Daily Kos

Bruce Eberle's Right Wing Money Machine

by acuppajo

Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 12:00:03 PM PDT

A special thanks goes out to Bruce Eberle, relative of our very own Bobby Eberle of GOPUSA and former employer of Jeff Gannon aka James Guckert, who lays it all out for us in stunning detail.

This comes from PR Watch

I wrote about it three years ago in a story that described the work of conservative direct marketer Bruce Eberle, whose Omega List Company specializes in raising money using mail and e-mail.

On a section of the website that has subsequently been removed, Omega List was quite straightforward about the fact that it pays conservative commentators to endorse clients and their causes. A series of web pages featured conservative radio show host Blanquita Cullum explaining exactly how the system works and how other radio hosts could get in on the gravy.

"You do what you do best!" she said. "Get on the air and talk to your listeners! Drive them to your website by conducting a daily survey or a contest on the topic of your choosing." Eberle's "polling wizard" software, installed on the site, would then capture the names of respondents so that they could be hit up for money. "What happens next is a cakewalk," Cullum continued. "Omega will call you with an opportunity to send an endorsement e-mail to your list . . . and receive a royalty for lending your name to a cause, organization or product you believe in. . . . Omega gives you their specialized software absolutely FREE and presents you with an opportunity to earn an extra $25,000 or more annually."

I had previously posted this in the comments section of another diary but felt it worthy of its own special attention.

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Permalink | 31 comments

  •  Excellent! (none / 1)

    This diary touches on the Eberle Boys and there's some information in the comments about Bruce Eberle's work for John Ashcroft that got them both in trouble for Phony MIA contributions (Remember John Bailey?)

    by greatbasin2 on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 12:07:34 PM PDT

    •  and check out (4.00 / 2)

      this comment, wherein we learn:

      Nine members comprise the BBG, a presidentially appointed body. Current governors are Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, Joaquin Blaya, Blanquita W. Cullum, D. Jeffrey Hirschberg, Edward E. Kaufman, Norman J. Pattiz, Veronique Rodman and Steven Simmons. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell serves as an ex officio member.

      i can't imagine "blanquite cullum" is an especially common name...

      "Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built upon the ruins of the bowers of paradise." Thomas Paine, Common Sense

      by Cedwyn on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 12:43:44 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  very interesting scheme (none / 0)

    This sounds like another mailing list generating thing, that uses email spam from a "trusted" media voice. Questions that come to mind include, was it clear to email recipients that the "endorsements" were paid advertisements, and did the endorsements carry over on the airwaves, and was the payment arrangement disclosed there?

    It could be something reasonably above board, depending on how it was carried out. Which is not to say I approve of covert collection of email addresses for spam purposes... but it happens all the time that groups we WANT to get mail from send us endorsements or promotions for third parties.

    by Elizabeth D on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 12:10:36 PM PDT

    •  No this is not spam (none / 0)

      It's classic marketing.

      This is used all the time in lots of industries to generate leads and new customers or clients.

      You can do the same thing on a smaller scale.

      Say you're a lawyer looking for more business.  You make a deal with your accountant and agree to pay him (or her) a commission on every new client a mailing endorsed by the accountant brings in.

      The accountant sends a leeter along the lines of

      • introduction with explanation of you as one of his valued clients
      • little story (true or not) of how a little jam needed some lawyer work
      • what good job the lawyer (you) did
      • in gratitude the accountant made special deal for a free consult (or discount) with said lawyer
      • time limit on the offer due to time constraints or limited space

      The accountant makes some, the lawyer makes some because presumably a percentage of the mailing list does actually need more than the special offer and even the clients benefit if they can use the offer.

      The reason this is not spam is because the list owner has ownership of the list, they have agreed to receive mail from the list owner.

      While many people may use spam and junk mail interchangeably they are not the same.  And we should be careful about this because Microsoft (directly or at "arm's length") has got big plans for monetizing the delivery of email.

      The Next Agenda "For Progressive Canadian Politics"

      by Bionic on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 02:00:39 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  It's spam to me. (none / 0)

        To most people, if they don't want it in their inbox, it's spam, even if it came from a source they have a prior relationship with and knowingly gave their address to. Marketers seem to use those relationships exploitatively as a matter of course.

        by Elizabeth D on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 05:16:45 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  It's a legal distinction that I'm trying to point (none / 1)

          All spam might be junkmail but not all junkmail is spam.  Spam is unsolicited bulk email.
          Junkmail is mail you have no use for.

          Many sites people can sign up with put in the terms of use an agreement to accept these mailings.  Most people don't bother to read the tou or don't release what they are agreeing to when they sign up.

