Correct the Record and HRC Coordination

SUPER PAC CORRECT THE RECORD ANNOUNCED IT WOULD COORDINATE WITH THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN.. Washington Post: Correct The Record Announced That It Would “Work In Coordination With The Clinton Campaign As A Stand-Alone Super PAC.” Hillary Clinton’s campaign plans to work in tight conjunction with an independent rapid-response group financed by unlimited donations, another novel form of political outsourcing that has emerged as a dominant practice in the 2016 presidential race. On Tuesday, Correct the Record, a pro-Clinton rapid-response operation, announced it was splitting off from its parent American Bridge and will work in coordination with the Clinton campaign as a stand-alone super PAC. The group’s move was first reported by the New York Times.” [Washington Post, 5/12/15] …AND WOULD NOT BE INVOLVED WITH INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES New York Times: “The New Version Of Correct The Record Will Be Able To Communicate With Federal Campaigns And Party Committees, As It Is Not Involved With Independent Expenditures.” [New York Times, 5/12/15] SEVERAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE EXPERTS SAID THIS SETUP WOULD “TEST THE LEGAL LIMITS” OF FEC RULES Washington Post: Correct The Record’s Decision To Coordinate With The Clinton Campaign “Befuddled Many Campaign Finance Experts...[And] Several Said The Relationship Between The Campaign And The Super PAC Would Test The Legal Limits.” “That befuddled many campaign finance experts, who noted that super PACs, by definition, are political committees that solely do independent expenditures, which cannot be coordinated with a candidate or political party. Several said the relationship between the campaign and the super PAC would test the legal limits.” [Washington Post, 5/12/15] CORRECT THE RECORD PLANNED TO AVOID THE BAN ON SUPER PACS COORDINATING WITH CAMPAIGNS BY RELYING ON AN EXCEPTION COVERING INTERNET CONTENT… Washington Post: “Correct The Record Believes It Can Avoid The Coordination Ban By Relying On A 2006 Federal Election Commission Regulation That Declared That Content Posted Online For Free, Such As Blogs, Is Off Limits From Regulation.” “But Correct the Record believes it can avoid the coordination ban by relying on a 2006 Federal Election Commission regulation that declared that content posted online for free, such as blogs, is off limits from regulation. The ‘Internet exemption’ said that such free postings do not constitute campaign expenditures, allowing independent groups to consult with candidates about the content they post on their sites. By adopting the measure, the FEC limited its online jurisdiction to regulating paid political ads.” [Washington Post, 5/12/15] …AN EXCEPTION WHICH A FORMER FEC CHAIRMAN AND REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY AFFIRMED AS BROAD Former Federal Election Commission Chairman Toner: FEC Rules “Totally Exempt Individuals Who Engage In Political Activity On The Internet From The Restrictions Of The Campaign Finance Laws… Protect[ing] Internet Activities By Individuals In All Forms, Including E-Mailing, Linking, Blogging, Or Hosting A Web Site.” “The rules ‘totally exempt individuals who engage in political activity on the Internet from the restrictions of the campaign finance laws. The exemption for individual Internet activity in the final rules is categorical and unqualified,’ then-FEC Chairman Michael E. Toner said at the time, according to a 2006 Washington Post story. The regulation ‘protects Internet activities by individuals in all forms, including e-mailing, linking, blogging, or hosting a Web site,’ said Toner, now a prominent Republican campaign finance attorney.” [Washington Post, 5/12/15] CORRECT THE RECORD SAID THE INTERNET EXCEPTION “HAS BEEN RELIED UPON COUNTLESS TIMES BY ORGANIZATIONS RAISING NON FEDERAL MONEY” AND THAT CTR WOULD MAKE ITS CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES PUBLIC