — he wants them to do his dirty work".^{[^^92]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-dohisdirtywork-91) When pressed on the issue, President Bush called for an end to all 527 group political advertisements, and challenged Kerry to do the same.^{[^^93]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-bushurgeskerry-92)

Critics and the Kerry campaign pointed to several specific connections between SBVT and the Bush campaign. The Kerry campaign asserted that Bush campaign headquarters in Florida distributed fliers promoting SBVT events, a charge the Bush campaign denied.^{[^^94]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-fliertobush-93) Kenneth :{Cordier:(style="background-color:#ffff66;"):}:, former vice-chair of Veterans for Bush/Cheney (in 2000) and volunteer member of the Bush campaign veterans steering committee, appeared in the second SBVT advertisement. The Bush campaign asked him to resign and stated that it had been unaware of his SBVT involvement.^{[^^95]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-wapocortierresigns-94)

On August 25, 2004, Benjamin Ginsberg, the top election lawyer to the Bush campaign on campaign finance law, also resigned after it was learned that SBVT was one of his clients. Ginsberg stated that he was withdrawing to avoid being a distraction to the campaign. He declared that he had acted "in a manner that is fully appropriate and legal,"^{[^^83]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-nytlawyerresigns-82) arguing that it was not uncommon or illegal for lawyers to represent campaigns or political parties while also representing 527 groups. He also maintained that he did not disclose to the Bush campaign that he was simultaneously representing the SBVT group. After leaving the Bush campaign, Ginsberg retained his status as counsel to SBVT.

In January 2005, Governor Jeb Bush, the President's brother and Florida chairman for his 2004 campaign,^{[^^96]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-floridacampaignorg-95) sent a letter to SBVT member and former POW Bud Day, thanking him for his "personal support of my brother in his re-election." In addition, Governor Bush said of the SBVT:

"As someone who truly understands the risk of standing up for something, I simply cannot express in words how much I value their willingness to stand up against John Kerry."^{[^^73]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-nytpressingcase-72)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-jebbushletter-96)^{97]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-jebbushletter-96)

FEC Filings

FEC Cases #5511 and #5525

On August 10, 2004, three campaign finance watchdog groups — Democracy 21, the Campaign Legal Center, and the Center for Responsive Politics — jointly filed an independent complaint with the Federal Election Commission (Case #5511).^{[^^98]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-fecwatchdog-97)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-watchdogcomplaint-98)^{99]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-watchdogcomplaint-98) The complaint alleged that SBVT's sources of funding were in violation of federal election law in that "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT) is registered with the IRS as a section 527 group but is not registered with the Commission as a political committee. However, SBVT is, in fact, a federal political committee."

On August 20, 2004, the Kerry campaign filed a complaint with the FEC (Case #5525)^{[^^100]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-feckerry-99)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-kerryfeccomplaint-100)^{101]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-kerryfeccomplaint-100) alleging that SBVT and 20 additional named respondents had conducted campaign activity that "has been coordinated with the Bush campaign and the Republican Party from the outset." Under federal election law, SBVT, as a nonpartisan 527 group, was barred from coordinating with any political campaign. The complaint, citing the "ties" noted above, claimed a "web of connections to the Bush family, high-profile Texas political figures, and President Bush's chief political aide, Karl Rove".

The Bush campaign dismissed charges of ties and asserted there was no co-ordination between SBVT and the campaign. Editorial opinion on the evidence for co-ordination varied. ABC News' The Note stated, "There is no evidence that the Bush campaign is orchestrating the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth."^{[^^102]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-notenoevidence-101) In contrast, the New York Times opined that the SBVT attacks were "orchestrated by negative-campaign specialists deep in the heart of the Texas Republican machine."^{[^^103]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-texasnexus-102)

FEC Findings - Cases #5511 and #5525

On December 13, 2006, in a consolidated finding, the FEC ruled against the Kerry campaign allegations (Case #5525)^{[^^104]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-fecruling-103) finding that...

Following an investigation, the Commission concluded that Swiftvets did not unlawfully coordinate its activities with, or make excessive in-kind contributions to, any federal candidate or political party committee.

In addition, Kerry campaign complaints against 18 other respondents were relegated to "dismissed-other" and 2 relegated to "Reason To Believe/No Further Action" (RTB/NFA) status.

