The Corruption Belt: SPECIAL ELECTION STEAL ALERT: UNKNOWN Group Runs Ads Against Candidates Opposing Fount Holland (CAMP) Clients In The August 23rd Run-Off

Conservative Policy Network is yet another group in a long line of groups which is using money from who knows where (Dark Money) to influence Oklahoma elections.

As I've written about in previous blogs on Dark Money, campaign consultant Fount Holland was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit a felony for breaking Oklahoma campaign laws.  At the time, Mr. Holland was running Joy Hofmeister's campaign for State Superintendent against former SS Janet Baressi.  He was charged because it was found that he - and Mrs. Hofmeister - were working with an independent PAC to help get her elected.

FYI:  Any candidate running for office can accept donations of up to $2900 a person or $3800 per couple per each election cycle (a primary, a runoff, a general).  Think on this: that's over $11,000.00 a couple could give a candidate during an entire election campaign.  That's not an insignificant amount.   

Still and all, there are people who want to help candidates get elected by contributing more than what's legal through a campaign account.  They do this by creating an "unlimited" PAC.  The PAC raises money, but doesn't have to show where that money comes from (which is why it's called DARK money) and then spends what they raise to help elect a candidate.  THIS IS IMPORTANT:  It is illegal for a candidate - or their campaign manager - to work with anyone associated with an unlimited PAC using money to help the candidate get elected.  They are called Independent Expenditures because the group is working to elect the candidate INDPENDENTLY of the candidate's campaign.

Candidates have a campaign account that can be searched on the Oklahoma Ethics Commission website.  This transparency allows citizens to be able to see who is donating to that candidate.  

501c4's only have to record WHERE and HOW their money was spent, not where it comes from.  This keeps voters in the dark about who might be influencing candidates.  Often, Dark Money IE's are funded through an intricate web of non-profit 501c4's and PACs which make it very hard to determine anyone associated with a group spending money on behalf of a candidate.

This set of mailers was received today.  Look more closely at the address box:

Note that it says, "Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee".  This means it's an Independent Expenditure and it's NOT LEGAL for a candidate or their campaign manager to be associated with the group paying for the mailer - in this case, "Conservative Policy Network".

I wanted to know where this mailer came from, so I went to the Oklahoma Ethics website and searched for Conservative Policy Network.  I found the Ethics report at the top of the page.  Please note; it says it is an IE OPPOSING Brady Butler, Jarrin Jackson and Karmin Grider.

The address for the group is here:

Legitimate IE groups in Oklahoma are required to have an address to the business or group supporting the IE.  This is NOT a legal address for an Independent Expenditure in Oklahoma.  

I called the phone number associated with the group and it picks up immediately and says, "The person you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.  Please leave a message."  (This happens with EVERY organization without a legitimate address I've tried.)  

Additionally, I was not able to find an associated Federal PAC, nor an associated 501c4, nor any other information at all about this group created on the 22nd of July - not even a month ago.

Who is running against the candidates being opposed by this group?  Brady Butler is running against Darcy Jech, Ally Seifried is running against Jarrin Jackson and Colin Duel is running against Karmin Grider.  Every single one of these candidates is a CAMP (Fount Holland) client.  Odd coincidence?  Doubtful.

In a few days, I'll be releasing a diagram of how money is flowing from 501c4 organizations and specific PACs in Oklahoma during this election year.  You'll note at that time, that the filing agent listed on this Ethics Report is one often used by PACs/Groups associated with Fount Holland candidates or paying CAMP for work on campaigns.

DARK MONEY ADS LIKE THE ONE AGAINST KARMIN, CAN URGE VOTERS TO VOTE BASED ON LIES AND HALF-TRUTHS PAID FOR BY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO INFLUENCE ELECTIONS WITHOUT BEING KNOWN!  DON'T MAKE AN UNEDUCATED VOTE!!

Talk to candidates directly.  Most all have websites and even phone numbers where they can be reached.  Don't take the word of dark money mailers paid for by people who want to influence your vote.  Educate yourself before you mark your ballot, don't be misled!

Jenni White, Education Director