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Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper

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Left-handed discount?

September 18, 2007 1:31 PM

Today Rep. Tom Davis, R-Virginia, the ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, wrote to the chairman, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.,  to request that the committee hold a hearing  "on the New York Times' possible in-kind political contribution to MoveOn.org in the form of a discounted advertising rate ... The discount for political advertising could constitute an unlawful campaign contribution." 

The New York Times has denied giving MoveOn.org any discount for its full-page "General Betray Us" ad, which ran last week. Times spokeswoman Catherine Mathis refrained from discussing any specific client but generally explained that the cut-rate $65,000 rate that it seems MoveOn.org obtained is available to any client who agrees to have their ads run on a stand-by basis, meaning a specific day is not guaranteed. 

When asked if the Times gave the group a discount, MoveOn.org Political Action director Eli Pariser told ABC News, "they quoted us a price and we paid what they quoted us."

Asked if the group had a special relationship with the Times, Pariser said, "they are sales people. They want to make money. We are a frequent customer."

But there are skeptics out there -- now including Davis -- who suspect the lower rate was ideologically based.

Critics note that MoveOn.org's press team was notifying the media the Friday before the ad ran that it would appear in the Times on Monday, September 10, calling into question whether the ad's placement Monday was not guaranteed as would seemingly be the case if it were running "stand-by." Critics also note that the ad specifically referred to Petraeus's testimony "today" -- and Monday was the first of his two days of testimony.

And whether to change the subject from the actual war, to rally the base by attacking these two favorite conservative whipping boys, or to combat an actual perceived injustice, there has been a conservative pile-on in recent days.

*  The pro-surge "Freedom's Watch" group wrote a letter to the NYT ombudsman last week complaining about the incident. 

*  Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani demanded the same ad rate for his anti-MoveOn.org ad which, according to Advertising Age he received. 

*  The American Conservative Union filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission, charging the New York Times Co. and MoveOn.org with violating the "Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, and the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002."

Davis, it should be noted, is weighing a run to replace retiring Sen. John Warner, R-Virginia, and likely faces a primary challenge from a far more conservative candidate, perhaps former Gov. Jim Gilmore.

A moderate on many social issues, Davis is likely eager to shore up some conservative street cred.

-- jpt

September 18, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (5)

User Comments

Are Libs ignorant or just blind to the hypocrisy and lies from their lib leaders?

Fox news reports the truth, now they do have commentators who report their views, but they do not hide behind saying they are reporters. They say what they are.

MSNBC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and the NYT to just name a few report their Lib opinions as news, All the Lib propaganda fit to print.

Funny thing the Swift boat group spoke the truth, no one has proven them wrong, not even Kerry.

The Law is the Law, They NYT gave soft money to the Democratic/Lib party marketuing group moveon, because they are in bed together. Funny is that this law was created by the Libs.

Mark Foley has resigned from office, now what he should of done was change his party to Democrat and then he would of got to chair a committee.

Where is the investigation into Kennedy., Clinton, Jefferson, Reid, Murtha, Pelosi, and the rest of the Libs??

Chuck - by Guilani getting the same rate only proves that the NYT was playing games. They did it to cover themselves.

Posted by: spock | Sep 19, 2007 1:16:32 PM

Investigate the right to "free-speech", or just the possibility of a discount rate for "free speech"? Gawd, what will they investigate next, Larry Craig, Mark Foley, Swiftboats Inc., missing Whitehouse e-mails? Why don't we investigate Tom Davis and his investment into this subject....

Posted by: Independent | Sep 19, 2007 3:05:33 AM

Imagine, a Republican wanting to check up on something improper with advertising?? hey, what??? -- how about Murdock's companies and Fox Noise --- or cronism -- or Washington Times, etc., etc., etc., etc. Give us a break -- besides, although I am not a fan of Move On I did like the ad except I read it as Bush Betray U.S. ---- Petraeus isn't the first put in that position of serving his commander and not the people.

Posted by: Paulet | Sep 18, 2007 3:45:01 PM

And I thought witch hunts went out of fashion with Salem in the seventeenth century! Jake, your final sentence is the key to understanding all of this Republican behavior: it's nothing more than a diversionary tactic to curry favor. For those ideologically bankrupt and intellectually mendacious Republicans trying to increase their credibility with the (ultra)conservative members of their party, it's far easier to attack a "liberal" news gathering organization than it is to offer any solutions or any tangible course of action for the war in Iraq.

But I'd think such charges as Rep. Davis is bandying about would have the validity of a better government award named after Tom DeLay, since Mayor Giuliani received the same ad rate as MoveOn.org. Where's the unfair treatment there?

Posted by: chuck | Sep 18, 2007 2:25:59 PM

Imagine that, a republican wants to open hearings into this. After we wonder where they have been for the last 7 years, can somebody install a plug in this hypocrit?

Posted by: daddy | Sep 18, 2007 2:23:51 PM

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