The FEC did, however, find for the joint complainants (Case #5511)^{[^^105]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-fecpressrelease-104) in that the SBVT failed to register and file disclosure reports as a federal political committee, and accepted contributions in violation of federal limits and source prohibitions. SBVT was assessed a fine of $299,500.

The conciliation agreement between the FEC and the SBVT also stated, in part:

Indeed, the Commission has never alleged that the SwiftVets acted in knowing defiance of the law, or with the conscious recognition that their actions were prohibited by law, made no findings or conclusions that there were any knowing and willful violations of the law in connection with this matter, and, thus, does not challenge SwiftVets' assertion of its good faith reliance on its understanding of the law.

Solely for the purpose of settling this matter expeditiously and avoiding litigation, without admission with respect to any other proceeding, and with no finding of probable cause by the Commission, SwiftVets agrees not to contest the Commission's conclusions ... .

In addition, as part of the conciliation agreement, SBVT stated that upon completing its obligations under the agreement, it "intends to cease operationsas an IRC Section 527 organization and to donate the remainder of its funds to a charity supporting the families of U.S. servicemen and servicewomen killed or wounded in the War in Iraq."^{[^^104]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-fecruling-103)

Disclosure of documents

During the campaign, SBVT criticized Kerry for not signing a Standard Form 180 authorizing general public access to his Navy personnel records.^{[^^106]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-sbvtfaq-105) Kerry responded that the documents were posted on his website.^{[^^107]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-recordsindicate-106) On May 20, 2005, Kerry did sign the SF-180 form permitting release of his service records and medical records to reporters from the *Boston Globe*, the *Los Angeles Times*, and the Associated Press;^{[^^108]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-sawitherefirst-107) he refused a request by the *New York Sun* for access to the records.^{[^^109]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-kerrygrants-108) The Boston Globe and Los Angeles Times reported that the records largely duplicated what Kerry had released during the campaign.^{[^^110]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-globekerryallows-109)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-timeskerryreleases-110)^{111]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-timeskerryreleases-110)

SBVT members also criticized Kerry for not releasing his own private journals and letters. However, SBVT members themselves refused to release documents. For example, a journal by another of the Swift boat commanders and the relevant Navy records of some of the SBVT members involved in specific allegations have not been released.^{[^^4]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-acctsincomplete-3)

The White House refused to release records detailing any Bush administration contacts with prominent individuals associated with SBVT. The denied Freedom of Information Act request was filed on August 24 by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.^{[^^112]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-111)

[edit] Relationship to Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation

In July 2006, controversy arose over donations SBVT made to a non-profit organization, the Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation,^{[^^113]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-hoffmannorg-112) founded by the chairman of SBVT, Roy F. Hoffmann.^{[^^114]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-hoffmaninfo-113) The address and agent for service for the foundation is Political Compliance Services, the same consulting firm, and consultant - Susan Arceneaux - used by SBVT.^{[^^114]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-hoffmaninfo-113)

According to reports and SBVT's own filings, SBVT donated $10,000 to the Hoffmann organization in 2005, and in early 2006 donated another $100,000 to the organization.^{[^^115]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-irsquarterlyreport-114)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-bigmoneyblog-115)^{116]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-bigmoneyblog-115)^{[^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-johnsonhuffpost-116)^{117]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-johnsonhuffpost-116) According to a website purporting to quote SBVT treasurer Weymouth Symmes, the latter donation was subsequently reimbursed by the foundation.^{[^^118]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-democracyprojectblog-117)

According to the foundation's own website, SBVT has donated a total of $500,000, SBVT co-founder John O'Neill has donated his proceeds from the publication of the book "Unfit for Command," and one of SBVT's major funders, T. Boone Pickens, has contributed nearly $2 million.^{[^^113]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-hoffmannorg-112)

[blog   

MON FEB 11, 2008 AT 08:56 AM PST

NRCC Scandal: Swift Boat Vets Accounting Irregularity

byMrs PanstrepponFollow

Last week, I wrote about the burgeoning financial scandal at the NRCC. The scandal centers around long time NRCC treasurer,Christopher J. Ward. Ward is, or was until very recently, the treasurer of dozens of GOP PACs and committees.

