Tag Archives: corruption

Government Gone Bad: It’s Time to Let the Export-Import Bank Die

Export-Import-Bank.Logo png

Crony Capitalism on Steroids!

By C.A. Bamford

With US debt spiraling into trillions of dollars, our economy growing at a snail’s pace and reports of mismanagement, blatant corruption and incompetence in every branch of our government surfacing almost daily, ordinary Americans are beginning to pay more attention to what is going on in the no longer hallowed halls of our nation’s capital.

One troubling example of blatant cronyism is the Export-Import Bank, which provides taxpayer-backed loans and loan guarantees to foreign countries and companies to purchase U.S. products. Its charter was set to expire on September 30,, 2014, but with growing opposition to the bank, a 5 year renewal was rejected and supporters settled for a 9 month extension of its existing charter. That extension expired at the end of June.

While Ex-Im claims that 90% of its 2014 transactions supported small business, The Heritage Foundation and George Mason University’s Mercatus Center data shows that only 20% of total Ex-Im authorizations go to small businesses. A number of reports have found that the agency benefits a small number of politically-connected businesses like Boeing, General Electric and Caterpillar. These are all fine companies, but do they really deserve taxpayer-funded handouts when so many other equally fine companies are struggling? In 2013, approximately 30% of the banks transactions benefitted Boeing, earning Ex-Im the nickname “Bank of Boeing”.

EXPORT-IMPORT-CHART

General Electric Chairman and CEO, Jeff Immelt says letting Ex-Im bank’s charter expire, ending their export subsidies for GE and others would be “economic catastrophe”, but the facts say otherwise.

House Finance Committee, Jeb Hensarling, after holding a number of hearings on Ex-Im’s future, chose not to bring a bill reauthorizing the bank through his committee. Hensarling has called the bank a form of “corporate welfare”, stating that big banks primarily profit off Ex-Im. JP Morgan & Chase Co. for example has received more than $5.1 billion from Ex-Im. “To support more robust economic growth, economic justice and equal opportunity for all, it is time to wind down Ex-Im,” Hensarling said.

Meanwhile, Ex-Im officials have revealed that there are 31 open fraud investigations and the potential for many more indictments stemming from Ex-Im transactions. A former bank loan officer, Johnny Gutierrez, pled guilty to accepting bribes 19 different times from 2006 to 2013.

Currently a non-partisan government accountability organization has submitted a FOIA request for text messages between bank officials from a top Ex-Im official, Scott Schloegel. Unfortunately, Schloegel claims that he accidentally deleted the text messages.

Only Congress has the authority to reauthorize the bank’s charter. And although support for the bank has been steadily eroding, the Senate once again voted in favor of reauthorization. In the true spirit of political gamesmanship, Democrat Senators Maria Cantwell of Wa State, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and GOP Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina held the Pacific Trade legislation hostage until (with a little encouragement from President Obama via phone) Senator Mitch McConnell caved and provided the winning margin to extend the life of Ex-Im. Graham bragged about the deal-making on Twitter; “Most important aspect of agreement is we will also have the opportunity to vote on #ExIm reauth attached to the Highway Trust Fund reauth.

The House is now set to let the bank expire and there have been discussion of the Highway Trust Fund being the vehicle for reauthorization. House and Senate Leadership should use this as an opportunity, especially after the recent Supreme Court rulings, to log a win for conservatives.

How Export-Import-Bank Works

Now based in Alaska, longtime contributor Charlene Bamford is a policy adviser and intellectual thinker who teaches at the International School

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The Cuban-American Dream IS the American Dream and GOP Corrupted It

before after

Before and After: How our cause for freedom has been corrupted. 

