| directfiesta |
06-24-2004 02:53 PM |
Group Asks Panel to Ban 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Ads
Quote:
Group Asks Panel to Ban 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Ads
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A conservative advocacy group asked a government agency on Thursday to bar ads for Michael Moore's controversial documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" on the grounds that they are "electioneering communications" restricted by federal campaign laws.
Citizens United said it filed a formal complaint to the Federal Election Commission against the planned advertising campaign by the distributors of the film, which is critical of President Bush's prosecution of the war in Iraq.
The group, which had participated in an unsuccessful court challenge against the campaign finance reform law enacted to reduce the [b]influence of money in politics[/b[, said the act's restrictions against corporations engaging in political advertising close to an election should apply to Moore's film.
"Moore produced the work for use as a political weapon against President Bush in the November 2004 presidential election," the group said in its complaint.
Moore, who appeared at a news conference with members of the Congressional Black Caucus following the film's debut in Washington, said he "absolutely" will fight the complaint.
"For them to try and remove my ads from television because I want people to come see my movie -- it is a blatant attempt on the part of a right wing, Republican-sponsored group to stop people from seeing my movie," Moore said.
Moore said he was not a member of the Democratic party and has not publicly endorsed presumed Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry.
Federal election law prohibit companies and unions from advertising for or against political candidates 60 days before an election and 30 days before a political convention. The Democratic convention is set for late July and the Republican convention begins in late August.
Citizens United also said the ads would violate rules against foreigners engaging in U.S. election related ads. One of the film's distributors, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., is Canadian-based.
FEC spokesman George Smaragdis declined to comment on the complaint filed by Citizens United.
In an unrelated but similar case involving an Arizona nonprofit corporation, the FEC on Thursday issued an opinion saying its ads for a documentary on the bill of rights would fall under the election law restrictions against advertising.
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http://wwwi.reuters.com/images/w148/amdf604615.jpg
Amazing how the conservative give free publicity to Moore....
Wonder if he pays them???
:1orglaugh |
