NRA looks to buy media outlet, be exempt from election rules

[mike bell]

NRA looks to buy media outlet, be exempt from election rules
WASHINGTON (AP) "” Hoping to spend as much as it wants on next year's elections, the National Rifle Association is looking to buy a television or radio station and declare that it should be treated as a news organization, exempt from spending limits in the campaign finance law.
"We're looking at bringing a court case that we're as legitimate a media outlet as Disney or Viacom or Time-Warner," the NRA's executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre, told The Associated Press.

"Why should they have an exclusive right to relay information to the public, and why should not NRA be considered as legitimate a news source as they are? That's never been explored legally," he said in an interview.

The nation's gun lobby is talking with potential investors about an NRA broadcast outlet and is considering all possible funding sources, including gun manufacturers, LaPierre said.

If the NRA were to be considered a media organization, it would be free to say what it wanted about candidates at any time and spend corporate money to do so, such as for commercials.

The group, financed in part with corporate money, is now banned under the campaign finance law from running ads, just before elections, that mention federal candidates who are on states' ballots.

The 4 million-member group has long been one of Washington's most powerful lobbies. It has spent millions of dollars over the years trying to influence elections toward candidates who oppose gun controls and support the position that Americans have an incontestable right to bear arms.

LaPierre said even without a television or radio station, the group's communications reach is extensive enough that it should be considered part of the media.

The NRA is one of the biggest magazine publishers in the United States and provides news over the Internet, LaPierre said. The group has close to a dozen publications, including the "American Rifleman" and "American Hunter" magazines.

LaPierre said the organization may pursue the media exemption even if its previous challenge to the campaign finance law should prevail in the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule soon. The NRA could ask the Federal Election Commission whether it qualifies for the media exemption, go to court, or both.

The finance law, which took effect in November 2002, bars interest groups financed with corporate or union money from airing television and radio ads the month before a primary and two months before a general election that identify federal candidates, are paid for with corporate or union money and target candidates' districts.

News organizations are exempt from the restrictions. That allows them to cover the news, write editorials endorsing or opposing candidates and air interviews. The FEC also has exempted programming that broadcasters are not paid to air, such as public service announcements, comedy monologues and talk shows that mention or feature federal candidates. Movies and television shows also are free of the rules.

Like other corporations, media outlets cannot contribute money to federal campaigns or national political parties.

The FEC has shown some willingness to consider broader applications of the media exemption.

The commission this year dismissed a complaint that accused Wal-Mart of making an illegal corporate donation to then-Senate candidate Elizabeth Dole by providing shoppers with a company publication featuring the North Carolina Republican.

Three Republican commissioners who supported the dismissal said the publication qualified for a press exemption that lets news organizations run articles about candidates without violating the ban on corporate contributions.

The NRA and its lawyers will "look at every option to continue to exercise our First Amendment rights," even anchoring a ship "in international waters and beaming in" if necessary to get its gun-rights message on the air at election time, LaPierre said.

The NRA was first in line at a federal courthouse in Washington to challenge the new campaign finance law, filing its lawsuit immediately after President Bush signed the campaign finance legislation in March 2002.

Source: AP

[strut]

I think the SC will over rule this CFR, but just in case they don't its nice to see the NRA doing things like this to keep us informed on who is doing what with our gun rights. Thanks for posting this Mike.

[BigBore1895]

Well, I saw this earlier and I think it is a great idea. The anti-gun left controls most of the media outlets, and the more conservative messages we can get out the better. There is no end to how far Democrats will go to control yet another aspect of your life; the least we can do is for once go on the offensive, and get the anti-gun message out to those 80 million other gun owners who maybe do not pay that close of attention to politics, and don't have time to research candidates and issues.

[CalHunter]

I also saw this earlier and thought it was an interesting idea. If this is a legal loophole, it should be exploited if for no other reason than to point out the obvious. If it is ruled invalid, then maybe we need to look again at something that curtails free speech for some and not for others. I was not a great fan of the law and think it was extremely ill-conceived. But then, I don't think existing politicians typically have fairness in mind when legislating new laws that limit political expression.

[eldeguello]

NRA certainly has as much right and precedence as any newspaper to be considered part of the news media. Although their journalism has been somewhat narrtowly focused, they have been publishing arms and ammunition news aericles since 1876 or so in the American Rifleman, its' companion publications and predecessors!! They've been around a lot longer than any radio or TV stations!!

They don't need to BUY anything. All they need do is obtain a broadcast license, and build a station. I'm sure G.W.'s FCC would grant the NRA a license. After all, they still permit NPR, CBS, ABC, NBC, etc., to have one!!

[PABuck_HNTR]

Most of you know that I support the NRA, both with membership and small donations. I think this would definately help level the playing field a little bit more. All NRA members and non-members should be excited by the idea. Even if it doesn't work out we know that the NRA is doing whatever they can to defend our First Amendment Rights to talk about our Second Amendment Rights.

[Dave590]

What a concept...We can tune into "WNRA" radio or turn our channels to "WNRA" "Live at the firing range with Wayne LaPierre ".

I think it would be a great idea. It would take an incredible amount of money to get it off the ground, but I can imagine that there would be quite a few folks lined up to advertise on their shows.

[Coastie]

And now Kerry has asked that the FCC block the request. So much for fair and balanced!.

[reylamb]

It is not as simple as just submitting for a license and building a TV station. There is a moritorium on new broadcast licenses until after the transition to DTV is complete, sometime around 2008. The Commission (FCC) can not grant any new brooadcast licenses. The NRAs only opition would be to buy an existing station, and there are currently numerous stations for sale.

[strut]

Do you mean the john"F"ing kerry. The one that can't control his tongue and reverts to using the "F" word when describing Bush.