Tactical Research

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Tactical Research

• a guide to getting the goods

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TACTICAL INVESTIGATIONSInformation Power

• Purpose To expose the targets weaknesses
• Essential to the campaign, not a luxury
• Investigations develop information into
  intelligence

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• the product that results from the collection,
  evaluation, analysis, integration, and
  interpretation of all available information that
  is immediately or potentially significant to
  planning an assault on the target
• (from a military training manual)

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Tactical or Opposition?

• Tactical Research is necessary in all issue
  campaigns provide the intelligence necessary
  to plan effective strategies
• Opposition Research is used primarily in election
  campaign against the opposing candidate. Some
  consider it dirty but it is a rare candidate
  who doesnt have some information on the
  opponents even if it is never released to the
  press.

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The Goal of Tactical Investigations

• Identify the official(s) whose work undermines
  the public interest because she or he
• Lied
• Failed to enforce the law or regulations
• Had a major conflict of interest (ethics)
• Misspent public money (or investors money)
• Issued inaccurate reports

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Erin Brockovich

• Without a formal law school education, Brockovich
  was instrumental in constructing a case against
  the 30 billion Pacific Gas Electric Company
  (PGE), of California in 1993. The case alleged
  heavy metal contamination of drinking water in
  Hinkley, Cal.
• The case was settled in 1996 for 333 million,
  the largest settlement ever paid in a direct
  action lawsuit in U.S. history.
• Brockovich went on to participate in other
  anti-pollution lawsuits. One accuses Whitman
  Corporation of chromium contamination in Willits,
  California. Another lawsuit alleges contamination
  near PGE's Kettleman Hills Compressor Station in
  Kings County, California, along the same pipeline
  as the Hinkley site.
• After experiencing problems with mold
  contamination in her own home in the Conejo
  Valley, Brockovich became a prominent activist
  and educator in this area as well.

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Reconnaissance

• Scoping out a situation - a government agency, a
  company, an organization - is also necessary
• Wigs and sunglasses never look right use
  subterfuge only as the very last resort
• Talk to employees, the secretarial and janitorial
  staff pick up more info than management often
  realizes

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Planning the Investigation

• Open-ended research produces mush. It might be
  fun, but lacks meaning without purpose or context
• ASK
• What real-world result do you want?
• What info are you looking for?
• Where can you find it?
• What is the timeline for investigation?

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Public Records Are Best

• Standard background checks, using public records,
  will reveal a public officials
• financial disclosure statements
• real estate, businesses owned or operated,
  vehicle ownership, aircraft watercraft
  ownership
• liens, judgments, criminal record, lawsuits,
  bankruptcy
• military records, professional licenses, and
  education verification

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FOLLOW THE MONEY

• Are officials influenced by donors or
  private-sector groups? Are donors rewarded with
  positions or votes?
• Who participated in Vice President Cheneys
  meetings on energy policy?
• What businesses and PACS have contributed to
  Governor Erhlichs gubernatorial campaign?
• Are developers contributing to Montgomery County
  candidates who support the ICC?
• Whos funding the conservative newspaper on
  campus? Who paid for the research on the new FDA
  approved drug?

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What did he say?

• Nothing is more powerful than a persons own
  words. Research the paper trail Changes in the
  message may signal a relationship between
  campaign contributions and policy positions

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2 Cardinal Rules for Investigation

• Rule 1 You can always get the information you
  need.
• Corollary A
• Someone already has the information or research
• Corollary B
• Someone will get the information or do the
  research for you

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2 Cardinal Rules for Investigation

• Rule 2 Its Your Right!
• Dont be overwhelmed or intimidated by officials
• Youre legally entitled at least 95 of the
  information you seek (Invoke FOIA)
• What are you trying to hide? What are they
  hiding? are questions you can (and should) ask

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Verify everything. Twice.

• Document your sources. Substantiate your info
  through written documents or corroborated
  interviews.
• The internet is not always accurate! Even public
  records posted on the web may require further
  corroboration.

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2 Quick Tips for Investigations

• Set a time limit. Sure theres a lot out there
  but dont get bogged down with one more thing.
• Remember youre only looking at public records
  and information. You dont work for HP.

