Editing Swift Vets and POWs for Truth (section)

===Federal Election Commission filings===
'''FEC Cases #5511 and #5525'''

On August 10, 2004, three campaign finance watchdog groups — [[Democracy 21]], the [[Campaign Legal Center]], and [[OpenSecrets]] — jointly filed an independent complaint with the [[Federal Election Commission]] (Case #5511).<ref name="fecwatchdog">{{cite web|last=Democracy 21|title=Complaint against Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT)|publisher=FEC|work=complaint|date=2004-08-10|url=http://eqs.nictusa.com/eqsdocs/000058CD.pdf|access-date=2007-04-03|display-authors=etal|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201157/http://eqs.nictusa.com/eqsdocs/000058CD.pdf|archive-date=2007-09-27}}</ref><ref name="watchdogcomplaint">{{cite news|title=Campaign watchdog groups file complaint over anti-Kerry ad|work=USA Today|date=2004-08-10|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-08-10-anti-kerry-ad-complaint_x.htm|access-date=2007-04-02}}</ref> The complaint alleged that SBVT's sources of funding were in violation of federal election law in that "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT) is registered with the IRS as a section 527 group but is not registered with the Commission as a political committee. However, SBVT is, in fact, a federal political committee."

On August 20, 2004, the Kerry campaign filed a complaint with the FEC (Case #5525)<ref name="feckerry">{{cite web|last=Kerry-Edwards 2004|title=Complaint against SBVT, President George W. Bush, etc.|publisher=FEC|work=complaint|date=2004-08-23|url=http://eqs.nictusa.com/eqsdocs/000058A8.pdf|access-date=2007-04-03|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201546/http://eqs.nictusa.com/eqsdocs/000058A8.pdf|archive-date=2007-09-27}}</ref><ref name="kerryfeccomplaint">{{cite news|title=Kerry files FEC complaint against swift boat group|publisher=CNN|date=2004-08-21|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/20/kerry.swiftboat/|access-date=2007-04-02}}</ref> alleging that SBVT and 20 additional named respondents had conducted campaign activity that "has been coordinated with the Bush campaign and the Republican Party from the outset." Under federal election law, SBVT, as a nonpartisan 527 group, was barred from coordinating with any political campaign. The complaint, citing the "ties" noted above, claimed a "web of connections to the [[Bush family]], high-profile Texas political figures, and President Bush's chief political aide, [[Karl Rove]]".

The Bush campaign dismissed charges of ties and asserted there was no co-ordination between SBVT and the campaign. Editorial opinion on the evidence for co-ordination varied. [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]' ''The Note'' stated, "There is no evidence that the Bush campaign is orchestrating the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth."<ref name="notenoevidence">{{cite news|title=Speaking of the Truth|work=The Note|publisher=ABC News|date=August 23, 2004|url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/TheNote/TheNote_Aug2304.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050417133340/http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/TheNote/TheNote_Aug2304.html|archive-date=April 17, 2005}}</ref> In contrast, the ''New York Times'' opined that the SBVT attacks were "orchestrated by negative-campaign specialists deep in the heart of the Texas Republican machine."<ref name="texasnexus">{{cite news|title=Swift Boats and the Texas Nexus|work=NY Times|date=2004-08-25|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D02EFD6153EF936A1575BC0A9629C8B63|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130160449/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D02EFD6153EF936A1575BC0A9629C8B63|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-01-30|access-date=2008-03-28}}</ref>

'''FEC Findings – Cases #5511 and #5525'''

On December 13, 2006, in a consolidated finding, the FEC ruled against the Kerry campaign allegations (Case #5525)<ref name="fecruling">{{cite web|last=Federal Election Commission|title=Conciliation Agreement – MURs 5511 and 5525|work=ruling|publisher=FEC|date=2006-12-13|url=http://eqs.nictusa.com/eqsdocs/000058ED.pdf|access-date=2007-04-03|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205132232/http://eqs.nictusa.com/eqsdocs/000058ED.pdf|archive-date=2007-02-05}}</ref> finding that...

{{blockquote|Following an investigation, the Commission concluded that Swiftvets did not unlawfully coordinate its activities with, or make excessive in-kind contributions to, any federal candidate or political party committee.}}

In addition, Kerry campaign complaints against 18 other respondents were relegated to [https://web.archive.org/web/20061127231702/http://eqs.nictusa.com/eqs/terms.html "dismissed-other"] and 2 relegated to [https://web.archive.org/web/20061127231702/http://eqs.nictusa.com/eqs/terms.html "Reason To Believe/No Further Action" (RTB/NFA)] status.

The FEC did, however, find ''for'' the joint complainants (Case #5511)<ref name="fecpressrelease">{{cite press release|title=FEC collects $630,000 in civil penalties from three 527 organizations|publisher=Federal Election Commission|date=2006-12-13|url=http://www.fec.gov/press/press2006/20061213murs.html|access-date=2007-04-03|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208142407/http://www.fec.gov/press/press2006/20061213murs.html|archive-date=2012-02-08}}</ref> in that the SBVT failed to register and file disclosure reports as a federal political committee, and accepted contributions in violation of federal limits and source prohibitions. SBVT was assessed a fine of $299,500.

The conciliation agreement between the FEC and the SBVT also stated, in part:

{{blockquote|Indeed, the Commission has never alleged that the SwiftVets acted in knowing defiance of the law, or with the conscious recognition that their actions were prohibited by law, made no findings or conclusions that there were any knowing and willful violations of the law in connection with this matter, and, thus, does not challenge SwiftVets' assertion of its good faith reliance on its understanding of the law.}}

{{blockquote|Solely for the purpose of settling this matter expeditiously and avoiding litigation, without admission with respect to any other proceeding, and with no finding of probable cause by the Commission, SwiftVets agrees not to contest the Commission's conclusions .{{nbsp}}...}}

In addition, as part of the conciliation agreement, SBVT stated that upon completing its obligations under the agreement, it "intends to cease operations as an IRC Section 527 organization and to donate the remainder of its funds to a charity supporting the families of U.S. servicemen and servicewomen killed or wounded in the [[War in Iraq]]."<ref name="fecruling"/>