          The reason why I point the distinction out is there is a movement afoot to stop free emailing and to force mailing list owners to post a kind of bond before their mail will get delivered.

          How much would you email if you had to pay 5 cents an email?

          Who do you think would get certification if mailers had to apply and pay a fee to be considered a trustworthy source of mail?

          There are people who have double opt in mailing lists who have trouble getting their mail through already.  This includes the receipts to people who have purchased something from them.

          One of the potential "certification" companies was started by a former employee of Microsoft.  I know of one particular company who couldn't get through to its customers with hotmail addresses.  Coincidence?  You tell me.  

          The whole spam issue is a tough one.  

          Look, I'm not saying spam is okay, it's not, but the danger is that there may be a cure that is worse than the disease.  And lumping mail you (email users, not you in particular) don't want to get with mail you shouldn't get is a great way to bring that "cure" around even faster.

          And a great tip to anyone who doesn't want their email address mined on websites don't use the "@" or the "." if you share your address.
          Write it like this: you at email dot com.

          The Next Agenda "For Progressive Canadian Politics"

          by Bionic on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 07:04:02 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

      •  Don't actually try this at home (none / 0)

        Say you're a lawyer looking for more business.  You make a deal with your accountant and agree to pay him (or her) a commission on every new client a mailing endorsed by the accountant brings in.

        This is unethical and could result in disbarment for the lawyer. Here in NY, it falls under DR 3-102(A):

        "A lawyer or law firm shall not share legal fees with a non-lawyer, except that: (1) An agreement by a lawyer with his or her firm, partner, or associate may provide for the payment of money, over a reasonable period of time after the lawyer's death, to the lawyer's estate or to one or more specified persons. (2) A lawyer who undertakes to complete unfinished legal business of a deceased lawyer may pay to the estate of the deceased lawyer that proportion of the total compensation which fairly represents the services rendered by the deceased lawyer. (3) A lawyer or law firm may include non-lawyer employees in a retirement plan, even though the plan is based in whole or in part on a profit-sharing arrangement."

        This obviously has nothing to do with your spam point, of course.

        by lamont on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 09:19:06 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  •  Ah the Eberley brothers (none / 0)

    makes me nostalgic for the real Everley brothers..

    "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

    by roseeriter on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 12:14:47 PM PDT

  •  I agree that this (none / 1)

    may be common practice but since Omega has removed the pages from their Web site, it's enlightening to see how these operations work.

    I also posted the diary because I think this does link into the Gannon story somehow.  

    Be gentle, it's my first diary.  Oh.....and did I mention my birthday was this week?  :oD

    that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. - Barack Obama

    by acuppajo on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 12:18:23 PM PDT

  •  Great diary! And happy birthday! (none / 0)

    Can you post a cross link (or just cut and paste the information) into the Gannongate Players thread here:

    The Players

    There may also be a Bruce Eberle diary somewhere. Could you check with Liberal Palooza at liberalpalooza@hotmail.com? She'll point you where to post.

    I think you've just been drafted into the Propagannon effort. Is that okay?

    by SusanG on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 12:34:31 PM PDT

  •  Can you correct the diary to read: (none / 0)

    "relative of" instead of "brother of" -- I don't think we know what the familial relationship is between Bruce and Bobby but it's not brothers.

    What FDR giveth; GWB taketh away.

    by Marie on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 12:37:59 PM PDT

  •  So let me get the straight (none / 1)

    The same guy who owns the list company that makes up  Talon's "readership" is related to the guy who owns the company that own Talon's parent company....

    WTF?

    Wars not make one great. - Yoda

    by Volvo Liberal on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 01:34:33 PM PDT

  •  Looking at these Sites I see a pattern (4.00 / 2)

    And it's Scary

    If I was a republican and we had campaign finance reform and I wanted to save money and contraversy.  I would have something like GOPUSA and Talon set up to fund more radical views.  They seem to be focused on mailing list and raising money for conservative issues.  They use "news" like talon to get out a clear message to scare people to donate and they use funds recieved from people they just scared with alarmist "news" to sell the republican party through conservative websites mail outs that do not come from republican party hence not reported as funding for the GOP.

    It's scary but this type of fake news organization is pefect for a Administration that pushes fear.  While ths is a Guess I think it may be close to the truth.

    But you would never want a organization like this without direction: and that must come from the administration.

    It sounds smells and fells like Rove.  

    www.DowningStreetMemo.com

    by Mikecan1978 on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 01:42:52 PM PDT

    •  Sorry about the spelling, CPAC 2005 conference (none / 1)

      Karl Rove to Address Grassroots Activists at CPAC 2005

      More than 4,000 conservatives to hear from Senior Bush Advisor

      ALEXANDRIA, VA - Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush, Karl Rove will address at the 2005 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at 8:30 AM, Friday, February 18, 2005 American Conservative Union Chairman David A. Keene announced today.

