They’re wrong.

They keep sending these mail pieces to a Union household.

By the way, who’s paying for this crap?

Right wingnut millionaires or billionares don’t fund propaganda mail pieces to your household telling you…

…which church you should join or support.

…which charity you should join or support.

…which YMCA (seriously, WTF?) you should join or support.

If they were truly concerned about the welfare of working people and their families in Missouri you’d think they would, right?

Nah, they just believe that peeple in misooree our stoopit.

Previously:

Astroturf propaganda (August 1, 2017)

Since when is an astroturf right wingnut organization truly concerned about the economic welfare of working people? (August 30, 2017)

Astroturf. You know, fake grassroots.

They sent this to a union household:

“Union bosses” are elected by their members. Are billionaires? Just asking. Yeah, right, billionaires and multi-millionaires are going to choose to pay working people higher wages.

Previously:

Astroturf propaganda (August 3, 2017)

Since when is an astroturf right wingnut organization truly concerned about the economic welfare of working people? (August 30, 2017)

Just asking.

So, who funded this? Who wrote the check(s) to Americans for Prosperity Foundation – Missouri?

Their concept of diversity appears to begin and end with hardhat colors.

Who benefits from “right to get paid less”? It ain’t working people.

Their mail vendor managed to send this piece to a dues paying union household. They apparently have plenty of money to waste on propaganda.

Previously:

Astroturf propaganda (August 3, 2017)

In today’s mail, from the right wingnut Americans for Prosperity Foundation:

Yeah, right, working folks are going to “celebrate” their right to get paid less.

The really do think peeple in misooree our stoopit.

Previously:

Americans for Prosperity: peeple in misooree our stoopit (September 12, 2016)

Senator Claire McCaskill’s (D) Missouri constituents are getting mail from a right wingnut committee:

“Paid for by Right Way Initiative, P.O. Box 27, Alexndria, VA 22313”

It’s the usual right wingnut drivel in support of Donald Trump (r).

Right Way Initiative?

At the Federal Election Commission [pdf]:

CURRENT COMMITTEE INFORMATION
C90015801
Name: RIGHT WAY INITIATIVE INC.
Address: PO BOX 27, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22313
Treasurer Name:
Type: I – INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE – PERSON OR GROUP NOT A COMMITTEE
Designation: U – UNAUTHORIZED
Party:

It’s the same address as the mailing.

They sent a letter in response to a request for additional information from the Federal Election Commission on August of 2016:

August 2, 2016

Jessica Grainger
Campaign Finance Analyst
Reports Analysis Division
Federal Election Commission
999 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20463

Identification Number: C90015801

Reference: APRIL QUARTERLY REPORT (01/01/2016 – 03/31/2016), FILED 4/15/2016

Dear Ms. Grainger:

This response pertains to the Reports Analysis Division’s (“RAD”) Request for Additional Information (“RFAI”) dated June 28, 2016, concerning Right Way Initiative, Inc.’s April quarterly report filed on April 15, 2016.

The RFAI asserts that itemization is required for “each contributor who made a donation in excess of $200 used to fund the independent expenditure(s).” The cited regulation, however, requires the reporting of “[t]he identification of each person who made a contribution in excess of $200 to the person filing such report, which contribution was made for the purpose of furthering the reported independent expenditure.” 11 CFR section 109.10(e)(1)(vi). No contributions or donations accepted by Right Way Initiative, Inc. were solicited or received for the purpose of furthering the reported independent expenditures. Accordingly, no contributions or donations were required to be reported under the regulations cited in the RFAI.

With respect to 11 CFR section 114.10(f), that regulation applies only to “qualified nonprofit corporations.” Right Way Initiative, Inc. is not a “qualified nonprofit corporation.” Thus, the regulation is, by its own terms, inapplicable to Right Way Initiative, Inc.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions concerning this matter.

Sincerely,

Daniel Flynn
President

“….No contributions or donations accepted by Right Way Initiative, Inc. were solicited or received for the purpose of furthering the reported independent expenditures. Accordingly, no contributions or donations were required to be reported under the regulations cited….”

Alrighty then. We’re not going to find out who contributed money.

Right Way Initiative spent a chunk of change in support of or against some republican politicians in Ohio, including opposing the one who eventually won the special election for John Boehner’s vacated seat in Congress.

