Mar 08 2008
How Bad Off Is The GOP This Year? We will Learn A Lot Today
Final Update: It seems there may be more at play in this special election than one of my readers first indicated (and then denied – the comments are there for folks to parse). Another reader, WWS, notes this factor:
Foster’s ads reminded voters that Oberweis — who campaigned on a very hard line against illegal immigrants — was found to have two working for a subcontractor at one of his ice cream shops.
…
Oberweis has lost three statewide campaigns for U.S. Senate and governor, taking heat each time for controversial statements and ads, including one in which he hovered in a helicopter above Soldier Field, complaining that 10,000 illegal aliens enter the country every day, enough to fill Soldier Field every week. Experts disputed his numbers.
I was not following this race at all (in fact did not know it was happening until last night) so I was not aware Oberweis was an Immigration Hypochondriac (which I thought made one a ‘true conservative’ if you listen to talk radio). It was a close race, so I suggest the GOP find another contender – one that doesn’t repulse conservatives in a district that has been deep red for two decades.
Updates Below
There is special election today in Illinois to replace Denny Hastert, former GOP Speaker of the House. The election will be a signal as to how the GOP is doing this year, and so far it has looked bleak as a very conservative district has turned very competitive:
Democrat Bill Foster and Republican Jim Oberweis are virtually deadlocked in what should be a solidly Republican district in the northern Illinois exurbs, according to polls and political observers.
In the past few days, two independent political handicappers, Charlie Cook and Stuart Rothenberg, each have reassessed the contest as a toss-up instead of one that leans in favor of Oberweis. At least one poll has shown Foster with a slim lead in the final days of the campaign.
Democrats are salivating over the possibility of picking up not just a Republican-held district but the one that had been the official seat of House GOP power for the eight years before Democrats’ takeover in 2006.
The Dems in Congress have performed less than stellar, and they actually rank below Bush in terms of popular support. The fact this race is even in doubt is an illustration of how badly the GOP has self destructed. Hopefully its image is on the mend with things looking up in Iraq and all the Dems predictions of failure there have been proven totally wrong. We will know soon enough.
Booman Tribune has a good map of the district IL-14, and here is a link to the results. So far nothing (8:53 PM Eastern).
8:58 PM Eastern: 12% reporting in and the dem is winning 55%-45%. Probably too early but not a good sign from what was a deep red district.
10:10 PM Eastern: Dems win. Reader Vince tells me frustrated ‘true conservatives didn’t get their person so they stayed home and helped elect a Democrat. And people wonder why ‘true conservatives’ are not considered reliable, credible or honorable political allies? So the purists will risk everything to get their way. OK – as long they are in the minority and without a voice at the table they can pretend that plan is working to their hearts content.
121 Responses to “How Bad Off Is The GOP This Year? We will Learn A Lot Today”
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A real conservative ran against Oberweis in the primary. But Hastert and the GOP establishment decided to back the insider Oberweis.
So conservatives stayed home.
The GOP learns nothing.
LOL! Wait till the night is over Vince before you crow too much.
I dont know why you think i’m gloating or crowing.
It’s the way it is.
Vince, your argument makes conservatives look like adolescent ninnies. You said because the party backed “the wrong candidate”, that conservatives played a “passive aggressive” tactic of electing a Democrat by not voting. Oh, boy, I bet things are much better now! And the funniest part of it all is that the “conservatives” will go around blaming the other Republicans for it (as you did here) when it is the fault of the “conservatives” themselves.
The lesson is that “conservatives” can’t be trusted. They have problems controlling their emotions and can not use their head over those emotions. They act like spoiled children. They would set fire to the barn rather than take possession of a pony different from the one they wanted.
Well go for it, and I don’t want to hear any whining out of Illinois “conservatives” either. They brought it on themselves, they better shut up and deal with what they created.
Ninnies? Terrye, you out there? Don’t you have something to say?
The only one steeped in emotions and immature blather is you crosspatch.
I don’t think so. I said your posting painted conservatives as ninnies and I stand by that.
You know the kind I am talking about. It is the same behavior as the “If I can’t have it, then nobody can have it” mentality. If I can’t get my way, I will make sure you can’t get your way. The lesson learned is don’t ally with conservatives, they can’t be trusted.
This is politics. Politics is all about compromise. Our Constitution itself is a mastery of compromise. It is a good thing our founders weren’t of the “my way or the highway” mentality or we would never have a country.
So the conservatives have elected a Democrat if they did indeed stay home. They should congratulate themselves. Maybe they should go join the Democrats. All I am seeing out of the conservatives are is a bunch of self-destructive behavior. I am a Republican first. To the Conservatives I say go make your own party and quit getting the opposition to mine elected. The conservatives are the best allies the Democrats have right now.
Great! I’d love a history lesson from Crosspatch. Surely you can fill us in on the plethora of compromises that our founding fathers made with King George. “My way or the highway”? I believe they were boats full of pissed off soon-to-be Americans.
Lets see what we have here.
The Dems spent over a million (mostly out of the candidates own pocket) and the Rep spent a million.
The Dem won.
What’s next..
The start at it again in a couple of weeks for the race in November.
Yup this election today just fills the seat till November then it’s all done over again.
Hastert was a real conservative wasn’t he? He was to the right of Bush on many issues like immigration. I think that whole Foley business {silly as it was} hurt him.
I don’t know if conservatives stayed home or not, if they did they really are ninnies. They expect everyone else to suck it up, why can’t they?
But I am not sure if that is really true or not. We like to blame the 2006 election on conservatives staying home, but in truth the Republicans lost Independents in 06 more than they did conservatives. And I do not know if that is not the case here or not.
It might just be that this race is part of an ongoing backlash against the right from Independents who helped elect another Democrat.
Whatever the case, the Democrat won. He is not a true conservative. He is not everything the purists say an elected official must be in order to truly represent conservatives. So I guess that if the loss of this seat was a result of real conservatives staying home because their guy did not get the nod, it just goes to show that real conservatives bite off their noses to spite their faces because they now have a rep who is in no way beholden to them.
The other guy might have been on their side at least a good deal of the time. Now they got a Democrat in Hastert’s seat. And somehow they think that is a lesson to the rest of us. Huh?
So which is it? Did the Republicans run off the Independents by going too far to the right? Or did the real honest to God conservatives stay home like bad children and help elect a Democrat?
Neither inspires confidence in the true blue conservative brand right now. These guys need to suck it up and grow up. They need to look at the changing political map and either adapt to it, or find ways to convince people that their brand of politics is viable.
Or they can sit back and pout. Whichever. I am just glad McCain got the nomination, at least we have a chance with him.
I hope that when November comes this trend as changed. I really do.
BTW, if Hastert is such a stand up conservative, why did he pick now to quit? Is he sick? I saw him on the news not long ago and he had lost a lot of weight.
Actually 75, if you had ever read any history of the making of this country and the writing of the Constitution and the transition from the confederation of Colonies to the United States you would realize that all sorts of compromise was necessary or they would never would have gotten the Constitution ratified at all..
There was compromise on religion, slavery, states rights, how representatives were elected and virtually every aspect of the document was debated and discussed in town hall meetings throughout the colonies. The founding fathers did not create the Constitution by fiat.
And at first they were more than willing to compromise with the King. Initially they did not want seperation from Great Britain. A time came however, when they felt that the die was cast as they say.
But these men were not fanatics.
They were not the kind of people who would ally themselves with the British just to show George Washington how unhappy they were with his early performance as General. They were not like that at all. They were not the kind of people who would have sit back while the Tories helped the British starve American troops because they wanted to make sure that all and sundry knew exactly how they felt about the way the Revolution was going. No sir, they would not betray their own in a fit of pique.
John Adams said that America was divided into thirds, one third Torie, one third Timid and one third True Blue.
Maybe it still is.
Lets see what we have here.
It didn’t realize this was a special election. Between now and then, they will see how well this winner will perform. Maybe this will give the stay-at-homers will start to have buyer’s remorse.
Off-topic, MerlinOS, what do you think about Northrup winning the tanker award pissing the Boeing employees off? Will this hurt McCain in the November election? Maybe but I think there will be so many things that will come out that will hurt Obama and Clinton between now until November.
It really is mind-boggling to see that the Pentagon was willing to sacrifice a military contract to a foreign country, especially when Sarkozy and Merkel finally agreed to a merging EU with Islam.
found this in a report this morning:
“Foster’s ads reminded voters that Oberweis — who campaigned on a very hard line against illegal immigrants — was found to have two working for a subcontractor at one of his ice cream shops.”
Looks like Oberweis tried to play the “let’s all hate Mexicans!” card and got shown to be a hypocrite. I would have voted against him, too.
Here’s news for the “true conservatives” – every one I’ve seen that has tried the hard core anti-immigrant pitch as a campaign theme has lost. Oberweis is just the latest example.
I should have given my source.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/833484,election030908.article
“Oberweis has lost three statewide campaigns for U.S. Senate and governor, taking heat each time for controversial statements and ads, including one in which he hovered in a helicopter above Soldier Field, complaining that 10,000 illegal aliens enter the country every day, enough to fill Soldier Field every week. Experts disputed his numbers.”
With that as his campaign theme, he deserved to lose.
WWS, conservatives are not anti-Mexican. They understand that any special treatment or amnesty for Mexicans is a slap in the face to all other immigrants who came here legally…including those who are Hispanic! It’s a legal and fairness issue, certainly not racist.
Terrye, no one claimed our founding fathers were fanatics. Having seen your many examples of creating the positions of your opponents out of thin air, it’s patently obvious you are incapable of honest debate. My leftist acquaintances use the very same tactic and it doesn’t work for them either except amongst the truly pathetic believer. So I recommend in the future that your responses to your opponents be directed from the position of their actual viewpoint rather than your own foggy notion of them.
I live in the adjacent district, things have changed rapidly from was once small towns and rural farming areas consistantly electing Hastert, to suburban sprawl, many Chicagoans escaping the city, more Dems, lots of them.
Also, the Oberweis appeal has worn thin, unfortunately he plans to run against Foster again in November making it his fourth run. Doesn’t matter what the office is, he can be counted on to run for anything that comes up.
Agreed, the immigration commercial was horrible, so were all the other nasty, negative ads he ran, yet I don’t think one could say it’s a conservative vs. Republican thing in this area, it was a stale candidate.
We are problems recruiting quality candidates, remember this one? Obama/Keyes — and we still suffer under the stain of Gov. Ryan. Also, f the good ol boys type of organization they are operating within the party doesn’t change, Foster won’t have much to worry about in November. What a mess?
If only politics was as clear cut as so many of you think…
Years ago I belonged to a Republican Women’s group when Jim Wright was Speaker of the House. While we were all busy campaigning for George H.W. Bush many of the women in the group were actively supporting Jim Wright because of his influence and power and ability to bring money and contracts back to the district. Many of them were dependent on those industries that required those contracts.
After 34 years of Jim Wright there were about 8 more years of a Dem and now about 11 years of a Republican…
It’s all about the money…and Hastert’s district may have been more blue than anyone thought but his influence and power was the reason it appeared red. There is no Red or Blue when in comes to money and power. To many – power trumps ideology. Sad but true.
This from Rick Moran at American Thinker this morning:
March 09, 2008
Democrats win Special Election to replace Hastert by R. Moran
Rick Moran
It’s easy to read way too much into this result – so of course, the media and Democrats are doing so.
A longtime Republican district fell Saturday to the Democrats when a wealthy businessman and scientist snatched former House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s congressional seat in a closely watched special election.
Democrat Bill Foster won 53 percent of the vote compared to 47 percent for Republican Jim Oberweis. With all 568 precincts reporting, Foster had 52,010 votes to Oberweis’ 46,988.
“Tonight our voices are echoing across the country and Washington will hear us loud and clear — it’s time for a change,” Foster told cheering supporters Saturday evening.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said Foster’s win is a rebuke of the Bush administration and of the GOP’s apparent presidential nominee, John McCain, who helped raise money for Oberweis.
“This is going to send a political shockwave across the country in this election year,” Van Hollen said.
There is much room for caution on the part of those who see this election as indicative of anything.
1. Everyone knows the GOP is in trouble. And Illinois is one of their biggest headaches. There are three open seats as a result of retirements, one of which has been filled by a Democrat already. The other two seats are in jeapordy because the GOP has failed to recruit strong candidates.
2. But there are also a couple of Democratic rookie Congressmen who are vulnerable as a result of extremely narrow victories in the Mid Term elections of 2006. The bottom line is turnout. In a general election, there will be nearly three times the number of people who turned out yesterday to vote (turnout was an abysmal 20%). And compared to the Mid Term election that saw Democrat Melissa Bean win an extremely close election in one of the most Republican districts in the state, the increased turnout in the general election will probably swamp her – if the GOP can come up with a good enough candidate.
3. Oberweiss is a weak candidate. He has run for office 6 times in the last six years and has failed to win any race. But he’s rich and seems willing to pour his own money into the race. Chances are good that he will win in November.
National polls indicate a slight uptick in the number of people who identify themselves as Democrats. There is no massive movement to the left as evidenced by the presidential polls; we are still, as AT Political Correspondent Rich Baehr has pointed out numerous times on my show, a “50-50 country.”
The Democrats are kidding themselves if they think that 20% turnout in a district that went 55% for George Bush in 2004 means anything meaningful except Democrats are energized at the moment. Let us revisit this district again next November. If Foster hangs on, it will probably mean a GOP disaster nationwide.
75,
And of course those here who are trying to prove that they have the power and the conservatives have lost theirs will tow the media line.
And of course they must bring in the immigration issue. They blame conservatives for being too inflexible on immigration and destroying the party, yet those here are just as inflexible on the issue and don’t see in any way how they might be destroying the party.
Whippet, “immigration” is the biggest cherry picked to paint conservatives as “inflexible” because it appeals to the left’s emoitionally-based decision making process rather than the conservative results-based process. Well, nothing’s more “flexible” than allowing 11 million to by-pass the law that everyone else must adhere to. Unless, of course, you consider another 30 million right behind them as being even more “flexible” yet!
AJ,
I find it very revealing that in your addendum to this post you accuse a commentor of leaving information out of his original comments about the special election and I don’t see where anyone has denied anything in the comments either as your addendum states.
