Dick Morris Fundraises For Republican PAC On Same Day Reports Show His Conflict Of Interest
Dick Morris Fundraises For Republican PAC On Same Day Reports Show His Conflict Of Interest
Yesterday, Media Matters published a report showing that conservative pundit Dick Morris has “repeatedly used his columns and Fox News appearances to promote and raise money for the National Republican Trust PAC without disclosing that the organization has paid $24,000 to a company” connected to him. Since October, Morris has made 13 appearances on Fox News during which he “repeatedly promoted, praised, and fundraised for GOPTrust.com — all while appearing as a Fox News ‘political analyst.’”
Now, make that 14 times. On the same day that Media Matters published its report, Morris appeared on Hannity and Colmes and again pushed people to donate to the National Republican Trust PAC — GOPTrust.com — in order to help Saxby Chambliss win the U.S. Senate run-off race in Georgia:
MORRIS: I’ve been pushing very, very hard for a group called GOPtrust.com that is running $1 million worth of ads in Georgia to elect Chambliss and defeat the Democrat.
Now, in the last couple of days, some of the liberals have lashed back at me, claiming that somehow I’m getting paid by this group. But the fact is that all they’ve done is buy ads on my Web site, like they buy ads in the New York Times. And I’m no more in cahoots with them than the New York Times is. And this has all been fully disclosed in the disclosure statements.
But I won’t be intimidated by those groups. It is crucially important that every American who cares about the free enterprise system go online as soon as this show is over and Alan makes his announcement and get online to GOPtrust.com and give Chambliss he needs to win. Your whole future depends on it.
Watch it:
As Media Matters explains, “GOPTrust.com has paid a firm apparently affiliated with Morris at least $24,000 since the beginning of October, mostly for ‘Email Communication.’” The PAC has touted Morris in its fundraising solicitations and press releases. While the New York Times does receive revenue from ads, its reporters don’t regularly go on TV and tell people to give money to those companies.
Fox has little regard for these conflict-of-interest situations. After all, the network waited 118 days before noting that Karl Rove, who consistently bashed Barack Obama, was an informal adviser to John McCain.
Transcript:
HANNITY: And my question is, if Saxby Chambliss doesn’t win in Georgia, this gives them their magic number of 60.
MORRIS: Yes, the Republican Party is dead at that point. It has no role at all to play, because you won’t have 60 — you’ll have 60 votes in the Senate for the Democrats.
And I’ve been pushing very, very hard for a group called GOPtrust.com that is running $1 million worth of ads in Georgia to elect Chambliss and defeat the Democrat.
Now, in the last couple of days, some of the liberals have lashed back at me, claiming that somehow I’m getting paid by this group. But the fact is that all they’ve done is buy ads on my Web site, like they buy ads in the New York Times. And I’m no more in cahoots with them than the New York Times is. And this has all been fully disclosed in the disclosure statements.
But I won’t be intimidated by those groups. It is crucially important that every American who cares about the free enterprise system go online as soon as this show is over and Alan makes his announcement and get online to GOPtrust.com and give Chambliss he needs to win. Your whole future depends on it.
COLMES: But are you fund-raising for Chambliss by doing that?
MORRIS: Yes, darned right I am, and I gave to Chambliss too. When the whole future of the country is at stake on this, darn right I’m fundraising for them.
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MORRIS: Yes, darned right I am, and I gave to Chambliss too. When the whole future of the country is at stake on this, darn right I’m fundraising for them.
While you’re completely irrational about this, since January 20th is still a couple months away, now you know how we felt four years ago. Only, we’d already had 4 years of Bush and were legitimate in our discomfort. You’re just trying to fear-monger over what hasn’t even happened yet, but will likely be a huge improvement over the past eight years. Stop being so puerile.
November 25th, 2008 at 11:14 amMORRIS: I’ve been pushing very, very hard for a group called GOPtrust.com that is running $1 million worth of ads in Georgia to elect Chambliss and defeat the Democrat.
He’s wasting his money, anyway, the election will likely be rigged as it probably was 6 years ago. Max Clelland was loved by Republicans and Democrats alike. It seemed rather impossible that someone like Chambliss could have beaten him fairly.
November 25th, 2008 at 11:20 am
I wouldn’t piss on Dick Morris if he was on fire, but, “paid a firm apparently affiliated with Morris at least $24,000″ is a pretty lame accusation.
November 25th, 2008 at 11:24 amgive Chambliss (what) he needs to win. Your whole future depends on it.
Dick, may I call you Dick?
If my future depends on a white Georgian cracker who nefariously slipped into office with some ‘virtual support’ from a Neocon software firm then I have no future.
OTOH, Dick, your future is unraveling faster than Palin logic.
Maybe you should call a TOE TRUCK!
November 25th, 2008 at 11:33 amHANNITY: And my question is, if Saxby Chambliss doesn’t win in Georgia, this gives them their magic number of 60.
MORRIS: Yes, the Republican Party is dead at that point. It has no role at all to play, because you won’t have 60 — you’ll have 60 votes in the Senate for the Democrats.
Frankly, I think th Democrats sould work on Chuck Hagel to go Independent and caucus with them. Hasn’t Hagel already announcd that he’s retiring at the end of his current term?
And, after the way the Republicans treated John McCain, he could be another convert too.
Seems there is more than one way to get to 60 if Martin loses next Tuesday. (hint, hint)
November 25th, 2008 at 11:36 amDid Morris really say that “your whole future depends” on giving money to his PAC? Good grief. Will the right wing nuts NEVER learn? They’re still in overdrive hyperbole mode even after getting severly spanked 2 elections in a row!!
