Get a load of this .

Nearly 10,000 of the biggest donors to Republican candidates and causes across the country will probably receive a foreboding “warning” letter in the mail next week.

The letter is an opening shot across the bow from an unusual new outside political group on the left that is poised to engage in hardball tactics to prevent similar groups on the right from getting off the ground this fall.

Led by Tom Matzzie, a liberal political operative who has been involved with some prominent left-wing efforts in recent years, the newly formed nonprofit group, Accountable America, is planning to confront donors to conservative groups, hoping to create a chilling effect that will dry up contributions.

“We want to stop the Swift Boating before it gets off the ground,” said Mr. Matzzie, who described his effort as “going for the jugular.”

The warning letter is intended as a first step, alerting donors who might be considering giving to right-wing groups to a variety of potential dangers, including legal trouble, public exposure and watchdog groups digging through their lives.

Not only is this walking right on the edge of blackmail but, as see-dubya points out, his little strongarm group will have exactly the opposite effect of what he apparently wants. donors will head for groups which can not be compelled to reveal their donor lists legally instead of the more open groups where most folks donate. So, no, this super-tough political operative isn’t very bright at all.

Then again, you don’t have to be bright to be an effective thug. You just have to be able to break a kneecap or three whenever your bosses tell you. I’m quite sure that there are quite a few progressives out there eager to flex their own version of free speech, which entails everyone who doesn’t agree with them shutting the hell up and doing whatever their more enlightened betters tell them to do. He won’t be hurting for money or cheerleaders.

And just to set the record straight, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth were mostly right. Google “Christmas in Cambodia” some time.

(via Byron York)

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin has posted a copy of the letter that Matzzie’s group is sending to those 10,000 Republican donors. Part of it caught my attention. Here’s the excerpt:

Accountable America, a non-partisan, non-profit is writing to make sure you are aware of some of the recent developments that may affect your decision-making concerning these organizations. [Emphasis mine]

According to the article I linked earlier in this post, and the two articles linked by Patterico here, Matzzie’s group is specifically and exclusively targeting Republican organizations. Further, his group’s main goal in doing that is to protect Democratic candidates and strengthen Democratic groups like the Republican one’s he’s trying to stifle.

That is as partisan as it gets. Matzzie is lying in his letter and, as Michelle noted, on his group’s website.

So, it’s an outright lie, but could it also be illegal? If he is representing himself as a non-partisan group in order to enjoy the tax and FEC privileges that such groups get, then he’s violating both tax and election laws. So, does anyone know how Accountable America is organized?

Further, I’d be very interested to know if the threats he has made to these donors (such as investigations and lawsuits) constitutes a violation of the RICO statutes. I don’t have enough know how to figure that out, but I”m sure there are some legal eagles around who do.

Is Tom Mattzie breaking the law or simply lying to make his threat more credible?

Other Posts of Interest:

• Free Speech? Not if You’re a Republican in Congress
• Fact-Checking the Angry Progressive Mob
• Obama’s Campaign’s Response to Political Ad? Threats and Intimidation.