Judging from recent Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) reports, the Washington Audubon Society is not only concerned about a clean environment for birds – they are also committed to keeping money clean through a bit of laundering.
And that unfortunate reality earns them a place on Shift’s ongoing roll call of liberal groups (and individuals) spending big bucks to influence next month’s general election.
In the case of the folks at the Audubon Society, they decided this summer that they needed to support Initiative 732, the so-called carbon tax. As was reported at the time, that put the group at odds with other extreme environmental groups in Washington which are opposing I-732 because it does not raise taxes high enough.
Being out step doesn’t bother the birders national organization, as it appears from an organizational filing earlier this month, because on October 20 Audubon filed a committee in support of I-732. And it reported that its N.Y executive director has a Washington address, though she’s keeping a New York bank account.
The timing of that filing seems a bit suspect, as the group shows that the week before, on October 14, it deposited a quarter-million dollars into its campaign – thanks to a couple of bird lovers from that well-known environmentally friendly metropolis of Houston, Texas. Amazingly, John and Laura Arnold knew that a campaign must be getting started, because they made their big investment before it had even been filed in our state.
We wonder if the PDC might call “Oops” on that one. If they want, they could call on the local campaign’s campaign’s media contact, Nicolas Gonzalez, at his NY number – (212) 979-3068 – to check on that interesting fact.
The Arnolds’ $250k for this effort has been followed up by three additional six-figure deposits, adding up to a total of more than $885,000. Among the true believers in the cause are David and Patricia Giuliani of Mercer Island ($140k), Keshet Investments of New York ($70k), and Roger Sant of New York ($50k). Additionally, a friend from across the pond, Roopak Shah of London, chipped in $25k to help out our carbon-tax/bird-loving friends here.
The money is rolling into TV ads in our state, featuring talking animals. Perhaps the out-of-state folks were willing to bankroll such silliness because they don’t have to watch it.
tensor says
If you’ve gotten so desperate you’re attacking the Audubon Society(!), this election is well and truly finished.
But you’re getting better with your timing. The chances you’ll have to admit your accusations are groundless (as you were forced to do with Sound Transit) before the election are now pretty small.
(Any idea how many of your readers will follow your lead, and start muttering about deeply sinister political conspiracies led by — yes! — bird-watchers?)
Biff says
If you’ve gotten so desperate for a carbon tax you’re using big money donors from Texas, New York and London (!) this election is well and truly bought off. No need to get better with your funding, out-of-state carpetbaggers always know what’s best for us citizens of Washington.
tensor says
So, I-594’s huge local donor base worked well for you then? How about most of the “No on I-594” funds coming from “carpetbaggers” in Virginia? (Yes, it’s a fun use of historical irony to accuse Southerners of being carpetbaggers.)
You guys discover the problem with money in politics when, and only when, the big money runs against you. You complain about a federal deficit when, and only when, a Democrat holds Presidential office. You complain about big-government spending when, and only when, it does not benefit you. Do you actually believe you’re fooling anyone but yourselves?
Biff says
“So, I-594’s huge local donor base worked well for you then?”
What huge local donor base are you talking about? 4 liberal billionaires out of 7 million+ of us citizens isn’t exactly a “huge base”. Then there’s the head carpetbagger, Michael Bloomberg (D) of New York, who pumped far more into the spreading of lies than anyone else, over 400% more than the entire “No on I-594” campaign by himself. For every $4 spent on us being bombarded with weepy woman’s lies (which, of course, you didn’t see even once) over $1 came straight from the head carpetbagger (D) himself.
“How about most of the “No on I-594” funds coming from “carpetbaggers” in Virginia?”
If you didn’t have to devote all your brainpower to motor functions, you might have a little left over to realize the NRA’s national headquarters are in Virginia. The NRA is a national organization with over 5 million citizen members, of whom many are Washingtonians. It’s not one liberal douchebag in NYC. Once again, as usual, your ignorance is on full display.
Your admission that you’re a sheep whose opinion can be bought with a little slick advertising, be it paid for by a handful of unelected billionaire commissars or the unelected Audubon Society, is refreshing, though. At least you didn’t lie about that.
tensor says
Of course the NRA sent most of the money to oppose I-594, and of course you’re fine with those contributions from outside our state; I’m merely making fun of your carefully selective outrage at out-of-state money in our elections.
Thank you for nicely demonstrating my point, by getting frothy about big, out-of-state money when, and only when, it opposed what you wanted.
