Texans for Truth
Encyclopedia
Texans for Truth is a now inactive political advocacy organization, registered under Section 527
of the United States
tax
code, formed to oppose George W. Bush
's re-election efforts in the 2004 presidential election. In September 2004, the group began airing advertisements in various swing state
s that questioned Bush's National Guard record
, particularly as to whether or not he fulfilled his obligations to serve.
online activist group, DriveDemocracy.org". DriveDemocracy.org is an organization started in April 2004 by MoveOn.org, a large advocacy group opposing Bush. Glenn W Smith of Austin
, the founder and head of TfT, is a former political reporter for the Houston Chronicle
and Houston Post
. He has worked as a Democratic political consultant on several campaigns, including Democrat Tony Sanchez's campaign for governor of Texas
in 2002. Smith said he started TfT in response to another 527 group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, that challenged the legitimacy of how Senator John Kerry
received his Vietnam War
medals as well as his accounts about the Vietnam War. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6693-2004Sep8.html
The Bush-Cheney campaign dismissed TfT as "a smear group launching baseless attacks on behalf of John Kerry's campaign that will be rejected by the American people" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6693-2004Sep8_2.html, and maintains that "the president served honorably in the National Guard, fulfilled his duties and was honorably discharged." http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-09-07-texas-ad_x.htm Various questions about his National Guard record, including those based on information from military documents, have been raised against Bush since the 2000 presidential campaign and even before that, in 1994 and 1998 when he twice won election as the Governor of Texas. This article describes only the participation in this long-standing dispute by the Texans for Truth organization. For a comprehensive review of the allegations, responses, and evidence, see George W. Bush military service controversy
.
reported that Democracy 21
, the Campaign Legal Center
and the Center for Responsive Politics
had filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission
against Texans for Truth, alleging violations of campaign finance laws.
These watchdog organizations also previously complained to the FEC about Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and other pro-Republican groups.
527 group
A 527 organization or 527 group is a type of American tax-exempt organization named after "Section 527" of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
code, formed to oppose George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's re-election efforts in the 2004 presidential election. In September 2004, the group began airing advertisements in various swing state
Swing state
In United States presidential politics, a swing state is a state in which no single candidate or party has overwhelming support in securing that state's electoral college votes...
s that questioned Bush's National Guard record
George W. Bush military service controversy
George W. Bush's National Guard service was an issue in the 2000 presidential campaign and in the 2004 presidential campaign. A controversy centered on questions of how George W...
, particularly as to whether or not he fulfilled his obligations to serve.
Membership and organization
On its website, the TfT states that it was established by "the 20,000-member TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
online activist group, DriveDemocracy.org". DriveDemocracy.org is an organization started in April 2004 by MoveOn.org, a large advocacy group opposing Bush. Glenn W Smith of Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, the founder and head of TfT, is a former political reporter for the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
and Houston Post
Houston Post
The Houston Post was a newspaper that had its headquarters in Houston, Texas, United States. In 1995, the newspaper was absorbed into the Houston Chronicle.-History:The newspaper was established on February 19, 1880, by Gail Borden Johnson...
. He has worked as a Democratic political consultant on several campaigns, including Democrat Tony Sanchez's campaign for governor of Texas
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
in 2002. Smith said he started TfT in response to another 527 group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, that challenged the legitimacy of how Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
received his Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
medals as well as his accounts about the Vietnam War. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6693-2004Sep8.html
The Bush-Cheney campaign dismissed TfT as "a smear group launching baseless attacks on behalf of John Kerry's campaign that will be rejected by the American people" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6693-2004Sep8_2.html, and maintains that "the president served honorably in the National Guard, fulfilled his duties and was honorably discharged." http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-09-07-texas-ad_x.htm Various questions about his National Guard record, including those based on information from military documents, have been raised against Bush since the 2000 presidential campaign and even before that, in 1994 and 1998 when he twice won election as the Governor of Texas. This article describes only the participation in this long-standing dispute by the Texans for Truth organization. For a comprehensive review of the allegations, responses, and evidence, see George W. Bush military service controversy
George W. Bush military service controversy
George W. Bush's National Guard service was an issue in the 2000 presidential campaign and in the 2004 presidential campaign. A controversy centered on questions of how George W...
.
First television advertisement
The first advertisement features testimony from Bob Mintz, a lieutenant colonel in the 187th Alabama Air National Guard unit in 1972, where Bush was assigned to serve that year. In the video, Mintz claims that he never saw Bush, and is quoted contending that "It would be impossible to be unseen in a unit of that size." The ad concludes by asking: "Was George W. Bush AWOL in Alabama?"Second television advertisement
The second advertisement reiterates the charges against George W. Bush that he did not fulfill his military service requirements but also accuses George H. W. Bush of pulling strings in order for his son to get into the Texas Air National Guard. In addition, the advertisement quotes Bush's statement on Meet the Press (February 8, 2004) that he would authorize release of his records, and it criticizes him because he has not signed the actual form (Standard Form 180) to effect the release: "You pledged to release all of your military records, but you've not signed the papers to do so. Sign them now. Keep your word."Reward
In September 2004, Texans for Truth offered a $50,000 reward to anyone who could prove that Bush fulfilled his service requirements by either "first-hand, eye-witness testimony," or authentic "documentary evidence." http://www.texansfortruth.com/reward.html The offer expired on September 30 with the prize not having been awarded.FEC complaint
On September 25, 2004 the Houston ChronicleHouston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
reported that Democracy 21
Democracy 21
Democracy 21 is a non-profit organization in the United States that works to remove the influence of private money from politics . It was founded in 1997 by longtime activist Fred Wertheimer, and is based in Washington, DC...
, the Campaign Legal Center
Campaign Legal Center
Campaign Legal Center is a nonpartisan group that promotes greater transparency in election laws...
and the Center for Responsive Politics
Center for Responsive Politics
The Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
had filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
against Texans for Truth, alleging violations of campaign finance laws.
These watchdog organizations also previously complained to the FEC about Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and other pro-Republican groups.
External links
- Texans for Truth
- "Texans for Truth" Sourcewatch article
- Glenn W Smith
News articles about Texans for Truth
- "'Texans for Truth' ad challenges Bush on Guard service" USA Today, September 7, 2004
- "Records Say Bush Balked at Order" - Washington Post, September 9, 2004
- "TV writer gives $100G to Texans for Truth" ABC News - Sept. 9, 2004
- "Swift Boat Vets, Texans Battle for 'Truth' " Adweek.com - Sept. 23 2004