Stevens’ Ads Violate Federal Communications Commission And Federal Election Commission Disclaimer Laws

Alaska Democratic Party Release | September 15, 2008

Alaska Democrats Demand Stations Take Down New Stevens Television Ad Immediately For Violation Of Federal Communications Commission Law

Alaska Democrats To File Complaint With Federal Elections Commission

Anchorage, AK – The Alaska Democratic Party today called on television stations throughout Alaska to take down new ads by Senator Ted Stevens which violate both federal election and communications law. Stevens’ two ads violate Federal Communications Commission (FCC) disclaimer requirements. The Alaska Democratic Party will file an official complaint tomorrow with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Stevens’ Senate campaign. Stevens’ campaign could be fined by the FEC based on the size of the buy.

“With Senator Stevens going to trial next week on seven felony counts related to receiving illegal gifts, one would think he’d be extra careful to make sure his campaign follows the law,” said Bethany Lesser, spokeswoman for the Alaska Democratic Party. “But once again, Stevens doesn’t think the law applies to him. Someone who has been in the Senate for 40 years should certainly understand and take seriously the laws surrounding campaign commercials.”

In Stevens’ commercials, the required disclaimer appears not in the beginning of the advertisement, nor at its end, but during the middle of the advertisement. Federal law states that the disclaimer must appear at either at the beginning or conclusion of the broadcast. This highly unusual placement is a clear violation of FCC sponsor identification requirements.

In a letter today to television stations airing the ad, lawyers for the Alaska Democratic Party wrote, “These advertisements cannot be broadcast at all until they comply with FCC sponsorship identification requirements for political advertisements… In light of both advertisements’ plain violation of the FCC sponsor identification requirements, we demand that your station immediately refuse to broadcast these advertisements until proper disclaimers are affixed.”
Stevens was recently named one of the 20 most corrupt lawmakers in the country by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. On July 30, Stevens was indicted on seven felony counts related to accepting illegal gifts valued at more than $250,000 from VECO. As a result of the indictment, Stevens was forced to resign his seniority on committees, including ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. The Alaska Democratic Party has called on Stevens to step down from his Senate seat, retire, and focus on his legal issues.

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