Broadcaster Donates $325,000 to GOP

[jamotto]

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By TOM CHORNEAU, Associated Press Writer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - One of the state's biggest broadcasters has given 13 Republican county committees $325,000 worth of free air time to promote candidates on its radio and television stations throughout California.

Pappas Telecasting Cos., which calls itself the largest privately held broadcast firm in the nation, made the donations earlier this month. Democrats complain the offer unfairly benefits GOP candidates in violation of federal law.

An attorney representing Democratic Assemblywoman Nicole Parra, who is seeking re-election in a close race against Republican Dean Gardner, sent a letter Saturday to Pappas demanding equal time.

Karen Getman, Parra's lawyer, also complained that campaign finance records do not clearly indicate how the time is being used.

"That's one of the things that is so nefarious about this," said Getman, a former chairwoman of the state's Fair Political Practices Commission.

A spokesman for Pappas said the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites) has reviewed the donations and determined that they do not trigger provisions of federal law that require broadcasters to give all candidates equal broadcast time.

The FCC did not respond to calls placed after hours Monday.

Michael Angelos, company spokesman, said the donations are being given to county committees and not directly to any candidate.

"The donations allow central committees to direct campaign ads to any candidate they wish," he said.

Angelos said the company's CEO, Harry J. Pappas, decided to make the contributions that reflect his political views.

The company owns 28 stations in 11 states and operates in most of California's major markets, according to the company's Web site.

Gardner is the only candidate who has taken advantage of the gift, said his spokesman, Tim Clark. He said the campaign did not ask a lot of questions about where the donation was coming from.

"We are in a tough fight," Clark said. "We said we would take anything we can get our hands on."

The dispute follows the uproar over reports that Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. planned to require all 62 of its stations to air a program including documentary footage critical of John Kerry (news - web sites)'s opposition to the Vietnam War. The program that eventually aired last week devoted nearly as much coverage to the controversy as the documentary itself.

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That's sooo generous of them. The republican's must be stoked.

[Guest]

Compared to George Soros to the Dem 527's these guys are pikers....

[Kalshion]

Jamatto where were you when mister Soro's donated over a mill to the democratic party huh? Oh yea... the media doesn't report that because there democratic and anti-republican... go figure

[jamotto]

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Originally posted by Kalshion:

Jamatto

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Jamotto

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where were you when mister Soro's donated over a mill to the democratic party huh? Oh yea... the media doesn't report that because there democratic and anti-republican... go figure

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The media did report it, I think the sum was closer to 15 Mill if my memory serves me which is also very generous. Bush, however has also received millions as well.