November 25th, 2008 at 11:48 amThe Magic 60 assumes Franken will also win (which despite Nate Silver’s scientific chicken-entrails, is a prediction not worth fretting about)and also depends on Lieberman, the reliable turncoat.
The fact is that Democrats inherently never muster the party political discipline that the Republicans do because mindless adherence to overarching authority in the service of dogma just isn’t in their psychological makeup.
Morris is of course painting the Georgia election as a last stand against an existential ‘enemy’ in typical GOP fashion, and as it happens trying to stay relevant—if Chambliss wins Morris will claim that his campaigning “saved” the GOP.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:02 pmAgain with the insane belief that having 60 votes from your party means that
1) everyone in your party WILL vote exactly the same, and
2) everyone in your party SHOULD vote exactly the same
This is putting the ‘party’ above all else. This is NOT a democratic process if that is how it works.
The days of Bush’s bid for the Fascist States of America are over. The people said “no”. Enough with the hivemind.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:04 pm5th Estate Says:
The Magic 60 assumes Franken will also win (which despite
The fact is that Democrats inherently never muster the party political discipline that the Republicans do because mindless adherence to overarching authority in the service of dogma just isn’t in their psychological makeup.
While I appreciate that strict party control of voting has been called “discipline”, I guaruntee that said euphamism was coined by a republican, and it offers a bright view of it — it paints a little smiley face on it. The fact is, though, that it IS discipline in an authoritarian sense: vote as we say or else.
I don’t like that euphamism in this regard: voting party line because it is party line is not discipline, it is sheepish and weak (afraid to make one’s own stand, or even unable to make a decision). I don’t think that we should refer to the hivemind approach to voting as being “disciplined.”
My $.02
November 25th, 2008 at 12:13 pmI’m just glad the sleazebag had to suck on a prostitute’s toes instead of doing his job with Clinton. If he weren’t such a pervert, he could still be working for Dems and that wouldn’t be good.
Besides, he’s just spinning another yarn here. Even if the Dems only have 58 seats, there are enough moderate Repubs afraid of losing their jobs to kill most attempts to block legislation. Are Olympia Snow or Susan Collins going to go to the wall with Repubs to block healthcare or ending the war? I don’t think so. Is Chuck Hagel going to block ending the war? Nope. Is Orin Hatch going to block stem cell funding? Nope.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:28 pmActually, there may be as many conservative Dems who will have problems with certain Obama legislation as moderate Repubs who will support with no problems. Either way, legislation WILL get through the Senate next year.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:32 pmMORRIS: Yes, the Republican Party is dead…
He should have stopped right there. If you cut the head off a chicken, it will run around for a while, making a mess. But it’s already dead.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:48 pmeven if morris had not excepted a single dime, there is still an inherent, and flagrant, conflict of interest. you cannot pose as an independent “political analyst” on television, while simultaneously campaigning for the republican.
only on fox news would this happen.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:54 pmYeah, I really wish the MSM would quit pretending like people don’t know the basics of how government works. The “magic 60″ myth is just one example.
Another is Kerry’s “flip-flop / voted for it before I voted against it” myth, whereby the viewer is supposed to not understand how the Senate frequently puts forth competing versions of bills for the same issue.
Then there’s Obama’s “voted present” myth; in the Illinois legislature a “present” vote can actually be an effective strategic tactic in getting legislation passed or stopped.
Then there’s everything you’ve ever heard about earmarks. In general, most Presidential campaign promises fall into this category as well – most of what they’re saying they’re for or against, I’m like “that’s not the President’s job.” Ferinstance, Obama putting forth a position on gay marriage. Unless federal legislation on the matter were to cross his desk, he’s got not a damn thing to do with it.
It’s positively disgusting that the MSM gives a pass on all of these people who have a stake in keeping voters misinformed; not just about issues, but about the basic functions of the positions of government that they’re seeking. It’s also similar to all of those who’s success requires that fewer people vote. If that’s what you need to win in a Democracy, then you’ve already lost.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:01 pmIf each one of us got $5 for everytime Morris was wrong, we would be set for life. He has 0 credibility–and most people see him for what he is–an angry, bitter, little man who is now a huckster. He thinks he is going to be the “move on ” of the repub party. If that happens, it will merely serve as a nice cash flow to Morris and his goofy wife–which would also be a criminal act.
This guy has never gotten over being dropped by Clinton, disgraced on the cover of Time and Newsweek, front page news for days, his wife is apeshit because she thought she was going to be appointed a Federal judge by Clinton–that is the source of his wrath. Both Morris and his wife, Eileen are scum.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:15 pmMORRIS: Yes, darned right I am, and I gave to Chambliss too. When the whole future of the country is at stake on this, darn right I’m fundraising for them.
Someone should tell Morris that the “country” is NOT the Republican party. But of course, it doesn’t matter. He’s just a shill for whoever pays him, and no one else other than Fox network would offer the guy a dime. Speaking of dimes, I’m tempted to go to his website and contribute one thin dime to Chambliss. Or maybe a penny. Can I do that using a credit card? Maybe if I use an Amex card, it will cost them more to process the “donation” than it’s worth to them.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:11 pmOnce again – neocon rule #52 – If caught with your hand in the cookie jar, change the definition of cookie jar.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:23 pmObviously, Dick Morris is a lying sack of crap.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:44 pm