CONGRESS: POLITICAL BLOGGERS MUST REGISTER OR FACE JAIL

January 17th, 2007

UPDATE: Legislation requiring bloggers to register as lobbyists, struck down… By Republicans?! Dems wanted it.

* * *

What is netwar? The diabolical fascists are about to find out. They are trying to clear a smoke filled room with broadswords. The harder they swing, the faster they will suffocate and die.

Every day is a good day for netwar.

Via: grassrootsfreedom.com:

Congress to Send Critics to Jail, Says Richard Viguerie
Congress Wants to Blame the Grassroots for Its Own Corruption

Manassas, VA. The following is a statement by Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of GrassrootsFreedom.com, regarding legislation currently being considered by Congress to regulate grassroots communications:

“In what sounds like a comedy sketch from Jon Stewart’s Daily Show, but isn’t, the U. S. Senate would impose criminal penalties, even jail time, on grassroots causes and citizens who criticize Congress.

“Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before the Senate, would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K Street lobbyists. Section 220 would amend existing lobbying reporting law by creating the most expansive intrusion on First Amendment rights ever. For the first time in history, critics of Congress will need to register and report with Congress itself.

“The bill would require reporting of ‘paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying,’ but defines ‘paid’ merely as communications to 500 or more members of the public, with no other qualifiers.

“On January 9, the Senate passed Amendment 7 to S. 1, to create criminal penalties, including up to one year in jail, if someone ‘knowingly and willingly fails to file or report.’

“That amendment was introduced by Senator David Vitter (R-LA). Senator Vitter, however, is now a co-sponsor of Amendment 20 by Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT) to remove Section 220 from the bill. Unless Amendment 20 succeeds, the Senate will have criminalized the exercise of First Amendment rights. We’d be living under totalitarianism, not democracy.

“I started GrassrootsFreedom.com to fight efforts to silence the grassroots. The website provides updates in the legislation and has a petition to sign opposing Section 220.

“Thousands of nonprofit leaders, bloggers, and other citizens have hammered the Senate with calls in opposition to Section 220, which seeks to silence the grassroots. The criminal provisions will scare citizens into silence.

“The legislation regulates small, legitimate nonprofits, bloggers, and individuals, but creates loopholes for corporations, unions, and large membership organizations that would be able to spend literally hundreds of millions of dollars, yet not report.

“Congress is trying to blame the grassroots, which are American citizens engaging in their First Amendment rights, for Washington’s internal corruption problems.”

20 Responses to “CONGRESS: POLITICAL BLOGGERS MUST REGISTER OR FACE JAIL”

  1. Mark says:

    If this ever happens, it’ll probably be a matter of mere weeks that all the big blog-hosting sites go offshore so the bloggers could attempt to be immune from prosecution.

    America – Land of the free! Yeah, right. I do need news like this from time to time to remind me why I don’t live there anymore, lol.

  2. William says:

    Well, that’s great news! Now I’ll be able to get more than a few words in edgewise in some political blogs because I live in a country that doesn’t have such absolutely stupid ideas coming out the mouths of elected officials, who are, if I’m not mistaken, supposed to be public servants.
    Now the oft-mentioned phrase “only in America” has an entirely different connotation. I can see future headlines: “Peace Activists Jailed… for meeting in groups larger than the law allows…sent to re-education camp in Nevada…”.
    Maybe it’s lucky you dopey Americans finally shafted the Republicans (only after re-electing the dopiest American president of all time), now your grass-roots people have some representatives who might listen to your complaints; starting with a big “NO WAY, JOSE” to this contemptible bit of trash legislation.

  3. mtlouie says:

    The internet is the new Renaissance. Just as the church,eventually, became irrelevent because of the printing press, the government is going to have the same problem with bloggers.

    I get pretty tired of having to call my congressman and Senators every damn day…..

  4. cryingfreeman says:

    When I see this I wonder what will it take to waken the Americans to the Orwellian nightmare unfolding before the world’s eyes. (PS – Not that the UK is any better). Why weren’t there mass protest rallies when the “Free Speech Zones” were first mooted? Seriously, what will it take?

  5. Mike says:

    How dumb is the public to allow this? Kevin’s right, Idiocracy rightly recognizes the American Culture for what it is becoming, or maybe already is, idiotic.

  6. Thanks for the heads up, posted on my blog. Pardon me while I go puke. This country just gets worse every day.

  7. montysano says:

    I thought for some time now that the beautiful free-for-all that is the Internet is, really, the canary in the coalmine of our era. When the powers that be begin to crack down on that freedom, that will be the warning signal that it’s truly time to close up shop and, as Kevin has done, head for the hills.

    The PTB have been testing the waters lately, flouting the Constitution and breaking the law. So far, the sheeple haven’t complained, and unless Congress issues a serious smackdown (which may happed), they’ll feel empowered to push even further.

  8. Wonkette says:

    Democratic Leadership To Register Bloggers, Issue Blue Hats…

    It would take a dozen lawyers to figure out what this really means, but new “ethics legislation” in the House and Senate has some people scared that the Reid & Pelosi Reich is going to force political bloggers to register……

  9. Sam says:

    Here’s the link to get the actual text of the bill. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s1pcs.txt.pdf

    If you actually read the thing, his interpretation is incorrect. This section of the law is to deal with the astroturf lobbying that has become common lately. PR firms pay to start groups that look like grass roots organizations, but are just shills for the PR firm.

    That’s probably why the Republican who sponsored it in the first place is trying to remove it. It would make one of their sleaziest tactics illegal.

  10. jason says:

    so …these ‘OBAMA’ t-shirts will be ‘influencing’?
    http://www.moeschwag.com/mywiwetenpot.html

  11. The Admiral says:

    Did you guys mis this paragraph in Section 220?