By Isabel Matos 

The Cuban-American Dream is the American dream and it has been corrupted by the GOPe. This clip connects a brief account of my family’s experience in exile and that of many families like us in the United States, with the push for a corrupt and politically motivated agenda: Amnesty. There is an important historical lesson that should alarm anyone who cares about the direction this country is headed because of the Republican party’s corruption. Obama wants to legalize illegals, but the GOPe is collaborating with communist amnesty activists and agitators. [Last summer Ros-Lehtinen and other members of the GOP earned La Raza’s praise for voting against a border bill that would have denied Obama the right to use federal funds to implement temporary amnesty.] I was asked to amplify on the last segment which I hope you enjoy. 

The next segment will be the appearance on Telemundo mentioned in the clip. It needs to be translated, so it will be published shortly. Thank you for viewing and sharing if you like it. A pathway to citizenship is code for amnesty (you know that) and it is a part of the communist plan to turn our system into a Democrat majority, or one-party system, and our GOPe is selling us out.

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Who is Mark Begich?

Mark-Begich

By C.A. Bamford

In 2008, Alaska’s junior senator, Mark Begich won his seat by the slimmest of margins, barely edging out incumbent Senator Ted Stevens. “Uncle Ted”, as Alaskans were fond of calling him, and was the longest serving Republican member of the Senate of all time. What tipped the scales for this unlikely win?

Was it the huge infusion of DNC cash? Wifely support from Begich’s wife, Deborah Bonito (former Chair of Alaska’s Democrat Party)? Was the brotherly support of unions, including former APDEA union leader, Rob Heun (who later received a federal commission as a US Marshall) a big help? Or could it have simply been the “Shadow Bosses” factor?

One thing is certain. It was a lucky break for Mr. Begich, when 60 days before the election, Senator Stevens was hit with ethics and corruption charges. Begich supporters, the DNC, and highly organized Outside interests had been relentless and vociferous in condemning Stevens. Then just 8 days before the election, Senator Stevens was convicted of felony violations. In spite of this, Stevens’ popularity and reputation for standing up for the rights of Alaska almost won him re-election. But Mark Begich had managed to pull in enough votes for a win.

After the election, however, the many disturbing discrepancies in the prosecution’s case led to a review and a request by the Attorney General to Judge Emmett Sullivan to dismiss the indictment. The judge complied and appointed a special prosecutor to conduct a criminal investigation of the federal prosecutors working on the Stevens case. It had been alleged that Senator Stevens had tried to conceal information on renovation of his modest Girdwood home on his senate financial disclosure form. The other counts concerned gifts, including a puppy from a charity event, a massage chair and a statue of a giant salmon. A key witness, David Anderson, came forward and acknowledged that he had provided false testimony. He admitted that the prosecution had allowed billing records from him to be entered into evidence even though they knew the records were not accurate. Bill Allen was convicted of bribery and conspiracy and was sentenced to 3 years in prison. A number of others were found guilty of lying and withholding information that would have cleared Senator Stevens.

The wrongful conviction of Senator Ted Stevens, just days before the election, was thrown out. But the damage was done. Alaska’s most experienced and ardent champion, a man who had served Alaska long before it had even achieved statehood, was gone from the senate. This powerful voice for Alaskans had been replaced by a man with little experience and few achievements.

Not Guilty

We know Senator Mark Begich’s record in the senate. Other than being a deciding vote for Obamacare, he has accomplished little, getting just one bill passed… to re-name a courthouse in Anchorage. “…Begich is a junior figure, moving through the chamber’s power structure at the speed of a mastodon tapped in a glacier.” ~The Washington Post 7/13/14

A loyal party follower and self-described moderate Democrat, Begich gave Obama 105 of his 107 Senate votes. He voted to increase the debt limit 7 times, voted for the failed $831 billion stimulus plan, voted for a national energy tax known as Cap and Trade, and although he claims to be against EPA overregulation, Senator Begich voted against reining in the EPA’s power.

