We were talking about tea.
Ad in letter below shows up on Faux Nooz™
Glad to see that Bill Clinton is in Wisconsin.
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Bill Clinton hits a home run in Wisconsin. Will it be enough? — Bill Clinton, in his speech in Wisconsin just now, framed the recall election as a stark choice between unity and division, between cooperation and conflict, and between shared prosperity and right wing winner-take-all economics…
But there are some other old acquaintances who are in Wisconsin this week, flying under the radar, as they have for years now.
I pass along this letter forwarded, because it is another dot connected and continues reporting on a group I’ve been tracking through several mask changes and incarnations going back to 2005, when they were trying to quash anti-war coverage (or at least garnering the required “equal time” from the predictable and semi-comatose national press) by running several bus tours as “YOU DON’T SPEAK FOR ME, CINDY [Sheehan]!”
[See this archived site letter from Howard Kaloogian, who was a mover and shaker in the Gray Davis recall that installed Arnold Schwarznegger as California governor. And, of course, my 2005 piece “Swift Boat Moms in Winnebagos“ 30 Aug 05 (cited by SourceWatch)]
Here ’tis…
[Note: “Christopher” at rmrwest.com is of Russo Marsh and Rogers of Sacramento, California, the capitol of state in which, coincidentally, Michael Reagan lives. Sal Russo started his political career with Ronald Reagan’s campaign for governor of California in the mid-1960s. From their website [emphasis added]:
RM+R understands the commitment it takes to run for office. And whether our client is political or corporate, we always give 110%.
RM+R provides its clients (ranging from County Supervisor to President of the United States) a solid strategic plan combining direct mail, fundraising, research, broadcast advertising, audience targeting, etc.
At RM+R we know that each campaign is unique and we are serious about winning. There are no simplistic formulas; creativity is essential.With our strategy and skill at implementing the right tactics, RM+R is a proven organization with a solid track record of winning races.
Russo Marsh + Rogers, Inc.
8795 Folsom Blvd, Suite 103
Sacramento, CA 95826
I can’t find “christopher” but dlacombe can be found on the “Campaign to Defeat Barack Obama” “about us” page:
DONALD LA COMBE
Donald is a politically passionate Dad who has been willing to go toe to toe with the left in the streets everywhere from Berkeley, CA where Code Pink was trying to run the city to Crawford, TX where Cindy Sheehan was mesmerizing the media from her roadside camp. He’s worked on various political causes and looks forward to the biggest fight yet.
From RMR West of Sacramento and Sheehan Swiftboating, known for their Tea Party Express buses (see “The Astroturf on Lambeau Field”) here is how they’re handling the Scott Walker recall Tuesday… (and, by “you” in the subject line, one presumes he means probable donors, since this is a money-making political solicitation for RMR’s “subsidiary”)]:
===================================
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: “Christopher” <dlacombe@rmrwest.com>
Date: May 31, 2012 2:03 PM
Subject: You were on Fox News yesterday!!!
To: ****
Yesterday Fox News Channel featured one of our latest ads in our campaign to DEFEAT the RECALL, and I wanted to make sure you had the chance to watch the segment.They showed our new ad and interviewed Michael Reagan, please take a moment to watch the clip from Fox News, below:
Here is a review of our latest TV ads – you can click on each image to view the ads:
HEROES LIST: Below is the list of individuals who have contributed $200 or more to this $250,000 Money Bomb:
Again, we urgently need your help to reach our goal of $250,000 within the next 5 days for our campaign to DEFEAT the RECALL. HEROES LIST: We will also be posting a list of great patriots who are able to support this effort by making a contribution of $200 or more. To make a contribution of $200 or more – JUST CLICK HERE.
If you prefer, you can also mail in a contribution to our campaign headquarters here: Campaign To Defeat Obama P.O. Box 601684 Sacramento, CA 95860-1684Thanks so much everyone for your help and support. We’re going to win this fight, we’re going to DEFEAT the RECALL, and we’re going to stop Barack Obama from getting Wisconsin’s 10 Electoral Votes.
… … |
This message was intended for: ****
You were added to the system May 27, 2012. For more information
click here.
Update your preferences | Unsubscribe
=======================
And that is it, in its entirety, save for my removing of tracking identifiers and email addresses of our anonymous tipster.
Here’s the video they’ve cribbed from Faux Nooz™ (even though Faux supposedly frowns on reposting News Corp properties on YouTube) that’s on the donations page you’re continually shunted to:
And here’s the video:
Scott Walker on Faux Nooz – Faux and Fiends
Gee. A Sacramento California political consulting/media circus company running a completely opaque astroturf operation in a Wisconsin recall battle? A group noted for having completely commercialized the “Tea Party” brand asking for money to make commercials?
And what about “Paramount Communications” who’s handling the email subscriptions? From their website:
… As the email marketing industry grew, emphasis shifted from a “batch and blast” mentality toward increasing relevance through targeting and segmentation. The proprietary database we access through our relationship with Digital River (NASDAQ:DRIV) gives us a real competitive advantage by allowing virtually unlimited segmentation capabilities. As marketers learned more about the possibilities Paramount’s unique database configuration offered them straight out of the box, we began attracting large retail clients who were eager to tap into our strategic knowledge and put the Digital River tools to work in cutting edge ways….
