Washblog || The PDC and bloggers

The PDC and bloggers

By emmettoconnell
Mon Sep 03, 2007 at 11:32:26 AM PST
Section: Washington State Topic: Campaign Finance

The Seattle Times this morning follows up on earlier news that the Public Disclosure Commission is looking at writing some rules regarding "internet communications." Or, you now, bloggers. This last week I tried to watch most of the meeting of the PDC that covered the topic. I didn't get to the end, but most of what I think the PDC will come up with is reflected in Jane Nolands quote from the Times this morning: "Are we going to regulate what bloggers say? No," said Jane Noland, one of five commissioners. "We are not interested in regulating speech."

As far as I can tell, the PDC folks are probably only interested if a campaign is paying a blogger, and in that case, the onus will be on the campaign to simply report what they're paying, just like any other campaign expenditure. The situations that arose a few years ago when a judge down here required two talk radio show hosts to report their on-air activity as campaign contributions.

Anyway, watch the video, it seemed to be a pretty good meeting.

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The PDC and bloggers | 3 comments (3 topical)

Ruling

<< The situations that arose a few years ago when a judge down here required two talk radio show hosts to report their on-air activity as campaign contributions. >>

That ruling was overturned by the state Supreme Court, which said Carlson and Wilbur's on air campaigning for I-912 fell under the media exemption. Read the ruling. You can easily argue that if they qualify for the media exemption, so would a paid blogger.

Northwest Progressive Institute

by nwprogressive on Mon Sep 03, 2007 at 02:04:32 PM PST

* 1 none 0 *

I linked to the supreme court ruling by emmettoconnell, 09/03/2007 04:04:43 PM PST (none / 0)

New FEC ruling-dKos is media

and doesn't need to register as a political committee. See article here that also has a link to the actual ruling which was issued today.

by Cherisse on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 07:54:04 PM PST

* 3 none 0 *

The PDC and bloggers | 3 comments (3 topical)

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