MrRant 0 Report post Posted December 7, 2003 By SHARON THEIMER, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - Hoping to spend as much as it wants on next year's elections, the National Rifle Association is looking to buy a television or radio station and declare that it should be treated as a news organization, exempt from spending limits in the campaign finance law. "We're looking at bringing a court case that we're as legitimate a media outlet as Disney or Viacom or Time-Warner," the NRA's executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre, told The Associated Press. "Why should they have an exclusive right to relay information to the public, and why should not NRA be considered as legitimate a news source as they are? That's never been explored legally," he said in an interview. The nation's gun lobby is talking with potential investors about an NRA broadcast outlet and is considering all possible funding sources, including gun manufacturers, LaPierre said. If the NRA were to be considered a media organization, it would be free to say what it wanted about candidates at any time and spend corporate money to do so, such as for commercials. The group, financed in part with corporate money, is now banned under the campaign finance law from running ads, just before elections, that mention federal candidates who are on states' ballots. The 4 million-member group has long been one of Washington's most powerful lobbies. It has spent millions of dollars over the years trying to influence elections toward candidates who oppose gun controls and support the position that Americans have an incontestable right to bear arms. LaPierre said even without a television or radio station, the group's communications reach is extensive enough that it should be considered part of the media. The NRA is one of the biggest magazine publishers in the United States and provides news over the Internet, LaPierre said. The group has close to a dozen publications, including the "American Rifleman" and "American Hunter" magazines. LaPierre said the organization may pursue the media exemption even if its previous challenge to the campaign finance law should prevail in the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule soon. The NRA could ask the Federal Election Commission (news - web sites) whether it qualifies for the media exemption, go to court, or both. The finance law, which took effect in November 2002, bars interest groups financed with corporate or union money from airing television and radio ads the month before a primary and two months before a general election that identify federal candidates, are paid for with corporate or union money and target candidates' districts. News organizations are exempt from the restrictions. That allows them to cover the news, write editorials endorsing or opposing candidates and air interviews. The FEC also has exempted programming that broadcasters are not paid to air, such as public service announcements, comedy monologues and talk shows that mention or feature federal candidates. Movies and television shows also are free of the rules. Like other corporations, media outlets cannot contribute money to federal campaigns or national political parties. The FEC has shown some willingness to consider broader applications of the media exemption. The commission this year dismissed a complaint that accused Wal-Mart of making an illegal corporate donation to then-Senate candidate Elizabeth Dole by providing shoppers with a company publication featuring the North Carolina Republican. Three Republican commissioners who supported the dismissal said the publication qualified for a press exemption that lets news organizations run articles about candidates without violating the ban on corporate contributions. The NRA and its lawyers will "look at every option to continue to exercise our First Amendment rights," even anchoring a ship "in international waters and beaming in" if necessary to get its gun-rights message on the air at election time, LaPierre said. The NRA was first in line at a federal courthouse in Washington to challenge the new campaign finance law, filing its lawsuit immediately after President Bush (news - web sites) signed the campaign finance legislation in March 2002. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...el_ge/nra_media Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cerebus Report post Posted December 7, 2003 Good to see Dean's pals up and going. Hopefully this will go towards killing his nomination. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted December 7, 2003 Oh good lord. Can't wait for the floodgates to open on this one: NRA-Radio ACLU-TV The PETA Daily Times Shoot me now... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted December 7, 2003 I bet they buy the Outdoor Channel.. Or ESPN 2 on the weekends. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted December 7, 2003 I bet they buy the Outdoor Channel.. Or ESPN 2 on the weekends. "Stay tuned for commercials. HEY, YOU! WE AIN'T KIDDING! STAY F'N TUNED FOR THESE F'N COMMERCIALS! YO, BUBBA, THIS GUY WANTS TO CHANNEL SURF! WE DON'T LIKE GUYS WHO CHANNEL SURF!" "Next, on NRA TV, our "Scarface" marathon continues" Well, I suppose if the DNC gets PBS, it's only fair for other groups to get their channels. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Swift Terror 0 Report post Posted December 7, 2003 ACLU-TV The PETA Daily Times Hey, don't forget NAMBLA! Their message needs to get out as well, you know. Tune in to the NAMBLA News Channel... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted December 7, 2003 ACLU-TV The PETA Daily Times Hey, don't forget NAMBLA! Their message needs to get out as well, you know. Tune in to the NAMBLA News Channel... "And here to accept the NAMBLA lifetime achievement award, Michael Ja...." Nah, too easy. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Kamui Report post Posted December 7, 2003 *books ticket for Japan early* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cerebus Report post Posted December 7, 2003 *books ticket for Japan early* Hallelujah! Thank the Dean! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted December 7, 2003 *books ticket for Japan early* Hallelujah! Thank the Dean! Dean is good. Dean is great. -=Mike ...Who gets a cult of personality vibe from the Dean camp ...BTW, the Sharpton SNL show is actually REALLY bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted December 7, 2003 *books ticket for Japan early* Is that a promise? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cerebus Report post Posted December 7, 2003 Why aren't the other canidates not blabering on and on equating the Evil Child Killing Gun Distributers with Dean (whom they gave an A rating)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JMA Report post Posted December 7, 2003 *books ticket for Japan early* GIMMICK INFRINGEMENT~! My gimmick, that is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Kamui Report post Posted December 7, 2003 You people act like they don't have computers and the internet in Japan or something. I'll be torturing all you conservative bastards for a long time to come. BTW, great job posting the same exact job three times. /points back to "TSM Kills Jokes" rule Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted December 7, 2003 Tune in to the NAMBLA News Channel... Nah. NAMBLA'S niche will be in the "Too-hot-for-TV" PPV market... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted December 7, 2003 Honestly, the perfect place for them to try to break into mass media would be the History Channel. It already appeals to the NRA's target demographic, has related subject matter, and really wouldn't suffer from any MORE guns on there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted December 7, 2003 I would join the NRA just to piss off the "Guns Kill People Crowd". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Kamui Report post Posted December 7, 2003 I would join the NRA just to piss off the "Guns Kill People Crowd". I wouldn't join the NRA if one of them put a gun to my head and tried to force me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted December 8, 2003 Could you make your sig a little bigger? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob_barron 0 Report post Posted December 8, 2003 Yea- It's bad enough you're a dumb fuck but cant you keep your sig in check? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted December 8, 2003 He's like a "male" version of Yuna... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheZsaszHorsemen Report post Posted December 8, 2003 If their commercials mention how Jesus and Moses used guns to conquer the Romans, I'm all for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Kamui Report post Posted December 8, 2003 Those images were bigger than I expected, but they're fixed. And geez, the people here are so TESTY. You guys need to take a breath and learn to enjoy life. Or something. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted December 8, 2003 It's still almost a page long. Line them up or something. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob_barron 0 Report post Posted December 8, 2003 No it isnt. Shorten your sig please Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JMA Report post Posted December 8, 2003 Speaking of the NRA, doesn't Dean support them? Just a question. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cerebus Report post Posted December 8, 2003 Speaking of the NRA, doesn't Dean support them? Just a question. It may be the other way around...at least it was. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JMA Report post Posted December 8, 2003 Speaking of the NRA, doesn't Dean support them? Just a question. It may be the other way around...at least it was. That's not what I've heard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BDC Report post Posted December 8, 2003 <-- NRA member Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted December 8, 2003 Yea- It's bad enough you're a dumb fuck but cant you keep your sig in check? Do I dare ask what the heck those idiots are supposed to be in his sig? I don't usually comment on sigs --- but man, his just sucks. Hard. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