Well, then. It’s so nice to know that Digital River (who are the fulfillers of many of my software purchases) is helping keep Scott Walker from being recalled.
Here’ s the “Tea Party Express” bus in Wisconsin during this recall season:
Here’s their WHOIS information (background noise filtered):
“Tea Party Express Roaring Into Wisconsin” June 1-6
Domain ID:D155903518-LROR
Domain Name:TEAPARTYEXPRESS.ORG
Created On:20-Apr-2009 06:39:22 UTC
Last Updated On:27-Feb-2010 19:17:57 UTC
Expiration Date:20-Apr-2011 06:39:22 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:GoDaddy.com, Inc. (R91-LROR)
Status:CLIENT DELETE PROHIBITED
Status:CLIENT RENEW PROHIBITED
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Status:CLIENT UPDATE PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:CR18396366
Registrant Name:Steve K
Registrant Organization:Our Country Deserves Better PAC
Registrant Street1:770 L Street
Registrant Street2:Suite 1020
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Sacramento
Registrant State/Province:California
Registrant Postal Code:95814
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.5302310712
click for the official press release
And here’s the CampaignToDefeatObama.com Whois Record:
Domain Name: CAMPAIGNTODEFEATOBAMA.COM
Created on: 05-Jan-11
Expires on: 05-Jan-13
Last Updated on: 06-Jan-12Administrative Contact: K, Steve [email protected]
770 L Street
Suite 1020
Sacramento, California 95814
United States
+1.5302310712
And, of course, Our Country Deserves Better:
Registrant: Our Country Deserves Better PAC
770 L Street
Suite 1020
Sacramento, California 95814United States
Registered through: GoDaddy.com, LLC (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: OURCOUNTRYDESERVESBETTER.COM
Created on: 21-Jul-08
Expires on: 21-Jul-12
Last Updated on: 22-Jul-11Administrative Contact: K, Steve [email protected]
Our Country Deserves Better PAC
770 L Street
Suite 1020
Sacramento, California 95814
United States
+1.5302310712
The third 2010 “Con the Rubes that this is grassroots” tour
And here is the original (pre-scrubbed) domain registration for Move America Forward:
Domain ID:D102814530-LROR
Domain Name:MOVEAMERICAFORWARD.ORG
Created On:18-Nov-2003 18:00:16 UTC
Last Updated On:18-Jan-2004 04:01:27 UTC
Expiration Date:18-Nov-2004 18:00:16 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:R1247-LROR
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Status:CLIENT UPDATE PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:tu8pc8CxYzcAY6KV
Registrant Name:Douglas Lorenz
Registrant Organization:Russo Marsh & Rogers
Registrant Street1:770 L Street, #950
Registrant City:Sacramento
Registrant State/Province:CA
Registrant Postal Code:95814
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.9164413734
Registrant FAX:+1.9164416057
Registrant Email:[email protected]
Admin ID:tu8pc8CxYzcAY6KV
Admin Name:Douglas Lorenz
Admin Organization:Russo Marsh & Rogers
Admin Street1:770 L Street, #950
Admin City:Sacramento
Admin State/Province:CA
Admin Postal Code: 95814
Admin Country:US
Admin Phone:+1.9164413734
Admin Email:[email protected]
Tech ID:tu8pc8CxYzcAY6KV
Tech Name:Douglas Lorenz
Tech Organization:Russo Marsh & Rogers
Tech Street1:770 L Street, #950
Tech City:Sacramento
Tech State/Province:CA
Tech Postal Code:95814
Tech Country:US
Tech Phone:+1.9164413734
Tech Email:[email protected]
NOTE: The FAX number 1.9164416057 is/was the FAX number for Russo Marsh + Rogers. When the RM+R connection was scrubbed, following this WHOIS (see here) 9164416192 is/was actually the phone number of a Sacramento bar, “The Downtown Purgatory.” (See Counterpunch, HERE)
And here we are. (Here’s CNN getting conned in 2010)
CNN’s own 2010 illustration. See “CNN completely sells out“
And of course, nobody cares about the subterfuge, the masked funders or the “politics for profit” aspects, because we’re all, you know, so sophisticated. No scandals here. Move along, move along.
Of course, we don’t know anything about their finances — especially this year — but this bus tour dog and pony show must be lucrative. Else, why continue it for seven years with several different paint jobs?
Not a witch for not an astroturf scam
So, who’s being punked?
How many lumps would you like with your tea?
Courage.
====================
A writer, published author, novelist, literary critic and political observer for a quarter of a quarter-century more than a quarter-century, Hart Williams has lived in the American West for his entire life. Having grown up in Wyoming, Kansas and New Mexico, a survivor of Texas and a veteran of Hollywood, Mr. Williams currently lives in Oregon, along with an astonishing amount of pollen. He has a lively blog His Vorpal Sword. This is cross-posted from his blog
A writer, published author, novelist, literary critic and political observer for a quarter of a quarter-century more than a quarter-century, Hart Williams has lived in the American West for his entire life. Having grown up in Wyoming, Kansas and New Mexico, a survivor of Texas and a veteran of Hollywood, Mr. Williams currently lives in Oregon, along with an astonishing amount of pollen. He has a lively blog, His Vorpal Sword (no spaces) dot com.