You are the one who originally posted the topic so are we then to assume that you were also being dishonest by ommission (as was implied in your addendum) or simply uninformed as to all of the dynamics about this particular race. Or was it that it only became an issue when you were informed that immigration could have played a role in the outcome? Is it possible that the commentor was as uninformed about this issue as you were?
Maybe if you were as willing to point out the innacurracies of those who agree with you as you are of those who don’t you would appear more credible. I don’t doubt your intent and integrity but I do doubt your ability to be objective.
75,
I agree. And the media knows exactly how and who to manipulate.
10:10 PM Eastern: Dems win. Reader Vince tells me frustrated ‘true conservatives didn’t get their person so they stayed home and helped elect a Democrat. And people wonder why ‘true conservatives’ are not considered reliable, credible or honorable political allies? So the purists will risk everything to get their way. OK – as long they are in the minority and without a voice at the table they can pretend that plan is working to their hearts content.
How sad. What makes you think people are going to vote for people who don’t represent them? I mean… duh.
But go on… continue thinking that the Republican Party can excise all conservativism from their plank… see how well that works out for you.
yes, to bad the “real” conservatives coulnd’t find another pork rendering, spending like a drunk sailor, keep quiet about financial corruption and inappropriate behaviors, pedophile republican to elect.
I think they are running out of them…as most of them have been completely disagraced and run out of office or are in jail or on probation.
Dc, Mad Murtha’s a democrat.
The point about the anti-immigrant politics is that is that everyone who tries to make that a base of their campaign LOSES. J.D. Hayworth? Gone. Tom Tancredo? Went nowhere in the pres primary, and gone from politics after this time. I’ve seen it tried by various lower level office seekers in Texas – everyone who tries it loses.
And of course, the man that “conservatives” hated for his attempt to fix immigration is now the presidential nominee. How’s that for voting power? So-called “conservatives” may still have the power to screw things up for themselves even more, but their ability to get elected and make real changes ranks somewhere between “diddly” and “squat”.
Dc: Barney Frank isn’t from Illinois
Missy1,
Thanks, it is great to get the perspective from those on the ground. Sounds like a tired candidate to me too. But the ‘true conservatives’ are claiming they helped the Dem win by staying home – so I guess we all them a vote of thanks for being so short sighted!
AJ,
Very nice of you to note someone on the ground with their perspective of the race…but then you had to go over the top again…
One person has commented that the conservatives stayed home from the polls rather than vote for the candidate they didn’t like and you lump him in with the rest of us… just to try and prove your point…and it proves nothing other than that people can lose all perspective on the issues they are the most passionate about.
AJ just doesn’t get it. People do not like Oberwis. Here’s some data:
Survey USA data on the IL-14 candidates
Is your opinion of Jim Oberweis … favorable? Unfavorable? Neutral? Or, are you unfamiliar with Jim Oberweis?
38% Favorable
49% Unfavorable
12% Neutral
1% Unfamiliar
Compare to Democrat Foster:
Is your opinion of Bill Foster … favorable? Unfavorable? Neutral? Or, are you unfamiliar with Bill Foster?
42% Favorable
31% Unfavorable
22% Neutral
5% Unfamiliar
Oberweiss was endorsed by Hastert and John McCain and was receiving scarce funds from the NRCC (even though he’s a millionare) and he still couldn’t win a seat from a district that elected hastert in 2006 during the Foley scandal with a 60% share.
DC,
At least we try to rid ourselves from our corrupt polititians…your party elects yours, gives them prime committee appointments and more power. You’re naive if you think there isn’t political corruption on both sides of the aisle. What matters is what’s done with them when that corruption is uncovered and the Democrats legacy on this issue is far from pristine…
Vince, I think AJ doesn’t understand conservatives. He seems to think that we are as enamored with moderate republicans as he is. Apparently it doesn’t occur to him that we don’t see much difference between leftist democrats and those who deal with them. I offer this perspective for AJ:
The Dems are offering us mud, the mods offer dirt, and the conservatives offered several different options of beef (Reagan would be filet, of course). He can’t grasp the concept that we won’t settle for dirt. But he certainly wants to blame us for not eating it, doesn’t he? Man, has this blog deteriorated. Used to be one of my favorites.
I’ve been spending the past hour looking at blogs regarding the IL-14 GOP Primary between Oberweiss and Lauzen.
I can’t find ONE where anyone displays any affection for Oberweiss.
They all almost universally say
- He runs for any office he can and never wins
- He’s an arsehole
- Thinks he can buy his seat
- He undermines the grassroot volunteers because of his own money (which he outspent the otehr guy 4 to 1 ) and the support of Hastert and his Washington cronies)
So this is a classic case of the idiots in teh GOP High Command totally demoralizing their grassroots.
75: I look at it this way… if a “moderate” Republican is not going to be standing for conservative principals then what good is he? If I wanted a de-facto Democrat I would be a Democrat. I live in Chicago, so I’m used to being completely disenfranchised locally.
Here are the local newspaper endorsements for the Special Election last night:
The Daily Herald
The Tribune
Aurora Beacon News
Here are various people’s opinion at http://thecapitolfaxblog.com/2008/03/04/oberweis-vs-foster/
-Who will win? Not the district’s voters, that’s for sure.
-That’s a real tough district for a Dem to win. I’ll say this: Oberweis is a total buffoon. If a Repub can’t get the Tribune to endorse him, he’s got real problems
-Helicopter Jim is too crazy to ever get elected to public office. He’d be an embarrassment to the 14th and to the State as a whole. As bad as Blagojevich is, Oberweiss is a hundred times further out there.
[It's really bad to compared NEGATIVELY against the universally loathed Blagojevich]
-Oberweis is like this years weather. Oh no, snow again?!! I believe people would rather have Oberweis disappear than see his goofy face and commercials. Foster will win 53%-47%.
-This is one of those races where the wrong choice of candidate reduces a party’s safe seat to a forever lost seat. Obie is just too controversial, and stirs up such negative feelings that a good number of people will make sure they get to the polls just to vote against him. GOP’ers are less than enthused with him, as well. His run-for-everything-until-I-win-something approach is just getting to be comedic.
The GOP loses because the GOP does not know how to please the voters would vote for them. Pure and simple.
AJ blames the voters. As if the voters have any obligation to keep a fraud of a political party in power.
Here’s my take for what it’s worth…
From AJ’s Bio:
“I left the democrat party for good to become an independent (for good it seems) during Reagan’s first term. When I realized that not only had all the Chicken Little predictions from the democrats not come true, but that Reagan was demonstrating what conservatives principles and ideas could create. I would never allow myself to be manipulated by any political party again. I am an unabashed conservative, but the fringes worry me and I am glad to see that the political and independent middle now determine which way this country will go.”
AJ felt manipulated by the Democrats so he left that party. Per his postings he feels like he has been shunned by the GOP so he doesn’t want to be a part of that party. He critisizes those within the GOP who critisize some of their own as if there aren’t phylosophical differences within both parties on which people can differ. And then he critisizes the manner in which those people choose to debate while debating in the same manner himself.
I think AJ chooses to be party-free not because he has been shunned but because he doesn’t want any party allegiance – period. That then allows him to critisize everyone working within the parties for change instead of doing that himself and then no one can accuse him of “destroying” his own party. Very convenient don’t you think?
I don’t think any less of AJ for not wanting to be aligned with any party…that’s his right, however I don’t think his motivations are as clear as they should be.
LOL!
Whippet1 it is pretty simple. If conservatives can’t entice me to join them they have no prayer of being in the majority.
And I stay away from parties because of the mandate for party-think. Purity in any form is a fool’s errand.
And it was the drive for ‘true conservatives’ and attacks on ‘RINOs’ which told me those forces on the right are just as bad as the group thinkers on the left.
And yes, I am very satisfied to comment on both left and right. Unlike those who sit home waiting for their perfect candidate I am not so naive. I know in America no candidate will meet all my desires but I vote anyway – warts and all. Staying home waiting for perfection is a foolishness that just indicates democracy is not what people want.
They want obedience!
Oh i guess it’s ok for him to withdraw from a party, but if anyone else does it , they’re a “purist”
Vince, I think the Oberlein situation, in a roundabout kind of way, displays one of the biggest flaws with campaign finance laws today. (And Yes, BCRA aka McCain-Feingold only made things worse, and this is something I disagree with McCain about even though I support his candidacy, because everyone else is worse)
In a nutshell, campaign finance laws restrict the money that can be given directly to a candidate. However, the Supreme Court has ruled that no law can restrict the amount of money a candidate can spend on himself. This gives a huge advantage to millionaires who want to run for office, and gives a huge incentive to parties to recruit millionaires for local races so that they can conserve scarce contributions for national reaces. This is what is driving the rise of millionaires to office holders in both parties. (e.g., see Jon Corzine who bought the governor’s office in N.J. because he was bored with life on Wall Street)
The Supreme Court is not going to change it’s position – so the only answer is to lift the restrictions on contributions and repeal most existing campaign finance law. Either that or get used to both parties recruiting local millionaires who want to bolster their egos no matter what kind of arseholes they are. (which frankly is where we’ve been for several years now)
I know, I know, I wish McCain got this. But I can’t think of anyone who ran for pres this year who did.
LOL! Vince,
I don’t stay home and pout when I don’t get my way. I am supporting conservatives and GOP with all their flaws. And I don’t tell anyone think the way I do or else.
And that is what sets us apart my friend!
I know “plenty” of very, very conservative people who feel personally and utterly betrayed by the party as well as the people they trusted and helped put into office. It has NOTHING to do with what democrats do or don’t do and it never did.
DNC has never held themselves to such standards. Nor are they ones claiming the moral high ground on such issues. Barney Frank got elected as a homosexual man—faults and all. The republicans…shake their finger at people like him…then help build a bridge to nowhere while they secret off to a bathroom or chat room to chase young page boys around. The Democrats didn’t make them do that.
The people who elected these ass clowns feel betrayed by them…as well as by the party. And they are very, very angry.
The RNC is going to have to regroup and come up with a new message to win them back (other than we are better than you are—cause you’re not).
What kind of candidate is Foster, the democrat. Remember, the democrats won the 2006 elections by running new candidates further right than their kook base. Is Foster a die-hard, run-of-the-mill, moonbat liberal? Because if he isn’t, that is how he won. The latest scam from the left is to push candidates as moderate or center and that is how they suck people like AJ in. He’s convinced the country wants to move to the center away from both ends when in fact, they want to move away from the left. A true conservative would have rallied the country against these nutbags on the left. Why do you think the media wanted McCain so badly? Because they knew any wishy-washy republicans would bite at the bait.
You are right, Vince.
If AJ and the other mods think it’s more important to defeat HillBama than to have the candidate they feel best with, why wouldn’t they also be as motivated to vote for a conservative to beat them? Would the mods and indies on the right not support a conservative so we would all be united? No, they alienated conservatives instead and now our party is twisting in the wind with a lame candidate who regardless of he wins, won’t be giving us any conservative principles anyway! Woopty doo, and AJ wants us on board. Perhaps he should have got on board with us and we’d all be eating filet in Washington. But no, they went with what they think is the “safe” play and now that he’s questionable, and under constant assault from the media who put him there, they are second guessing their gameplan…and blaming the conservatives. Well done, pseudo republicans, well done. You’ve got what you want…a candidate you fiercely defend who the conservatives aren’t even sure is a republican.
DC,
You are correct, the Democrats have never held themselves to such standards but they will be the first to “out” anyone on the other side who has and then shows to be corrupt. Just as hypocritical as a Republican who campaigns against corruption while being corrupt.
But of course you missed my point..The Republicans maintain their standards by forcing out those who show themselves to be corrupt. That shows their commitment to their standards even when the loss of one of their own can be disasterous.
As for the Dems, I’m starting to think corruption is the main qualification for holding office.
Dc, that new message the RNC needs is an old one; Conservatism. It never fails. Reagan showed us the way and the republican party is still rejecting it.
Vince, my hats off to you in Chicago. That’s TRULY disenfranchised!
AJ,
Wow, that comment oozes elitism. You probably think that’s a compliment. Trust me…it’s not.
And now the whole party is purist. Hmmm. That’s very telling…
And anyone who doesn’t think there are forces in both parties, and among moderates and independents I might add, who want group speak are just naive. Of course there are, but it doesn’t mean that every member of that party believes in group speak…that’s why the people you critisize are speaking up. So which is it AJ? Group speak or not? So are Rush, Malkin and Ingraham obedient or not, AJ? Obviously not, so you should be singing their praises according to your comment. You can’t have it both ways.
The majority of the country is smart enough to realize that there is no perfect candidate, just the one that is perfect enough for them, flaws and all. For you to assume that conservatives are all looking for that perfection just shows your lack of knowledge of conservatives in general. Are some, I’m sure. Are most, No. And if it were true, the very people you criticize would not have supported some of the people they have.
Keep up the good work !
Left by 75,
That “old message” was the very one that the RNC rank and file betrayed!! Line by line. THAT is why they are out on their keesters.
The problem they face “now” is that they did not recognize this as a wake up call, and continued on as business as usual trying to ignore the indcitments, etc., along the way. They have no one left that can carry that message. And they chose to go down with the ship rather than right the ship and put new people in charge of it.
So be it.
McCain has stood on more conservative principals than many of his accusers have. He can’t even get your righteous “conservatives” to sign off on a no-pork deal. They can’t stop spending money, they can’t stop making backroom deals (many of the illegal that will end in jail time if they get caught), they can’t stop plooking little boys…and yet its McCain who’s the enemy. It’s McCain who’s not conservative enough or somehow doesn’t stand on conservative princpals?? Bah!
And it has been this very attitude that has destroyed the RNC and torn it apart and is now going to see it ridden assunder with the corrupt and hipocrits charting it’s course to the bottom. There will not be a democrat in site to blame when you get there. And beyond that, what chance you ever had to show the world the same about the democrats is long gone…..nobody wants to hear about it from those guilty of the same thing.
What we are all doing, in that regard, is simply standing at the shore watching you sink. You’ve pushed away the life boats, thrown away the resuce ropes and drifted out to deeper water.