      "The opportunity to hear from the man known as 'the architect' of President Bush's re-election victory will energize CPAC's army of conservative activists," said Keene. "Karl's words and thoughts on the President's second-term agenda and other issues important to our conservative movement will undoubtedly provoke further discussion and ignite politically active conservatives from coast to coast," concluded Keene.

      CPAC is a project of the American Conservative Union Foundation, in association with Young America's Foundation and Human Events. The conference is co-sponsored by over 70 of the nation's leading conservative organizations. For continued updates on the program or to register online, visit

      Boy would I love to be a fly on the wall

      www.DowningStreetMemo.com

      by Mikecan1978 on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 01:46:05 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Note: (none / 0)

        over 70 of the nation's leading conservative organizations

        And those are only the "leading."  And many of those 70 also have multiple organizations.  Bobby Eberle is a piker with only GOPUSA, Talon and Men's News Daily.  Bruce Eberle probably creates more than that each year.

        What FDR giveth; GWB taketh away.

        by Marie on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 04:05:25 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  •  From one of The Websites Mentioned (none / 1)

    Under a transcript of a sermon entitled

    This is from www.timeofgrace.org

    Giving To The Lord Is Fun!
    By Pastor Mark Jeske - 12/12/2004

    Here is where we will learn God's truth and learn his ways. Here is where we will worship and corporately feel a sense of being a part of the mighty people of God." So they rejoiced that they could see the good their gifts were doing. Look at the impact on other people's lives - to lift people up and get them away from death and destruction and damnation, and point them on a path of living with God, both now and in eternity. When you give your gifts, another benefit to go with all these other things that I've said, is that giving will remove all the fear that you have. You may be afraid of several things when you give: "I'm afraid if I give to God, I won't have enough." The fear of being nagged or hustled or being taken advantage of. The fear of your precious, hard earned dollars being squandered and wasted in some kind of way, like grape juice being dumped on the ground and wasted. The fear of being manipulated or jerked around. Say "Be gone!" to all of that stuff. Rejoice at your giving back to your wonderful Savior. Rejoice when you have leaders who are leading well. And rejoice because you're giving back in this way, and worshiping the great Giver of all things. Rejoice when you see the incredible ministries that you are making happen, which is a double blessing. For you're not only honoring God and gladdening his heart, but think also of the impact that your investments and gifts are having on the next generation. Especially children, as well as the people who will be finding Jesus, and Jesus finding them, after you are dead and gone. The magic and the ministry will go on because of you. And you know what? That makes me rejoice

    That is scary....that plee for money and somehow Bobby Ebele is connected to this site.....I want to know how?

    www.DowningStreetMemo.com

    by Mikecan1978 on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 01:55:35 PM PDT

    •  OMG! (none / 0)


      "I'm afraid if I give to God, I won't have enough."

      You mean God is behind this?!!! /snark

      Didn't the good book have something to say about worshipping false idols?

      The Next Agenda "For Progressive Canadian Politics"

      by Bionic on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 02:05:06 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  Time of Grace Ministry (4.00 / 2)

      Whois:

      egistrant:       Make this info private
             EBERLE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP  (P6070-OR)
             1420 Spring Hill Rd.
             MCLEAN, VA 22102
             US
             Phone: 703 821 1550
             Fax: 123 123 1234

             Domain Name: TIMEOFGRACE.ORG

             Administrative Contact , Technical Contact :      
             EBERLE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP  (P6070-OR)
             domainnames@eberle1.com
             1420 Spring Hill Rd.
             MCLEAN, VA 22102
             US
             Phone: 703 821 1550
             Fax: 123 123 1234

             Record expires on 28-Mar-2007    
             Record created on 13-Sep-2002
             Database last updated on 07-Jul-2004

             Domain servers in listed order:     Manage DNS

             NSMKE1.CHANEYSYSTEMS.COM     207.67.56.10      
             NSBRKFLD1.CHANEYSYSTEMS.COM     207.250.71.2      
             NSMKE2.CHANEYSYSTEMS.COM     207.67.56.60      

