RNC Accepts Money From Army Porn Movie Distributor

Maddy Sauer Reports:
ABC News, The Blotter
Nov. 03, 2006

Despite running an attack ad accusing a Democratic senatorial candidate of accepting money from "porn movie producers," the Republican National Committee itself has accepted several donations over the past few years from the president of a large pornographic movie distribution company.

Marina Pacific Distributors calls itself "the leader in adult video distribution." Included in the movies for sale on their Web site are videos made by "Active Duty Productions." Active Duty, as their name suggests, has cast active duty soldiers in some of their films but not without serious consequences for the soldiers.

Three Fort Bragg soldiers were found guilty and sentenced to prison in separate courts-martial earlier this year for appearing in pornographic videos made by Active Duty. The charges included sodomy and conduct detrimental to the Army. Four other soldiers accused of appearing in Active Duty videos were also punished outside of the military court system.

Active Duty's films, however, continue to be sold by large pornographic video distributors, including Marina Pacific.

The president of Marina Pacific, Nicholas Boyias, has personally contributed to the Republican party several times over the last few years, six times to the Republican National Committee. The donations range from $200 to $500 and total around $2,000, according to a search of federal election records.

The RNC would not comment on the donations from Boyias or from the porn industry in general.

A Marina Pacific spokesman said Boyias is a moderate Republican who supports candidates and causes on both sides of the aisle, though no contributions to Democrats were found in a search of federal election records. The company continues to sell Active Duty's films, which include "Fire in the Hole," "Platoon Party" and "Thrill Sergeant."

Back at Fort Bragg, a spokesman for the 82nd Airborne said it's distressing to know that Active Duty's videos are still being sold.

"It's very frustrating for the leaders of the 82nd Airborne to know that people like this are out in the public who prey on our troops," said Major Thomas Earnhardt.

When asked about the soldiers who were sent to prison for appearing in the films, a spokesman for Marina Pacific said, "They made a choice, and they were of legal age."