On Monday — despite the fact the FEC decided a year ago that the issue is moot — conservative partisan, pundit wannabe, publicity hound, election loser and Champaign-based “academic professional” John Bambenek filed an FEC complaint against Kos Media, LLC, the company operating the Daily Kos blog. Mr. Bambenek claims in his complaint that Kos Media is operating as an extension of the Democratic Party because some of its free press editorials overtly support and raise funds for that party and its candidates.
Unsurprisingly, and perhaps unwittingly, Mr. Bambenek’s friends at the Illinois Review (namely Review editor Fran Eaton) approvingly posted the information about his complaining ways. FYI, Mr. Bambenek is listed among the contributors to Illinois Review blog and has indeed posted his own editorials there.
The same day Mr. Bambenek announced his complaint to the world (why bother announcing it if not to simply seek infamy?), OneMan noted that Illinois Review had posted a “Help Wanted” editorial describing the need for Republican state rep candidates in Illinois since one had switched parties and two have already announced their retirement.
As comments to that thread reveal, this is clearly overt support for the Illinois Republican Party and its potential candidates… which begs the question, will Mr. Bambenek be filing a State Board of Elections complaint against the Illinois Review blog?
In fact, in recent campaign cycles — local, state and Federal — Fran Eaton’s and John Bambenek’s (among other contributors) Illinois Review blog has supported:
- the UIS College Republicans and leader Aakash Raut by promoting their efforts in municipal races;
- Congressional candidate Peter Roskam (R-IL 6th) in a friendly interview;
- U.S. Senate challenger Dr. Steve Sauerberg (R-La Grange, IL) of whom Ill Review editor Fran Eaton says, “We have a viable GOP candidate to run against Dick Durbin in 2008″ (emphasis added for clarification)
The Illinois Review blog has also advocated organizational, promotional and financial interests of Republican candidates and party groups:
- Editor Fran Eaton discussed the organizing of social conservatives and evangelicals, ostensibly to bolster Republican candidacies as noted in comments to that thread;
- Editor Eaton also promotes Republican informational sites such as the new 3B Site criticizing Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), which is paid for by the Illinois Republican Party;
- The Illinois Review maintains a calendar which promotes Republican fundraisers, party meetings and other gatherings
In fact, the Illinois Review blog’s partisanship is so stark and clear they even denounce Republicans who support Democrats as the contributors and commenters did in railing against supporters of Sen. Obama such as Republican strategist Matthew Dowd and State Sen. Kirk Dillard (R) (not to mention their fetish-like braying over recent Repub-turned-Dem State Rep. Paul Froehlich).
So, again, when is Mr. Bambenek going to apply his sense of complaining to his friends at the Illinois Review, a blog which does precisely the same thing as the Daily Kos blog? He clearly has his choice of complaining to the state or Federal elections commissions (or both).
Or maybe he’s just another partisan hypocrite.
9 comments
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July 26, 2007 at 7:33 am
c-rock4freedom
Well,
keep on clammoring for big government, and big government laws and “needs” they need to handle for ya Rob. People are people. They will use it to their advantage if they can.
Why not use the system to destroy your enemies in politics? If you can control the progressive beast, and get governing looking at the other guy, why not do it?
All government has, is legalized theft, and violence, and if you can use the violence to shut someone down, without even touching them, it does the job you want. He can strike fear into someone.
Since 2002, the democrats have been trying to use gun control to destroy the base of the GOP in IL. So if he can use the FED on there base of support, its fair game in a way.
That is if you believe government should be so big and progessive.
Or you can take it as a lesson that a government that is big enough to give you everything, is big enough to take it away.
July 26, 2007 at 8:11 am
robnesvacil
C-Rock,
The point is two-fold.
First, that the government (which you so clearly despise) has already decided this matter in another case (siding with the blogger) and Mr. Bambenek is ineptly trying to reinvent the wheel in spite of that fact.
Second, Mr. Bambenek is a hypocrite given that he overlooks the fact his friends and colleagues at the conservative blog Illinois Review do the exact same things he is complaining about in his bone-headed FEC filing. Far from striking “fear” into anyone, he has raised howls of laughter from bloggers both conservative and liberal.
…Also, if you had read my earlier post on this, you’d know I support Mr. Bambenek’s right to file the complaint, even as I find it hilariously two-faced and encourage the FEC to throw it in the trash given how meritless his filing is.