Ward is partners with Susan Arceneaux, a long time aide to Dick Armey, 

in Political Compliance Services Inc., a firm that provides FEC reporting services to political entities. Swift Boat Vets and POWS For Truth, a 527, has been a PCS client since its inception.

In its 3/31/06 quarterly 8872 filed with the IRS, Swift Boat Vets reported making a $100,000 contribution to the Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation on 2/8/06. Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann is a Swift Boat Vets co-founder

The problem is that the Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation did not record a contribution from Swift Boat Vets in 2006, according to the foundation's 2006 990 filed with the IRS. The foundation's 2005 and 2006 990s are online at the Foundation Center's 990 Finder. Search "admiral roy".

The Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation only reported three contributions in 2006:

Boone Pickens - $1,000,000 

John O'Neill - $170,839 

Weymouth Symmes - $5,000

The three contributions account for all but $400 of total contributions to the foundation in 2006.

Without more information, it is not possible to determine where the missing Swift Boat Vets $100,000 ended up. But I think we can conclude that Susan Arceneaux, at best, is a sloppy bookkeeper. At worst, she is laundering money.

Over the past few years, Susan Arceneaux and Christopher J. Ward have been responsible for reporting the receipt and disbursement of tens of millions of dollars for GOP causes to the FEC. The NRCC already admitted that Ward forged an audit. Maybe someone should ask Susan Arceneaux to account for the missing $100,000 Swift Boat contribution.

Update #1 - Bruce Kesler at the Democracy Project, a right wing blog, posted  about the $100,000 Swift Boat Vets contribution on July 17, 2006. The post was in response to a charge that Swift Boat Vets paid $100,000 directly to Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann. In response, Kesler claimed to have gotten an email from the Swift Boat Vets treasurer about the issue:

"Despite great personal expense Admiral Hoffmann only received just over $1,000 in travel reimbursements in the nearly two years of SBVFT existence.

SBVFT made two donations to the Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation. A $10,000 donation was made, as was a $100,000 donation, which was later reimbursed back to SBVFT by the Foundation. In the interim the Foundation used the money for payments to soldiers and Marines who had suffered grievous wounds during the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. To think that those funds were used by any individuals is a despicable distortion slandering honorable men."

I checked every Swift Boat Vets 8872 filed with the IRS in 2006 and 2007 and Swift Boat Vets never recorded a reimbursement from the Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation. Swift Boat Vets treasurer Weymouth D. Symmes was not telling the truth if he did indeed send that email to Bruce Kesler.

On 1/5/07, Swift Boat Vets contributed $400,000 to the Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation and then contributed another $100,000 on 4/26/07. However, we won't know how or even if the foundation recorded the contributions until it files a 2007 990 which could be months from now.

ORIGINALLY POSTED TO MRS PANSTREPPON ON MON FEB 11, 2008 AT 08:56 AM PST.]

---

"Swift Boating"

Main article: Swiftboating

Since the 2004 election, the term "Swift Boating" (or "swiftboating") has become a common expression for a campaign attacking opponents by questioning their credibility and patriotism. The term is most often used with the pejorative meaning of a smear campaign,^{[^^119]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-Sheehan-118) but has also been used positively by a conservative.^{[^^120]^}(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swift_Vets_and_POWs_for_Truth#cite_note-armytimes-119)

 ==

usatoday

Volunteer links 'Swift Boat Veterans for Truth' flier to Bush

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) — A volunteer for John Kerry said Friday he picked up a flier in a Bush-Cheney campaign office in Gainesville, Fla., promoting Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group the Bush campaign has insisted for weeks it has no connection to.

The Kerry campaign e-mailed the flier to news organizations Friday, declaring that the Bush-Cheney campaign was "busted" for coordinating "in their smear campaign against John Kerry."

At Bush-Cheney campaign headquarters outside Washington, spokesmanSteve Schmidtsaid: "The Bush-Cheney campaign has nothing to do with that piece of paper. ... I don't know how it showed up at the campaign headquarters."

"The Bush-Cheney campaign would object to any flier like this being displayed in any Republican headquarters," said Schmidt. He characterized the campaign operation in Gainesville where the flier was found as county GOP offices used by Bush-Cheney volunteers.

The flier distributed at Alachua County Republican Party headquarters promotes a weekend rally sponsored by "Swift Boat Vets for Truth" and other groups.

