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 To avoid creating an impression that Bush was skirting campaign
finance laws, his lawyer had to ask a Florida man to stop running
ads touting the former Florida governor as a presidential candidate.
Attorney Charlie Spies managed to get the Bush supporter, Jay
Schorr, to change the ad after he vowed to “vigorously pursue all
possible legal remedies" against Schorr.
Bush, who announced on Facebook in December he was contemplating a
White House bid, has crisscrossed the country to attend lavish
fundraisers - including a $100,000 per plate dinner - where donors
gathered to cheer him on as a potential White House contender. But
at each event, he and his aides have emphasized he is not running
for president - yet.
The claim allows Bush to work closely with funding organizations to
rake in big donations without breaking campaign finance laws. Once
politicians launch a campaign or say they are "testing the waters,"
they face tighter fundraising restrictions.
Campaign finance laws limit the amounts candidates can accept in
donations from individuals and corporations, and they prohibit
candidates from coordinating campaign strategy with outside
organizations such as political action committees that support them.
"We are grateful for the support Gov Bush has received encouraging
him to run, but the PAC also operates within legal constraints that
can require us to request that legally problematic activity, even if
well intentioned, must stop," Spies said in a statement to Reuters
on Wednesday.
Spies, who represents Bush and his Right to Rise super PAC, on
Monday wrote to Schorr about the spot, "War," which began running in
February. In the ad, a deep voice urged Republicans to unite in a
fight for control of America, then intoned: "Jeb Bush: Americans and
the Republican party approve his message." A disclaimer followed:
"The preceding message is from a supporter of Jeb Bush and is not
affiliated with the Bush for president campaign."
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In a "cease and desist" letter, Spies expressed appreciation for
Schorr's enthusiasm but said that Bush was "NOT a candidate for any
office" and had not approved the ads.
It was not the first time a politician has had to create distance
from unsolicited supporters.
Last year, fans of Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren
formed a group to push her candidacy for the White House even though
Warren has said she does not plan to run. Warren's lawyer sent the
organization a letter making clear the senator does not endorse the
group's efforts.
Schorr responded to Spies's letter by recasting "War" as a "message
we'd like Jeb Bush to make to the Republican party." The deep voice
now says: "The following is a message from a Jeb Bush supporter. He
is not, I repeat not, associated in any way with Jeb Bush, who is
not currently a candidate for president. Got it? Good. That should
make non-candidate Bush's lawyers very happy."
(Reporting By Emily Flitter; Editing by Caren Bohan and Ken Wills)
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