Leffingwell, Shade: Stanford Behind Culleton Ads

Hoo boy! – there's a pair of explosive press releases from the Randi Shade and Lee Leffingwell camps this morning, on the Rick Culleton-financed – and apparently, Jason Stanford-penned – attack ads against Leffingwell and Jennifer Kim. The long and short of it: the releases claim Stanford left as Meeker's campaign director to immediately work for Culleton – Meeker's former treasurer – in preparing the attacks against the incumbents. As the release says,

… The fact that Stanford and Culleton both apparently resigned their positions with Jason Meeker's campaign in late March or early April and almost immediately began orchestrating a well-funded "independent" print and television advertising campaign "doesn't pass the smell test."

"The fact that Jason Meeker's former campaign manager has been working with Jason Meeker's former campaign treasurer to run a $20,000 negative campaign benefiting Jason Meeker makes a mockery of Austin's campaign finance laws," said Leffingwell. "I don't think anyone would believe that Jason Stanford and Rick Culleton quit Jason Meeker's campaign on one day only to decide to run an expensive negative campaign benefiting Jason Meeker on the next day."

Additionally, Shade, who is explicitly supported in the Culleton TV ad, says her campaign manager briefly retained Stanford earlier this year; she says

"I am uncomfortable that he has a past association with my campaign while now apparently directing Mr. Culleton's independent effort. As such, while I appreciate Mr. Culleton's support, I am making a public appeal to request that he and Mr. Stanford please discontinue their campaign on my behalf."

She's also returning an unsolicited campaign contribution from Culleton. (It should be noted Leffingwell and Shade both employ Mark Nathan as their campaign director.) Sheesh!

Both releases after the jump; for more deconstruction of the Place 1 race, check this Thursday's edition of the Chronicle.

From Lee Leffingwell:

For Immediate Release: April 29, 2008

LEFFINGWELL CALLS ON MEEKER, STANFORD, CULLETON TO COME CLEAN ABOUT "INDEPENDENT" EXPENDITURES

Austin, Texas - Austin City Council Member Lee Leffingwell today called on opponent Jason Meeker, Meeker's former campaign manager, and Meeker's former campaign treasurer to provide details about as much as $20,000 in "independent" expenditures that have been made on Meeker's behalf over the last 30 days.

It was revealed today that political consultant Jason Stanford, who according to campaign finance reports served as Meeker's campaign manager until at least March 31st, is now employed by Rick Culleton, the owner of Discount Electronics and Meeker's former campaign treasurer. Since the beginning of the month, Culleton has spent at least $17,000 on negative TV ads and as much as $3,000 on negative print ads.

Austin's campaign finance laws prohibit individual contributions in excess of $300 unless the contributions are "independent expenditures." The Austin City Charter states that "independent expenditures" are contributions made without "prior consent" or "cooperation or strategic communication" between the candidate or his or her committee and the person making the expenditure.

Leffingwell said today the fact that Stanford and Culleton both apparently resigned their positions with Jason Meeker's campaign in late March or early April and almost immediately began orchestrating a well-funded "independent" print and television advertising campaign "doesn't pass the smell test."

"The fact that Jason Meeker's former campaign manager has been working with Jason Meeker's former campaign treasurer to run a $20,000 negative campaign benefiting Jason Meeker makes a mockery of Austin's campaign finance laws," said Leffingwell. "I don't think anyone would believe that Jason Stanford and Rick Culleton quit Jason Meeker's campaign on one day only to decide to run an expensive negative campaign benefiting Jason Meeker on the next day."

Meeker has previously said that Culleton resigned his position as campaign treasurer on March 26th. Although Meeker has not revealed that Stanford has resigned as his campaign manager, Meeker's last documented payment to Stanford was on March 31st. The first negative print advertisement financed by Culleton appeared in the Austin Chronicle on April 3rd.

Since then, Culleton and Stanford have run negative ads in the Austin Chronicle each week, and have purchased at least $17,000 of television time on News 8 Austin. Leffingwell said that Culleton and Stanford have so far failed to report any of their expenditures to the city. Questions also remain about whether corporate money has been used to fund the Culleton-Stanford campaign, in violation of state law.

"I think it's time for Jason Meeker, Jason Stanford and Rick Culleton to come clean about their $20,000 negative campaign," said Leffingwell. "I believe they owe the voters a clear explanation that demonstrates they have honored the letter and spirit of campaign finance laws in Austin and Texas."

From Randi Shade:

For Immediate Release: April 29, 2008

STATEMENT BY RANDI SHADE

"Today I've been informed that political consultant Jason Stanford has apparently been employed by Mr. Rick Culleton, the owner of Discount Electronics, to coordinate Mr. Culleton's independent advertising campaign, which has criticized my opponent Jennifer Kim and advocated for my candidacy. As I said last week, I have never met or talked with Mr. Culleton, and have no previous association with him, although he did make an unsolicited online contribution to my campaign last week. However, my campaign manager retained Jason Stanford in January to assist with a research project, and although I have never personally met or talked with Mr. Stanford, I am uncomfortable that he has a past association with my campaign while now apparently directing Mr. Culleton's independent effort. As such, while I appreciate Mr. Culleton's support, I am making a public appeal to request that he and Mr. Stanford please discontinue their campaign on my behalf. It's critically important that voters trust my integrity, and any appearance of a link between my campaign and their independent effort is unacceptable to me. I will also be returning Mr. Culleton's unsolicited campaign contribution."