Although he claims credit for many accomplishments, it turns out that Senator Begich has stretched the truth a bit on those claims. He has taken credit for getting Veterans facilities built, but it was Senator Ted Stevens and others who got the ball rolling on them. He has claimed credit for bills sponsored by Alaska Senator Murkowski, on which he was merely a signer. He promised he’d fight Obama and open ANWR for drilling. ANWR is still closed. He has actually been chastised by Alaska Congressman Don Young, who said, “I don’t appreciate the ads being run on his (Begich’s) behalf. The road (into the National Petroleum Reserve)? Nah. Dena’ina Center? Nah. Merrill field? I don’t think so. Don’t take credit for something you didn’t do.

From 1988-98 Mark Begich served on the Anchorage Assembly. During this period, his friend, Anchorage Police Department Employees Association President, Rob Heun convinced the general membership to approve the purchase of an entire building for a union meeting hall. Many felt this was an extravagance since the APDEA union executive board met only once a month. The realtor, Anchorage Assemblyman Mark Begich, reportedly received at least 50K in fees for the $375,000 sale. Additional remodeling costs, reportedly $675,000, went to Begich associate, Joe Murdy (now deceased). Many APDEA members, however, felt that the improvements, including installation of inexpensive indoor-outdoor carpeting, painting walls and adding red outside vinyl window awnings did not justify an expenditure of over two-thirds of a million dollars…especially since the general assembly meeting room was left with a hole to the outside in the south wall where an exhaust fan had been removed. In the end, it cost over a million dollars for this chilly and rarely used building.

In 2003 Begich was elected to a term as Mayor of Anchorage. But that hadn’t ended all that well. During Mark Begich’s tenure as mayor, he increased spending, proposed higher fees and fines, and proposed cuts to city services. Just before leaving office and without consulting the Anchorage Assembly, Begich agreed to generous labor contracts that the city couldn’t afford. In 2008, the Anchorage Assembly voted unanimously to audit those labor contracts that Begich made without their approval. The contracts furthered the financial mess Begich created as mayor while he headed to Washington, DC. In 2009, an independent review found Begich provided inaccurate information and never confirmed Anchorage had the funding for these new contracts.

During the economic downturn in 2008, Begich painted a rosy picture of Anchorage’s economic status, but his finance team worried as some city departments were over spending their calendar-year budgets. The estimated budget shortfall was never disclosed to Assembly members and Begich continued to downplay the problem. As Mayor, Begich increased city spending by more than $130 million, an increase of nearly 50%, and left the city more than $17 million in debt.

Mark Begich Loves Obama

Longtime contributor C.A. Bamford is a Michigander who now calls Alaska home and works in international relations.

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Video: McDaniel Campaign Announces Challenge to MS Election, Predicts Victory

Mitch Tyner

Mitch Tyner, lead counsel for the Chris McDaniel campaign

By Gary P Jackson

In a press conference on Monday, Mitch Tyner, lead counsel for the McDaniel campaign, announced their intentions to challenge the outcome of the June 24 run-off election against 6 term incumbent Senator Thad Cochran, who McDaniel defeated on June 3, but did not meet the required 50% +1 thresh-hold, setting the stage for the run-off, and all of the race baiting, illegal vote buying, and more by the Cochran campaign.

Video courtesy iizthatiiz

Tyner is confident they will find enough votes to surpass the amount Cochran won the election by. We’re hearing they have already identified over 5000, with more counties to canvas, and all of the absentee votes to check. An election adviser in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, told UK’s MailOnline, [the law] wouldn’t require McDaniel to find 6,700 fraudulent votes cast for his opponent. Any 6,700 ineligible votes would suffice.

Most of them,” he said, “are going to be absentee ballots. It’s too easy to scam, and nobody ever checks unless the margin is this close or the result this unexpected.

As we reported last week, democrat officials in Hinds County alleged that County Republican Party chairman, and Cochran sycophant Pete Perry not only sought to stop the traditional swapping of voter rolls, to facilitate voter fraud, by making it impossible to check for illegal double voting, but also tampered with absentee ballots. Claude McInnis,the Hinds County Democrats’ top official, alleged Perry approached him and outright asked the democrat party to help facilitate voter fraud by withholding those voter books for inspection during the run-off election.