Finally, the Federal Elections Commission has nothing to do with your fetish for hard, metallic objects long and short. No one is trying to take away all firearms despite your dire and repeated predictions that the sky is falling.
July 26, 2007 at 8:37 am
c-rock4freedom
Its does two things Rob, it casts a shadow of fear onto those who are accused. Sure you might laugh now about it, but that FBI agent shows up at your door, you wont be laughing. All you will know is, that agent of the state is there looking to bust you for a crime. Here comes someone looking to do their job, and enforce the laws. So they are there to question you, and get you to admit you broke the law. Like any progessive likes to see the po-po at his door? What will your neighbors think too when they see them in front?
I do not support him filing the complant. Its chicken-shit really. I just say that its fair game, from my example. If your enemy on the other side of the political spectrum is going to do such, then using that technique is fair game.
I just gave a example of it from here in IL. Giving something local to show whats going on.
I do not despise the government, I just do not trust it. It goes on its wars, it debases our money, it makes citizens slaves to it. It leaves the younger generation with mountians of debt.
You pray to it Rob, I know this. I can accept that too. To you, its your savior. Somehow the state can make all of the changes to society you think it needs to be in your ideal of heaven. I am here to tell you, each man makes his own heaven in this country.
July 26, 2007 at 9:47 am
robnesvacil
C-Rock, grow up…
The government you decry is led by people, people that can be elected and unelected.
Our nation re-elected Pres. Bush and because of that our children will suffer under those mountains of debt.
Our nation elected and appointed the Founding Fathers and because of that we have Freedom of Speech, which is why Mr. Bambenek’s complaint is without merit (as the FEC already decided).
Why would I worry about the neighbors seeing police at our house? That you ask such a thing demonstrates either a weak self-esteem or a massive paranoia on your part.
And if the FBI needs to question me about something I’ve done, then fine, ask away. (Though I highly doubt the FBI questions anyone regarding meritless complaints to the FEC.)
You and I actually agree about that FEC complaint by the way — it is fair game (it is his right to file it) even though it’s a chicken-shit stupid complaint (esp. considering the FEC already covered the matter and decided against complainers like Mr. Bambenek).
And again, the bloggers at Daily Kos are laughing at Mr. Bambenek. They are not afraid of him — what what give you that impression (unless you are paranoid yourself and are simply projecting).
July 26, 2007 at 10:32 am
c-rock4freedom
Well,
alot of folks on your side say Bush was never elected, and that Gore should of won. So how is it led by the people, if so how many question it?
How many folks think they made a statement last Nov with voting in the democrats, and now they are still giving Bush power for more wars in Iran. Maybe even pakistain.
With 1000s of laws on the books, its easy to be commiting crimes. I bet each day you committ felonies. Look at Ron Rivera the football player. He committed a Federal Crime with Dog Fighting!!! Like they need a crime for that?
I just have seen first hand, at what the state can do to someone who is innocent, thats all. Till you feel or see it personally, then you will never know, will you? You think your pure, but you are a sinner like the rest of us Rob.
July 30, 2007 at 11:48 pm
robnesvacil
I never claimed to be perfect C-Rock. Never.
But, like you, I stand up for what I believe in.
And we Americans can question our government because we inherited such rights from our Founding Fathers. You may disagree with Sen. Kotowski and Pres. Bush and Congressman Kirk … but you are free to voice your disagreement because of the rights we have inherited through our society, which is governed by those laws you question. We are, after all, a nation of laws, are we not?
September 4, 2007 at 5:05 pm
John Bambenek still a Big a Waste of Time « Illinois Reason
[...] few weeks ago John “the academic professional” Bambenek completed a stealth project of his and attacked the Daily Kos blog with a frivolous Federal Elections Complaint. In that filing, Mr. [...]
November 19, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Bambenek goofiness comes to a close « Illinois Reason
[...] others — including this site — also explained just how Mr. Bambenek’s very same complaint against the progressive [...]
January 15, 2008 at 11:15 am
Con Fran Eaton pouts as Bambenek wankery gets booed « Illinois Reason
[...] Daily Kos demanding they pay fines, etc, completely overlooked the fact that his good friends at Illinois Review (where he also a contributing writer) do the exact same thing as DKos on their own conservative [...]