    `(19) GRASSROOTS LOBBYING FIRM- The term `grassroots lobbying firm’ means a person or entity that–

    `(A) is retained by 1 or more clients to engage in paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying on behalf of such clients; and

    `(B) receives income of, or spends or agrees to spend, an aggregate of $25,000 or more for such efforts in any quarterly period.’.

    Seems to limit things to commercial entities for hire, not personal blogs that advertise to pay the bills. Is there a lawyer here who can confirm or debunk my interperetation?

  12. […] Bloggers, you knew it couldn’t last: “Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before the Senate, would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K Street lobbyists.” [Cryptogon, PRN] […]

  13. phoenix says:

    Admiral’s right on this one; this is where it pays to use those literacy and critical thinking skills our schools are failing to provide us with.

    And of note is page 31, at Lines 7, 12 and 20

    1) in paragraph (7), by adding at the end of the following: ‘‘Lobbying activities include paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying, but do not include grassroots lobbying.’’;

    ‘‘(17) GRASSROOTS LOBBYING.—The term ‘grassroots lobbying’ means the voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to Federal officials or to encourage other members of the general public to do the same.

    ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying’ means any paid attempt in support of lobbying contacts on behalf of a client to influence the general public or segments thereof to contact one or more covered legislative or executive branch officials

    OH NO, it’s a grand conspiracy to stop PR corporations from pretending to be Grass Roots!!!

    Always remember, in any bill the DEFINITIONS sections are the most important. You may THINK you know the words they are using, but you don’t. They get to make up their own magical connotations. Hooray government!

  14. What? says:

    I don’t understand. Isn’t lobbying about trying to influence congressmen, not the public? If an interest group wants clout in Washington, they PAY a person or agency to spend time and money in Washington until they get a particular bill passed (or killed) which is particular to their narrow interest or business entity.

    How on earth is it that a person, blogger, or whatever, who encourages millions of people to vote, to support a variety of issues and candidates,… a lobbyist?

    How is anyone in any fashion who participates in the democratic process by directly influencing the public,…lobbying? Is standing on your soapbox and talking about the candidates and issues of the day lobbying? That’s just normal exercise of free speech and voting rights.

    I’m confused.

  15. tsoldrin says:

    “paid efforts” – paid by who? Most blogs of any decent size have advertizing on them in one form or another, so they are paid. Too ambiguous. I’d likely shoot anyone who tried to enforce this sort of horshit on me. Anyway, it’s likely to not matter as we’re all be talking on a shadow net in the near future, escaping other and much more draconian measures and enjoying semi-anonymity.

  16. Charlie says:

    From Gun Owners of America:

    Late last night the Senate voted 55 to 43 to strip the grassroots regulations out of S.1.

    GOA has heard reports that there was an outpouring of calls against this anti-speech language on Capitol Hill, and that it made a huge difference.

    In addition to the massive wave of grassroots opposition, GOA was also working in concert with key Hill players (many of them trained by GOA) to hammer out a legislative strategy that would
    either result in the death of the entire bill or, at a minimum, kill the dangerous Section 220.

    The good news came late on Thursday night when the Bennett amendment — which deleted this unconstitutional “grassroots lobbying” reporting language contained in S. 1 — was adopted by the
    narrow margin mentioned above.

    The 43 Senators who voted to take us down the road of more government regulation and more restrictions on the right of free speech — a
    road that would eventually make it harder for all of us to petition our government servants — are listed below:

    Akaka (D-HI)
    Biden (D-DE)
    Bingaman (D-NM)
    Boxer (D-CA)
    Brown (D-OH)
    Byrd (D-WV)
    Cantwell (D-WA)
    Cardin (D-MD)
    Carper (D-DE)
    Casey (D-PA)
    Clinton (D-NY)
    Dodd (D-CT)
    Durbin (D-IL)
    Feingold (D-WI)
    Feinstein (D-CA)
    Harkin (D-IA)
    Inouye (D-HI)
    Kennedy (D-MA)
    Kerry (D-MA)
    Klobuchar (D-MN)
    Kohl (D-WI)
    Lautenberg (D-NJ)
    Leahy (D-VT)
    Levin (D-MI)
    Lieberman (ID-CT)
    Lincoln (D-AR)
    McCaskill (D-MO)
    Menendez (D-NJ)
    Mikulski (D-MD)
    Murray (D-WA)
    Nelson (D-FL)
    Obama (D-IL)
    Pryor (D-AR)
    Reed (D-RI)
    Reid (D-NV)
    Rockefeller (D-WV)
    Sanders (I-VT)
    Schumer (D-NY)
    Stabenow (D-MI)
    Tester (D-MT)
    Webb (D-VA)
    Whitehouse (D-RI)
    Wyden (D-OR)

  17. Rbob says:

    I hope your joking, why is there not one Republican in the lot of them? Are these the guys we want in power?

  18. phoenix says:

    Don’t worry, the Republicans came to your rescue, along with a few Dems as well!

    The Republicans stepped in to make sure there lobbyists would continue to produce sham “grass roots” organizations with their large amounts of funding.

    Heaven forbid grassroots means only “voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to Federal officials or to encourage other members of the general public to do the same” as the deleted section stated. What about the wealthy clients who want to buy their own grassroots opinions to avoid the regulations of other groups?

    Another victory for those poor, massively wealthy underdogs!

    Hooray!

  19. Admiral is wrong. The $25,000 threshold applies to firms that are retained. Others who communicate would not have to meet that higher dollar amount. Admiral did not plug the bill’s definitions into the underlying law that is being amended. Read my proof at grasrootsfreedom.com.

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