Sep 20 2010
This Could Hurt Christine O’Donnell
I was not impressed or bothered by Bill Maher’s witchy extortion attempt on Christine O’Donnel, or by O’Donnell’s views regarding porn and faithfulness to your spouse or partner. I was not concerned over her views from 15-20 years ago because everyone should be wiser as they get older.
I was concerned about her personal finances and her inability to deal with challenging questions or claims. Through all of this I knew O’Donnell had a thin chance in DE, but a real one. The rising tide against DC and the Democrats could easily sweep her into office, especially against the bearded marxist Coons.
But not playing by the rules financially, by using campaign funds for personal benefit, smacks too close to using government funds for personal benefits (see student loan misuse by Dems), or flaunting the rules for personal benefit (see Rangel and Maxine Waters):
CREW’s complaint is based, in part, on the affidavit of former campaign aide David Keegan. Mr. Keegan explained that in 2009, when Ms. O’Donnell was out of money, she paid her landlord, Brent Vasher, two months rent out of her campaign funds. On FEC forms, Ms. O’Donnell called the expenditures “expense reimbursements.” Mr. Keegan also attested that Ms. O’Donnell routinely used campaign funds for meals and gas, and even a bowling outing. This is not surprising given that Ms. O’Donnell has not held a steady job or had a discernable source of income for many years.
If true these would be damning charges in this year of anti-government corruption. I have no clue if they are true, but the fact the charges are based on an affidavit from one of her campaign aids, gives the charge enough credence to make her a risky bet. CREW is, of course, a left wing, hypocritical, misleading outfit which ignores all Democrat misdeeds as innocent and plausible. Their exaggerated claims of thievery by O’Donnell are muted by their silence on the above mentioned Democrat misdeeds.
But CREW does not matter in this instance. Even a busted and useless watch is right twice a day – and this charge could stick. O’Donnell better have solid answers to these claims by her campaign aides, and I would not be surprised if there are other instances of behavoir that bothered aids who left her campaign expeditiously. If she cannot address these claims satisfactorily and up front, she cannot survive the general
It’s still possible to win the Senate without Delaware. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are firming up nicely, Washington is still a big question mark.
even in the biggest of waves, no movement wins every battle.
I am not sure if it is all that bad. If she can’t hold another job because she is actively campaigning, and isn’t independently wealthy, then it is probably allowable to take some sort of stipend from the campaign fund. If she is simply taking out actual expenses I don’t see much wrong with that.
Now if she were working or held another political office that gave her a salary, yeah, I would have a problem with it.
Here is what most politicians do:
If they have a home or other properly, they mortgage it at some nominal rate, lets say 5.5%. Then they loan the money to their campaign at, say, 15%. Then the campaign pays them “interest only” but since the interest is so high, it pays the mortgage on the home or property. They pay that loan off with the interest payments from the campaign, and then finally pay themselves back the principal.
So, if they “lend” their campaign a million bucks, they end up waking out of it with the loan paid back, and a million bucks in their pockets. Politicians have been doing that for decades.
It is funny to watch Charles Krauthammer tonight when he said that Christine O’Donnell did a good job deflecting the witchcraft issue, now dead, but still has to deal with other issues. He also said that while he hopes Christine wins, her odds are Detroit Lion Long.
He’s cooled his jets since his first comments.
Jonah Goldberg did the math the other day about how many seats the GOP could win without Christine O’Donnell. The odds still look good even without her win. He isn’t the only one that said it. Jay Cost, too. Seems that people on the right side are not worried yet.
Bret pointed out to Judy that Chris Coons also said so many wacky things. So why not exploit those comments and actions made by Coons instead?
I don’t think that we have ever had a very interesting election year for a long time like 2010.
Trent, I have to wonder about her parents. They must not have enough money to put food on the table. Besides, when the young kids start their careers, don’t they struggle big time?
Trent, what about Hillary? How did she finance her campaign and how come she ended up with a lot of debt that Obama promise to write off?
No one has to worry about whether she will win in DE, She’s a lock.
Being a crook (which I don’t believe she is) is not a disqualifier to elected or appointed office.
If it were, most of the present politicians would be disqualified.
You only have to consider the alternative to her.
Wow!
as I said, she’s a lock.
Why is it that the formerly MSM only worries about the ethics of the right?
She so much more a better candidate than her opponent, there can be little serious deliberation in the mind of anyone that is interested in improving the government.
Stop worrying.
You can always finance your campaigns the way Maxine Waters does. Just get Barney Frank to join you in pressuring the FDIC to suspend all of its normal rules so that it can pump oodles of TARP cash in your own private bank so that your husband’s $12 million in stock gets saved, even though by all accepted accounting rules it is bankrupt.
That’s not called corruption. That’s called everyday politicking.
CP,
If you want your campaign to pay you a salary that is OK. It is taxed like everyone else’s income. But to write it off is not right. Smells like someone cheating along the margins.
Redteam,
LOL! Sad but true. If being shady were a litmus test 90% of the Congress would be out on their ears.
I will tell you I think O’Donnell can win this by simply noting:
She will vote for lower taxes, smaller government and repealing Obamacare and her opponent will do just the opposite.
She has to promise to fly straight and by the rules, but if she sticks to the Tea Party wave priorities she could win DE.
If Christine was running two years ago or so, she’ll never win.
But today’s climate plus Coon’s “bearded Marxism”, she’s got a chance. If they are willing to give her one chance, then she has to prove to her constituents to stand by those principles.