Biff says
Of course the NRA sent most of Washingtonian’s members dues money back to oppose I-594, and of course we’re fine with those contributions from inside our state. That’s the way reality works. You’re merely lying about your obtusely selected faux outrage at out-of-state money in our elections. I just nicely demonstrated the point on your head, that you’re totally cool with a liberal NYC billionaire (D) buying legislation in our state, but get all frothy when citizens voluntarily join an advocacy group to oppose this liberal (D) practice. Just like the Democrat you are.
tensor says
You’re merely lying about your obtusely selected faux outrage at out-of-state money in our elections. …
Reading comprehension much? Where did I express “outrage”? I merely noted it’s a problem. (When we liberals try to address such problems, Shift is the first to complain, of course.)
Biff says
It’s simple comrade (D),
The NRA has roughly 100,000 members in Washington. Here’s an analogy you’ll understand: The NRA is a union with 5 million members, 100,000 in the local. The national gave the local the equivalent of $4.86 per Washington member to oppose this infringement, less than $5 per Washington citizen local member. In contrast, head carpetbagger Bloomberg gave over $27 per Washington NRA member BY HIMSELF to purchase a gun registry that seen zero prosecutions and zero lives saved. $4.86/ Washington citizen member certainly is an outrage compared $2.7 Million/ NYC Douchebag. (When you liberals try to address such problems, you’re always the first to fail, raise taxes to cover your failure, and blame someone else, of course.)
tensor says
And if the NRA had actually been a union, you and Shift would be screaming about how a big, out-of-state union was interfering in our elections. (That’s assuming Shift would deign to mention I-594, a topic Shift actually seems to care very, very little about.) Shift would talk about how little of the NRA’s donations come from within Washington State, and you’d throw in the word “carpetbagger!”
Again, selective outrage is fun to watch. Thanks for the laughs.
Biff says
I knew it would be a stretch to wrap your small mind around the concept of an “analogy”. The NRA, with 100,000 Washington citizen members, certainly isn’t a union. Nobody is forced to join the NRA, it’s 100% voluntary. No one ever in recorded history has lost their job for refusal to join the NRA. You’re going with 5 bourgeois capitalist billionaire commissars against 5 million voluntary comrades nationwide, 100,000 Washington citizen comrades? That’s some shallow ideology, comrade (D).
Again, randomly cognizant and highly fake outrage is nauseating to watch. Thanks for being a Democrat (D)
tensor says
I knew it would be a stretch to wrap your small mind around the concept of an “analogy”.
Still working diligently toward your F minus in reading comprehension, I see. Try reading it again: “… if the NRA had actually been a union…” Again, my point is the behavior doesn’t bother you; the identity of the actor is the only thing that counts. If the actor is on the great big long list of entities you’ve been told to hate, then you’ll duly hate it, no matter what it does. Simple as that.
Again, thanks for the laughs.
Biff says
Still working diligently toward your F minus in reality comprehension, I see.
“Again, my point is the behavior doesn’t bother you; the identity of the actor is the only thing that counts”
That must be why you side with 5 liberal billionaire actors, out of whom the largest backer lives in NYC(!), against 100,000 of your neighbors. Ideology for hire, comrade. Simple as that.
Again, you’re a bad joke, thanks for nothing.
tensor says
What part angers you more: that most of the money to oppose I-594 came from out of state, or that it was such a miserable pittance? Whether in Washington state or Virginia, when it came time to put their money where their mouths were, both the NRA and individual members spent like they cared little about I-594. (Shift hardly mentions it at all.)
Again, thanks for the laughs. Keep directing your outrage only where you’re told to do so. (Bonus points if you oppose any effort to reduce the effect of money on our politics.)
Polymerase says
The Audubon ad with animals nodding their heads in approval of I-732 has been extremely popular. Americans are sick and tired of the relentlessly negative blather coming from both the far left and the far right. I-732 keeps gaining support because it has a positive, bipartison message that empowers the voters to act where the politicians have failed.
Rob McKenna and Slade Gorton just endorsed I-732. These guys are smart, critical thinkers who get it that climate change is real, and that the market-based, revenue neutral approach provided by I-732 will encourage a SHIFT from fossil fuels to low carbon alternatives (including nuclear power) without burdening our economy with new taxes. You’re welcome to come on board with us in support of a bold plan to show how free market principles can be used to solve real problems better than government programs can by voting for I-732. Find out more at yeson732.org
Tacjam4 says
You’d be fool to vote for I-732. Voting yes to punish carbon producers is just a vote to punish myself because those higher taxes will just be passed along to me every time I operate my furnace, cook food, or run my dryer.
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