Tyner and others also note that, under Mississippi law, it’s not necessary to find enough irregularities to overturn the election results, but simply find enough to call the integrity of the election into account. If the 5000 plus number holds true, one would think that thresh-hold has been more than met.

Tyner says the remedy the McDaniel campaign seeks is a brand new election.

It’s interesting that while most county clerks were open and honest, others have resisted the McDaniel campaign’s attempt to check ballots.

Tyner cited a Mississippi Supreme Court ruling: Sartin v. Barlow [1944] which says: “It’s not only a candidate’s right to get into that ballot box, but it’s a candidate’s responsibility.“. Tyner passed out copies of the ruling to local media. We’ve searched online and haven’t found it to share with readers.

We’re no legal scholars here, but it seems Mississippi law, while sometimes vague, is at the same time pretty clear.

We don’t expect the Republican Party to overturn the election, or call for a new one, on it’s own. We fully expect for this to end up in the courts.

For his part, Cochran has taken to social media, and denies any wrong doing whatsoever, despite mounting evidence.

If Thad Cochran were a good and decent man, he would, if a successful challenge to the election is met, concede defeat to McDaniel, and spare the good people of Mississippi, and America a THIRD election. With all of the bad blood among Mississippians, I don’t see how Cochran has a pathway to victory in November. Before all of the shenanigans from the Cochran campaign, polling showed McDaniel would have defeated the democrat party nominee rather handily. It’s unclear how all of this has effected that predicted outcome.

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CONFIRMED: Former GOP Governor Haley Barbour Behind Racist Anti-Tea Party Pro-Cochran Ads

Boss Hogg

By Gary P Jackson

It’s not like we didn’t already know this, but now there is proof Haley “Boss Hogg” Barbour, the former Mississippi Governor, K-Street Lobbyist, and former Chairman of the Republican National Committee, is the one behind those racist attack ads on Chris McDaniel and the Tea Party.

From Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit:

FOX News reporter Ainsley Earhardt broke the news tonight on Hannity that that the racist, anti-Tea Party pro-Cochran ads that played on black radio stations in Mississippi were paid for by former Republican governor Haley Barbour’s super-PAC.

Haley Barbour‘s PACCitizens for Progress” reportedly paid at least one radio station to run the racist ads.

Three radio ads were played on a predominantly black radio station.
Paid for by Republicans to attack Chris McDaniel and the Tea Party.

Haley Barbour‘s group also paid for the racist robocalls in Mississippi urging Democrats to vote for Cochran.

This is some of the greasiest, dirt ball politics I have ever seen in my life. Haley Barbour and his fellow Republicans are some of the most despicable human beings that ever breathed. These are top leaders in the Republican Party. A party that is rotten to it’s very core.

I have a feeling the Republican Party will never be the same after this. I don’t think any political party in history has seen fit to attack it’s own voting base. I don’t see how the Republican Party survives much longer, without voters.

Videos courtesy Jim Hoft and Charles C Johnson respectively.

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Inspirational McDaniel Videos Banned from Local MS TV: “Never Surrender”

By Isabel Matos

Yes, she is a Republican. Proud American and McCain National Hispanic Chair.  A real charmer, isn’t she? There’s more where those came from. Feel free to be infuriated.  This is not about her, though. It’s about the foolish, separatist establishment mentality. In any case, her tweets should motivate you to go to Chris McDaniel’s defense.

It has been said when you feel like quitting, remember why you got in fight in the first place.

enjoy the two inspiring videos by Chris McDaniel.

Video by Charles Johnson uploaded two days ago.

In this speech that was banned from local TV, Chris McDaniel promises to never surrender. It’s deeply moving. #Neversurrender

Video by Charles Johnson

This video was blocked by a local affiliate from airing even though Bea Harrison, host of That’s What I Love About the South, invited Senator Cochran to speak as well. He ignored her. Harrison says that that affiliate has ties to mega lobbyist and former Governor Haley Barbour.

