For those of you who may not remember, Nader's Raiders were a group of Nader's co-workers, who, about 25 years ago, worked on a variety of consumer advocacy issues. Tom -------------------------------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2000 08:04:45 -0700 From: John C. Strawn <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Truth of "Nader's Raiders for Gore" FYI: Here is the original States News Service story by Andre Vasquez documenting that the brains behind the self-named 'Nader's Raiders for Gore' is former Monsanto Vice President for International Government Affairs, Toby Moffett. Moffett is listed on p.1025 of the authoritative Washington Representatives, 1999, as holding that position with Monsanto. He has since left that position and moved to a corporate lobby firm in DC, Higgins, McGovern and Smith whose clients include high tech, insurance, drug and intellectual property interests such as ATT, America West Airlines, Telecommunications Industry Association, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., Mylan Laboratories, and the Chamber of Commerce of the USA. I do not know exactly when he left his position with Monsanto, but it was a recent move, perhaps even to distance himself from a group that one paper described as having a revolving door relationship with Clinton/Gore. Nor do I know if he is currently working for Monsanto out of his new position, or for the Gore campaign or the Democrat party, or which commercial clients are his. However, he is the ringleader of the 'Nader's Raider's for Gore' and a very powerful coprorate lobbyist for the interests Al Gore promotes and defends, including non-testing and non-labeling of GE foods. For him to be identified as a 'Nader's Raider' is like identifying Benedict Arnold as a patriotic hero of the American Revolution. I'll be happy to address and comment on 'Nader's Raider's for Gore' in my capacity as an individual supporting Nader who is an authority on PR front groups of this sort. John Stauber 608-238-7376 --------------- Forwarded Story --------------- Headline: Former Nader Ally Toby Moffett Now On Campaign ... Wire Service: OTC (COMTEX Newswire) Date: Thu, Aug 31, 2000 Aug. 31, 2000 (States via COMTEX) -- WASHINGTON, Aug. 29-Former U.S. Rep. Toby Moffett (D) is a man on a mission: to minimize any negative effect Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader might have on Al Gore's presidential aspirations. Moffett formed this month a committee of 10 former Nader workers independent from the Gore-Lieberman campaign. Their goal, come up with a strategy to offset any inroads that Nader may make. "[Democrats] must be afraid," says Nancy Allen, a Maine resident and one of the Media Coordinators for the Association of State Green Parties. "This effort is a response to what Nader could do to [Democrats]." Like many political observers, Moffett thinks Gore might have at hand a hard, if not impossible, task in trying to defeat Republican office seeker George W. Bush in states where large numbers of voters are still undecided. Lately Moffett has been on a very tight schedule as his mission is no easy work either. Nader's poll numbers appear strong in some states. And prior to the Democratic convention in Los Angeles they reached nationally a healthy 8 percent placing the Green Party in a solid third position behind the Republican and Democratic parties but far ahead of the Reform or any other party. Though currently on a seven-day vacation in his Connecticut home in , his daily routine is hectic and loaded with interviews for radio and TV stations across the country-especially from a handful of key states-Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington-where Nader could make a difference. "It's wild out there," he says about Oregon just after finishing an interview with a radio station. "All this is not a [personal] attack on Nader," Moffett says. "It's clear that a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush. Even Nader has coincided with that." Oregon is the state where Nader had his best showing, 4 percent, at the expense of President Clinton four years ago. Clinton won that state nevertheless. But there was a lesson to be learned: the Democratic Party should not take any longer for granted several traditionally Democratic states. To avoid a similar surprise this year, Moffett's approach is simple: Talk to as many media outlets as he can and spread the electoral equation that a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush. Moffett's task is still largely unknown, so much so that several members of the Gore campaign barely know he was working on their behalf. Even Allen had to admit she had never heard of Moffett before. But that doesn't mean everyone within the Green Party is unaware of Moffett's doings. "It's obvious the Democrats picked him because of his previous association with Nader," says Green Party coordinating member Howie Hawkins, referring to the day when Nader, Moffett, and a few other activists worked for the Connecticut Citizen Action Group back in the early 1970s. Back then Moffett "worked hard" for the group, says Alan DiCara, one of those activists working side by side with Nader and Moffett for about two years. But now DiCara says to be disappointed with Moffett. "[Moffett] is looking out for [Moffett]," DiCara says. "I am dismayed, but I am not surprised. That's the way [Moffett] is." Hawkins says he understands how someone who worked so closely to Nader could be working against him. "As the country has shifted to the right a lot of intellectuals and activists have decided to go with the money. Just look at the Democratic leadership," Hawkins says. Moffett has been in the political arena since 1969 when he was an aide to then Sen. Walter Mondale (D-Minn.). But he has been out of office since 1983 when after four terms in the House he waged an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate. Moffett says the only reason he started this committee is to avoid the election of Bush and to stop the agenda against the Democratic Party. Moffett says Nader would like to see the Democratic Party shifting back toward the left after an electoral defeat for the presidency. "Nader has become reckless," says Moffett. "He's basically saying there's no difference between Gore and Bush. If [Nader] succeeds, I don't know what will happen." For now, Allen, the Nader spokeswoman, said not to be concerned about Moffett's efforts to stop Nader. "This kind of effort is going to backfire," says Allen. "Independent voters will see it as another reason to vote for Nader." Allen laughs and adds sarcastically. "I am delighted, it's a wonderful strategy that can only help us." By Andre Vasquez -0- Copyright States News Service, all rights reserved - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]