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Searching Campaign Contributions in MD

• Maryland Voter Information Clearinghouse
• http//mdelections.umbc.edu/
• http//mdelections.umbc.edu/campaign_finance/contr
  ibutions1.php

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Federal Candidates

• Use the Federal Elections Committee website
• http//www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/disclosure_d
  ata_search.shtml
• Try Albert Wynn or Donna Edwards

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Search MVIC for Contributions to Specific
Candidates

• Example
• Rushern Baker III, candidate for PG County
  Executive
• Friends of Rushern Baker III, Committee For
  Political Change

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Pre-Primary Contributions to Baker
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Another Use for the MVIC

• Use as a reverse directory to determine if
  (for example) theres a relationship between
  appointments and political contributions
• Lets look at the UMS Board of Regents

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Board of Regents Members2006 - 2007 Members

• Clifford M. Kendall, Chairman
• Robert L. Pevenstein, Vice Chairman
• James T. Brady
• Thomas B. Finan, Jr.
• Patricia S. Florestano, Assistant Treasurer
• R. Michael Gill, Treasurer
• Alicia Coro Hoffman, Assistant Secretary
• Orlan M. Johnson

• The Hon. Francis X. Kelly, Jr.
• Cheryl G. Krongard
• The Hon. Marvin Mandel
• Robert L. Mitchell, Secretary
• David H. Nevins
• A. Dwight Pettit, Esq
• The Hon. Lewis R. Riley, ex officio
• Caitlin E. Heidemann, Student Regent
• Term expires 6/30/2007

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Clifford M. Kendall, Chairman

• Your search identified 19 contributions. --
  Create a CSV file
• Total contribution amount is 7,600.00
• No contributions to Ehrlich

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Robert L. Pevenstein, Vice Chair

• Search shows no contributions Pevenstein
• However, under the name of his firm, Princeville
  Partners, shows
• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee from
  Princeville Partners (Timonium, MD, 21093)
• 4,000.00 on 11/20/2003 Business Entity
• and 500 total in contributions in earlier
  campaigns

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James T. Brady

• Your search identified 39 contributions.
• Total contribution amount is 14,213.00
• The maximum contribution is 2,500.00
• The minimum contribution is 2.00
• Money for Ehrlich?

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Thomas B. Finan, Jr., Treasurer

• Your search identified 36 contributions. Total
  contribution amount is 19,980.00
• The maximum contribution is 2,000.00
• The minimum contribution is 60.00
• 6000 total to Martin OMalley (2000 in 06)

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R. Michael Gill

• MVIC shows 67 contributions, but a closer look
  shows these are many different people
• Need add more parameters to ensure correct person.

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Gill, contd

• Include his residence in Lutherville
• Your search identified 5 contributions.
• Total contribution amount is 4,350.00
• The maximum contribution is 2,500.00
• The minimum contribution is 100.00

• Also check Gills company Hoyt Capital
• Your search identified 4 contributions.
• Total contribution amount is 9,000.00
• The maximum contribution is 4,000.00
• The minimum contribution is 1,000.00

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Francis X. Kelly, Jr.

• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee 1,000.00
  12/07/2005
• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee 1,000.00
  10/28/2004
• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee 4,000.00
  05/10/2003
• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee 1,000.00
  10/22/2002

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A. Dwight Pettit, Esq.

• Your search identified 11 contributions.
• Total contribution amount is 3,990.00
• The maximum contribution is 1,250.00
• The minimum contribution is 100.00

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Orlan Johnson

• Your search identified 20 contributions.
• Total contribution amount is 11,400.00
• The maximum contribution is 2,000.00
• The minimum contribution is 100.00
• Primarily to Baker, Rushern III Friends Of-Comm
  For Pol Change (CPC)
• and one to Steele, Michael For Maryland Committee
  500.0001/07/2003

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Alicia Coro Hoffman

• Your search identified 36 contributions.
• Total contribution amount is 3,770.00
• The maximum contribution is 500.00
• The minimum contribution is 5.00

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But now look at Alicia Coros bio

• Appointed November 2005
• Senior Executive in U.S. Department of Education
  before retiring in 1998. Positions included
  Director of School Improvement Programs in the
  Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
  (1988-1996) Director of the Office of Bilingual
  Education and Minority Languages Affairs
  (1987-88) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil
  Rights (1985-87) Director of the Horace Mann
  Center (1980-85), managing career development
  programs for Department of Education employees,
  including senior executives. Recipient of Senior
  Executive Presidential Rank Award, the highest
  performance award of the U.S. Civil Service.
  M.Ed. in Foreign Language Teaching and
  Linguistics from the University of Maryland,
  College Park. Listed among the 25 Top Latinas in
  Education in U.S. by Hispanic Magazine in 2005.
  Served on Maryland Higher Education Commission
  2004-05. Member of the Dorchester County Arts
  Center Board.

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CHERYL GORDON KRONGARDAppointed to Board of
Regents Appointed June 2006

• Your search identified 1 contribution
• Total contribution amount is 2,000.00
• The maximum contribution is 2,000.00
• The minimum contribution is 2,000.00
• Ehrlich, Bob For Maryland Committee Cheryl
  Krongard (Lutherville, MD, 21093-3712) 2,000.00
  10/28/2005

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