I’ve been publishing a lot of documents and videos. I’m an independent journalist. If you like my work, support it here. gofundme.com/charlescjohnsonresearch

This was videotaped prior to June 24th. It was uploaded four days ago. At 3:45 minutes McDaniel’s remarks included mentions of Senator Cruz has demonstrated what courage can do on the floor of the Senate, Senator Lee from Utah has demonstrated what a voice can do to change not only a state but a Republic. They need reinforcements and this is what that fight is about. This was videotaped prior to June 24th. It was uploaded four days ago.

What are you willing to do? How far are you willing to go? Your country is demanding you defend your principles again. That you fight again.

    1. Will you be men and women of courage? When you engage your local, state or federal government, they will mark you, they will not kill you and you’ll have to stand nevertheless and defend your belief system.
    2. Will you be men and women of judgement? Judgement means more than the perception of what your actions will accomplish today but your actions will accomplish ten years from now. Youth is a reminder of the obligation you have to your Republic. We need to engage today.
    3. Will you be men and women of Integrity? Integrity means the ability to defend yourself. It means more than what you think. Sometimes it means a willingness to defend yourself despite your imperfections and defend. DONT LET YOUR IMPERFECTIONS get in the way of your duty to your country and your families.
    4. Will you be men and women of dedication? Don’t lose hope. Don’t despair. They don’t want you to engage in the system.

Nothing could be more true as we await the results of the legal battle (It is not over yet as McDaniel has not conceded). Those involved in the decision-making regarding the certification of ballots should listen to (in case they missed them) the videos above.  They included members of the committee include Roger Wicker, a couple of Barbours – Austin and Henry, and Thad Cochran himself. Yes. It is true. According to my source, Cochran establishment members whose names we are not familiar with are involved in the decision to certify votes or not. One name not on the list but who we need to know: Pete Perry.  He is the Hinds County Republican Chairman. Perry is dismissing “Tea Party” accounts of crossover votes in his county. He is calling them “wild accusations”.  (That would explain the GOPe’s delay and intransigence on the matter, I am guessing.)

As I understand it, the complaint by the representative of the Tea Party yesterday was that ‘they had found over 800 instances of June 3 voters in the Democrat primary who illegally voted in the June 24 runoff election.’

Instead of making wild accusations which stir up social media with cries of fraud and corruption, it would be much better for all involved Ð the voters, the candidates, the 500 poll workers in Hinds County Ð if we let facts enter into the conversation. And the facts are that their claims are wildly exaggerated. As a committee, we are still in the process of going through the election results before they can be certified, but this morning we can discuss some of the specific examples that were raised yesterday.

It is not too late to request Perry’s removal from his chairmanship as it is at the center of all the fraud that has gone on (despite what he says), or send an email to the Chairman of the Republican Party, Joe Nosef about why he should make a decision IN FAVOR OF McDaniels.  Your kindly worded emails to him with reasons for doing what is right are welcome.  The emails are obviously getting to him. (I can’t even believe I am writing this but it is all true).

I may send an email because a candidate was robbed of rightful victory on June 24th. You would think a Republican would not need national attention or pressure nationwide to do what is right, but this is what it is coming down to it seems. If I can help, I will.  There have been no lies on our part and there is no excuse for the Republican establishment to dismiss these charges or deny election results were illegal. Once my head cools and the shock wears away, I may send a comment or two,

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Family, Politics and the Scandal of Corruption That Binds Them: Should Those Ties Compromise Rand in 2016?

mitch-mcconnell-10

by Isabel Matos

I hate working in a vacuum when preparing a video or a lengthy article sometimes because it can take hours away from interacting with people; but I actually enjoyed putting this clip (and article) together because my mission and obsession is to expose GOP corruption and deception. I think you will like it.

