In the race for campaign superiority Republicans must ensure that they are not in violation of campaign finance law. This means ensuring that your identification statement, "Paid for by"  and any required disclaimers (authorized by, not authorized by ... etc.) are on every item that requires one.  

Being able to report an opponent for campaign finance violations makes the opponent utilize resources (time, personnel, money) to deal with the report. But too often, a Republican campaign cannot bring up campaign finance violations to knock a Dem campaign off focus, because the Republican is also in violation.

It's sort of hard to sell yourself as a lawmaker if you're a law breaker! It's also hard to rat-out your opponent when you're doing the same thing!

This also points out why Republican campaigns should turn to vendors that have Republican campaign experience, like we do at GopLogo.  Let the Dems utilize the uninformed vendors who don't have a clue. GopLogo, the Republican Campaign Support Services arm of Crooks Advertising Alliance, has 18 years experience in Republican Campaign marketing. 18 years experience to bring to bear on your behalf and help keep you out of trouble.

Following is a list of exempted items, items that do not require an identification statement. This list is specific to Michigan. If an item is not on this list you either must get written exemption from the Bureau of Elections/Secretary of State office or you put the identification statement on it. Period!

Aerial banners              Ashtrays                                                       Badges & badge holders
Balloons                       Bingo Chips                                                    Bumper Stickers (4" x 15"  or smaller)
Brushes                       Candy wrappers (1 ½" x 2 ½" or smaller)        Buttons
Cigarette lighters         Campaign stickers (3" x 1 ½" or smaller)         Clothing
Clothes Pins                  Coasters                                                          Cloth pot holders
Cups                             Combs                                                            Earrings
Drinking glasses             Envelopes                                                     Emery Boards
Erasers                           Fortune Cookie Message (1.2" x 2" or less)    Frisbees®
Glasses                            Golf balls                                                     Golf tees
Hats                                 Horns                                                     Ice scrapers
Jar lid openers (5" or smaller)    Key rings                                      Knives
Labels                             Lapel pins/stickers                                  Magnifying glasses
Matchbooks                       Nail clipper                                      Nail files
Noisemakers                       Paper and plastic cups                   Paper and plastic plates
Paper weights                        Pencils                                       Pennants
Pendants                                 Pens                                           Pinwheels
Plastic tableware                      Pocket protectors                       Pot holders
Refrigerator magnets                Ribbons                                      Shoe horns
Staple removers                       Sun glasses                                 Sun visors
Sweatshirts                                 Swizzle sticks                             Whistles
t-shirts                            Wooden rulers (12" or smaller                 Wooden nickels (size of 5¢ coin)

Need to discuss this issue? Call us at 517-589-0008.

Warm Regards,
Michael Crooks