Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund: Difference between revisions
m Fixed a misspelling. |
Sally Season (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 71: | Line 71: | ||
During the [[2012 United States presidential election]] it began a media campaign asserting that leaks of sensitive information from the [[Obama Administration]] have endangered U.S. personnel and compromised [[national security]], and that Barack Obama has taken too much credit for the [[death of Osama bin Laden]].<ref name=McConnell/> It plans to run Internet ads and to air TV ads during the balance of the [[United States presidential election, 2012|2012 presidential election]] campaign.<ref name=Ohlheiser/> |
During the [[2012 United States presidential election]] it began a media campaign asserting that leaks of sensitive information from the [[Obama Administration]] have endangered U.S. personnel and compromised [[national security]], and that Barack Obama has taken too much credit for the [[death of Osama bin Laden]].<ref name=McConnell/> It plans to run Internet ads and to air TV ads during the balance of the [[United States presidential election, 2012|2012 presidential election]] campaign.<ref name=Ohlheiser/> |
||
On August 15, 2012, the organization released ''[[Dishonorable Disclosures]]'', a 22-minute documentary film that |
On August 15, 2012, the organization released ''[[Dishonorable Disclosures]]'', a 22-minute documentary film that accuses the Obama Administration of taking credit for killing bin Laden and leaking information for political advantage, featuring interviews with former special forces personnel. The film appears on the organization's website and on [[YouTube]], and OPSEC also intends to show it in a handful of [[swing states]], including Virginia, Colorado, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and Nevada.<ref name='NYT_2012-08-15'/><ref name=Ohlheiser/> The group has been described as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], to be using smear tactics, and to be attempting to "[[Swiftboating|swift boat]]" the [[Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2012|Obama campaign]]; in response leaders of OPSEC said it is [[non-partisan]] and unconnected to any political party or presidential campaign.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama campaign accuses Republicans of smear tactics over bin Laden, leaks |author=Mark Hosenball |author2=Warren Strobel |author3=Christopher Wilson |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/15/us-usa-campaign-binladen-ad-idUSBRE87E01F20120815 |newspaper=Reuters |date=15 August 2012 |accessdate=27 August 2012}}</ref> |
||
==Funding== |
==Funding== |
||
Revision as of 22:25, 22 September 2012
 | |
| Abbreviation | OPSEC |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Alexandria, Virginia |
President | Scott Taylor |
Spokesperson | Chad Kolton |
Spokesperson | Ben Smith |
| Website | www.opsecteam.org |
Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund, Inc. (OPSEC) is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization which began a media campaign critical of President Obama in August 2012, accusing his administration of disclosing sensitive information about the killing of Osama bin Laden and taking too much credit for the operation.[1]
OPSEC's members are primarily former U.S. special operations forces and intelligence community personnel. Its leaders have ties to the Republican Party and Tea Party movement, though the group says it is non-partisan.[2][3][4] As of mid-August 2012, it claims to have raised almost $1 million.[5][6]
The military acronym "OPSEC" refers to the concept of Operations Security, wherein security measures are taken to prevent friendly operations and intentions from being observed by an adversary's intelligence systems.
Leadership
OPSEC's president is Scott Taylor, a former Navy SEAL who vied for the Republican nomination for a Virginia congressional seat in 2010.[6] Its spokesperson is Chad Kolton, who worked for the Bush administration as a spokesperson for the Director of National Intelligence,[5] and who was hired to perform media relations for OPSEC in July 2012 through HDMK, a Republican strategic communications firm.[7] Another spokesperson and former SEAL, Ben Smith, was also a spokesperson for Tea Party Express.[3]
Activities
During the 2012 United States presidential election it began a media campaign asserting that leaks of sensitive information from the Obama Administration have endangered U.S. personnel and compromised national security, and that Barack Obama has taken too much credit for the death of Osama bin Laden.[5] It plans to run Internet ads and to air TV ads during the balance of the 2012 presidential election campaign.[6]
On August 15, 2012, the organization released Dishonorable Disclosures, a 22-minute documentary film that accuses the Obama Administration of taking credit for killing bin Laden and leaking information for political advantage, featuring interviews with former special forces personnel. The film appears on the organization's website and on YouTube, and OPSEC also intends to show it in a handful of swing states, including Virginia, Colorado, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and Nevada.[2][6] The group has been described as Republican, to be using smear tactics, and to be attempting to "swift boat" the Obama campaign; in response leaders of OPSEC said it is non-partisan and unconnected to any political party or presidential campaign.[8]
Funding
The group says it has raised almost $1 million between June and mid-August 2012.[5] Registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization,[1] which requires that its activities not be primarily political,[9] the group is not required to disclose its donors and OPSEC has not discussed its funding.[6][4]
See also
References
- ^ a b Hosenball, Mark (August 17, 2012). "Group behind Obama attack ad has Republican Party ties". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b Shane, Scott (15 Aug 2012). "Ex-Officers Attack Obama Over Leaks on Bin Laden Raid". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ a b Rogin, Josh (2012-08-21). "In Facebook postings, OPSEC spokesman rips 'Communist-in-Chief Hussein Mao-bama'". Foreign Policy. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
- ^ a b Hosenball, Mark (August 14, 2012). "Special ops group attacks Obama over bin Laden bragging, leaks". Reuters.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d McConnell, Dugald (August 16, 2012). "Former special forces officers slam Obama over leaks on bin Laden killing". CNN.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e Ohlheiser, Abby (August 15, 2012). "Special Ops Group Launches Anti-Obama Media Blitz". Slate.
- ^ Mundy, Alicia (August 15, 2012). "Faulting Obama, Former Officers Plan Ads on Bin Laden Leaks". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Mark Hosenball; Warren Strobel; Christopher Wilson (15 August 2012). "Obama campaign accuses Republicans of smear tactics over bin Laden, leaks". Reuters. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ^ Internal Revenue Service. "7.25.4 Civic Leagues, Social Welfare Organizations and Local Associations of Employees". Internal Revenue Manual. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
An exempt IRC 501(c)(4) organization may intervene in political campaigns as long as its primary activity is the promotion of social welfare.