Where you are “right” is that “conservatism” is not dead and will be reborn within the RNC long after this mess is at the bottom with Davey Jones. Where you misunderstand is ..that is going to take different people. People who actually live by the principals they expouse and not just use them to make backroom deals, take money for votes, or gain power or to run their own harrem of young boy pages.
Ronnie was “nothing” like the current gaurd of hipocrits who are runnign the RNC into the ground.
Hint for Dc: McCain is no conservative
Hint for Left,
He’s more of a conservative than most of the asswipes that helped destroy the current RNC with their overspending, etc., etc.
AJ, I’m as conservative as they come, but when it comes to Illinois politics from my area I have to be realistic. There is a knack to be elected and re-elected out here.
I used to be a campaign coordinator for Don Manzullo, was proud to be involved in his campaigns because he is a decent conservative and because of that is re-elected with no problems. Even though his area is also suffering from much of the same as Hastert’s district, he is fair and even and recognized as such across the political divide.
He will not run negative ads, he campaigns on his accomplishments and the future . He expects his workers to show respect to his opponents or leave, that’s the inside stuff about Congressman Don.
That’s not what has been going on with the Repubs that have been trying to win in Northern IL lately. Yes Oberweis was/is a tired candidate and is also nasty. Wouldn’t want to lend him a hand and wouldn’t be proud of my vote. Fortunately, I didn’t have to vote for him, probably would have, but just think of all the folks out there that had to make that decision, I can understand why the turn out was low.
Cold hard facts, even though he is a conservative Repub, what went out over the air wasn’t about his policies, it was negative ads against Foster. Didn’t do much to convince the new suburbanites to swing his way.
Dc, none of the asswipes are running for president.
You mean..none of the asswipes got nominated to run for president.
Beyond that, the Exec/POTUS is not a “party” position.
Dc, I’ll have to take your word for it…having no experience around such people.
This from Brent Bozell today:
From the Right, He Looks Too Blue
Think real conservatives will vote for John McCain? Don’t count on it.
By L. Brent Bozell
Sunday, March 9, 2008; Page B01
The conservative talk-show community? Don’t mind them — they’re irrelevant.
This message from John McCain surrogates and other members of the political class is filling the airwaves and op-ed pages. In the Wall Street Journal, Weekly Standard Executive Editor Fred Barnes recently wrote that McCain needn’t worry that conservatives are uncomfortable with his candidacy, because “while they love to grumble and grouse, conservatives tend to be loyal Republicans who wind up voting for their party’s candidate.”
In the same pages, novelist Mark Helprin, a former adviser to Robert J. Dole’s presidential campaign, savaged conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin for daring to speak out against McCain. “Rather than playing recklessly with electoral politics by sabotaging their own party,” he wrote, “each of these compulsive talkers might be a tad less self-righteous, look to the long run, discipline himself, suck it up, and be a man.”
I know the conservative movement. I’ve been in the trenches fighting for an alphabet soup of conservative causes for 30 years. I’ve raised hundreds of millions of dollars for it. And I earnestly hope that McCain isn’t listening to the advice he’s getting from these folks. Their thinking betrays a fundamental misreading of the conservative pulse in America today.
Conservative leaders, particularly those in talk radio, cannot and will not be silent. They will not betray their principles and their audiences. Tens of millions of activists turn to them for guidance. These activists could be, and need to be, McCain’s ground troops, but unless and until conservatives believe him — and believe in him — they will not work for his election. McCain may have the Beltway crowd in his corner, but grass-roots conservatives aren’t sold.
Yet through his surrogates, McCain is attacking these leaders. This is beyond folly. It is political suicide.
For 20 years, the moderate establishment of the Republican Party has told conservatives to sit down, shut up and do as we’re told. History shows that sometimes we bite the bullet. But not always. I absolutely guarantee that this year we cannot be taken for granted. This is a movement fed up with betrayals, and they’ve come one after the other.
Think back to 1988. Plenty of qualified conservatives — Pete du Pont, Rep. Jack Kemp and Sen. Paul Laxalt, Pat Robertson (for evangelicals, anyway) — were prepared to succeed President Ronald Reagan, but the GOP establishment, along with the professional political class, rallied around Vice President George H.W. Bush, an unthinkable proposition for conservatives just eight years earlier. After a listless campaign start, Bush finally energized the conservative base with his “No new taxes!” pledge at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans. We carried him to victory that November.
Within two years, he’d broken his promise and delivered one of the largest tax increases in history. His 1991 nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, which pleased conservatives, had been preemptively neutralized by his selection of the liberal David H. Souter in 1990. After brilliantly executing the 1991 Persian Gulf War, he squandered a 91 percent approval rating. He did nothing to advance the conservative cause. He did not cut taxes. He did not rein in federal spending and regulation. He did nothing for social and cultural issues.
By 1992, we who had dined at the table of Ronald Reagan had been banished to the GOP kitchen. As the National Review editorialized at the time, establishment Republicans “took conservative support for granted, reasoning from the dogma of the two-party system that disaffected conservatives had ‘nowhere else to go.’ ” They were wrong. Some of us turned to Pat Buchanan, who disrupted the primary season. Others turned to independent candidate H. Ross Perot, who led the field until he imploded. Still others simply stayed home, and that November, Bush was soundly defeated by Bill Clinton.
Two years later, the “Contract With America” reversed the GOP’s fortunes. With a reignited conservative base, Republicans captured both houses of Congress. But in the face of a liberal counterattack led by the national news media — Time magazine’s cover on Dec. 19, 1994, portrayed a snarling Newt Gingrich as Uncle Scrooge, and the cover of Newsweek’s year-end double issue depicted a Dr. Seuss-esque cartoon of the House speaker smiling devilishly beside the headline “How the Gingrich Stole Christmas” — Republican resistance crumbled. The Contract was abandoned, and overnight the Gingrich revolution was finished. We watched Republican “leaders” flee into the tall grass, whence they’ve never emerged.
In 1996, a new crop of conservative leaders presented themselves as presidential candidates, but again the party establishment would have none of Buchanan, Steve Forbes, Phil Gramm or Dan Quayle. Instead, they pooled their resources behind Dole, who offered nothing to energize the conservative base while the professional class confidently clucked that conservatives had “nowhere else to go.” Again we stayed home. There was no enthusiasm for volunteer action. Again the moderate candidate was routed.
How disgruntled was the conservative base? Two years later, the GOP lost five seats in the House, the first time since 1822 that a party not in control of the White House had failed to gain seats in the midterm election of a president’s second term.
But after eight years of Clinton’s corruption, and facing the prospect of at least four more years with Al Gore at the helm, conservatives threw our support behind George W. Bush in 2000. He initially delivered by leading the charge in cutting taxes, and his political stature further increased when the nation rallied behind its commander in chief after Sept. 11, 2001. He won reelection in 2004 because conservatives stayed with him, delivering millions of volunteers committed to the defeat of Sen. John F. Kerry.
But any hopes that Bush would deliver on a conservative agenda in his second term evaporated almost immediately. We watched with growing fury as he and the GOP leadership promoted one liberal initiative after another. Finally, we openly rebelled, turning on the GOP over the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers, amnesty for illegal immigrants and the Republicans’ shameless abandonment of fiscal discipline. What was once a powerful alliance between the Republican Party and grass-roots conservatives had become a political bridge to nowhere. With the GOP facing the loss of Congress in 2006, we shrugged in indifference. The movement that had “nowhere else to go” had gone.
And it has not returned.
How important are conservatives to the GOP? This year’s Republican primary debate was dominated by one question: Which candidate was most qualified to carry the flag of Ronald Reagan?
Ironically, the man who survived this intramural scrum is the one who arguably least qualifies as a Reagan conservative. He claims to be a champion of freedom but gave us McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform — which, by limiting free speech during elections, is perhaps the greatest infringement ever on the First Amendment. He claims to be a champion of U.S. sovereignty but offered us the McCain-Kennedy immigration reform bill that would give millions of illegal immigrants the chance to become citizens; that’s amnesty, no matter how much he denies it. He claims to be a champion of the unborn but has waffled in the past, supporting federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research. This year, he won the endorsement of Republicans for Choice. He claims to be a fiscal conservative who will make the Bush tax cuts permanent, but he also voted against them. These are serious issues.
What should McCain do? Saying he’s not Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama will not be enough — not this time. Repudiating positions that are anathema to conservatism won’t be enough, either. The liberal base of the Democratic Party is on fire; he must bring an equal passion to the table with his conservative base. It is time for McCain to be Reagan.
This is what conservatives call on him to do:
McCain must present a strategy to defeat the threat of radical Islam. He needs to call on the United States to rebuild its military infrastructure, so devastated by the Clinton administration. He should secure our borders by a date certain. In every great struggle, the citizenry — everyone, not just the country’s military — has been challenged to participate. McCain could make this the clarion call for volunteerism, for national service.
If McCain believes in freedom, he should promise to take the yoke off the American taxpayer. He has embraced making the Bush tax cuts permanent. Good. Now he should pledge to end the estate tax and lower the corporate tax rate to 25 percent. In fact, he should call for an overhaul of the tax system. The flat tax or the fair tax — either is preferable to the monstrosity that is the Internal Revenue Service.
The federal government is out of control. Conservatives don’t want to hear talk about “reining in the growth of government.” Those are empty words. McCain needs to call for the elimination of entire sectors of the federal leviathan. He should pledge to turn back to the states that which is their responsibility and which comes under their authority. We want to see how he will deregulate the private sector and how he will once again unleash the economic might of the United States. He should champion private retirement accounts and health savings accounts.
McCain should place the left on notice — now — that if elected, he will not tolerate congressional obstructionism of his nominations to the federal judiciary.
Our culture is decaying from within, and most Republicans have been shamefully AWOL on this issue. McCain could begin a national conversation about parents, not the state, taking responsibility for their children and their communities. He should call on the entertainment industry to stop polluting America’s youth with its videos and its music and on the Internet. We wait to hear him call for the United States to honor the sanctity of life, the sanctity of marriage and family, and to return God to the public square.
If McCain offers this kind of vision, Washington elitists will scoff. But he should remember that they also scoffed and dismissed Ronald Reagan, all the way to his election. And his reelection.
bbozell@mediaresearch.org
Since you’ve quoted Bozell’s op-ed piece, I might as well quote an excellent deconstruction of the piece from Powerline today:
“For example, Bozell wants McCain to present a strategy to defeat the threat of radical Islam. There would be no harm in drafting a white paper on the subject, but McCain’s commitment to defeating radical Islam is beyond question. He’s the one, remember, who went against the grain to present and insist upon on a strategy for defeating radical Islamists in Iraq. McCain’s unwillingness to accept defeat at the hands of al Qaeda, and his leadership in pushing for a strategy to avoid such defeat, tells us more about his readiness to deal with the threat of Islamofascism than any strategy paper could. No hard-line conservative could reasonably conclude that McCain is not vastly better than Obama and Clinton on this absolutely vital issue.
Bozell also wants McCain to call on the U.S. to rebuild its military infrastructure. I assume that McCain will address this issue during his campaign. In any case, McCain has been committed for decades to increasing the strength of the military. For like-minded conservatives, this issue overwhelmingly favors McCain.
Bozell says “the federal government is out of control” and calls on McCain to commit to a series of measures to slash “the federal leviathan.” McCain has long been a champion of federalism and an enemy of out-of-control spending. Obama and Clinton are big spending liberals who have no time for federalism.
It’s true that conservatives probably cannot count on McCain to eliminate federal agencies or to become a champion of wide-scale economic deregulation. Yet it would be a shocking abdication of small government principles for conservatives to use this as a basis for indifference about electing Obama or Clinton. Democratic control of Congress all but ensures that, with either Obama or Clinton in the White House, we’ll experience a rise in the power of the federal government unlike anything we’ve witnessed in more than 40 years. In this profoundly threatening environment, no conservative should condition support for McCain on a pledge to push for a massive roll-back of the federal government. Retaining the Department of Education is a small price to pay for avoiding a federal takeover of the health care system.
Against all of this, Bozell would probably argue that conservatives have compromised their political principles for too long with insufficient reward. This brings us back to his political history of the post-Reagan years. In Bozell’s account, “the GOP establishment along with the professional political class” has foisted “moderate” candidates upon the Republican Party. This, in turn, has led either to defeat, because conservatives stayed home, or to betrayal of the conservative agenda.
There’s an element of paranoia in this narrative. Republicans didn’t nominate George Bush in 1988 because the “political class” wouldn’t abide the selection of Pete DuPont, Jack Kemp, Paul Laxalt, or Pat Robertson. It nominated Bush because most Republican voters thought he would make a better president than any of these conservatives. In fact, that same year they thought that Bob Dole, also dismissed by Bozell as a moderate, would make a better president than the the members of the more right-wing cohort identified by Bozell. So too with Dole’s nomination in 1996. Phil Gramm and Steve Forbes didn’t lose due to some conspiracy; they lost because they couldn’t come close to making their case to Republican voters.
If anything, McCain’s nomination owes less to the party establishment than that of other post-Reagan nominees. Though McCain picked up a few nice endorsements early on, he was far from the clear pick of the Republican political class until primary voters made him their clear pick. To be sure, many of those primary voters were not Republicans. But McCain was as popular with Republicans as any other candidate, and more popular with independents. Faced with the threat of energized, unabashed liberals gaining of control all branches of the federal government, conservatives should not feel too aggrieved that their nominee appeals to independent voters. These voters are really the only present obstacle to liberal control.
In this context, frustration over the inability or unwillingness of post-Reagan Republican presidents to push for everything conservatives wanted is, or should be, beside the point. In any case, there is little merit to the idea that conservatives have been stabbed in the back by the presidents they worked so hard to elect. The full conservative agenda has never had the support of a majority of voters for any sustained period of time. Thus, conservatives cannot cry foul over the fact that their full agenda has not been enacted. Conservatives certainly worked hard to elect George W. Bush twice. But they would not have succeeded if Bush had not worked hard to cultivate non-conservative voters.
It’s understandable that conservatives would attempt to leverage their power (and to overstate its extent) by making threats and demands on candidate McCain. But McCain can’t win the presidency with conservative support alone, no matter how ardent. McCain surely is mindful of that fact, and conservatives should be too.”
