January 23, 2012

SandBox Comments: BREAKING NEWS - Iowa Republican/Kevin Hall "Link Strategies’ Dirty Deeds and Deep Ties to Top Democrats'

Kevin Hall off the Iowa Republican broke this story last Friday and follows through today. 

Naming names out in Iowa and all the way on over to the Oval Office.

This story very well could be the most major story influencing the growing need to determine laws that govern internet use.

Edwards and Link Strategies are known all over the web for their cutthroat style of viral link baiting, search optimizing practices and ruthless web content.  All of our existing laws and the unwillingness of cops, prosecutors and judges to push the boundaries of those laws are the biggest travesty of justice we have when it comes to internet crime and intellectual, intangible property.

If you have never been through the labyrinth of trying to find the path to obtain protection for your person, life and loved ones should you find yourself a victim of these near indescribable crimes; you cannot begin to understand the importance of our lawmakers and authorities at least trying to wade through with things like SOPA.

'SandBox Nanny' recalls the words of a regional judge:

'Due to the negligence of legislators to define within the confines of law the specific wording that the internet and keyboard are the weapons of a stalker, I cannot grant you protection at this time.'

Well said.  Yes, some internet laws have enhanced since she heard those words spoken. But not anywhere near enough and they've missed the most fundamental core of the problem.

Web content with ill-intent or purposefully crafted into a falsity is criminal liability.  What turns that into a criminal act is the weapon of programming with viral based technology and manipulating that through SEO capability.  Enhanced by the intellectual property of the perpetrator and their level of skill.

Thank you to all officers, agencies and prosecutors who nailed Zach Edwards.  It will be very interesting to watch this story.

Kevin Hall:
"Link Strategies’ ties to top Iowa Democrats run deep. First District Congressman Bruce Braley paid the group $167,237 in 2009-10. According to reports filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, the campaign for Secretary of Agriculture candidate Francis Thicke paid Link Strategies $100,000 during his unsuccessful 2010 run. Attorney General Tom Miller’s campaign paid the firm $1,200 on November 5, 2010.

The Des Moines-based consulting group also provided research to Chet Culver’s 2006 gubernatorial campaign. Link Strategies alum Matt Paul is the communications director for the USDA, run by former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. Paul was also Vilsack’s Iowa press secretary.

Link Strategies is also on the payroll of Democrats around the country. “Since 2004, Link Strategies handled research for the several successful campaigns including Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Governor Ted Strickland (D-OH), Governor Chet Culver (D-IA), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN), Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT), Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and several other U.S. Senate, gubernatorial and congressional candidates,” the group’s website claims.

Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign was also a beneficiary of the services of Link Strategies. Zach Edwards was the director of new media for Obama’s Iowa general election campaign and also worked in several primary states. Jeff Link “served as a media consultant to the Obama campaign, coordinating branding, all paid media and polling in 25 states.” Brad Anderson, also a member of the Link Strategies team, was Obama’s Iowa communications director for the 2008 general election...."

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