Bill Shilling, a Kerry volunteer in Gainesville, says he went to the GOP offices there Thursday and picked up the flier from a pile of literature on the table.

"The flier they gave me was on the same table as some Bush-Cheney bumper stickers," said Shilling. "I asked them if the Swift boat veterans were coming to Gainesville, and the woman I talked to said yes."

Shilling said he went back to Kerry headquarters and turned over the flier.

"I thought there was supposed to be some separation between Bush-Cheney and the Swift boat controversy but I didn't understand there was a big deal about this," said Shilling. "I think this whole thing attacking Kerry's war record is a diversion by Bush-Cheney from the real issues of the campaign."

Financed by a Texas businessman with longtime ties to prominent Republicans in the state, including President Bush, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth sponsored an ad featuring several Vietnam veterans who accuse Kerry of lying about the circumstances surrounding events for which he won his medals. Kerry received a Silver Star, Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts while in Vietnam.

The anti-Kerry group distributed a second commercial to the news media and said it would begin airing the ad next week in Pennsylvania, Nevada and New Mexico, the last a state Bush plans to visit next Thursday. The ad intersperses clips of a youthful Kerry talking about war atrocities during an appearance before Congress in 1971 with images of veterans condemning his testimony.

The Kerry campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging Swift Boat Veterans for Truth was illegally coordinating its efforts with the Bush-Cheney campaign.

The Kerry campaign cited recent press reports and the group's own statements. The Bush campaign denied the allegation, as did the organization that aired the ad.

 ==

Bush Campaign Drops Swift Boat Ad Figure

Democrat's Team Says Veteran's Role in Drive to Discredit Kerry Shows a Link

By Dana Milbank

Washington Post Staff Writer

Sunday, August 22, 2004; Page A13

CRAWFORD, Tex., Aug. 21 -- The Bush campaign said late Saturday that it dismissed an adviser on veterans issues after learning that he is part of an independent group that has been running anti-Kerry ads.

The Bush campaign said Kenneth Cordier, who appears in a new advertisement to be aired by the anti-Kerry group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, will no longer serve in his voluntary position on Bush's veterans steering committee. A Bush spokesman said Cordier had not previously informed the campaign that he had been involved with the group, but the Kerry campaign said the matter provides evidence supporting its complaint to the Federal Election Commission alleging illegal cooperation between the campaign and the independent group.

"Col. Cordier did not inform the campaign of his involvement in the advertisement being run by a 527 organization," Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt wrote in a statement, referring to the technical name for independent groups such as the Swift boat organization. Schmidt said Cordier "will no longer participate as a volunteer for Bush-Cheney '04."

Cordier's connection to the Bush campaign was made public yesterday by the Kerry campaign, which found that Cordier had been named on the Bush Web site earlier this month as a member of the veterans committee but that his name had subsequently been removed. A Bush aide said Cordier, who spent six years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and was a Bush supporter in 2000, called the campaign to disclose his involvement on Friday and was told he could no longer serve as an adviser to the campaign.

The ads by the Swift boat group, named for the type of boat Kerry commanded during the Vietnam War, has been causing a furious debate between the campaigns, with Kerry demanding that Bush condemn the ads that suggest that Kerry did not earn his war decorations and that he betrayed his fellow veterans by his later antiwar activity. The Bush campaign has said it opposes ads by all outside groups but declined to specifically criticize the Swift boat ads.

The Swift boat veterans ad featuring Cordier, to air this week in Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Nevada, shows footage of Kerry's antiwar testimony from 1971. "He betrayed us in the past -- how can we be loyal to him now?" Cordier said in the ad.

Cordier could not be reached at his home in Dallas last night.

Kerry campaign spokesman Chad Clanton said the Cordier matter added more weight to its complaint filed last week with the FEC. "This is another brick in the wall of evidence that the Bush campaign is behind this smear," he said. "No wonder the president won't condemn the ads."

Under law, political campaigns cannot coordinate with the 527 organizations, which are funded with unregulated "soft" money and have proved to be an enormous loophole in the new campaign-finance legislation. Bush aides have said there has been no coordination with the Swift boat group. "We've already said we weren't involved in any way in these ads," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said last week. "We've made that clear."

