Undead letter office

The following was meant as a comment to this AZ post featuring a highly questionable piece of political advertising. But it was too long for the comment form so I put it here. I'm pretty sure Dambala checks this space from time to time.


Dude. You don't think this is a pretty slimy ad? I mean put Richmond's well documented problems aside and just look at this.

In this spot we get one unidentified young white girl relating to us a poorly defined encounter with (someone we are meant to assume is) Richmond during which she "felt threatened" although it isn't made at all clear what "threatening" behavior was on display. We aren't told where they are. (The text says "a bar in Baton Rouge." The girl does not say anything about where they are which also seems strange.) Nor are we given any other information about the context of their conversation.

Then we are presented with the young lady's account of what might be interpreted as a fairly brash statement by the person we are left to assume is Richmond. Although we don't know. We don't even know who she is. We have no idea, in fact, just what sort of happening, if anything, is being described to us at all.

We are treated to several repetitions of that tag line, though. A completely unsubstantiated and unexplained line. Delivered by a mystery person. Who we know was "really bothered" by it.

On the plus side, she has a nice hat.

I watched that ad tonight during the news and immediately thought, "Who the fuck are these slimeballs?" Thanks to Open Secrets, we learn that they are a shadowy new post-Citizens United style PAC registered by New Orleans attorney and Juan LaFonta donor, Stuart H Smith.

Smith's tactics are similar to those of a group of wealthy Texas oilmen, whose fortunes have helped fuel the high-profile, conservative American Crossroads outfit, and Appalachian coal companies, who have similarly joined forces to call for the election and defeat of candidates of their choosing.

Like these energy firms, Smith is exploiting campaign finance law changes in the wake of federal court rulings earlier this year. The most notable of these are Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission. And Smith has expressed a desire to tap individuals and corporations for unlimited amounts to get his message out.

The Open Secrets article also names Baton Rouge attorney and frequent Republican donor Jimmy Burland as Assistant Treasurer of LA Truth PAC.

According to the reporting you've(Dambala) done here(on his blog), I am beginning to conclude that Cedric Richmond is probably a pretty shady dude. But equally distressing are underhanded campaign tactics like the ad you've (again Dambala) posted here (in the above-linked post). These LA Truth PAC guys seem like pretty bad dudes too. What else do we know about them?

Note: If you'd like to hear, ask questions of, or possibly throw fruit at, Dambala in person, now would be a good time to register for Rising Tide.

Update: Long form video provides some of the context not provided in the ad. Note that the physical tension appears to have been initiated by the girl's boyfriend. Overall it's a lame bar non-fight that these kids decided to make into something for whatever reason. Seeing the way the ad cuts even that information up makes it all the more reprehensible.