               Show underlying registry data for this record

      Record Type:     Domain Name
      Server Type:     IIS 6
      Web Site Status:     Active
      DMOZ     no listings
      Y! Directory:     see listings
      Secure:     No
      E-commerce:     No
      Traffic Ranking:     Not available
      Data as of:     08-Jun-2004

            timeofgrace.org

      Domain ID:D23540773-LROR
      Domain Name:TIMEOFGRACE.ORG
      Created On:28-Mar-2000 14:23:20 UTC
      Last Updated On:24-Jan-2005 18:02:20 UTC
      Expiration Date:28-Mar-2007 14:23:20 UTC
      Sponsoring Registrar:Network Solutions LLC (R63-LROR)
      Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
      Registrant ID:3061337-NSI
      Registrant Name:EBERLE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
      Registrant Organization:EBERLE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
      Registrant Street1:1420 Spring Hill Rd.
      Registrant Street2:
      Registrant Street3:
      Registrant City:MCLEAN
      Registrant State/Province:VA
      Registrant Postal Code:22102
      Registrant Country:US
      Registrant Phone:+1.7038211550
      Registrant Phone Ext.:
      Registrant FAX:
      Registrant FAX Ext.:
      Registrant Email:domainnames@eberle1.com
      Admin ID:3061337-NSI
      Admin Name:EBERLE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
      Admin Organization:EBERLE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
      Admin Street1:1420 Spring Hill Rd.
      Admin Street2:
      Admin Street3:
      Admin City:MCLEAN
      Admin State/Province:VA
      Admin Postal Code:22102
      Admin Country:US
      Admin Phone:+1.7038211550
      Admin Phone Ext.:
      Admin FAX:
      Admin FAX Ext.:
      Admin Email:domainnames@eberle1.com
      Tech ID:3061337-NSI
      Tech Name:EBERLE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
      Tech Organization:EBERLE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
      Tech Street1:1420 Spring Hill Rd.
      Tech Street2:
      Tech Street3:
      Tech City:MCLEAN
      Tech State/Province:VA
      Tech Postal Code:22102
      Tech Country:US
      Tech Phone:+1.7038211550
      Tech Phone Ext.:
      Tech FAX:
      Tech FAX Ext.:
      Tech Email:domainnames@eberle1.com
      Name Server:NSMKE1.CHANEYSYSTEMS.COM
      Name Server:NSMKE2.CHANEYSYSTEMS.COM
      Name Server:NSBRKFLD1.CHANEYSYSTEMS.COM
      Name Server:
      Name Server:
      Name Server:
      Name Server:
      Name Server:
      Name Server:
      Name Server:
      Name Server:
      Name Server:
      Name Server:

      Time of Grace Ministry:
      The Internal Revenue Service approved 501(c ) (3) tax-exempt status on April 30th, 2001.

      First paragraph of IRS exemption requirements for a 501(c)(3):
      To be tax-exempt as an organization described in IRC Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for one or more of the purposes set forth in IRC Section 501(c)(3) and none of the earnings of the organization may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate at all in campaign activity for or against political candidates.

      that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. - Barack Obama

      by acuppajo on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 02:20:49 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Googled Eberle McLean (none / 1)

    and I got this:

    The company doing the mailing

    Excerpt:

    McLEAN, Va.--Fundraiser Bruce Eberle, representing many of the animal protection charities with the highest ratios of fundraising to program expense of all those whose IRS Form 990 filings ANIMAL PEOPLE monitors, has apparently both gained and lost animal protection clients since ANIMAL PEOPLE last listed those known to be associated with him.

    Discontinuing a relationship with Eberle is the Dream Catcher Farm, Sanctuary, of Rocky Mount, Virginia. "We are no longer using any type of fundraising company," founder Catherine Sutphin wrote in an open letter to donors. "We tried using one for a couple of 'mail-outs,' but not all the money went to the sanctuary for the horses. We would net about 8%-10%... The company doing the 'mail-outs' gets most of the money for mailing list rentals, bank statements, designing, printing, [and] stuffing and mailing letters.

    SNIP

    The most recent IRS Form 990 filings of other known Eberle animal protection clients show fundraising plus administrative costs of up to 86% for Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue; 69% for Tiger Haven; 54% for Tiger Creek; and an indeterminate total for Wildlife Waystation because the line on the Form 990 where fees paid to professional fundraisers are supposed to be declared was left blank. No current Form 990 is available for Great Cats In Crisis, Noah's Lost Ark, and other apparent Eberle clients.

    by 2care4others on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 03:43:21 PM PDT

    •  followed a link on Animal People, found this: (none / 0)

      Eberle Lawsuit Against Animal People

      Quite a few links on this site. Looks like they don't like this guy very much.

      by 2care4others on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 03:51:59 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Who is Bruce Eberle? (none / 1)

        Would you buy an appeal from Bruce Eberle?

        Excerpt:

        <b?Who is Eberle?</b>

        "The Eberle Communications Group began with the formation of Bruce W. Eberle & Associates in 1974," Eberle told ANIMAL PEOPLE by e-mail. "We have worked with nearly 200 national organizations," he said.