But the Kerry campaign said that claim is put in doubt both by the Cordier issue and by various news accounts demonstrating close relationships between the Swift boat veterans and key Bush advisers. The Kerry campaign also asserts that a Kerry campaign volunteer picked up a Swift Boat Veterans for Truth flier at the Bush-Cheney office in Gainesville, Fla.

===

nyt op ed

Swift Boats and the Texas Nexus

Published: August 25, 2004

President Bush should stop evading responsibility and unequivocally condemn the attacks on Senator John Kerry's Vietnam War service that are being orchestrated by negative-campaign specialists deep in the heart of the Texas Republican machine. Mr. Bush says that Mr. Kerry's record is admirable and something to be proud of. Yet he allows these politically useful ads to continue spreading unfounded charges that Mr. Kerry fabricated his medal-winning experience as a Swift boat commander.

The attempt to contradict the federal government's own records about Mr. Kerry's record is the work of a transparently partisan group led by a longtime Kerry antagonist, John O'Neill, a Swift boat veteran recruited by the Nixon White House to counter Mr. Kerry's denunciations of the war when he returned from Vietnam. The operation's start-up money came from big-money Texas donors long supportive of Bush political causes; some principals have ties to the ''independent'' attack ads that blindsided another Vietnam veteran, Senator John McCain, in his 2000 primary contest with Mr. Bush.

Rather than single out the Swift boat group, Mr. Bush condemned all such stealth-party activities, Democratic and Republican, which have sprung up to evade legal restrictions on the flood of ''soft money'' into political races. Mr. Bush called on Mr. Kerry to join in renouncing these specialists in low-blow politicking -- an idea we applaud. This page has long criticized the Democrats' pioneering soft-money evasions, and the Federal Election Commission's refusal to control these rogue operations.

But the president had hardly finished speaking when the White House began sidestepping, insisting that Mr. Bush had not intended to single out the anti-Kerry ads as something that should be stopped. This is unfortunate. Senator McCain has called on the administration to ''specifically condemn'' the ads.

Senator Kerry invited debate on his war service by making it a keystone of his campaign. But that means fair debate. Some of the veterans in the ads criticizing Mr. Kerry have praised his courage in the past. No one has offered evidence to contradict the record. By failing to condemn the ads, Mr. Bush leaves the impression that he condones this effort to turn the historical record into a partisan blur.

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graphic :http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/2004/08/19/politics/campaign/20040820swift_graph.gif

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/8/20/14735/6707

nyt http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/swift_boat_veterans_for_truth/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=swift%20boat&st=cse

404 http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/20/politics/campaign/20swift.html

McCain hires the shop

In 2004, Mr. McCain said the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth advertisement asserting that Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts had not properly earned his medals from the Vietnam War was “dishonest and dishonorable.” Nonetheless, he has hired the firm that made the spots, Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm, which worked on his 2000 campaign, to work for him again this year.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Stevens_Reed_Curcio_%26_Potholm

funded by Rovepal Perry, described as a "close friend" of both Karl Rove and**John E. O'Neil**l and said to be the "single largest Texas donor" to the Republican Party, contributed 4.5 million dollars^{[18]^}(http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Robert_J._Perry#cite_note-17) to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth smear campaign against then presidential candidate John F. Kerry.^{[19]^}(http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Robert_J._Perry#cite_note-18)^{[20]^}(http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Robert_J._Perry#cite_note-19)

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http://www.nndb.com/people/127/000058950/

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LaCivita's role as political director of NRSC in 2002 places him on the edge of a Republican phone-jamming scandal in which Democratic get-out-the-vote calls in Manchester, N.H., were blocked on election day.[2] In December 2005 James Tobin, who worked under LaCivita as the New England regional director, was convicted of two felony telephone harassment charges but was acquitted of the charge of conspiring against voters rights. He was sentenced in May 2006 to 10 months in prison, AP reported, that he "helped plan the phone jamming." Tobin was convicted in December of two felony telephone harassment charges. He was acquitted of a third, more serious charge, of conspiring against voters rights.[3]

On August 25, 2004 the New York Times reported that LaCivita was working for Swift Boat Veterans for Truth as an adviser on media strategy. According to Federal Election Committee filings by SBVT, LaCivita received $35,700 for his media consulting work.[4] He received $39,897 for providing consulting services to Progress for America.[5]