DC,
Who exactly are these numerous corrupt politicians you speak of running the RNC? Or are you ignorantly confusing actual corrupt politicians with those actually running the party? Or are you making the assumption that the entire Republican philosophy is now all about corruption? You seen overly obsessed with “plooking” of little boys and bathroom stalls. Where pray tell is this running rampant within the Republican party? Those guilty should be out on their hypocritical butts but who other than the 2 obvious culprits are you talking about? And I’m curious about all these illegal backroom deals you’re exposing…further enlighten us all, please. And please be specific about who you’re calling an “asswipe.”
WWS,
Just to take a snipet of Powerlines piece:
“No hard-line conservative could reasonably conclude that McCain is not vastly better than Obama and Clinton on this absolutely vital issue.”
Correct, however it is sad that conservatives or anyone should have to accept someone that is only “vastly better” than Obama or Clinton. There are few who will challenge McCain’s qualifications to lead the War on Terror, but of course this is where supporters have to go to prove his credentials as a conservative candidate.
WWS, Clearly you and “Paul” still don’t get it. It’s a nice posting by Paul but it makes the mistake of comparing McCain to HillBama. Any republican could be considered conservative next to the far left. McCain needs to appeal to true conservatives to win and that is Bozell’s concern. Comparing him to former republicans and bringing his historical voting record shows just how short of the mark McCain is. A trained monkey would be better than HillBama so his “deconstruction”, as you call it, becomes pointless. The point of Bozell’s column is that he needs conservatives to win. And not just empty rhetoric to win the election but he needs to inspire them. A true conservative would inspire all republicans, not just those who pretend to be.
Sure Whippet,
I’m talking about all of the RNC members who have betrayed the principals and trust on which they claim moral superiority, and on which the RNC is founded. Not just politicans. But, the whole ball of wax. From Rush and his little drug problem….to people like Delay who’s entire leadership was taken down in one indictment and one scandal after another. But, if you want specifics…I’m more than happy to oblige: (it’s not hard)
JACK ABRAMOFF
List of participants caught up in the Abramoff investigation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff_timeline
● Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) On September 15, 2006, the Justice Department filed Ney’s guilty pleas to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to a charge of falsifying financial disclosure forms. For involvement with Abramoff, Kidan, and DeLay, Indian casino money laundering. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff and Kidan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ney
● David Hossein Safavian Chief of staff of the United States General Services Administration (GSA) and convicted criminal in the Jack Abramoff lobbying and corruption scandal. Convicted of lying & obstruction of Justice. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Safavian
● Republican strategist Robin Vanderwall : convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet. Director of Faith & Family Alliance, former student of Pat Robertson’s Regent University, member of Ralph Reed’s inner circle who funneled money to from lobbyist Jack Abromoff to Reed, convicted in Virginia for soliciting sex from a 13-year-old-boy and on four other counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet. Virginian-Pilot Article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff_timeline
● The FBI raids the home of Republican Congressman John Doolittle, investigating his ties to Jack Abramoff. April 18, 2007: Also, Jack Abramoff and his clients have given tens of thousands of dollars to Doolittle and his wife. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-doolittle5sep05,1,1445641.story?coll=la-headlines-nation
● Roger Stillwell – “Stillwell, a former Interior Department official, was sentenced to two years on probation in January after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge for not reporting hundreds of dollars worth of sports and concert tickets he received from Abramoff.”http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16541877/
● The FBI questions Republican Congressman Tom Feeney about his dealings with Jack Abramoff. Probed for corporate ties to Yang Enterprises, involved in over billing state of Florida. Feeney was Jeb Bush’s 1994 running mate for Lt. Gov.
April 23, 2007: http://www.sptimes.com/2007/08/29/Opinion/_Feeney_sinks_further.shtml
● Republican – Mark Zachares is a former Congressional aide to Rep. Don Young (R-AK) and lobbyist who pleaded guilty to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from lobbyist Jack Abramoff, in return for using his position in Congress to advance Abramoff’s interests. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Zachares
● Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) Tied to Abramoff scandal on loan papers. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff.
● Rep. Roy Blunt, House Majority Leader (R-MO). Investigated for trading illegal PAC money with DeLay through Blunt’s Rely on Your Beliefs Fund. Received Indian casino money from tribes represented by Abramoff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Blunt#Ties_to_Tom_DeLay
● Former Deputy Interior Secretary J. Steven Griles, an oil and gas lobbyist who became an architect of George W. Bush’s energy policies, pleads guilty to obstructing justice by lying to a Senate committee. March 23, 2007: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Steven_Griles ttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17753123/
● Tony Charles Rudy – Republican lobbyist, associate of Abramoff. Rudy pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy and agreed to cooperate with investigators. Tom DeLay and Bob Ney are identified in the plea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Rudy
● Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R-KY). Criminal probe in a state employees’ merit system scandal. Received contributions from DeLay’s ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Fletcher
● Jim Ellis, Director Americans for a Republican Majority (ARMPAC) PAC (R-TX) Tied to DeLay and Abramoff, indicted. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Ellis_%28politics%29
● John Colyandro, Texans for a Republican Majority (TRMPAC), DeLay associate (R-TX) Indicted. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Colyandro
● Warren RoBold, Lobbyist and DeLay associate (R-TX) Indicted. http://www.dccc.org/stakeholder/archives/003355.html
● Republican. Interior Department, Roger G. Stillwell bribed by Abramoff. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Stillwell
TOM DELAY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeLay_corruption_investigation
● Rep. Tom DeLay, House Majority Leader (R-TX) Probed for campaign finance fraud, ties to Abramoff/Kidan, Saipan sweat shops. Grand Jury, Travis County prosecutor, and House Ethics Committee probing DeLay. Indicted by Travis County District Attorney for 1 count of criminal conspiracy and 2 counts of money laundering. Arrested and booked at Harris County jail October 20, 2005. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeLay_corruption_investigation
● Republican Michael Scanlon, former chief of staff to Tom DeLay. Being probed for involvement in Indian casino scandal with Abramoff, Kidan, and DeLay. Indicted Nov. 18, 2005 for conspiracy to defraud Indian tribes. Pleaded guilty Nov. 21. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Scanlon
List of participants caught up in the DeLay investigation
● Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) Being probed for involvement with Abramoff, Kidan, and DeLay, Indian casino money laundering. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff and Kidan. Indictment may be imminent. (see earlier entry)
● Bob Ney’s chief of staff , William Heaton, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Heaton
● Republican’s Jim Ellis, ARMPAC’s executive director. Money laundering as well as 13 counts of unlawful acceptance of a corporate political contribution. Money laundering charges stem from $190,000 in corporate funds that were sent to the Republican National Party http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39563-2004Sep21.html
● Republican John Colyandro, former executive director of Texans for a Republican Majority (TRM), Money laundering as well as 13 counts of unlawful acceptance of a corporate political contribution. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39563-2004Sep21.html
● Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R-KY). Criminal probe in a state employees’ merit system scandal. Received contributions from DeLay’s ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Fletcher
● Rep. Roy Blunt, House Majority Leader (R-MO). Investigated for trading illegal PAC money with DeLay through Blunt’s Rely on Your Beliefs Fund. Received Indian casino money from tribes represented by Abramoff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Blunt#Ties_to_Tom_DeLay
CORRUPTION, BRIBERY
● Montana Gubernatorial candidate Pat Davison sentenced to the maximum of 10 years in federal prison. Davison pled guilty to two charges of federal securities fraud after the U.S. Attorney’s office says that he defrauded at least 13 victims of $6.8 million. http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/global/story.asp?s=6785153&ClientType=Printable
● Senate President Ben Stevens (R-AK) In a court ruling this week, a federal judge identified former state Senate President Ben Stevens as an alleged co-conspirator in a bribery scheme involving legislators and oil field services contractor Veco Corp. Subject to a recall petition. Son of US Senate Pro Tem President Ted Stevens. http://www.adn.com/front/story/9263029p-9177910c.html
● Republican former Jefferson County, Colorado, Treasurer Mark Paschall indicted on two felony charges “in connection with an allegation that Paschall solicited a kickback from a bonus he awarded one of his employees” January 29, 2007: http://co.jefferson.co.us/news/news_item_T3_R472.htm
● Michael Hooks, Sr, chairman Shelby County Commission Charged with taking more than $24,000 in bribes to help a company called E-Cycle Management – a sham company set up by the FBI – win business contracts with Shelby County government. http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=3784361
● Mel Martinez – A FEC audit found the Martinez campaign failed to properly disclose $162,000 in contributions. http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2006/08/martinezs_audit.html
● Katherine Harris – Former Rep. Harris accepted $32,000 in illegal contributions from MZM Inc.’s President Mitchell Wade. She then requested tens of millions in earmarks that would benefit Wade. Wade later pleaded guilty to making illegal campaign contributions, in addition to conspiracy, corruption and election fraud. Harris maintained that she did not know the contributions were illegal and lost her race for Senate in 2006.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/24/AR2006022401737.html
● Michael Aaron Lay – Coordinator in Congressman Patrick McHenry’s (R-NC) 2004 campaign. Indicted for voter fraud in North Carolina, voting twice for Congressman McHenry. http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/05/11/primarysource/entry2793560.shtml
● Republican Rep. Gary Miller – Is Currently under investigation by the FBI for an inappropriate land deal which made him $10 million. http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/rep.-gary-miller-in-senior-perch-is-part-of-fbi-probe-2007-01-31.html
● Rep. Don Young (R-AK) – Federal officials are investigating a number of allegations against Young, including his ties to Veco, an Alaska company who’s CEO pleaded guilty to bribery, as well as contributions connected to a Florida highway and a transportation measure benefitting a Wisconsin trucking company. http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003996.php
● Republican Claude Allen – “Allen, who had been Bush’s domestic policy adviser, pleaded guilty to theft in making phony returns at discount department stores while working at the White House. He was sentenced to two years of supervised probation and fined $500.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/04/AR2006080400919.html
● Republican Robert T. Schofield – Schofield “pleaded guilty to accepting at least $600,000 in bribes to provide fraudulent citizenship documents to hundreds of Asian immigrants.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/30/AR2006113000603.html
● Edmund Matricardi III, former executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia. Pled guilty to one federal felony count of wiretapping yesterday, a week before he was to go on trial for eavesdropping on Democratic conference calls…charged with five counts stemming from his listening to and taping two different conference calls in which Democrats discussed strategy in their lawsuit against the new legislative districts Republicans drew in 2001. http://fl1.findlaw.com/news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/matricardi/usmatricardi103ind.pdf
● Former Republican Memphis City Schools Commissioner , Michael Hooks Jr. Four criminal counts related to the ongoing public corruption probe known as Operation Tennessee Waltz. The indictment says between March 2, 2001, and Dec. 26, 2001, Hooks, Jr., along with FBI informant Tim Willis and former juvenile court employee Darrell Catron, conspired to embezzle or obtain by fraud property that was valued at $5000 or more that was owned by or under the care, control, or custody of the Shelby County Juvenile Court Clerk’s Office of Shelby County, Tennessee. http://wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=5055283&nav=menu93_2_5
● Republican Chief of Staff Peter Ellef : Bribery – Rowland administration corruption scandal http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2006/04/wizard_of_oz_ge.php
● Republican Connecticut Gov. John Rowland. Convicted, imprisoned 2004. Rowland plead guilty to stealing honest service. Rowland was sentenced on March 18, 2005, in New Haven, Connecticut to one year and one day in prison, four months house arrest, three years probation and community service. On April 1 he entered the Federal Correctional Institution in Loretto, Pennsylvania. His Federal inmate number was 15623-014.