        Eberle clients have reportedly included former U.S. president Ronald Reagan; Oliver North, who was a central figure in the Iran/Contra scandal of the latter Reagan years in the White House; and former Los Angeles police officers Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell, who were sentenced to serve 30 months apiece in jail for allegedly committing the videotaped beating of motorist Rodney King in 1992. Their appeals said they were "political scapegoats of black radicals and self-serving liberal politicians."

        Eberle & Associates "works primarily with conservative groups," Eberle explained, while Fund Raising Strategies, formed later, "has worked with a wide variety of charitable organizations in wildlife welfare, historic preservation, veterans support, and poverty relief.

        "Both organizations," according to Eberle, "endeavor to operate under values" which include the claim that, "There is no substitute for integrity."

        "A few years back," Eberle admited, "we raised funds for a POW group. After a number of years we began to doubt their ability to fulfill their commitment to their donors. We terminated our relationship. That was several years before this same client engaged in activities that eventually came before a special committee of Congress. The truth," Eberle insists, "is that we were victimized by the political establishment," although Eberle also claims that Eberle & Associates helped to elect key members of the Republican majorities prevailing since 1990 in the U.S. Senate and since 1994 in the House of Representatives.

        "We accurately reported to the donors precisely what was related to us by the client," Eberle maintains. "Unfounded charges of fraud were made against us by self-serving politicians, but when the dust cleared and the matter had been reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission, we could hold our heads high. Some still quote out-of-context from that hearing, but the fact is that we did nothing wrong."

        Or at least nothing prosecutable: under court rulings which hold that the right of free speech prevails over accountability, nonprofit fundraisers enjoy much more leeway in what they can tell prospective donors than for-profit advertisers.

        "Using third party sources," Eberle insisted, "we endeavor to check our clients out and establish that they are indeed doing what they claim to do or have made concrete plans that will turn into reality with the availability of funds.

        Apparently he was involved in the Paula Jones thing too.

        by 2care4others on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 04:10:43 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  •  Eberle/Ashcroft connection (none / 1)

    From Public Campaign Action Fund

    January 15, 2004

    The Honorable James Comey
    Deputy Attorney General
    U.S. Department of Justice
    950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
    Washington, DC 20530-0001

    Dear Mr. Comey:

    We are writing to formally request that the U.S. Department of Justice appoint an outside special counsel to investigate potential criminal actions involving United States Attorney General John D. Ashcroft, his 2000 Senate campaign committee (Ashcroft 2000), and his leadership PAC (Spirit of America). These actions, outlined in this letter based on newly-released documents from the Federal Election Commission (FEC),1 raise serious questions about the integrity of the Office of the Attorney General. They demand a thorough and impartial criminal investigation by an outside special counsel to ensure that any violations of the law be prosecuted to the fullest extent, including any violations committed by the nation's chief law enforcement officer.

    Specifically, the FEC documents present clear and convincing evidence that Attorney General Ashcroft knowingly accepted, during his 2000 Senate re-election campaign, a fundraising mailing list, developed at a cost of $1.7 million, constituting an illegal, excessive campaign contribution of at least $255,000, in violation of 2 U.S.C. § 441a(f); that his leadership PAC illegally funneled $192,965 in rental income derived from that mailing list to his campaign committee, in contravention of 2 U.S.C. § 441a(a)(2)(A); that his campaign committee derived an additional $61,955 in illegal, excessive campaign contributions by using the mailing list to solicit other contributions, in violation of 2 U.S.C. § 441a(f); that his leadership PAC and campaign committee failed to disclose the transfer of the mailing list as a campaign contribution, in violation of 2 U.S.C. §§ 434 (a)-(b); that he committed a felonious act of criminal conspiracy by conspiring -- along with his leadership PAC and his campaign committee -- to defraud the government of the United States by disrupting and impeding its agent, the FEC, from carrying out its statutorily prescribed duties to enforce campaign financing and disclosure laws and to provide the public with accurate information regarding the source and use of contributions to federal candidates, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; and that he filed false statements with the FEC, thereby committing a felony violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001.

    snip

    Further proof that Mr. Ashcroft, his leadership PAC, and his campaign committee committed these acts knowingly can be found in the fact that Garrett Lott, the Treasurer of Ashcroft 2000, assured the list vendors, Omega List Company and Bruce W. Eberle & Associates, that they would be "held harmless" in the event that this transaction was found to be illegal.

    that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. - Barack Obama

    by acuppajo on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 04:17:25 PM PDT

Permalink | 31 comments