Sourcewatch

September 28, 2007 in Link Friday

From Sourcewatch, a very timely article on an astroturf organization. But that’s what Sourcewatch is for: keeping tabs on groups like this.  And there are a lot of them…

Freedom Watch

Freedom’s Watch is a new White House front group^[1] of prominent conservatives which supports the policies of the expansionist Israeli right wing.^[2] masquerading as a grassroots movement (i.e. astroturf). Formed only two weeks prior,^[3] it began a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign on August 22, 2007 “to urge members of Congress who may be wavering in their support for the war in Iraq not to ‘cut and run’.”^[4]

It has been described as “a covert ‘cut-out’^[5] organization”^[6] and an “outfit dedicated to keeping the war industry thriving.”^[7] “A sort of shadow White House communications shop has emerged to help the beleaguered president sell his unpopular war to the American people,” Jake Tapper and Avery Miller wrote August 22, 2007, at ABC News.^[8]

“The group is organized under section 501(c)4 of the tax code,^[9] meaning that it can lobby on issues but cannot expressly advocate for specific candidates. Its stated mission is ‘to ensure a strong national defense and a powerful effort to confront and defeat global terrorism’,” Mike Allen wrote August 22, 2007, in The Politico.^[10]