● A grand jury report declares that the sale of public land to Republican Congressman Ken Calvert and his business partners violated the law. In September 2006, Calvert was named one of the “20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress” in a report by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Champion of the Christian Coalition and its “family values.” Sued as an alimony deadbeat by his ex-wife. Said “We can’t forgive what occurred between the President and Lewinsky.” In 1993 he was caught by police receiving oral sex from a prostitute and attempted to flee the scene. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Calvert
● Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) Probed for bribery regarding financial ties with and favors for defense firm MZM. He pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. On March 3, 2006, he received a sentence of eight years and four months in prison and an order to pay $1.8 million in restitution. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_%22Duke%22_Cunningham
● Bruce Weyhrauch former Alaska state Republican legislator, was arrested and accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from the corrupt VECO Corporation. May 4, 2007: http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=7024205
● Pete Kott, former Alaska state Republican legislator, was arrested and accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from the corrupt VECO Corporation. May 4, 2007: http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=7024205
● Republican Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons for suspicion of accepting bribes in exchange for securing government contracts. May 12, 2007: http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070821/NEWS04/708210353/1007/NEWS
● Former Republican Gov. George Ryan of Illinois on 18 corruption charges. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-ryanaug22,0,7934619.story?coll=chi_home_util
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Ryan#Scandals_and_corruption
● Republican Larry Warner, lobbyist, co-defendent with Gov Ryan ……..Prosecutors say Ryan steered state contracts and leases to a select group of friends, including his co-defendant in the case, lobbyist Larry Warner, and received subtle kickbacks that included gifts, vacations and other benefits. Some criminal charges against Ryan stem from his 1999-2003 term as governor. http://cbs2chicago.com/medillnewsservice/local_story_107194221.html
● Republican Scott Fawell, Gov Ryan’s top aide, campaign manager and former secretary of state during much of the 1990s. Convicted of racketeering in 2003 in connection with his work for Ryan, Fawell was sentenced to 6 1/2 years. Fawell later agreed to help the government at the request of his indicted fiancee, Andrea Coutretsis. http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:ggxa7YqmVksJ:www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/indict/2004/fawell_et_al.pdf+Scott+Fawell&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us
● Republican Andrea Coutretsis, a Fawell assistant who later developed a relationship with him, has pleaded guilty in two separate corruption cases and received four months in prison. http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/local_story_212170533.html
● Republican Ronnie Gene DeShon, 50, of Gallatin, Mo., superintendent of the Pattonsburg, Missouri R-II School District. Pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling more than $844,000 from the school district. The court released DeShon on his own recognizance. http://home.att.net/~fcwriter/news43.htm
● Bob Kjellander, Republican National Treasurer (R-IL). Under Federal probe for steering investment contracts to Illinois Teachers Retirement Fund. http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2754/
● Republican Bradley R. Hiller, Ex-GOP insider. Pleaded guilty Wednesday to two felonies in connection with spending he could not account for while running the Senate Republicans’ fundraising committee. Judge Stoner sentenced him to one year in prison. Initially, Hiller was charged with writing eight fraudulent checks to himself valued at $24,890.39, but he agreed to repay the committee $146,775 for expense checks he wrote to himself that could not be documented. February 5, 2005 http://www.reporter-times.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=19627&format=html
MERIT SYSTEM SCANDAL – KENTUCKY
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/kentuckydocket.php
● Dan Druen, Transportation Commissioner (R-KY) Merit system scandal, witness tampering. Indicted. In December, 2005, Druen was charged by the Kentucky Executive Branch Ethics Commission with ten ethics counts stemming from the hiring scandal. Each of those counts carries a fine of up to $5,000. Pardoned by the Governor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Druen
● Tim Hazlette – Indicted – Pardoned
● Bob Wilson, Deputy Personnel Secretary (R-KY) Merit system scandal. Indicted. Pardoned by the Governor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Fletcher
● Darrell Brock, Chairman of Kentucky GOP (R-KY) Merit system scandal. Indicted. Pardoned by the Governor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Fletcher
● Basil Turbyfill, Personnel Adviser to KY Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R-KY) Merit system scandal. Indicted. Pardoned by the Governor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Fletcher
● Bill Nighbert, Transportation Secretary (R-KY) Merit system scandal. Indicted. Trial set. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Fletcher
● Dick Murgatroyd, Deputy Chief of Staff to KY Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R-KY) Merit system scandal. Indicted. Pardoned by the Governor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Fletcher
● Jim Adams, Deputy Transportation Secretary (R-KY) Merit system scandal. Indicted. Pardoned by the Governor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Fletcher
● Cory Meadows, Executive Director, Transportation Dept. (R-KY) Merit system scandal. Indicted. Pardoned by the Governor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Fletcher
● Lloyd Cress, Environmental Protection Commissioner (R-KY) Probed in merit system scandal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Fletcher
PERJURY
● I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney found guilty of obstruction of justice and perjury. March 6, 2007: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Libby
● Criminal charges filed against Republican Pennsylvania State Senator Robert Regola in connection with the death of a teenage neighbor who was shot with the senator’s gun; he is accused of three counts of perjury, allowing possession of a firearm by a minor, recklessly endangering another person and false swearing. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/mostread/s_465348.html
● Republican Dalton Tanonaka, former Lt. gubernatorial and congressional candidate (R-HI) Three months in prison for disguising and failing to report campaign loans. Also investigated for possible illegal foreign funding from Hong Kong and Japan. http://starbulletin.com/2005/11/04/news/story02.html
● Former Deputy Interior Secretary J. Steven Griles, an oil and gas lobbyist who became an architect of George W. Bush’s energy policies, pleads guilty to obstructing justice by lying to a Senate committee. March 23, 2007: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Steven_Griles
● Republican state Senate candidate Mark Tate is indicted on nine counts of perjury and two counts of election fraud by a grand jury. May 21, 2007: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Mark+D.+Tate?tid=informline
● Republican state House candidate Angelo Cappelli is arrested for perjury and grand theft. August 15, 2007: http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=309a8afd-eb98-48df-aa20-4a77754883ce&rss=794
● Republican Alexandra Prokos -Perjury – In the Gov. George Ryan’s corruption probe. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9504EFDE1F31F93AA15756C0A9659C8B63&n=Top%2FReference%2FTimes%20Topics%2FPeople%2FR%2FRyan%2C%20George
RAPE
● Dr. W. David Hager http://fluffer-union.blogspot.com/2007/08/king-is-dead-long-live-king.html
Bush appointee to the FDA, member of Focus on the Family’s Physician Resource Council, player in movement to ban the morning-after-pill. Had an adulterous affair, before divorcing his wife who he raped anally for eight years. When asked about it, he said, “I missed.” http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050530/mcgarvey
● Michael Dructor‚ Republican candidate for North Wales Borough Mayor‚ Pennsylvania. The woman accused Dructor of hitting her in the head‚ arms and waist‚ ripping her clothing off and choking her after an argument that began around midnight‚ according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in district court. http://www.newsblip.net/article/id_article/5870/grp_id/182/push/1/?PHPSESSID=10fc72a30dd46029e26c1df2cab39e6d
● Republican, Leonard Ray Owens – The longtime leader of the Oregon Christian Coalition and staunch opponent of gay rights admits in a newly released police report that he sexually touched three underage girls. August 30, 2006 A Texas pastor accused of raping a church member after telling her she was possessed by a lesbian demon at his house last year has been indicted. Republican, Leonard Ray Owens, 63, who is free on $25,000 bail, is now awaiting trial on a charge of sexual assault, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison. He was arrested in November, 2005. Police began investigating Owens last year after a 22-year-old woman reported that Owens raped her twice at his Fort Worth home. The woman told police that in July, several months after she began attending the Prayer House of Faith, she went to Owens’ home for counseling following a miscarriage. Owens told her that a sex spirit and lesbian demon were inside her and needed to be cast out, police said. The pastor then asked her to lie on the floor and began yelling at her as if she were a demon, saying, “Loose her in the name of Jesus,” according to an arrest warrant affidavit. http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa051112_wz_pastorsex.5570060c.html
● Republican anti-abortion activist Howard Scott Heldreth is a convicted child rapist in Florida. Howard Scott Heldreth, anti-abortion activist who gained fame during the Shiavo media-circus, was convicted of two charges of raping a child in 2002. Page at Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Sexual Offender/Predator Unit
http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/About.jsp
● Michael Flory, former head of the Michigan Federation of Young Republicans, pleads guilty to sexual abuse. July 24, 2007 http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1185352776235720.xml&coll=2
● Glenn Murphy Jr., recently-elected Chairman of the Young Republican National Federation, is accused of sexually assaulting a sleeping man – and that’s not the first time it’s happened. July 29, 2007: http://www.news-tribune.net/breakingnews/local_story_219210228.html
● State Rep. and House Minority Leader Galen Fox (R-HI). Jan. 2006. Convicted on federal charges of fondling a woman on a Honolulu to Los Angeles commercial flight. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galen_Fox
RAPE/PEDOPHILES
● John Bryan – St Petersburg, FL city council member. Bryan resigned from the town council, then drove home and committed suicide. He was accused of molesting three teenage girls whom he adopted.
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/specials/popular/article.aspx?s=popular&storyid=62840
● Joshua Dickens, Republican Constable of Faulkner County. (AK) Severely beat, burned, handcuffed and kidnaped woman he was in a relationship with. Sentenced 5 yrs, could be released within 1 year. After the trial, a 16-year-old girl, also made accusations to the police that she had been sexually assaulted by the young man. Sept. 29th, 2005. http://www.officer.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=5&id=26149
● Republican County Commissioner Patrick Lee McGuire surrendered to police after allegedly molesting girls between the ages of 8 and 13. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/Patrick_Lee_McGuire.htm
● Republican prosecutor Larry Corrigan was arrested for soliciting sex from 13-year old girls. http://www.komotv.com/news/4795006.html
● Republican Mayor Jeffrey Kyle Randall was sentenced to 275 days in jail for molesting two boys — ages ten and 12 — during a six-year period. http://www.wkbt.com/global/story.asp?s=4075665&ClientType=Print
● Right-wing Republican activist Jeffrey Ray Nielsen –a lawyer with close ties to Congressman Dana Rohrabacher –has been accused of having sex with a fourteen-year-old boy in 2003, as well as maintaining a cache of gay porn. Ironically, the extensive legal delay in this case has led to new allegations by other victims. http://www.ocweekly.com/news/news/our-thing/25902/
● Republican William Gillin, 53, Pittsburgh, PA, August 30, 2006 A former college administrator, a former Christian bookstore owner and a former policeman admitted to sexual misconduct with a teenage boy. They were among five men arrested in March as part of an ongoing investigation of men who meet boys through Internet chat rooms, authorities said.William Gillin, 53, republican and Paul Skiles, 63, republican, both of Johnstown, pleaded guilty yesterday to corruption of minors, indecent assault and unlawful communications with minors. Mr. Gillin is the former alumni relations director at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Mr. Skiles owned the now-closed B&K Christian Bookstore in Richland Township. Some of the incidents occurred when the boy was 16, prosecutors said. He is now 17. http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-lay=a&-format=d.html&storyid=7160&-Find
● Republican Paul Skiles, 63 Pittsburgh, PA, August 30, 2006 A former college administrator, a former Christian bookstore owner and a former policeman admitted to sexual misconduct with a teenage boy. They were among five men arrested in March as part of an ongoing investigation of men who meet boys through Internet chat rooms, authorities said.William Gillin, 53, republican and Paul Skiles, 63, republican, both of Johnstown, pleaded guilty yesterday to corruption of minors, indecent assault and unlawful communications with minors. Mr. Gillin is the former alumni relations director at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Mr. Skiles owned the now-closed B&K Christian Bookstore in Richland Township. Some of the incidents occurred when the boy was 16, prosecutors said. He is now 17. http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-lay=a&-format=d.html&storyid=7160&-Find
● Republican County Board Candidate Brent Schepp was charged with molesting a 14-year old girl and killed himself three days later. http://cbs2chicago.com/westsuburbanbureau/local_story_290194825.html
● Republican executive Randall Casseday of the conservative Washington Times newspaper pleaded guilty to soliciting sex from a 13-year old girl on the internet. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2006/09/28/wash-times-human-_n_30450.html
● Republican Pat McPherson, Douglas County Election Commissioner. Arrested for fondling a 17-year-old girl. http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Central/12/17/nebraska.scandal.ap/
● Republican chairman of the Oregon Christian Coalition Lou Beres confessed to molesting a 13-year old girl. http://www.gayrightswatch.com/2006/08/exclusive-lou-beres-of-christian.html
● Republican County Constable Larry Dale Floyd pleaded guilty to charges of soliciting sex from an 8-year old girl. Floyd has repeatedly won elections for Denton County, Texas, constable. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/denton/stories/DN-constable_04met.ART.North.Edition2.28d2.html
● Republican Party leader Bobby Stumbo was arrested for having sex with a 5-year old boy. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/Bobby_Stumbo.htm
● Republican petition drive manager Tom Randall pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 14, one of them the daughter of an associate in the petition business. http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/homepage/article_1158949.php
● Republican County Chairman Armando Tebano pleaded guilty to fondling a 14-year-old girl. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/Armando_Tebano.htm
● Republican teacher and former city councilman John Collins pleaded guilty to sexually molesting 13 and 14 year old girls. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/John_Collins.htm
● Republican campaign worker Mark Seidensticker, 45, of Concord and Ogunquit, Maine, was arrested in Concord, accused of inappropriate contact with teenage boys. http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2005/11/22/ex_aide_to_official_faces_jail_in_solicting_minor/ http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050902/REPOSITORY/509020305/0/FRONTPAGE
● Republican Mayor Tom Adams was arrested for distributing child pornography over the internet. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/Tom_Adams2.htm
● Republican Mayor John Gosek was arrested on charges of soliciting sex from two 15-year old girls. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/John_Gosek.htm
● Republican Committeeman John R. Curtin was convicted of molesting an underage teenage boy and sentenced to serve six to 18 months in prison. http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070619/NEWS/706190304/-1/NEWS01
● Director of the “Young Republican Federation” Nicholas Elizondo molested his 6-year old daughter and was sentenced to six years in prison. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/Nicholas_Elizondo.htm
● Republican benefactor of conservative Christian groups, Richard A. Dasen Sr., was charged with rape for allegedly paying a 15-year old girl for sex. Dasen, 62, who is married with grown children and several grandchildren, has allegedly told police that over the past decade he paid more than $1 million to have sex with a large number of young women. http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2005/07/14/news/mtregional/news07.txt
● Republican radio personality Scott Eller Cortelyou of Denver arrested on suspicion of using the Internet to lure a child into a sexual relationship. January 23, 2007: http://co.jefferson.co.us/news/news_item_T3_R475.htm
● Republican Judge Mark Pazuhanich pleaded no contest to fondling a 10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation.
http://www.patrickcrusade.org/Mark_Pazuhanich.html
● Republican city councilman Mark Harris, who is described as a “good military man” and “church goer,” was convicted of repeatedly having sex with an 11-year-old girl and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
http://www.armchairsubversive.org/Mark_Harris4.htm
● Republican strategist and Citadel Military College graduate Robin Vanderwall was convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet. Director of Faith & Family Alliance, (a Christian Coalition spin off), former student of Pat Robertson’s Regent University, member of Ralph Reed’s inner circle who funneled money to from lobbiest Jack Abromoff to Reed, convicted in Virginia for soliticing sex from a 13-year-old-boy and on four other counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet. Currently serving a 7 year term in a Virginian State Prison. Virginian-Pilot Article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoff_timeline
● Republican anti-gay activist Earl “Butch” Kimmerling was sentenced to 40 years in prison for molesting an 8-year old girl after he attempted to stop a gay couple from adopting her. http://www.armchairsubversive.com/kimmerling.htm
● Republican Party leader Paul Ingram pleaded guilty to six counts of raping his daughters and served 14 years in federal prison. http://members.aol.com/IngramOrg/
● Spokane Mayor Jim West (R-WA) Under Federal and state investigation for abusing his office to obtain sexual favors and soliciting sex over the Internet from underage males. He was also accused of misusing his office as mayor to lure teenage boys for sexual relationships. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._West_%28politician%29
● Republican election board official Kevin Coan was sentenced to two years probation for soliciting sex over the internet from a 14-year old girl. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/kevin_coan.htm
● Republican politician Andrew Buhr was charged with two counts of first degree sodomy with a 13-year old boy. http://www.thevitalvoice.com/2002/2002_1227/rathmann.html
● Republican politician Keith Westmoreland was arrested on seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition to minors under 16 (i.e. exposing himself to children). He later committed suicide: http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/06/20/tenn.lawmaker.dead/index.html
● Republican anti-abortion activist John Allen Burt was charged with sexual misconduct involving a 15-year old girl. http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=7849
● Republican County Councilman Keola Childs pleaded guilty to molesting a child in Kona Circuit Court to sexual assault in the first degree. http://starbulletin.com/2000/07/20/news/briefs.html
● Republican activist John Butler was charged with criminal sexual assault on a teenage girl.
