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Old 03-27-2004, 09:08 AM  
arg
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,164
Quote:
Originally posted by Mutt
what the fuck? that site isn't a commercial site. Can't Howard Stern have a personal website where he can say whatever he wants like every other citizen of the United States? Because he also has a radio show he can't have an anti-Bush bumper sticker on his car?

i'm not really up on the election laws so maybe he doesn't have the right. can a private citizen buy ad space in a newspaper and write in support or against a candidate? if so then then Howard Stern.com is no different than that.

I thought if u weren't being paid by the parties that u could do whatever u wanted.

sounds bad to me.
Stern can have a personal website, the same as anybody. Legally, however, individuals as well as companies and other groups fall under campaign finance laws. A private citizen can buy ad space if it's under $100, or for more if it doesn't advocate election or defeat of a particular candidate. It doesn't matter whether you're being paid by the parties or not. That's part of what the campaign finance reform debate has been about - a loophole existed such that you couldn't give much to a candidate, but you could spend billions of dollars running your own ads for a candidate, or against their component. Not much has changed, but new loopholes had to be found to achieve the same thing.
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