From the Federal Election Commission – reported on April 15, 2016:

SCHEDULE 5-E
ITEMIZED INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
FILING FEC-1063185

Committee: RIGHT WAY INITIATIVE INC.
To Address Expenditure Description Date of Public Distribution/Dissemination Support/Opposed Amount Extended Calendar YTD Per Election for Office Sought
ADVANTAGE INC 2300 CLARENDON BLVD SUITE 303 ARLINGTON, Virginia 22201 PHONE CALLS 03/11/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 6926.00 640363.50
ADVANTAGE INC 2300 CLARENDON BLVD SUITE 303 ARLINGTON, Virginia 22201 PHONE CALLS 03/12/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 9561.36 649924.86
ADVANTAGE INC 2300 CLARENDON BLVD SUITE 303 ARLINGTON, Virginia 22201 PHONE CALLS 03/12/2016 In OPPOSITION to WARREN DAVIDSON 6374.24 656299.10
ADVANTAGE INC 2300 CLARENDON BLVD SUITE 303 ARLINGTON, Virginia 22201 PHONE CALLS 03/13/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 9658.56 665957.66
ADVANTAGE INC 2300 CLARENDON BLVD SUITE 303 ARLINGTON, Virginia 22201 PHONE CALLS 03/13/2016 In OPPOSITION to WARREN DAVIDSON 6439.04 672396.70
ADVANTAGE INC 2300 CLARENDON BLVD SUITE 303 ARLINGTON, Virginia 22201 PHONE CALLS 03/15/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 21594.40 703491.10
AXIOM STRATEGIES 1251 NW BRIARCLIFF PARKWAY SUITE 85 KANSAS CITY, Missouri 64116 PRINTING / POSTAGE 02/26/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 17544.00 245910.00
AXIOM STRATEGIES 1251 NW BRIARCLIFF PARKWAY SUITE 85 KANSAS CITY, Missouri 64116 PRINTING / POSTAGE
02/29/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 17544.00 263454.00
AXIOM STRATEGIES 1251 NW BRIARCLIFF PARKWAY SUITE 85 KANSAS CITY, Missouri 64116 MECIA PRODUCTION / MEDIA PLACEMENT 02/29/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 14375.00 277829.00
AXIOM STRATEGIES 1251 NW BRIARCLIFF PARKWAY SUITE 85 KANSAS CITY, Missouri 64116 PRINTING / POSTAGE 03/02/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 17544.00 295373.00
AXIOM STRATEGIES 1251 NW BRIARCLIFF PARKWAY SUITE 85 KANSAS CITY, Missouri 64116 PRINTING / POSTAGE 03/04/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 17544.00 312917.00
AXIOM STRATEGIES 1251 NW BRIARCLIFF PARKWAY SUITE 85 KANSAS CITY, Missouri 64116 MEDIA PLACEMENT 03/06/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 10937.50 323854.50
AXIOM STRATEGIES 1251 NW BRIARCLIFF PARKWAY SUITE 85 KANSAS CITY, Missouri 64116 PRINTING / POSTAGE 03/08/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 38689.00 362543.50
AXIOM STRATEGIES 1251 NW BRIARCLIFF PARKWAY SUITE 85 KANSAS CITY, Missouri 64116 PRINTING / POSTAGE 03/09/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 50010.00 412553.50
AXIOM STRATEGIES 1251 NW BRIARCLIFF PARKWAY SUITE 85 KANSAS CITY, Missouri 64116 MEDIA PLACEMENT 03/13/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 9500.00 681896.70
DEL CIELO MEDIA LLC 1427 LESLIE AVENUE SUITE 102 ALEXANDRIA, Virginia 22301 MEDIA PLACEMENT 02/24/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 215866.00 215866.00
DEL CIELO MEDIA LLC 1427 LESLIE AVENUE SUITE 102 ALEXANDRIA, Virginia 22301 MEDIA PLACEMENT 03/11/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 220339.00 632892.50
FOUR CARD LLC 3788 RICHMOND AVENUE #1274 HOUSTON, Texas 77046 MEDIA PRODUCTION 02/24/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 12500.00 228366.00
FOUR CARD LLC 3788 RICHMOND AVENUE #1274 HOUSTON, Texas 77046 MEDIA PRODUCTION 03/11/2016 In SUPPORT of TIMOTHY DERICKSON 545.00 633437.50
Total of Itemized Independent Expenditures = 703491.12

[emphasis added]

Axiom Strategies. Heh.

$703,491.12. That’s a lot of money in support of the guy who lost the republican primary. And we have no idea where the money came from.

We’ll need to wait until January 15th to see what they spent in mail against Claire.

Astroturfing – A professional political campaign disguised as a ‘grassroots’ uprising (astroturf is artificial grass). Also used to claim that a political opponent’s supporters are motivated not by honest philosophical disagreement but by coarse opportunism. [….]

Brace yourselves. The right wingnut surrogate attack mail piece deluge has started. A piece attacking Jason Kander (D) (and President Barack Obama) paid for by the astroturf group Americans for Prosperity arrived in yesterday’s mail:

The “B” side of an Americans for Prosperity funded mail piece attacking Jason Kander (D).

Apparently they believe President Obama is less popular than George W. Bush (r) at the same point in his presidency.

The “A” side of an Americans for Prosperity funded mail piece attacking Jason Kander (D).

Because in the entire era before Obamacare our health insurance premiums never went up. They must really believe almost everyone is stupid. They may be right.