● Republican candidate Richard Gardner admitted to molesting his two daughters. Then, after being convicted of a felony, tried to run for office again. http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Oct-30-Wed-2002/news/19951668.html
● Republican Councilman and former Marine Jack W. Gardner was convicted of molesting a 13-year old girl. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/Jack_Gardner2.htm
● Republican County Commissioner Merrill Robert Barter pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual contact and assault on a teenage boy. http://boothbayregister.maine.com/1999-04-15/barter_pleads_guilty.html
● Republican City Councilman Fred C. Smeltzer, Jr. pleaded no contest to raping a 15 year-old girl and served 6-months in prison. http://www.wgal.com/news/4176008/detail.html
● Republican congressman and anti-gay activist Robert Bauman was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar. In October 1980, Bauman was arrested (and pleaded innocent) on a charge of solicitation and having sex with a 16-year-old male dancer he met at a gay bar. Married and the father of four, he was formerly chairman of the American Conservative Union and took a strong position against gay rights. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bauman
● Republican activist Marty Glickman (a.k.a. “Republican Marty”), was taken into custody by Florida police on four counts of unlawful sexual activity with a juvenile and one count of delivering the drug LSD.
● Republican legislative aide Howard L. Brooks was charged with molesting a 12-year old boy and possession of child pornography. A warrant has been issued for Howard Brooks, Republican legislative aid to Assemblyman Phil Wyman (R-Tehachapi,) accused of molesting a twelve-year-old boy-specifically, committing lewd acts on a child, continuous sexual abuse, and possession of child porn. The Los Angeles County Family Crimes Unit began investigating Brooks after he allegedly sent a sexually explicit letter to an inmate in CA. State Prison, in Sacramento. The letter discussed sexual misconduct with young boys in 2000; according to the case’s prosecutor Rouman Ebrahim, authorities are extending the investigation.
● Republican Senate candidate John Hathaway was accused of having sex with his 12-year old baby sitter and withdrew his candidacy after the allegations were reported in the media. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/hathaway1.htm
● Republican preacher Stephen White, who demanded a return to traditional values, was arrested after allegedly offering $20 to a 14-year-old boy for permission to perform oral sex on him. Rev. C. Stephen White — better known on Penn’s campus as “Brother Stephen” — will face trial on charges of soliciting sex from a 14-year-old boy, according to the West Chester District Attorney’s office. At a preliminary hearing held Aug. 12, White pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal solicitation, criminal attempt to lure a child into a motor vehicle and corruption of minors. All charges will be held for court, according to West Chester Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Callahan, who will prosecute the case. White is married and has three sons and republican fundraiser in the area. http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/8796?badlink=1
● Republican talk show host Jon Matthews pleaded guilty to exposing his genitals to an 11 year old girl. http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/1608/former-radio-host-arrested-for-allegedly-violating-probation-in-child-indecency-case
● Bob Allen of Florida. July11, 2007: Republican state Representative and Florida co-Chairman of McCain for President. Allen was arrested in Titusville, FL, for solicited an undercover male officer inside a restroom and offering to perform oral sex for $20. The arresting offices stated that he noticed Allen acting suspiciously as he went in and out of the men’s restroom three times. Also see: ✺ Paul Robert Balach http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-allen1307jul13,0,5667267.story
● Republican activist Mark A. Grethen convicted on six counts of sex crimes involving children, including his own. http://www.courts.state.va.us/opinions/opncavtx/3244031.txt
● Republican Committeeman John R. Curtain was charged with molesting a teenage boy and unlawful sexual contact with a minor. http://www.armchairsubversive.org/John_Curtain.htm
● Republican activist Randal David Ankeney, arrested on suspicion of sexual assault on a child with force. He faces 6 charges related to getting a 13-year-old girl stoned on pot and then having sex with her. Also accused of sexually assaulting another girl. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/1130885/detail.html
● Republican Congressman Dan Crane had sex with a minor working as a congressional page. Dan Crane, Republican Congressman, married, father of six.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Crane
● Republican activist and Christian Coalition leader Beverly Russell admitted to an incestuous relationship with his step daughter, Susan Smith, who later drowned her two children. http://www.teleplex.net/shj/smith/trial/smithsss.html
http://www.fathers.ca/susan_smith_2.htm
● Republican city councilman Joseph Monteleone Jr. was found guilty of fondling underage girls. http://www.chroniclet.com/2007/05/05/monteleone-found-guilty/
● Republican congressional aide Jeffrey Nielsen was arrested for having sex with a 14-year old boy. http://www.ocweekly.com/news/news/our-thing/25902/
● Republican Congressman Donald “Buz” Lukens was found guilty of having sex with a minor and sentenced to one month in jail. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101890213-151183,00.html
● Republican pastor Mike Hintz, whom George W. Bush commended during the 2004 presidential campaign, surrendered to police after admitting to a sexual affair with a juvenile. http://www.kcci.com/news/3976822/detail.html
● Republican legislator Peter Dibble pleaded no contest to having an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old girl. http://www.newschannel8.com/Global/story.asp?S=1749917
http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=1913548
● Republican legislator Edison Misla Aldarondo was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping his daughter between the ages of 9 and 17 http://www.armchairsubversive.org/Edison_Misla_Aldarondo.htm
● Republican Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year sentence in federal prison for sexually abusing 8- and 10-year old girls.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/philip_a_giordano/index.html
● Republican campaign consultant Tom Shortridge was sentenced to three years probation for taking nude photographs of a 15-year old girl.
http://www.armchairsubversive.org/Tom_Shortridge3.htm – L.A. Times
● Republican campaign worker, police officer and self-proclaimed reverend Steve Aiken was convicted of having sex with two underage girls.
http://www.metnews.com/articles/2005/klei121405.htm
● Republican advertising consultant Carey Lee Cramer was sentenced to six years in prison for molesting two 8-year old girls, one of whom appeared in an anti-Gore television commercial. http://heartlandvalues.blogspot.com/2005/06/ad-creator-charged-with-molestation.html
● Republican former South Dakota State Representative Ted Klaudt is charged with eight counts of second-degree rape, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of sexual contact with a child younger than 16, two counts of witness tampering and one count of stalking against two foster children in his care. May 18, 2007: http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,57158
● Rep. Brian J. Doyle, The deputy press secretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was arrested Tuesday, April 04, 2006, for using the Internet to seduce what he thought was a teenage girl, authorities said. He was arrested in Maryland where he lives on charges of use of a computer to seduce a child and transmission of harmful material to a minor. The charges were issued out of Polk County, Fla. http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/04/04/homeland.arrest/index.html
● Monsignor Alan J. Placa works for Giuliani Partners, annulled Giuliani’s first marriage, baptized two of Rudy’s kids and was even the priest at the funeral for Rudy’s mom. Placa is a Catholic priest accused of sexually molesting boys and who also was the lawyer for a now-closed Whitinsville counseling house for troubled priests that has been described as the center of a pedophile sex ring.
http://telegram.com/article/20070722/NEWS/707220489/1116
● Republican County Commissioner David Swartz pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison. Ohio- Sexual Assault, Child Pornography. Investigation Target: http://www.armchairsubversive.com/David_Swartz.htm
He faces up to 10 years in prison at an upcoming sentencing. 2nd investigation involving another child has not gone to trial, yet.
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
● Republican activist Parker J. Bena pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on his home computer and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and fined $18,000. http://blogs.salon.com/0002551/2003/12/08.html#a516
● Republican parole board officer and former Colorado state representative, Larry Jack Schwarz, was fired after child pornography was found in his possession.
With his political career over, he went to work in the hard-core pornography industry for Platinum X Pictures, owned by his daughter, porn starlet Jewel De’Nyle (Stephany Schwarz). http://www.armchairsubversive.com/schwarz.htm
● Republican Committee Chairman Jeffrey Patti was arrested for distributing a video clip of a 5-year-old girl being raped. http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/articles/news2-GNJarrests.htm
● Republican fundraiser Richard A. Delgaudio was found guilty of child porn charges. http://www.wbaltv.com/news/2153721/detail.html
● Nicholas Morency, who recently pled guilty to offering a $1.5 million contract to anyone who would murder an abortion provider. In the course of the investigation, authorities also turned up a computer packed with child pornography. http://www.armchairsubversive.com/morency2.htm – Dallas Morning News
● Republican Judge Ronald C. Kline pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on his home computer. http://www.metnews.com/articles/2005/klei121405.htm
● Republican president of the New York City Housing Development Corp. Russell Harding (former top Giuliani administration official) sentenced 62 months, embezzled $400,000 NYC revenue. Also pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30F12F73C5B0C718EDDAE0894DD404482&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fE%2fEmbezzlement http://www.armchairsubversive.org/Russell_Harding.htm
LEWD CONDUCT
● Stephen Linnen, the “Naked Photographer” is a former lawyer for the Ohio House Republican caucus. He ambushed women in the nude and took photos of their shocked expressions. He was sentenced last year to 18 months and ordered not to possess any cameras, video equipment or recording device of any kind. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=News&id=891746
● Brent Parker Utah State Representetive. Arrested for soliciting sex from an undercover officer posing as a male prostitute. http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,565036793,00.html
● Republican Jack Burkmana reportedly has been caught allegedly offering to pay $1,000 for sex with two homosexuals … Republican operative Jack Burkmana former lobbyist for “Family Research Council” The council and Mr. Burkmana support and donate money to the Bush administration and the GOP. He was also listed on the DC Madam’s phone list. http://wonkette.com/politics/dept
● Joseph M. McDade, 75, was issued a summons on a charge of exposure of sexual organs, a misdemeanor that carries up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The longtime Pennsylvania Republican congressman who served for 36 years in the House and now works for a Washington lobbying firm, has been accused of exposing his private parts to two women at a beach resort on Sanibel Island. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_M._McDade#Indecent_exposure
● Neal Horsley has called for the arrest of all homosexuals. Admitted on the Fox News Radio’s The Alan Colmes Show, that he’s had sex with mules. Put photographs on his Web site of naked men engaging in homosexual acts and a nude woman engaging in bestiality amid shots of grotesquely maimed fetuses. Drug dealer convicted of possession of hashish with intent to sell. He calls for “the establishment of a new government, one that can obey God’s plan for government.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Horsley
● Republican Matthew Glavin, president and CEO of the Southeastern Legal Foundation, big player in the Clinton Impeachment, and many anti-gay jihads, has been arrested multiple times for public indeceny, one time fondling the crotch of the officer who was arresting him. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101001016-91795,00.html
● Republican businessman Jon Grunseth withdrew his candidacy for Minnesota governor after allegations surfaced that he went swimming in the nude with four underage girls, including his daughter.
http://www.armchairsubversive.org/grunseth.htm
● Republican Paul Crouch was a televangelist and former president of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). In September 2004, the “Los Angeles Times” broke the story of how TBN paid $425,000 to Enoch Lonnie Ford in an attempt to stop him from revealing his relations with Crouch. Ford, a former TBN employee, claims to have had sexual liaisons with Crouch at the network-owned cabin at Lake Arrowhead in 1996.
● Republican Judge Donald Thompson from Oklahoma, on June 29, 2006 was found guilty on four counts of indecent exposure after using a penis pump while presiding over court cases. The jury recommended four years in prison and $40,000 per count in fines. Thompson insisted throughout his trial that he had never masturbated while on the bench, and that the penis pump was a gag gift which he had never used. Police, however, found evidence of semen on his chair and robes, and audio recordings of trials included a “whooshing” sound that the judge could not explain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Donald_Thompson
● Republican, Nicholas Morency, who recently pled guilty to offering a $1.5 million contract to anyone who would murder an abortion provider. In the course of the investigation, authorities also turned up a computer packed with child pornography. http://www.armchairsubversive.com/morency2.htm – Dallas Morning News
● Mark Foley -Republican Congressman Mark Foley abruptly resigned from Congress after “sexually explicit” emails surfaced showing him flirting with a 16-year old boy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Foley
● Republican Senator Larry Craig. Arrested for lewd conduct in the men’s bathroom of an airport. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Craig
● Republican Senator David Vitter acknowledged being on the D.C. Madam’s list and past involvement with prostitutes: Also likes to wear diapers during his trysts with the Canal Street Prostitutes in New Orleans. July 16, 2007. Also: Linked to Abramoff in a case involving a Louisiana Indian tribe. http://righthandthief.blogspot.com/2007/07/canal-steet-madam-says-vitter-was.html
● Jon Hinson of Mississippi. He resigned after being caught in April 1981 performing oral sodomy in a House office building public restroom. He was then married and a fierce conservative. However, he admitted that in 1976 he was accused of having oral sex in a Virginia gay bar and that in 1977 he had survived a fire in a D.C. gay movie theater. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Hinson
DRUGS
● South Carolina Republican state Treasurer and South Carolina Chairman of Giuliani for President Thomas Ravenel is indicted by a grand jury on cocaine distribution charges. June 19, 2007 http://wonkette.com/politics/dept
(just plain old ) PROSTITUTION
● Republican Senator David Vitter (LA) Being investigated for the D.C. Madam controversy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Vitter#D.C._Madam_controversy
● Republican former state legislator Coy Privette is charged with six counts of aiding and abetting prostitution http://www.charlotte.com/109/story/246317.html
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/643454.html
WHITE HOUSE GAY PROSTITUTE RING
(if you haven’t read about this before, you wouldn’t be the first)
http://www.voxfux.com/features/bush_child_sex_coverup/franklin.htm
● Republican activist Lawrence E. King, Jr. organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s. http://www.voxfux.com/features/bush_child_sex_coverup/franklin.htm
● Craig J. Spence, Republican lobbyist, was alleged to have taken friends and male prostitutes on late-night cruises through the White House; he was found dead in a Boston hotel room. [Washington Times, July 26, 1989] http://www.voxfux.com/features/bush_child_sex_coverup/franklin.htm
● Paul Robert Balach, was Labor Secretary Elizabeth Dole’s political personnel liaison to the White House. He was also an aide to Rep. Robert Bauman. Balach was part of a major White House scandal during the 1980’s. Children from orphanages in Nebraska were transported around the United States by top Republican officials in order to engage in child sex orgies with America’s ruling elite. Balach paid for homosexual prostitute services which were charged to his credit card. See Charles K. Dutcher, Lawrence E. King, Jr. & Craig J. Spence.