In this story we have an entrenched five-term Establishment politician with the second-most powerful position in the Senate (Minority Leader, Republican Mitch McConnell) grasping to retain his power one more term to maybe be Majority Leader (an ironic scenario given it would be made possible by Tea Party support of the same Conservatives he is trying to defeat). We have a Junior Senator (Rand Paul) compromising his own Tea Party principles as he vies for that position or a higher one down the road that will secure a place for him to lead in some leading capacity (as he will never be president). Because the Junior Senator comes from the same state as the elder status-quo he has to play the game and run everything he does past the Establishment we are ALL trying to take on. And last (for the sake of this article, there are more) we have a family member, confidant and campaign manager -Jesse Benton- who they have in common. Benton is not the only bad guy in this political drama which also happens to be a family affair. Benton is married to Rand Paul’s niece (or Ron Paul’s granddaughter). Their corruption, however, is putting our country at risk and possibly why Sarah didn’t get near this race directly. The entrenchment is as thick as the bonds that tie their family.

Jesse Benton was a top campaign aide during Rand Paul’s 2010 Senate bid and became campaign manager after a staff shake up. He served as communications director in 2008 and then campaign manager in 2012 for each one of Ron Paul’s Presidential bids. Mitch McConnell hired him to be his reelection 2014 campaign manager as part of his commitment to running a presidential campaign in Kentucky, which he announced in a prepared statement on September 13, 2012:

[a campaign] starts with a presidential manager. Jesse is literally the best in the business at building and organizing conservative grassroots  movements and I’m thrilled he’s chosen to return to Kentucky to lead my campaign.

The merger was a no-brainer:  McConnell would use Paul to help him garner the Tea Party vote (albeit dishonestly and deceivingly). In turn, Paul would have a very powerful “ally” and access to huge amounts of money for being a loyal “ally”.

Benton’s move from the Paul camp to McConnell’s left some conservative activists scratching their heads because of the two senators’ divergent political philosophies. But since Paul arrived in the Senate, the gentlemen from Kentucky have nurtured a symbiotic partnership that gives Paul establishment credibility while shoring up McConnell’s bona fides among the Tea Party base f.

On February 18th a complaint was filed with the Iowa Senate Ethics Committee regarding a payoff for an endorsement for Ron Paul in the Iowa caucuses. In the complaint Pete Waldron, former campaign staffer for Michele Bachmann alleged that the Paul campaign, “its operatives, and third parties conspired to pay a bribe” to Sorenson “to betray” Bachmann and publicly endorse Ron Paul. The names of those involved are listed here; among them Jesse Benton and Dimitri Kasari.

On December 28th, 2011.. Iowa State Senator and Campaign Chairman for Michele Bachmann for President, Kent Sorenson resigned from Bachmann’s campaign during the 2012  Iowa Caucuses and endorsed 12-term congressman Ron Paul instead.

While this event did not significantly affect the outcome of the election, Sorenson’s endorsement of Congressman Paul is drawing heavy scrutiny after e-mail conversations and memos released exposed a financial proposal of over $200,000 for Sorenson’s defection from the Bachman campaign.

The results of the January 3rd Iowa caucuses were too close to call – the closest in its history. It appeared that Mitt Romney had won at first, but after the results were released on January 19th, it was Rick Santorum who had beat him by a small margin, missing out on all the attention and PR Romney got for it. Ron Paul came in third place. Michele Bachmann came in sixth and dropped out of the race.

The credible allegations in the complaint resulted in Kent Sorenson resigning from office as Senator in October of 2013.  Sorenson admitted receiving payments from, among others, Ron Paul’s deputy campaign adviser, Dimitri Kesari. The federal probe continues it seems. FBI raids reveal connections to the case. Computers have been removed from Sorenson’s house and a grand jury investigation is ongoing.

The FEC assigned a MUR (“Matter Under Review”) number, which indicates a formal inquiry will begin. It has not fazed Benton who is not answering questions about the bribe, or Paul who has tapped him to be his 2016 campaign manager.

