Van Hollen Wants Limited Free Speech

Written by Chuck Floyd on 2008-08-29T07:32:53+00:00

Chris Van Hollen is up to his usual tricks again--blaming Republicans for everything and trying to divide people.  He spends little time in the 8th District representing the legal tax-paying Montgomery County citizens.  He is out recruiting more Democrats across the nation and pushing a "divide and conquer" political agenda.

Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the House Democrats' chief fundraiser, said Thursday his Republican counterparts are using "shadowy organizations" to skirt campaign finance laws and target Democratic candidates nationwide.  "There are these shadowy groups out there who can spend an unlimited amount of unaccountable money," Mr. Van Hollen said in a newsmaker interview with The Washington Times. "That is what Freedom's Watch is geared up to do."

What does he think the Democrat Party does with hundreds of millions of dollars?  I say that Van Hollen cannot handle the truth and wants to limit free speech.  He wants everyone who does not agree with him to just go away.  Well, Chris--why don't you go away?  You are very partisan and a very left-leaning liberal.  You feel that you are safe in the 8th District and can do anything you want while those who live in Montgomery County have to put up with your nonsense.

Freedom's Watch, a conservative group not directly affiliated with the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), has targeted 16 districts held by Democrats with mailings and ad purchases this year.

Mr. Van Hollen, the Montgomery County lawmaker who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), cautioned his members that the NRCC would likely rely on Freedom's Watch and other "527" groups to fund races across the nation.

"This is the NRCC in exile," Mr. Van Hollen said. "For these elections, they have essentially contracted out to Freedom's Watch."

The NRCC and Freedom's Watch fired back quickly.

"It takes a certain breed of hypocrite to accuse anybody of being shadowy, when half the restaurants in Denver have overflow crowds of lobbyists mixing it up with Democratic lawmakers behind closed doors," said Ed Patru, a spokesman for Freedom's Watch.

"These fringe groups have been doing the Democrats' bidding for two years," said NRCC spokeswoman Julie Shutley.

Freedom Watch's literature says it engages in "grass-roots lobbying, education and information campaigns, and issue advocacy" in support of "mainstream conservative public policies."

"Freedom's Watch solicits funding from all industry sectors to ensure the long-term viability of the organization and to expand its invested stakeholders," it adds.

Democrats and liberal candidates have enjoyed strong support from issue-advocacy groups such as MoveOn.org, which are exempt from fund raising limits placed on the official party congressional operations.  Chris--Do what you say and reach across the isle.  You are out of touch with the American voter.