Progressive Activists Join Forces to Indict Rove’s Crossroads GPS

By Corey Goldstone

More than 100 protestors hit the streets outside the Washington offices of political guru and SuperPAC strongman Karl Rove on Thursday, blasting him and the attack-ad giant he founded, Crossroads GPS, for improperly using money donated to a tax-exempt organization to influence the election.

Pennies placed on the ground outside Rove’s New York Avenue office building spelled out, “Small Money v. Karl Rove,” and chants from the demonstrators echoed loudly against the Washington D.C. building where they feel Rove and his anonymous billionaires have been buying American elections behind closed doors.

An indictment the group served upstairs at Rove’s office charged him with five counts of crimes against democracy:

1. Collusion with secretive groups and state legislatures to keep people from exercising their right to vote;
2. Conspiracy with billionaires to elect politicians who will do their bidding at the expense of the health and security of the 99 percent;
3. Engaging in fraudulent use of nonprofit status in order to shield their political activities from public scrutiny;
4. Laundering political cash through supposed social welfare groups to deny Americans the knowledge of who is trying to buy their elections;
5. Silencing the voices of everyday voters by flooding our elections with corporate money from the 1 percent.

Crossroads GPS claims that by supporting the Super PAC American Crossroads, it can “provide a clear road map… empowering Americans to set the direction of policy-making in Washington rather than being the disenfranchised victims of it.”

But the Obama campaign is challenging that defense. On Tuesday, they sent a letter to the Federal Election Commission, urging that Crossroads GPS be reclassified as a PAC under the tax code.

Rove’s response was that it was an “attempt to intimidate people who might otherwise contribute to GPS… frankly, thuggish behavior.” If the FEC decides to change the status of the group, Crossroads would be required to disclose their donors.

Ultimately, leaders of the event entered the building and arrived at the floor where Rove’s office is located. Although the group was unable to conduct a citizens’ arrest on the absent Rove, the real message of the event was heard loud and clear. Despite the inevitably brutal White House battle, many will hold their heads high and won’t let big money prevent them from participating in their democracy. “I DON’T KNOW BUT I’VE BEEN TOLD, ELECTION VOTES CAN NOT BE SOLD!”