Committee for Truth in Politics

The Committee for Truth in Politics is a right-wing 501(c)(4) political group that raises funds with anonymous donations and runs attack ads to influence political elections. Founded in 2008, the group is headed by attorney James Bopp, Jr., who steered the 2010 Citizens United case that overturned restrictions on corporate and union spending on political campaigns, as well as the 2007 FEC v Wisconsin Right to Life case that allowed 501(c) groups to run "issue-oriented" political ads (ostensibly attacking a candidate's position on an issue, but obviously telling viewers to vote against the candidate) without disclosing the identities of the individuals and corporations who fund their efforts.

Despite its name, the Committee is not truthful about its donors, and is hardly truthful in its ads. The group does not identify the sources of its funds, and has been repeatedly criticized for its "absurdly wrong" attack ads.

As of September 2010, the Committee has spent $7 million on attack ads to influence the 2010 midterm elections; of course, the source of the funds have not been disclosed. Approximately $1 million of that money has been spent opposing Wisconsin Democratic Senator Russ Feingold.

History and Leadership
The Committee was incorporated as a 501(c)(4) non-profit in North Carolina in September, 2008 by William W. Peaslee, also known as "Bill Peaslee." Peasley was formerly the chief of staff, legal counsel and political director for the North Carolina Republican Party (and has also registered the organization name "Committee for a Balanced Congress"). The Committee is incorporated as a manager-managed LLC, and because it is registered under the 501(c) section of the tax code, is not required to disclose its donors.

James Bopp, Jr.
The group is represented by James Bopp, Jr., who wants to "pretty much dismantle the entire regulatory regime that is called campaign finance law."

"Bopp may be the nation's most experienced lawyer in challenging campaign finance laws," according to NPR. In addition to guiding Citizens United through its lawsuit to overturn restrictions on corporate and union spending on political campaigns, and Wisconsin Right To Life through its case permitting anonymous donations to political groups organized under the 501(c) section of the IRS tax code, Bopp is involved in a variety of other cases to dismantle the "regulatory regime" (including those mentioned below).

Bopp is a veteran member of the Republican National Committee, and drafted the Republican National Committee's Purity Resolution "to deny party support to any candidate who fails to affirm at least 8 of 10 principles, including opposition to “government-run health care,” “amnesty” for illegal immigrants and “Obama’s socialist agenda.”"

Bopp has pushed Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele to embrace use of the word "socialists" in referring to Democratic legislators.

Ads opposing 2010 Financial Reform
In early February, 2010, the "Committee for Truth in Politics" started running television ads that frame proposed financial regulatory reform as, paradoxically, “one big bailout” for banks. The idea is to link public anger over the big banks bailouts started by the Bush administration to financial reform that would enact more consumer protections and help prevent banks from damaging the financial system in the future. The ads are running in Connecticut, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Montana, North Dakota and Colorado, Illinois, Arkansas, Virginia, and Wisconsin, and they build on an attack that House Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) made against the House’s version of reform, passed in December: she portrayed financial reform was a “permanent bailout bill” because it would create a closely-regulated fund that could be tapped for future bank emergencies. FactCheck.org The anti-financial reform ads utilize language proposed by discredited Republican pollster Frank Luntz in a memo he wrote to Republicans that suggested phrases they could use to get the public to oppose financial reform.

2008 Political ads
The Committee spent $1.2 million attacking Obama in the 2008 Presidential campaign. Most of that money went towards two TV ads, one falsely accusing Obama of supporting early release for sex offenders, and another criticizing his stance on abortion.

The former ad was called "absurdly wrong" by FactCheck.Org. In the 2008 ad, the Committee for Truth in Politics accused then- Presidential candidate Barack Obama of favoring early release for child molesters, based on Obama's accidental vote on such a bill while in the Illinois Senate. The transcript and Senate journal shows that Obama recanted his vote immediately, saying that he pushed the wrong button.

Current Legal Challenges to Campaign Finance Rules
Bopp and the Committee have several pending suits against the FEC challenging campaign finance rules "designed to keep big donors, corporations and undisclosed contributions from having undue electoral influence."

Koerber v. FEC, was filed in October 2008 to avoid having to disclose what the group spent on anti-Obama ads in 2008. The suit alleges the reporting and disclaimer requirement for electioneering communications as unconstitutional. It has been stayed in the Eastern District Court of North Carolina until the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals decides The Real Truth About Obama v. FEC, which contains similar issues. .

Lack of reporting records
The group has failed to file any paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (www.fec.gov) and it has sued the government on the grounds that it should not have to file any spending reports with the agency since such reports violate its first amendment rights to freedom of political speech. The group has also failed to file Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reports.

Sourcewatch resources

 * James Bopp, Jr.

External resources

 * Fact Check.org Feb. 3, 2010.

Contact
The group's registered principal and mailing address is:

The Committee for Truth in Politics 102-K Commonwealth Court Cary, North Carolina 27511

External Articles

 * Griff Palmer,"Decision Could Allow Anonymous Political Contributions by Businesses", New York Times,February 27, 2010.