POLITICAL INVESTIGATION/RESEARCH

Opposition/Vulnerability Research
By Ron Azzarello

So much press attention is being paid to negative advertising, primarily because it works so well. Do not be fooled into thinking that opposition research means negative ads. There is nothing inherently negative about accurately depicting an opponent's record on behalf of clients.

Be prepared to face client prospects with opponents running for office. There is no better way to disarm opponents than to know their record better than they do. Obtain the voting records of all of your state's legislators every year. Track legislation, campaign related materials and special interest industry periodicals. Then you will be ready for the public record phase when you get the call.

The second reason why clients must engage in opposition research is simple: The opposition is going to do it to them!

The "10 Commandments" of Opposition Research --

1. Do not engage in any action or conversation that you would not want to
read about on the front page of a major newspaper.

2. Be discreet when collecting data. This is especially important when
dealing with political organizations headed by client's opposition party.
However, being discreet does not give you a license to misrepresent
yourself with research obtained through pretext, deceit or deception.

3. Political clients can only use legally obtained information gathered,
generally, from public records. Digging unlawfully obtained or non public
record dirt, does a disservice to the political client and the career
investigative industry at large.

4. Do not waste time chasing or spreading rumors. Gear the campaign's
opposition research around issues, not personal matters.

5. Verify every item of information developed before you publish to the
client. It only takes one error to destroy yours-ours-their credibility.
If you cannot prove it or reveal sources -- the client cannot use it.

6. Every fact you develop for client's use must not only have a legally
obtained foundation, but hard-copy documentation. Each person receiving
the information must receive your attached documentation.

7. Do not assume anything nor accuse anyone. Report all the relevant
facts and let people draw their own conclusions about your workproduct.

8. Do not wait until the end of a campaign to provide all the research
you accumulate. Your client may, as an act of desperation, consider using
this information -- your client will be correctly perceived as desperate.

9. Your client probably has developed and maintains a positive image. To
the extent possible, the research you compile should be distributed
through your client's most trusted network of campaign staff, state and
precinct party workers, reliable contacts, etc.

10. You should brief the client and key campaign staff so they are ready
to defend any attack made against the opponent. Be prepared to be accused
of employing negative tactics. The best defense is reiterating the fact

issues -- not revealing any subjectively crass dirt digging!


Vulnerability research must be conducted on candidate recruits --

In addition to pubrecs, gather a group of the client's closest friends and let them talk about all the good and bad things they know about him or her. It is always a surprise how much friends know. Whatever you do, inform the candidate he or she cannot attend this meeting.

If you decide to perform Opposition/Vulnerability Research, network with investigators experienced in providing politically sensitive services. Candidates must be prepared for potential attacks. Getting a candidate to think and talk about their own weaknesses is an important first step in the development of a successful campaign.

Vulnerability research is coordinated with individual clients. Because the information may be sensitive, the research must be controlled in the strictest of confidence. As an industry, we have a seedy image to outgrow; not perpetuate. If approached with respect and sensitivity, clients will benefit from trusting a career PI with their future.

Once career PI's are perceived as a valuable professional tool, we will obtain legislative benefit$ of redeeming public value -- and benefit$ will continue to accrue as we grow our probative businesses.


Ron Azzarello
ALLIANCE Surveillance & Investigation
Dunedin, Florida 1-813 736-6775