Massive group tied to Bush officials channels money to promote nominees

When President Bush named Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. as his Supreme Court pick, it took Progress for America just 39 minutes to announce a slick Web site and begin lobbying for his confirmation," the New York Times' Glen Justice and Aron Pilhofer are set to report in Monday editions. "And that was slow. The group had taken 11 minutes to do the same for Harriet E. Miers and only 7 minutes for John G. Roberts Jr. before that."
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Progress for America functions like an unofficial extension of the White House, advancing the president's policies alongside the Republican National Committee.

The group's political arm, the Progress for America Voter Fund, is one of the so-called 527 committees, which spent tens of millions of dollars on both sides to influence last year's elections. Though the groups can collect unlimited contributions, they were barred from coordinating with campaigns. But in the post-election season, there is no prohibition against coordinating with the White House and the party, and Progress for America has become one of the strongest players to emerge from 2004.

Developing in Monday's Times...

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