Rand Paul’s political adviser, Doug Stafford was managing a consultant involved in bribery payments to Sorenson. His name: Dimitri Kesari. Stafford is Executive Director of Redirecting America (in a) New Direction (RandPac) and is busy ramping-up a political infrastructure “for the 2016 presidential hopeful.”

Jesse Benton joining Stafford makes sense given his comments in a secretly recorded conversation provided to OpenSecrets Blog and other outlets saying that he had accepted the job as McConnell’s campaign manager for the purpose of bolstering Rand Paul’s prospects in 2016.

Jesse Benton has a record of unethical conduct. His ties with so-called conservative organizations like “Americans for Tax Reform” (founded by Grover Norquist, known GOP infiltrator) and the ACU (also known to be infiltrated by GOP enemies Norquist and Suhail Khan) should also be noted. In a simple search:

Who is Jesse Benton? Jesse Benton is a political consultant and libertarian activist know for working with conservative and libertarian organizations like Americans for Tax Reform, the Liberty Coalition, and the American Conservative Union. Benton is strongly associated with the Paul family, serving as a high-ranking staffer for both Ron Paul and Rand Paul.

Those two associations alone would explain many of the stances Paul has taken on issues clearly not supported by the Tea Party, base of the GOP and movement he supposedly represents and is the leader of. He is using them for his political gain and in the process is guilty of confusing and depriving voters of the truth about who he really is.. A fake friend of Conservatives which makes him… a RHino.

Sorenson-and-Paul-602x342

Kent Sorenson and Ron Paul (Updated)

SORENSON confirms payment to endorse Paul Aug 2013 (Updated)

References

1)  Mitch McConnell Beating the Tea Party: We are Going to Crush Them Everywhere:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/10/mitch-mcconnell-beating-tea-party-we-are-going-cru/

2)  Rand Paul Reacts to Mitch McConnell’s Plan to ‘Crush’ the Tea Party:

http://www.glennbeck.com/2014/03/11/rand-paul-reacts-to-mitch-mcconnells-plan-to-crush-the-tea-party/

3)  Mitch McConnell’s Campaign Manager: “I’m Holding My Nose”:

http://swampland.time.com/2013/08/08/mitch-mcconnells-campaign-manager-im-holding-my-nose/

4)  FEC Will Examine Allegations Against Ron Paul Campaign

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2014/03/fec-will-examine-allegations-against-ron-paul-campaign.html

5)  Bribery Scandal Compromises Rand Paul 2016

http://chrisinmaryville.net/benton-bribery-scandal-compromises-rand-paul-2016.html

6)  New Investigation Into Ron Paul and Sorenson Payoff

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2014/04/new-investigation-into-ron-paul-inc-and.html

7)  Leading Republicans Move to Stamp Out Challenges from Right

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/09/us/politics/leading-republicans-move-to-stamp-out-challenges-from-right.html?_r=2

8) Mitch McConnell Hires Ron Paul’s Campaign Manager

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/mitch-mcconnell-hires-ron-pauls-campaign-manager/

9) Ron Paul Campaign Accused of Trying to Buy Iowa Endorsements (The Emails)

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2013/08/ron-paul-campaign-accused-of-trying.html

10)  Head of Paul’s 50-State Operation is Accused of Earlier Questionable Work

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2014/03/head-of-pauls-50-state-operation-is-accused-of-earlier-questionable-work.html

 

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Scam Alert: Sarah’s Not Running for Senate, so DO NOT DONATE to Dan Backer’s Tea Party Leadership Fund

draft sarah scam!!

By Isabel Matos

Sarah is NOT running for Senate!

