…how Zellers’ election demonstrates – once again – that GOP still stands for GreedOverPrinciples.
GOPers are always claiming to be “the party of fiscal responsibilty.” Are they? Let’s take a quick look!
First up, Governor T-Bag:
I’d always heard that Governor T-Bag racked up the largest fines of any Minnesota politician, EVER. Well, I don’t know if that’s true or not, but a quick google search – a REAL quick Google search (tim + pawlenty + campaign + finance + violations) – turned up this one, in second place on the first page!
In the Matter of the (Tim) Pawlenty for Governor Committee, 15475
Hmmm…. second spot, first page….website of the Campaign Finance Board….let’s look!
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the parties agree as follows:
1. The Pawlenty Committee agrees to pay a civil penalty of $100,000.00 to be paid to the Campaign Board and deposited in the General Fund of the State. The Campaign Board acknowledges receipt of the fine from the Pawlenty Committee. It is agreed that the civil penalty is deemed a noncampaign expenditure and shall not be assessed against Tim Pawlenty individually. (emphasis added) (Mn Campaign Finance Board)
WOW!!! T-Bag got smacked for a hunnerd-thousand smackers in fines, and T-Bag AGREED to it!!!!
And who knows? That might not be the biggest fine T-Bag paid….that was just the second hit on the first page!!!
OK, now let’s take a look at the newly elected Chair of Minnesota’s GreedOverPrinciples Party, Tony “Lost Credibility” Sutton!
From Mr. Lost Credibility’s website:
Dear Fellow Republicans,
Like many of you, I am not happy about the direction our Republican Party has taken the last few election cycles. I have been frustrated by the philosophical and ideology drift our party has experienced in recent years.
What was the party of fiscal responsibility doing? Spending money like drunken sailors in Washington.
O
M
G
!
Here you got Mr. Lost Accountability* rippin’ on the folks in D.C. when this guy was the Secretary And Treasurer of the State Party while it was leading the nation – yes, leading the nation – in screwed up FEC Reports! While them republiCons were “spending” money like drunken sailors in D.C., Tony an’ the gang were “typing” FEC reports like drunken sailors here at home!!! As noted last May at Mn Blue:
“And we anticipate filing some amendments…”
…is an exact quote from a July 20th, 2007 letter from the Republican Party of Minnesota to the Federal Elections Commission.
“SOME” amendments?
How about SEVENTY amendments!!!
One for each month of 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and the months of January through November of 2007.
Is that “some”?
Ladies and Gentlemen, under Ron Carey’s “stewardship” in leadership roles, the RepubliCan Party of Minnesota has been paying fines to the FEC, going back to 2001 and a fine of $16,000. Since 2002, the FEC has repeatedly and continually asked for clarification of those monthly reports because, well, they simply don’t add up nor make sense.
And they STILL don’t make sense; just last month they had to amend their 2008 Year End FEC Filing. Tony “Lost Credibility” Sutton was Secretary/Treasurer when that was written; Tony “Lost Credibility” Sutton has been involved with the State GOP going back a long ways – he became Executive Director way back when, in 1998. And, one might wonder, what happened way back when, when Tony was Executive Director?
Well, fines! Yep – $16,000 of ’em!
So, what is one reason not to be surprised that Kurt Zeller was just elected by the GreedOverPrinciples party?
Fines!
Yep – “right” after Zeller was elected, I saw the tweet from Dusty Trice:
4. The parties agree that the Volunteers for Kurt Zellers Committee accepted excessive contributions from special sources resulting in an inadvertent violation of Minn. Stat. §10A. 27, subd. 11, in calendar year 2004.
Thanks for the tweet, Dusty! I’m sure the new Minority Leader appreciates it!!!
Now, what I found interesting, while googling to verify Dusty’s “fine” find, was this!
Click to access Zellers_Kurt_060127.pdf
IOW – the “fine” find Dusty found, was NOT the only fine!
So, it seems the “Party Of Fiscal unAccountability”, by electing Zellers to a leadership position, is merely continuing the legacy of T-Bag and Sutton. Oh – it also ensures that GOP continues to stand for GreedOverPrinciples.
Stay tuned!
* “Going forward we must be unashamed and unabashed liberty-loving conservatives – we must have confidence in our ideas and agenda and promote them loudly and boldly. Only then will we regain the confidence of the voters with whom we have lost credibility over the last few years.” — Tony “Lost Credibility” Sutton, State Chair of Minnesota’s GreedOverPrinciples Party.
(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)
Two Putt Tommy 