● Charles K. Dutcher, an associate director of presidential personnel in the Reagan administration, apparently paid for homosexual prostitute services with this own credit card.
ESPIONAGE
● Lawrence A. Franklin, In 2005, Republican, Col. Lawrence Franklin, who was working in the office of Douglas Feith, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, was arrested and charged with giving classified documents to two top officials at AIPAC who passed them on to the Israeli embassy. The information concerned US positions toward Iran . The AIPAC officials were also arrested and charged with espionage. Lawrence was found guilty and sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison and fined $10,000 for passing classified information to AIPAC and an Israeli diplomat. http://www.palestinechronicle.com/story-09040760548.htm
● Major Republican donor Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari, a/k/a Michael Mixon, is indicted in federal court on charges of providing material support to terrorists. February 16, 2007: http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/cats/alishtari/
● Republican Leandro Aragoncillo – 46, was a U.S. Marine most recently assigned to the staff of Vice President Dick Cheney, arrested for spying in the Whitehouse. On October 5, 2005, Aragoncillo was indicted and arrested for espionage in New Jersey. Federal agents accuse him of stealing classified information, including information about the current President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and passing it to opposition leaders in that country. The FBI referred to his arrest as representing the first known case of espionage from within the White House. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leandro_Aragoncillo
● Steve Rosen, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Indicted for criminal conspiracy involving classified national security information. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Rosen
● Keith Weismann, AIPAC Indicted for criminal conspiracy involving classified national security information. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Weissman
OTHER FELONIES
● Richard Leonard, former manager of Linda Schrenko Campaign. Guilty on attempted witness tampering. http://atlanta.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel06/witnesstampering082406.htm
● Linda Schrenko, Georgia School Superintendent. Indicted on federal charges of stealing taxpayer money. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Schrenko
● Republican Scott Falwell. Racketeering, mail fraud and obstruction of justice. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9906E2D8133EF930A25750C0A9659C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fR%2fRacketeering%20and%20Racketeers
● Hayes Martin, Treasurer of Charles Taylor’s congressional campaign (R-NC) Indicted, fraud and money laundering. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_H._Taylor
● Lawrence Novak, Atty, vice chairman state (Mass.) Republican PartyDisposition: Indicted, money-laundering charges accusing him of offering to “cleanse” drug proceeds for a legal client (Scott Holyoke). http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/09/14/gop_figure_faces_charges_of_money_laundering/
● Robert Vellanoweth, a Republican activist and appointee of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, is arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and felony driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, after a crash that killed three adults and one child. March 28, 2007: http://www.news10.net/storyfull2.aspx?storyid=25998
● Major Republican fundraiser Brent Wilkes and former CIA executive director Kyle “Dusty” Foggo are indicted by a grand jury for corrupting CIA contracts. February 14, 2007: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Wilkes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_Foggo
● Ronald Reagan’s budget director, David Stockman, “indicted on charges of defrauding investors and banks of $1.6 billion while chairman of Collins & Aikman Corp., an auto parts maker that collapsed days after he quit” March 27, 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Stockman
● Major Republican donor Alan Fabian is charged with 23 counts of bankruptcy fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and perjury. August 9, 2007: http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
● Allen Raymond, GOP Marketplace President (R-NH) Pleaded guilty, conspiracy, GOTV phone line jamming, Sununu 2002 campaign. http://www.senatemajority.com/node/213
● James Tobin, the former New England Regional Director of the Republican National Committee for jamming phone service to five Democratic Party offices during the 2002 elections. Found guilty of criminally violating federal communications law. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/16/AR2006051601712.html
● Gov. Bob Taft (R-OH) Misuse of state funds/ethics violations. Convicted, four first degree misdemeanors, pleaded no contest (admission of guilt). $4000 fine and public apology. Two Federal Grand Juries, one state Grand Jury still investigating Taft. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Taft#Criminal_conviction
● Thomas Noe, Bush-Cheney 04 campaign chair, NW Ohio; Turnpike Commissioner; University Regent (R-OH) Misuse of state funds for rare coin fund. Indicted by Federal grand jury, arrested in Florida. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Noe
● Bernadette Noe, Thomas Noe’s wife, Chairman of Lucas County GOP; Chairman of Lucas Co. Board of Elections (R-OH). Misuse of state funds. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Noe
● Brian Hicks, Chief of Staff to Gov. Bob Taft, member Ohio University Board of Trustees (R-OH) Convicted for an ethics violation dealing with his stay at Tom Noe’s home in Florida. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Noe
● Cherie Carroll, Chief of Staff Executive Secretary to Gov. Bob Taft (R-OH) Convicted for accepting the payment of meals at “fine dining establishments” valued at over $500 from Tom Noe while he was doing business with Ohio. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Noe
● Chuck McGee, former executive director of the Republican state committee. Sununu 2002 campaign Republican phone-jamming scheme. Sentenced to seven months in federal prison. http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles
● Republican, Adam Taff, 2004 congressional candidate, (R-KS). Indicted for campaign violations and wire fraud. http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/politics/4864086/detail.html
● Former Congressman Bill Janklow (R-SD) Convicted of manslaughter and jailed for killing a man with his car after blowing through a stop sign at a high rate of speed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Janklow
● Republican and Former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Lester Crawford. On October 17, 2006, he plead guilty “to conflict of interest and false reporting of information about stocks he owned in food, beverage and medical device companies he was in charge of regulating.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Crawford
● Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA) Investigated by DC police for assaulting and choking a 29-year old Maryland woman. Sherwood, who is married and campaigned for office on “family values”, also has been sued by the woman, who claims he attacked and choked her in their “love nest.” Sherwood defended himself by stating that he wasn’t trying to choke her – he was just trying to give her a “back rub”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Sherwood#Extramarital_affair.2Freport_of_abuse
● State Rep. Dan Doyle (R-OR) Convicted for misuse of campaign funds. http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070803/NEWS/708030317
● Vincent Cianci, Mayor of Providence (R-RI) Convicted in 2002 and sentenced to 5 years in prison for conspiracy related to Federal charges of racketeering, extortion, witness tampering, and mail fraud. Also resigned from office in 1984 after being convicted of assaulting a man with a lit cigarette, an ashtray and a fireplace log. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Cianci,_Jr
Is that enough?
Whippet,
I posted the list of you, but it’s so long…it got moderated. We’ll see if it shows up.
75, the choice this fall is going to be simple, and I would argue that you are the one who doesn’t get it. The race and the choice is between McCain and Hillbama, as you put it. THAT’s the only comparison that counts. If as you say a trained monkey would be better than Hillbama, can you really say that “true conservatives” should stand by and let worse than a trained monkey have all the levers of power for the next 4 (8?) years? Do you really think that this country will survive in any recognizable fashion?
One example to make the point – once nationalized health care is installed, it will never go away just like social security will never go away. Changes like that will be made in every sphere of American life – after just 4 years, this country will not be recognizable, and the changes will never be reversed. That’s the price to pay for refusing to support McCain.
Do you really think it’s worth it?
WWS, the comments were in regards to the comparisons of the two articles, nothing more. I never said conservatives should “stand by”. By backing McCain the republicans have risked the possibility that many republicans WILL stand by. Why take that chance? Why would a party knowingly abandon the very element that gives them more voters in the pool rather than less? They do it because they are mistakenly thinking that a move towards the left garners them more voters than a move to the right. Bad move. Bozell points out the examples. As for the trained moneky comment, what makes you think the trained monkey won’t give you nationalized health care as well? McCain has a history of working with the left. What makes you think he will suddenly change his stripes?
Dc, I’m surprised you left Jeff Dahmer off the list. I believe he was a republican as well.
WWS, maybe this will make the conservative position clearer for the whole group. Right now, as it is, with McCain vs Hill/Bama…the only party that has given conservatives any reason to show up and vote is the Democrats. I would have preferred that the republicans could have given us a reason to vote FOR them and not just AGAINST the left. One would think that our chances of a good turnout would have been better if we could count on both the anti-Dem vote AND the inspired pro-Rep vote. There is no chance of that now. It makes no sense to blame conservatives for the situation they have been warning you about for years. Not only have they been warning you but there is historical precedent in favor of the conservatives position.
AFAIK, Dahmer did not make his political affiliation (whatever it was) part of his MO. Nor did he work for a political office or claim some sort of moral high ground because of it. But you can add him if you want….he fits right in.
I see now your argument is essentially that it’s all the democrats fault? LOL. These conservatives warning people?? hahahaha. Dont’ make me laugh. The RNC got a wake up call and ignored it. And people like McCain been warning those overspending, porking, double-dipping, etc., for years that they were betraying the trust of the american people by doing what they were doing. That they were betraying the principals of the party. Then…elections came and a warning was sent by the people. The RNC ignored that too and just keeps trying to finger point their way out of this…all the while looking pitiful and powerless.
You can’t fingerpoint your way out of this mess. And turning on your own party/people isn’t going to help. So, then it’s the mutual assured destruction and then blame it on somebody else. ROTFL.
Beyond that, if you consider Obama and/or Hillary more conservative in principal than McCain, then you were never a conservative or a republican to start with as far as I’m concerned.
Dc, you’ll have to point out where I said it was the Democrats fault. I don’t have the ability to see things that aren’t there.
Dc, I never made that claim either. You’re just debating yourself.
DC,
You liberals are all the same. Innocent until proven guilty, right? Only in the librals dreams…. Investigations, probes, insinuations don’t mean guilt. Convictions do.
Apparently, convictions don’t mean guilt either. Scooter Libby was convicted without even a crime. Oh, I’m aware he was “convicted” of perjury but without a crime, he shouldn’t haven’t have even been charged. Fitz already knew Plame hadn’t been outed at all let alone by Libby. He should have cut Libby loose immediately but because he had no crime and no criminals, he had to railroad someone to cover his ass. But it’s to be expected when politics trumps law.
Denial doesn’t work either.
Dc, then why deny it? You made the claims, now back it up. Should be easy for someone who reads things unwritten. You might want to shut down that vivid imagination of yours first, though. Wouldn’t want you to blow out your O-ring.
Spitzer’s campain costs?
Millions
The cost, per hour, for Spitzer’s call girl?
$5,500
The timing of this breaking news after DC finished posting his laundry list of corrupt Republicans?
Priceless!
Spitzer is no different than any tongue/finger wagging republican caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Except that Spitzer will get a book deal and hugs and kisses from Barney Frank and the republicans will get…well…usually acquitted.
Not exactly. If you removed all the names in the above list except the ones who were actually convicted and/or plead guilty, you’d still have a very long list. Certainly..more than “3″ that some thing to think
More than you are apparently willing to admit as you continue to try and make excuses for what is right in front of your face. (which I dare say..is part and parcel a large part of what is wrong with the RNC today)
Spitzer is not that different from your avg corrupt republican. He claimed moral superiority and the high ground and chastised those who dare question him. Blamed others for the investigations he found himself in then got busted out. He deserves what he gets. JUST like those RNC members who have betrayed the public trust.
Ooops..there goes another one.
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/03/10/mark-pryor-to-run-unopposed-for-senate-after-republicans-fail-to-field-challenger/
DC,
You really need to go back to first grade and learn how to read. I don’t hear anyone here making excuses for any corrupt politician. They disgust me and it sounds like they disgust most everyone. It doesn’t matter which party they’re in. You, however seem to only want to dwell on the Republican corruption instead of the Dems corruption. And don’t say that it’s because it’s that corruption that hurt the Rep. party. The American public is disgusted with public corruption at all levels and in all parties. At least the Republicans try and rid themselves of those corrupt individuals when the corruption comes to light. Unfortunately for America, the Dems can’t say the same.
To use the excuse that because someone didn’t campaign on being a “clean” politician they are somehow less contemptible is absurd.
No one here is making excuses, they are challenging YOU on statements that you have made or implied that are separate from any discussion about political corruption.
If Dc is looking for a corruption list he only need look at the list of Clinton pardons. And those are just the ones that got away.
Really? Challenging me? hahahahaha. Give me a break.
It’s real simple…see if you can follow along: Barney Franks may be gay…but he doesn’t pretend NOT to be so he can go on a crusade against gays….then get caught with a man. Can you see the difference? It just makes the fall all that much harder.
That’s why I’m being hard on RNC. Because they betray the very things they say they stand for, that people vote for them for, then chastise others in the party because they aren’t “conservative enough”. I’m hard on Spitzer for the same reaon….MR Clean up the corruption….needed to start with himself.
Those are the ones who fall hardest. And it’s the biggest problem with the RNC right now….that they simply cannot admit they have a problem and need to rebuild trust with people before they can start hammering out their holier than though message again. Because frankly….it’s not working—incase you haven’t noticed. The far right of the party has lost all crediblity and used up all their get out of jail free cards. And they STILL won’t admit they have a problem and work to regroup and rebuild. And now, facing tough races all over..what do they do? They run of course. Away.
As far as blaming me for posting that long list…..I simply was obliging the person who asked me to show that more than 3 repulbicans were ever guity of such dispicable behavior. You can remove all the “indictments” and “investigations” and etc…and just sum up the “guilty” and convicted and you’d STILL have a very long list. You dont’ like that do you? What? You think “I” made that up just to tick you off? hahahaha.
I think you are the one with the over active imagination my friend.
Yes…what made things a lot worse for Clinton was his denai. His finger shaking…I…did…no…have…sex ..with that woman..etc. The same thing that’s destroying Roger Clemens and what chance he ever had of rebuilding his career right now….not “just’ that he had a steroid problem….but that he tried to front over it and blame others for the situation he was in..and he got caught. It’s 10x worse now for him than it was for “any” pro athelete who simply admitted…yea…I used them.
That’s the point. The RNC has some soul searching and rebuilding to do. They haven’t even recognized yet….that they have a problem. They think everybody else is the problem!! Couldn’t be “them”. hahahaha. Give me a break.
DC,
You and your kind believe “right wing” republicans are self righteous hypocrites. Then you delight in finding some with “feet of clay .”
