Over at TPM, we’ve been keeping tabs on the robo calls being done by the National Republican Congressional Committee all over the country.
In each case, the calls begin with “Hi, I’m calling with information about [insert local Democratic candidate here],” and then continues to provide negative information about the candidate. Counter to FCC rules, which require that the caller identify themselves early on in the call, the calls only reveal that they are paid for by the NRCC at the end of the call. You can listen to one of these calls (from New York’s 19th district) here. There are more than a few reports of voters getting frustrated by repeated calls they believe to be from the Dem candidate. [Update: Here is a recording of someone’s glutted answering machine in Tammy Duckworth’s district.]
The firm conducting the calls is Conquest Communications, and reviewing the NRCC’s independent expenditures filed with the FEC over the past week shows Conquest active in 20 different House races. The full list of expenditures, which includes the incredibly cheap price tags for these calls which reach hundreds of thousands of voters, is below the fold.
Late Update: Here is a version of the call in Georgia’s 8th District, against Dem Jim Marshall, and here’s a version of the call in New York’s 25th District, against Jim Maffei.
Later Update: Here’s a good story on the calls from Maffei’s local news station.
1. Opposes Candidate: BROWN FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, California District 04
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $3838.98
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $5032.14
Purpose: Phone Banks
2. Opposes Candidate: MELISSA BEAN FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Illinois District 08
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $3757.92
Purpose: Phone Banks
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $2785.50
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $3806.28
Purpose: Phone Banks
3. Opposes Candidate: CHRISTINE JENNINGS FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Florida District 13
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $6679.98
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $4657.50
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $6697.08
Purpose: Phone Banks
4. Opposes Candidate: JOHN HALL FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, New York District 19
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $6460.08
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $3166.68
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $6496.86
Purpose: Phone Banks
5. Opposes Candidate: KELLAM FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Virginia District 02
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $4128.84
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $3049.74
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $3049.74
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $4089.42
Purpose: Phone Banks
6. Opposes Candidate: WEAVER FOR CONGRESS 2006
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Kentucky District 02
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $1510.74
Purpose: Phone Banks
7. Opposes Candidate: FRIENDS OF JIM MARSHALL
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Georgia District 08
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $1865.94
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $2703.42
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $4163.22
Purpose: Phone Banks
8. Opposes Candidate: FRIENDS OF DAN MAFFEI
Office Sought: House of Representatives, New York District 25
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $4911.60
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $2491.92
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $4799.94
Purpose: Phone Banks
9. Opposes Candidate: FRIENDS OF JOHN BARROW
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Georgia District 12
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $4533.18
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $2401.08
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $4538.52
Purpose: Phone Banks
10. Opposes Candidate: BOSWELL FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Iowa District 03
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $3275.34
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $2613.00
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $3277.56
Purpose: Phone Banks
11. Opposes Candidate: FRIENDS OF TAMMY DUCKWORTH
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Illinois District 06
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $3046.86
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $2496.24
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $3031.98
Purpose: Phone Banks
12. Opposes Candidate: HEATH SHULER FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, North Carolina District 11
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $2949.12
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $2936.34
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $2970.66
Purpose: Phone Banks
13. Opposes Candidate: LUCAS FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Kentucky District 04
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $4059.66
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $3377.22
Purpose: Phone Banks
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $3623.40
Purpose: Phone Banks
14. Opposes Candidate: TIM MAHONEY FOR FLORIDA
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Florida District 16
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $3877.20
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $6201.00
Purpose: Phone Banks
15. Opposes Candidate: COMMITTEE TO ELECT CHRIS MURPHY
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Connecticut District 05
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $4247.16
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $3291.18
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/01/2006 Amount Expended = $4273.56
Purpose: Phone Banks
16. Opposes Candidate: NANCY BOYDA FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Kansas District 02
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $4093.74
Purpose: Phone Banks
17. Opposes Candidate: FARRELL FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Connecticut District 04
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $3348.18
Purpose: Phone Banks
18. Opposes Candidate: PAUL HODES FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, New Hampshire District 02
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $5725.50
Purpose: Phone Banks
19. Opposes Candidate: KAGEN 4 CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Wisconsin District 08
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $4710.54
Purpose: Phone Banks
20. Opposes Candidate: LOIS MURPHY FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Pennsylvania District 06
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/03/2006 Amount Expended = $3558.54
Purpose: Phone Banks
Payee: CONQUEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
Date Expended = 11/02/2006 Amount Expended = $3539.58
Purpose: Phone Banks
