Question- I own a small direct mail company..

[Nikoa]

I own a small direct mail company that mails about 180,000 per year and I want to donate RP ads, do I need to get them approved? I am having my graphics team duplicate some of the current bumper stickers and other ads Ive seen.

~Chad

[all4one]

Let's get Chad a little legal help on this folks!

I'm not a lawyer.

But if I understand the ways of the campaign laws and such - It appears your proposed efforts would fall in the category of an independent expense. According to the FEC, I believe that if your Ron Paul materials are marked in such a way as to inform the recipient that it is not affiliated with the Ron Paul campaign efforts nor asks them to donate money to the official campaign - you may be good to go!

I know there are some brilliant people who read these forums and can clarify this for you. Here's an excerpt from the FEC's website regarding public funding (http://www.fec.gov/pages/brochures/pubfund.shtml).



Independent Expenditures

In both the primary and general elections, you may make your own "independent expenditures" to support or oppose a Presidential candidate, whether or not the candidate receives public funds. An independent expenditure is an expenditure for a communication that expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate. An independent expenditure is not considered a contribution and therefore does not count against contribution limits as long as the expenditure is completely independent of the candidate's campaign. This means you may not make the expenditure at the request or suggestion of the candidate or his/her aides or with their consent. Nor may you consult or cooperate in any way with the candidate or campaign aides. Additionally, you may not use any material prepared by the candidate or campaign in the communication.

Within these restrictions, you may, for example, place an ad on a billboard or in a newspaper urging the public to vote for your candidate. However, you must place a notice on the communication stating that you have paid for it and that it has not been authorized by any candidate (e.g., "Paid for by John Doe and not authorized by any candidate").

You must file a report with the Commission when the total amount of your independent expenditures aggregates over $250 during the calendar year. For more information, consult the Commission's Independent Expenditures brochure.

[John P Slevin]

You can do personal expenditures by forming an Independent Expenditure Committee. Go to http://www.fec.gov and read about the different forms of committees.

To start, your committee would be a non-connected committee.

What you need to start is listed under publications: http://www.fec.gov/pdf/nongui.pdf this report has a couple small sections explaining the differences between an Independent Expenditure Committee and the limitations for such a committee.

You also could receive contributions from others subject to tighter limits than what you spend.

You also might want to go to http://www.irs.gov and read about 527 organizations.

The key to keep in mind with either a 527 or an Independent Expenditure Committee, is that you cannot be acting in concert with the campaign.

[The Idea Man]

Practice some civil disobedience, screw the FEC, and reclaim your right to free political speech unhampered by the Federal government.

Ignore unconstitutional laws.

[WilliamC]

Practice some civil disobedience, screw the FEC, and reclaim your right to free political speech unhampered by the Federal government.

Ignore unconstitutional laws.

By all means please take the lead doing this :)

[liberteebell]

Bump for a great idea!

[The Idea Man]

By all means please take the lead doing this :)

I drafted a letter to persuade people to vote for Dr. Paul, which I distributed to all the Republicans in my precinct. I included issue-related slim jims with the letter, and I didn't put the FEC disclaimer.

Illegal, apparently. Come get me.

[WilliamC]

I drafted a letter to persuade people to vote for Dr. Paul, which I distributed to all the Republicans in my precinct. I included issue-related slim jims with the letter, and I didn't put the FEC disclaimer.

Illegal, apparently. Come get me.

This is how the rEVOLution grows...

Thank you!

[lucius]

I own a small direct mail company that mails about 180,000 per year and I want to donate RP ads, do I need to get them approved? I am having my graphics team duplicate some of the current bumper stickers and other ads Ive seen.

~Chad

I called HQ before I ran a radio ad and they told me to include 'Paid for by friends of Ron Paul'. I also included this on any print media as well.

My 2 cents...

[Cleaner44]

You are a free person and don't need permission from anyone to do the right thing.