'Ron Paul Blimp' more than an ad campaign; a test of finance laws
Monsters and Critics | December 7, 2007
"If a whimsical publicity stunt goes as planned," The Politico writes, "a blimp hyping the long-shot Republican presidential campaign" of Rep. Ron Paul will launch next week.
The current plan to fly the blimp from North Carolina to New Hampshire, Politico says, is more than just a way for some of Paul's Libertarian Party fans to advertise their support for the candidate:
It will effectively test the limits of campaign finance rules by using an innovative funding structure that could become a new way to pour unregulated funds into politics.
If it gets off the ground, it could allow a media consultant to produce attack ads without ever disclosing how much was raised or spent as well as solicit millions from "sponsors" to air the ads in key states.
Politico explains that the organizers behind the blimp, who are not associated with the Paul campaign:
Have developed a detailed business plan carefully structured to avoid Byzantine campaign finance laws.
They shunned traditional mechanisms such as creating an independent non-profit group under section 527 of the IRS code like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth or a political action committee like EMILY's List.
They went an off track route, establishing a for-profit company: Liberty Political Advertising.
The name is a nod to Paul's ideology and the website boasts the "legal arrangement offers the best of both worlds: no limits and virtually no regulations."
At its core: Pure libertarian.
Liberty says it's "selling political advertisements that you can sponsor."
Interestingly, Politico adds, " the outside lawyer retained by blimp backers is former Federal Election Commission chairman Brad Smith, who is advising former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s rival bid for the GOP nomination.
The Ron Paul Blimp website is here