The “paid for” disclaimer is for Americans for Prosperity. The return address is for Americans for Prosperity – Missouri. A lobbying principal’s search at the Missouri Ethics Commission yields:

Principal
AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY – MISSOURI 1301 VANDIVER DR STE Q COLUMBIA, MO 65202 [….]
Lobbyist
Jeremy Cady PO Box 1634 Jefferson City, MO 65102 [….]

Same address as the return address on the mailing.

Right, a real grassroots organization needs a professional lobbyist? How quaint.

And, from the Federal Election Commission:

SCHEDULE 5-E
ITEMIZED INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
FILING FEC-1097771 [pdf]

Committee: AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY
To Address Expenditure Description Date of Public Distribution/Dissemination Support/Opposed Amount Extended Calendar YTD Per Election for Office Sought

Staff Salaries 08/31/2016 In OPPOSITION to JASON KANDER [$]2432.30 2432.30 AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY 1310 N Courthouse Rd Ste 700 ARLINGTON, Virginia 22201

Canvassing Expenses 08/31/2016 In OPPOSITION to JASON KANDER [$]326.00 2758.30 The Singularis Group P.O. Box 9265 Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66201

Mailer (Kander Obamacare) 09/02/2016 In OPPOSITION to JASON KANDER [$]29[,]828.10 32586.40 United States Postal Service 475 L’Enfant Plaza Sw Washington, DC 20260

Postage for Mailer (Kander Obamacare) 09/02/2016 In OPPOSITION to JASON KANDER [$]86[,]033.57 118619.97

Total of Itemized Independent Expenditures = [$]118[,]619.97

[emphasis added]

That’s a total of $118,619.97.

Where did they get the money?:

Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Prosperity is a right-wing political advocacy group founded by billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch, the owners of Koch Industries.[1]

AFP serves as the Kochs’ “grassroots” operation, also known as astroturf. AFP spends millions on TV ads in election cycles. In the 2012 election cycle, it was a key component of the Kochs’ $400 million political network, receiving large portions of its money from Koch-linked dark money groups like Freedom Partners, American Encore, and Donors Trust. AFP’s budget, which comes from the Koch family foundations and other unknown sources, surged from $7 million in 2007 to $40 million in 2010 to $115 million in 2012. [2] According to the Center for Public Integrity, Americans for Prosperity “spent a staggering $122 million (in 2012) as it unsuccessfully attempted to defeat President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats,” including $83 million on “communications, ads, and media.”[3]

AFP’s messages are in sync with those of other groups funded by the Kochs and the Kochs’ other special interest groups that work against progressive or Democratic initiatives and protections for workers and the environment. Accordingly, AFP opposes labor unions, health care reform, stimulus spending, and any effort to combat climate change including President Obama’s 2015 Clean Power Plan….

A right wingnut funded and operated Washington, D.C. “astroturf” entity has already spent $118,619.97 to dump an attack mail piece to prop up Roy Blunt (r) in Missouri. The symmetry would be ironic, if irony wasn’t already dead.

Dean Dohrman (r) and his friends still think your stoopit. Yesterday the following campaign mail piece on behalf of Dean Dohrman (r) arrived in mailboxes in the 51st Legislative District:

The Missouri Club for Growth PAC is still sending out campaign mail ten days after the election – November 14, 2014.

Big government special interests? What the hell is that? All noise and no substance. You can get away with that when you have an unlimited amount of money.

Previously:

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit (October 10, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit – part 2 (October 16, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit – part 3 (October 18, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit (so do his friends) – part 4 (October 24, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r): the inconvenient truth of those votes for SB 509 (November 1, 2014)

We got a lot of mail today in the 51st Legislative District (November 1, 2014)

The last piece of mail (November 3, 2014)

It arrived at our household in today’s mail:

A Missouri AFL-CIO mailing on behalf of Gary Grigsby (D).

Two years ago there was no significant mail in support of Gary Grigsby (D) in the open seat race in the 51st Legislative District with Dean Dohrman (r).

Those veto override votes in the interim brought that into perspective, don’t you think?

Previously:

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit (October 10, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit – part 2 (October 16, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit – part 3 (October 18, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit (so do his friends) – part 4 (October 24, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r): the inconvenient truth of those votes for SB 509 (November 1, 2014)

We got a lot of mail today in the 51st Legislative District (November 1, 2014)

This was probably the last batch of campaign mail before Tuesday in the rematch between Gary Grigsby (D) and Dean Dohrman (r) in the 51st Legislative District.

Six pieces.

That’s a lot of clutter. Is anyone reading this stuff?

The right wingnut Club for Growth Missouri mailing with its “Keep us on the path to prosperity” tag line is particularly lame. Uh, we thought the evil Jay Nixon was preventing us from achieving the same level of prosperity as Kansas. Oh, wait…

Previously:

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit (October 10, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit – part 2 (October 16, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit – part 3 (October 18, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r) thinks your stoopit (so do his friends) – part 4 (October 24, 2014)

Dean Dohrman (r): the inconvenient truth of those votes for SB 509 (November 1, 2014)