Nothing wrong with an essay contest. The issue is that, apparently, you have to donate $50 to the Brown campaign in order to be eligible to win. Now, if this were a straight-up raffle, i.e., a random drawing among the $50 donations, it would likely not be allowed under MA law. The wrinkle here is that the winner is not selected by chance, but rather by judges who decide which essay is the best.
But you still have to pay to play. That is in sharp contrast to the various offers cluttering our inboxes to have dinner with President Obama or some other luminary, which encourage a contribution, but which also expressly say that no purchase or contribution is necessary and which allow you to enter without donating.
I’m no expert on MA’s raffle laws, as our friends at RMG were delighted to point out a little while back. Perhaps they could enlighten us as to whether the Brown campaign is in violation of MA or some other law with this little promotion they’ve got going?
UPDATE: Further research suggests that there may indeed be a critical difference between random drawings (where pay-to-play is generally not allowed) and “skill contests” where the winner is chosen based on having written the best essay, drawn the best picture, or done some other thing that requires skill. So the “essay contest” element of this promotion may indeed make it legal for the Brown campaign to require a $50 donation. Interesting.
tyler-oday says
Massachusetts General Law chapter 271, section 7A governs the conduct of all raffles. The Office of the Attorney General is responsible for interpreting and enforcing this law.
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p>According to the Attorney General, political committees may not conduct raffles. Specifically, the Attorney General has written to city and town clerks advising that:
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p>The law states that any organization that wants to hold a raffle . . . must obtain a permit from their city or town clerk. The law only allows clerks to issue permits to six specific types of organizations. . . Political committees are not listed in the statute and may not be issued permits and, therefore, may not hold raffles . . . Moreover, fundraising for political purposes through raffles . . . is also prohibited by c. 271, s. 7A, and by the regulations issued concerning raffles . . . (961 CMR 4.00). See May 14, 1992 letter to City and Town Clerks from Attorney General Harshbarger. (Emphasis added).
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p>If you have any questions regarding raffles, please contact the Office of the Attorney General, Room 2100, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108 Attention: Elections Division (617) 727-2200 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (617) 727-2200
noternie says
The problem is that it just sounds wrong that to enter a “What the 4th of July means to me” essay contest, you have to give $50 to Scott Brown’s re-election campaign.
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p>Since the major component of each essay is likely to be a variation on being free, shouldn’t the contest, you know, BE FREE!?!?!?
peter-porcupine says
If this were just a placque and a picture, I’d buy the ‘free’ argument. But since it involves hotel and airfare, the entry fee is more understandable.
kate says
tyler-oday says
Thats the only way I’d get in đŸ˜‰
michaelbate says
Not sure about the hotel, either, since the game is at Fenway Park.
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p>I suppose if someone from Western MA won….
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p>I feel that it is very ironic that someone with as much disgust for American democratic values as Scott Brown (whose campaign called for torture, military tribunals, etc.) would want anyone to write essays about July 4. The Declaration of Independence opens by saying that ALL men have God-given rights, not just citizens of certain countries, as Brown and others would have it.
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p>The Declaration was written by Thomas Jefferson (I just returned from a vacation that included a visit to Monticello). Can you imagine what Jefferson would think of Brown’s campaign for the Senate!!?
peter-porcupine says
apricot says
Jefferson loved the torture stuff, that perverse bastard.
peter-porcupine says
This perversity isn’t taught in schools, though.
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p>Or at Jefferson-Jackson dinners.
apricot says
michaelbate says
would point to an alleged character defect of Jefferson as evidence that he would have supported Brown.
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p>The French revolution started out as a rebellion against tyranny and aristocracy. Of course Jefferson would support such a rebellion. It only later degenerated into a blood bath.
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p>As a lover of freedom, I am sure that Jefferson would react to Brown’s campaign as all lovers of freedom and American values reacted: in disgust.
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p>It is worth noting that the previous two Republican U.S. Senators from MA, Leverett Saltonstall and Ed Brooke, were, unlike Brown, decent and honorable men, who would not have advocated Gestapo tactics to deal with terrorism. Of course neither of them would be welcome in the Republican party today. As I have said before, America needs a responsible opposition party, which unfortunately we no longer have.
peter-porcupine says
…and took Jefferson to task in Porcupine’s Gazette for his support WELL AFTER evidence of the Terror reached him (Porcupine had been in Paris and had narrowly escaped). Jefferson’s attitude was that you can’t make omelettes without breaking a few eggs, and the underlying principles justified the excesses…sort of an early Charles Lindburgh.
sabutai says
The French Revolution was a lot more than the Reign of Terror. That’s elementary history.
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p>This is akin to saying somebody “favored the anti-Apartheid Movement and excused the ‘Wankie and Sipolilo Battles‘ “. and calling it perverse. Thankfully, Jefferson had a better grasp of history than that.
gregr says
were the only ones allowed to vote, let alone run for office, in most of the early states, I’d bet you are right.
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p>Then again, Jefferson kept his biological children, via sally Hemmings, in slavery. I think he might just agree with the GOP on a lot of things.
peter-porcupine says
michael-forbes-wilcox says
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p>Gee, thanks for the reservation, but I guess I could do that myself. Who pays?
david says
Why? Campaigns make these kinds of offers all the time, and they don’t charge entry fees. Like the Obama/Boxer example I linked in the main post:
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p>
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p>Scott Brown had, what, six million bucks left over in his campaign account after his election? And he can’t spring for airfare and hotel for one lucky winner? Weak.
sabutai says
“…and I’ll pick you up in my truck!”
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p>Sounds like a line from a contest sponsored by Justin Bieber or Robert Petterson. This belongs on the back page of Tiger Beat, not a Senator’s campaign website.
hesterprynne says
On the webpage advertising this contest, Scott Brown is standing in front of what I assume is a fireworks display. But it’s cartoonish bunch of fireworks, and the whole effect reminds me of the way Jesus used to be pictured in Sunday School books. Check it out.
stomv says
or maybe Scott Brown farts pixie dust.
tyler-oday says
John McCain dust now
apricot says
Superheroish, Jesusish. Me vomitousish.
jgingloucester says
“donate $50 to make your essay eligible to win this contest. Be sure to sign your blog post with your name so that we can match it with your donation.”
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p>Why not just write your essay on a $50 bill and tuck it into his waistband?
christopher says
…what is the rationale behind tightly regulating raffles? I had to go to the city clerk’s office to get a permit for my community orchestra to hold one – why? We were just selling $1.00 tickets for chances to win a few donated items. What business is that of the city’s? Also, why can’t political committees hold these? They are easy fundraisers and don’t involve contributing enough money to require reporting.
stomv says
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p>2. Hi, my name is George Soros. I’d like to buy 4,500,000 $1 raffle tickets please. Hi, my name is Goober McGoo. I’d like to buy 3,000,000 tickets for the Club for Growth.
peter-porcupine says
farnkoff says
the first annual Scott Brown Essay Contest. Subject: “What has Scott Brown done for the state and the nation since his election?” The entrance fee is $25, and as long as I receive at least 10 submissions, the prize for the best essay is a trip to a Red Sox game with me and my kids. I’ll even throw in a hot dog and a coke, but we’re taking the bus.
peter-porcupine says
farnkoff says