Can Monsanto's Raider Vanquish Nader?

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Toby Moffett is a well-connected Washington lobbyist employed at the Livingston Group, a powerful lobby firm begun by former Republican representative Robert Livingston. One of Moffett's close colleagues at Livingston is Lauri Fitz-Pegado who worked for the front group Citizens for a Free Kuwait. Moffett was previously a vice-president of Monsanto, the giant genetic engineering and pesticide company. In his youth Moffett worked for Ralph Nader and now as he did in 2000 he is trading on his "Nader's Raider" past to raise hefty contributions for a well-oiled attack campaign against Nader's run for the presidency. According to the Seattle Times, "anti-Nader groups have been organized for months. But the efforts have taken 'a huge move' recently in fund raising, research and a detailed attack plan, Moffett said. 'This guy [Nader] is still a huge threat,' he said. 'We're just not going to make the same mistake we made in 2000.' ... A memo given to potential supporters said Moffett's group, United Progressives for Victory, will do research, community organizing, media outreach and Internet marketing aimed at weakening Nader's standing. Last night, Nader called it a smear campaign and said, 'It's the Democrats' undemocratic attempt' to quash third-party candidates."