If no one stood for what is good, the result would be a cesspool for all. I, for one, applaud leaders who risk derision and stand for the best in human nature, both in policy and by example.
What you forget is that everyone of those “clay foots” up there come from somebodies district. People who know them. People who supported them, believed in them, voted for them.
And people who were betrayed by them.
It takes time to rebuild that trust and that has to come sincerely from contrition of those who have wronged here. And I can tell you for damn sure…the people who have committted the wrong here are NOT the voters and neighbors and supporters who believed in them and what they claimed they stood for.
That includes “me and my kind” …..people who voted for republicans.
DC,
You persist in your belief that the Republicans are somehow worse in their corruption because the party as a whole takes the high road on most moral issues, even though there will always be some in every group whose morals are not up to the standard. And you continue to have some fixation with Barney Frank as being above the fray because he campaigned as a gay man and was elected as one. Yes he was, but not at first. And he isn’t free from scandal, although his being gay does shield him from much criticizm as liberals tend to play the homophobe card if a gay is ever criticized. Oh yeah, and they are the first to “out” a Republican gay man since they don’t toe the “gay” line. But liberals take their corruptors back in the fold. The Republicans cut them loose.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-spitzer-sex-scandals-glance,1,125842.story
There will always be scandals. The Republicans would be hurt by them only if they welcomed the corruptors with open arms. The Dems make a point of promoting their corruptors, as a slap in the face of good, decent, law-abiding Americans. They are the ones least trusted…which is why their government handouts are so important. Where would they be without them?
DC,
Just courious, are you able to produce such a fabulous list of corrupt Democrats as quickly as you could the Republicans?
DC,
And once again your reading comprehension needs a lot of work.
Here’s my comment:
“Those guilty should be out on their hypocritical butts but who other than the 2 obvious culprits are you talking about?”
And here’s your justification for posting the long list…
“As far as blaming me for posting that long list…..I simply was obliging the person who asked me to show that more than 3 repulbicans were ever guity of such dispicable behavior.”
That took quite a bit of twisting of words, DC. Quite dishonest of you.
Whippet, “dishonest debate” is the raison d’etre of the left. Having no single successful result of their idealogy, to keep it alive in the public sphere they have to bend or outright lie about the positions of their opponents to keep it alive in the public eye. This is also why they need to keep their base as frenzied and stupid as possible to maintain their hold. It’s the reason they keep an iron grip on public education in this country. Communists have used this method for 100 years and continue to hang onto it in central and south America because the pickings for the poor and uneducated are so prevalent. The left would love nothing more than an entire nation of poor, stupid, and subserviant to their elite will.
Macker and Whippet, do you find it comically ironic that Dc finds republican hypocrisy a worse moral crime than the actual democrats who support immorality itself? That’s quite the conscience he must have to quickly turn on a dime and drag an entire republican party through the mud for the malfeasance of some of it’s members and yet able to hold such pride in a party that not only defends their own indiscretions but holds them in such high esteem. And them claims that is the conservatives being rejected…the very conservatives who are trying to clean this ilk out of Washington altogether? I mean honestly, what kind of idiot brings Barney Frank into a discussion of deviant malfeasance to make HIS argument?
“I mean honestly, what kind of idiot brings Barney Frank into a discussion of deviant malfeasance to make HIS argument?”
YOU DID!
“Dc: Barney Frank isn’t from Illinois”
Whippet, why didn’t you quote the whole thing:
DC,
Who exactly are these numerous corrupt politicians you speak of running the RNC? Or are you ignorantly confusing actual corrupt politicians with those actually running the party? Or are you making the assumption that the entire Republican philosophy is now all about corruption? You seen overly obsessed with “plooking” of little boys and bathroom stalls. Where pray tell is this running rampant within the Republican party? Those guilty should be out on their hypocritical butts but who other than the 2 obvious culprits are you talking about? And I’m curious about all these illegal backroom deals you’re exposing…further enlighten us all, please. And please be specific about who you’re calling an “asswipe.”
And so…I did. And then some. I made a specific list..with links. Then, you and “Lefty” “challenge me” to present evidence of my arguments and opinions (as if I need any). OK…I present….”you”!
Uh, yes…to make MY argument. You foolishly used him to make YOUR argument, which of course, was completely asinine. We’ll just add this one to your growing list of dishonest debate examples.
as I’ve said before, “brilliant minds at work here, people”
DC,
I didn’t repost my whole comment because I didn’t want to be redundant for the others here whose reading comprehension skills are just fine. As a matter of fact, by posting the whole thing it only proves more of my point of what YOU brought up since you were so busy talking about the 2 Republicans either plooking little boys or having fun in bathroom stalls and how you have twisted the responses.
And you are the one who brought up Barney Frank and that he ran on the plank of being a gay man and was elected that way. Funny, how when you are faced with the facts you change the argument.
I prefer honesty in debate.
Dc, who is “Lefty”?
DC,
And DC, still waiting since last night for that laundry list of corrupt Democrats that you have immediately at your fingertips like you did on the Republicans…
That’s what I thought…..
Whippet, we can only “hope and pray” (very Obama-like, no?) that Dc doesn’t come up with a list of Democrat nere-do-wells. I doubt AJ would appreciate the assault on his servers
You didn’t repost your entire post because it clearly contradicts the position you are trying to take now.
And further, I’m not the one who insists on bringing democrats into this discussion…other than responding to YOUR references about it. I’m pissed at RNC. Whippet…who claims now he never used DNC by way of comparisons of corruption in this thread and demanded I ‘prove it’ ….:
“DC,
At least we try to rid ourselves from our corrupt polititians…your party elects yours, gives them prime committee appointments and more power. You’re naive if you think there isn’t political corruption on both sides of the aisle. What matters is what’s done with them when that corruption is uncovered and the Democrats legacy on this issue is far from pristine…”
“I prefer honesty in debate.”
No you don’t. And niether does 75…who has somehow divined from the criticisms I make of the RNC, and disgusting behavior that you even acknowledge as such, that I’m a “liberal” who’s trying to compare democratic and rnc behaviors, and all the other various assumptions you guys have made. That’s your fantasy…not mine.
Lefty is YOU 75. Just seemed more endearing reference than just a number given your fixation on democrats. And YOU are the one who first mentioned Barney Frank in reference to my post about RNC corruption. Anybody who cares to can scroll up this thread can see that it was you who first threw that out. That was your response..not mine. You brought that up in the context of my first post about RNC corruption and disgusting behaviors. That was your answer….Barney Frank doesn’t live in IL. (as if to suggest that I was talking about him when I mentioned what I did about the RNC and referenced disgusting behavior). The idiot is you my friend.
I think you guys need to back up a min and realize..that every time someone criticizes the RNC….you can’t immediately assume it’s because they are liberals trying to do so by way of comparison to the DNC . Perhaps..people could give a shit what the DNC does…but care more about what the people they vote for do? You think? I don’t use the DNC for my moral compass. And neither should the RNC.
Let them take personal responsibility for the things they do and own up to it without having to blame somebody else…or the media for busting them out, or etc. I’m sick of whiney republicans.
Yes Whippet, I’m only dwelling on RNC corruption….and not focusing on DNC corruption for comparison like you and Lefty want to. (even though you previously insisted, and got indignant, when I DARE suggest thats exactly what you were doing). You then accuse me of behind dishonest for that. LOL.
Here’s the deal, I care about fixing the “republican” party. I dont’ care what the democrats do. I don’t care what Ron Paul is doing. I’m calling the RNC on “their” bad behavior. I don’t believe in well…it’s not as bad as the other guys so we don’t have to fix it..school. Nor does that kind of attitude have anything to do with being a conservative who believes in personal responsibility. Where did all these whiney, juvenile republicans come from anyway?
In the meantime…have a read on this:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03112008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/mccain_vs__gop_porkers_101403.htm
Is Fiscal responsibility no longer a part of the RNC platform?
And AJ, I “do” apologize for the length of the list post and thank you for posting it.
Dc, which part of the below did you not understand? I put it in English I’m sorry to say so the entire forum could read it. If you prefer gibberish, then I’m sorry I can’t help you.
“I mean honestly, what kind of idiot brings Barney Frank into a discussion of deviant malfeasance to make HIS argument?”
Now I must ask you to point out the part that says I asked who brought up Barney Frank “first”. I asked why an idiot like yourself would bring him up, of all people, to make your argument. And the question still stands but I’m sure I’ll get another dishonest parsing of the statement. But I think we have a good grasp of your thought process anyway, other than the flat-out dishonesty that is,…clearly you feel republican hypocrisy is a more punishable crime than actual illicit behavior.
p.s. I am a conservative. No one else in the forum has trouble grasping that. What does that tell you, genius?
Oh..Mr Genius,
I realize you don’t want to discuss who introduced Barney Frank into this discussion because if we did, you’d be the idiot you have self declared. And I also, for obvious reasons, realize that this is the question you meant to ask. Sorry for not playing along.
So, in review, not only have you now admitted you couldn’t comprehend the original statement but you’re going to tell me what I meant to write rather than what I actually wrote?
Oh, that’s priceless!
Ok, lufte75,
Lets just let you explain it then
I posted about RNC corruption and dispicable behaviors and why they are loosing elections (like in IL).
Your reponse to my post, directed at me… was….Barney Frank does not live in IL. I took that to mean, you were associating Barney Frank with the behaviors I cited. That this was the point of your post.
If it was not, then you can explain otherwise and we’ll just let others decide for themselves.
Since you have such great comprehension skills, then perhaps you’ll realize that when I brought up Barney Franks, I was not using him as an example of dispicable behavior. I’ve been focused on RNC and their corruption and violation of trust. That’s what the post was about. Perhaps you should read it again?
Your great comprehensive skills seemed to have missed that as the central point. The person who brought up Barney as an example of dispicable behavior…was you….oh great one.
Oh your point was clear. I don’t have the english composition problems you do. We all get it. You are the holier than thou arbiter of all decent in the world and yet you feel the need to save only republicans. Too bad too because thanks to the self-annointed like yourself, we will have fewer republicans in office for you to save.
Well done.
Dc, …by the way… Vince made the comment below regarding Barney. I feel it necessary he receive credit for such a wonderful retort that you’ve found necessary to butcher for him.
Dc: Barney Frank isn’t from Illinois
Left by VinceP1974 on March 9th, 2008
Thanks.
But, really, it wasn’t that hard. I had a lot of help.
Ah…and you are correct. It was VinceP1974 who introduced B Frank into the discussion based on dispicable behavior. Right after you suggested Murtha (for the same thing). Sorry for the mix up.
My apologies to you for suggesting you’d ever do such a thing. LOL.
75,
I wouldn’t waste anymore time on DC. It’s all a game to him. He picks and chooses from specific discussions and twists and turns what is said to fit what he’s wanting to say, never taking responsibility for anything he has said. As a matter of fact he uses his own twists and turns to twist and turn others statements! Way too much spinning for me and it’s making me nauseous…
75,
Did you get that DC wasn’t using Barney Frank to describe typical dispicable behavior? I did… I commented on it…even sent a link clarifying that his use of Barney Frank as being elected while openly a gay man was not entirely true, only after he caught caught in his own little scandal. But we wouldn’t want DC to worry his/her little head over the details now would we?
This all kind of let’s us see what the world looks like to people who are always spinning so fast…what a jumbled mess…
Oh, he/she will be just fine. Gutter snipes assume those who aren’t won’t get their hands dirty. I rather enjoy stepping into the gutter occaisionally and kicking them around…keeps them on their toes.
I’ve been very consistent and clear in the points I’ve made about the RNC. I have no reason, nor need, to drag democrats or anybody else into this to make points about the failures of the RNC. The democrats didn’t make them do what they did.
I don’t believe 75 did comprehend my post as you say. That’s precisely why, when I brought up the point, he reposted his quote again:
“I mean honestly, what kind of idiot brings Barney Frank into a discussion of deviant malfeasance to make HIS argument?”
Now he wants to pretend he didn’t actually mean that the way it sounds, that he somehow actually understood my post was NOT about deviant malfeasance, that my reference to B Frank was not concerning deviant malfeasance. Then, he asks me to explain it to him because he doesn’t understand and is still waiting for an answer. ROTFL.
So, no, Whippet1, 75 did not comprehend the post and the point I was trying to make as you say you did. B. Frank has been in more than one election. I assumed most people would know that, but I’ll clarify “that” too since its apparently needed. The “point” was not about any malfeasance. It was about what happens when politicians say one thing, make it part of their platform, commit, mandate and trust with voters— then betray “that” very thing. How that makes it even worse for them, and a worse betrayal for voters. I believe I mentioned Spitzer in that as well…since he too was introduced into this by way of comparison earlier.
B Frank was brought up earlier in another context…one that I did NOT make, but was accused of making. And while 75 was not the one who named B Frank in that context, he DID name Murtha (another democrat) in the same context. I assume now he wants to blame me for that too. Or somehow doesn’t see the irony of it. LOL.
It was you 2 who kept trying to drag “democrats” into this as if somehow it was remotely pertinent to what failings republicans have.
When I dare mention that fact, you got upset, suggested that you never said such a thing. And yet post after post you continually bring up what the democrats do, how I’m being unfair because I don’t focus my attention on democrats, why don’t I post a long list of democrats…etc., etc., and acting like children.
It would be sad, if it were not so amusing. I’m pointing out, that RNC has failed BY THEIR OWN principals and standards. B Frank has nothing to do with why they failed. Nor does any other democrat who lives and votes by principals that perhaps you and I might find unlike our own. I could have used anybody to show that. I used him because his name had already been brought up in another context. I felt that reintroducing him, in a different context, would make the point I was “trying” to make…stronger. Whippet tries yet again to make a comparison point with DNC corruption vs RNC corruption and 75 misses the point entirely, then blames me for his own lack of comprehension. sigh.
Finally, principals are not arguments by comparison. You either live by them or you don’t. You aren’t going to define your own principals and live by them by getting in the gutter and kicking others out. Think about that for a while.
I think you can let it go, now, Dc. You’ve done enough digging for one day, no?
DC,
Not even close…
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120546400834935651.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Some more to chew on
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/03/13/ensign-um-we-might-not-be-retaking-the-senate-this-year/