Meet the Attack Lads

Dirty politics has been around since Thomas Jefferson’s oppo researchers went after Alexander Hamilton’s mistress in 1800, but there’s more money in it these days. With campaign expenditures hitting record levels—nearly $1.2 billion was spent in 2004, much of it channeled through shadowy independent-expenditure groups, 527 committees, and the like—those schooled in politics’ darker arts are cashing in like never before. And for the off years, there’s always corporate marketing and “grassroots lobbying,” which increasingly employ the tricks of the campaign trade. Here are some key players from years past, and their current allegiances.

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Instructions: Click on the images below to watch the ads and meet the attack lads.

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In "It's Not a Crisis. This Is the New Normal," we explain, as matter-of-factly as we can, what exactly our finances look like, how brutal it is to sustain quality journalism right now, what makes Mother Jones different than most of the news out there, and why support from readers is the only thing that keeps us going. Despite the challenges, we're optimistic we can increase the share of online readers who decide to donate—starting with hitting an ambitious $300,000 goal in just three weeks to make sure we can finish our fiscal year break-even in the coming months.

Please learn more about how Mother Jones works and our 47-year history of doing nonprofit journalism that you don't find elsewhere—and help us do it with a donation if you can. We've already cut expenses and hitting our online goal is critical right now.

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