LaCivita told the New York Times that he worked as a private contractor forDCIand Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and that there was no coordination between the firm and the group. "Obviously, I don't work for the Bush campaign," he said. Mr. LaCivita described his role as providing advice on the news media and placing advertisements.[6]

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LC head of progress for Am 35m to beat Kerry, 

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/joe_conason/2004/04/23/o_neill

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Singer is an up-and-coming GOP funder. He gave just $5K to the Swift Boaters in 2004, compared to millions from Bob Perry, the Houston homebuilding magnate who also put his money behind George Bush's smear campaign against John McCain in the 2000 primaries. Apparently Singer wants to be Rudy's Perry, using his vast wealth to manipulate the political system without getting Rudy's hands dirty.

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all donors? http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/527/swift_boat_vets_and_pows_for_truth.asp

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http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1020&context=bill_israel

70% of SB funders were Rove associates? p 14

SB lawyer B Ginsberg was lawyer for Progress for Am, Lacivita had been head PFA gave bucks to B2

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http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Sam_Fox

Sam Fox, a Republican fundraiser from Missouri, was named Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenifotentiary of the United States of America to Belgium on April 4, 2007, by President George W. Bush in a recess appointment, "a maneuver that allowed him to bypass Congress, where Democrats had derailed Fox's nomination." [1]

On December 4, 2006, Fox was nominated to the post by President Bush, but on March 28, 2007, Bush withdrew Fox's nomination after Democrats complained about Fox's donation to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, "a group that questioned Sen. John Kerry's war record during the 2004 presidential campaign."

In late 2004, Fox "gave $50,000 to no less solid citizens than the Swift Boat Liars who made it their mission to discredit a highly-decorated Vietnam Veteran in John Kerry," Bob Geiger wrote February 27, 2007.

At the time of his nomination, Fox, who founded the company, was serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Harbour Group. [2][3]

According to WhiteHouseForSale.org, Fox is "a Bush Ranger, responsible for millions of dollars of donations to both the Bush/Cheney campaigns and the Republican Party. He's also a charter member of the Libby Defense Fund. In other words, this guy is neck deep in the Bush/Cheney circles," Nicolle Bell wrote February 27, 2007, for Crooks and Liars.

In the 2000 election cycle, Fox, "the top individual donor to the Republican Party, ... is the ultimate 'Republican Regent,' the elite group of donors who gave $250,000 or more to the GOP." [4]

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With annual revenues of more than $1.5 billion, Harbour Group has executed more than 100 leveraged buyouts since it started in �76. He gave more than $300,000 to GOP candidates and groups in �99. He ranks among the nation�s top donors of �soft money,� having contributed $435,000 of it to the Republican Party since �97. Fox hosted a record-setting Washington fundraiser in 2000 that took in $21 million. His personal wealth has been pegged at more than $500 million. Fox flew to Austin to meet with Bush in early �99 along with three other Missouri Pioneers: Adele Hall, Stephen Brauer and John Mahaffey. He oversees the national Republican Jewish Coalition. 

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http://www.nndb.com/people/259/000118902/

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Spaeth is "the public relations consultant representing" Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT). "According to CBS television news, election commission records [reveal that Spaeth] gave the maximum possible £2,000 donation" [sic] to the Bush-Cheney '04 Inc. re-election campaign in June 2003. [2] (Note: The actual amount was probably $2,000, not £2,000.)

Her role with the SBVT attack on Kerry prompted the Kerry campaign to allege that she previously played a role in attempting to discredit John McCain in the Republican presidential primary in 2000. Spaeth told National Review that she was approached to provide phone support after thetwo Texas millionaires Sam and Charles Wyly, created the front group Republicans for Clean Air to attack McCains environmental policies.

Spaeth said that she agreed to field press inquiries for the group. It "turned out to be the biggest mistake, at least one of the top five," of her life, she said. "I regret being involved in any way," she said. [3]

Spaeth, founder of Spaeth Communications, Inc., "served as a White House Fellow and was assigned to FBI Director William Webster. She was the first Fellow and one of the first two women on the director's staff. From the FBI, she served two years at the Federal Trade Commission as director of public affairs, and in 1983, President Ronald Reagan named her director of media relations at the White House. Merrie introduced satellite communications to the White House, and the electronic White House News Service. One newspaper headline said she 'took the White House into the Space Age.' [4]