Fred Thompson - Making enemies in all the wrong places

Fred Thompson - Making Enemies in All the Wrong Places

Senator Thompson
Fred Thompson Unions, The Christian Coalition, Right-to-Lifers tell Thompson to "take a hike."

Friday, August 15th, 1997: Senator Fred Thompson might as well give up his hopes for a presidential bid in this lifetime. He's quickly succeeding in alienating every sector of the economy and most voters to boot. The only folks that have thus far escaped his wrath are American corporations who hold most of the keys to who gets what for how much in Washington.

Now "non-profit" think tanks, coalitions, and other groups subpoenaed by the Thompson Committee may be trying to link up to pressure the Senate to stop looking into their private files -- and motivations -- for raising money linked to political activity.

Thompson issued what amount to self-producing search warrants to more than 25 such organizations to produce documents and records for the two year period between 1994 and 1996. The committee is looking into whether illegal or improper fund raising was sponsored by or carried out by these charitable and educational corporations -- most of whom enjoy tax-exempt status.

Of course, Senator Thompson is again stupidly focusing on foreign contributions and trying to avoid the fact that it's American money attracting quid pro quo from the Congress and the White House.

However, the opposition to the wide-reaching subpoenas came from both right and left American-based sources.

James Bopp, legal counsel to the National Right to Life Committee, sent a "secret" memorandum to the other groups which received subpoenas, both from the left and right, stating,"The subpoenas, on their face, are astonishing in their breadth, seeking to investigate legal and constitutionally protected legislative lobbying activity and issue advocacy," according to Reuters. "The subpoenas, on their face, encompass a vast universe of documents that could not ordinarily be forced into public view. They intrude deeply into the realms of confidential communications of citizen groups," Bopp whined.

AFL-CIO lawyers also wrote the committee slamming its subpoena. "The documents subpoena directed to the AFL-CIO goes far beyond even the most generous interpretation of the committee's mandate. That subpoena is a virtually unlimited search mission through almost every aspect of the AFL-CIO's operations"

"As a general matter in a democracy neither the legislative nor the executive branch has a license to rummage through all the papers of individuals or their associations," AFL-CIO lawyers screeched.

The subpoenas demand all records including financial reports, internal communications, electronic mail, working papers, drafts, letters and diaries.

All the crying in the world won't stop Thompson from getting the reams of paper he demands.

Both sides have complained about the subpoenas saying they are designed to harass organizations engaged in legitimate activity. But there is little legitimate about a bunch of fanatics, hiding behind the veil of Christianity, trying to control congress and the private lives of American families through "advocacy ads" based on the ten commandments.

"Non-political" ad from the Christian Coalition

Harassing labor unions is now a favorite Republican pastime. They forget that labor elected Ronald Reagan and several dozen Republican congresspeople. The GOP seeks to paint labor as spending dues on political activity not approved by individual members. Thompson and his right-wing colleagues ought to be asking whether American corporations ask permission from their stockholders as they pass out hundreds of millions in political cash each year.

It's time to get those subpoenas flowing to AT&T, Big Tobacco, and other huge business contributors. Let's hear what they have to say about influencing American voters.