Yet another article by Lee Stranahan warning unsuspecting Tea Party Americans who make donations in good faith to Tea Party Organizations that a scam is being perpetrated by the Tea Party Leadership Fund. Dan Backer strikes again. This is not new. I published how the funds got intercepted by Backer and eventually ended up in Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn’s campaigns here. Backer is a despicable liar and a cheat who needs to be exposed. Pass this along to your friends and/or anyone you know on or off Facebook. None of this should be taking place. What bothers me about this entire scenario is that RINOS end up enriching themselves off of the very people who want them voted out of power because RINOS want to see them crushed. It’s beyond bothersome. It’s infuriating!

For weeks, I’ve been reporting on how TheTeaParty.net Leadership Fund uses ‘petitions’ and ‘Draft’ schemes as a way to make money and build big mailing lists.

Today, Backer and the TPLF are at it again.

A new email about ‘Draft Sarah Palin’ is a humdinger, with copy written to separate well-meaning patriots from their money, including saying in bold ”you can be a tangible part of saving our nation from slipping into the vast sea of liberal socialism.”

How does sending money to Dan Backer and TheTeaParty.net Leadership Fund accomplish that? It DOESN’T.

Palin isn’t running. She isn’t going to run. And IF she ran, she has a HUGE war chest.

So giving money to the group wont do a thing to stop the sea of liberal socialism but it will make money for TheTea Party.Net Leadership Fund.

Here’s the email in its entirety. Stranahan wants you to see how manipulative it is:

New from a sponsor of TheTeaParty.net
Is this email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser.

tplf

Friend,
Sarah called it!

Obama led the way for Putin’s Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Even before he took the oath of office, Sarah Palin warned us about the disasters to come under Obama’s terrible leadership.

“After the Russian Army invaded the nation of Georgia, Senator Obama’s reaction was one of indecision and moral equivalence, the kind of response that would only encourage Russia’s Putin to invade Ukraine next.” – Sarah Palin, 2008

AND Palin was right…when Obama did nothing, Russia took what they wanted. This proves Obama is nothing more than a weak homeland bully — attacking American citizens and watching freedom around the world burn.

Sarah Palin is the conservative leader we need in the U.S. Senate, NOW. 

But her window to commit to this race has almost closed, and that’s why I need you to respond to this request IMMEDIATELY. We need your help to gather the signatures necessary to push Sarah Palin over the top in a critical run for Alaska’s Senate seat in 2014.

CLICK HERE to sign your Draft Sarah Palin petition.

Incumbent liberal Democrat Mark Begich is terrified of an Obama vist to Alaska, because he knows the American people are awakening.

Sarah’s the proven leader we need. She has a better grasp on world politics, and she knows what it means to cherish and protect our American freedoms far better than THE MAN WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE LEADING THE FREE WORLD.

Last I checked, Mark Begich has spent too much time in Washington D.C. begging the Obama administration for favors rather than representing the good people of Alaska. Send Sarah to replace Begich and stop Obama!

Senator Sarah Palin, this is the name we need to put an end to Barack Obama and Harry Reid’s reign of liberal terror.

The United States Senate rests just outside conservative control, and by electing more Tea Party Heroes to replace the establishment cronies from either party – you can be a tangible part of saving our nation from slipping into the vast sea of liberal socialism.

Now more than ever, we need another Tea Party Hero in the Senate to halt Harry Reid and his pals in their war against our Constitution on issues like amnesty and gun control and our nation’s crushing debt. With Sarah in the Senate, conservatives across America will rest easier at night knowing she’s at the watch.

I need your renewed support today by signing the Tea Party Leadership Fund’s petition to draft Sarah Palin to the U.S. Senate – and I need you to chip in $5 or more to get Sarah’s name on the ballot.

Sarah is the proven Maverick who’s stood up to the special interests in Alaska and has been a tireless advocate for our Tea Party values ever since she hit the national stage.

Sign your name to the petition right now, and make a donation of $5 or more to convince her we’re serious.

Sincerely,

Dan Backer
Tea Party Organizer

P.S. We worked hard to get her attention — now let’s seal the deal. By signing our renewed petition, you make a bold statement — you’re tired of the wishy-washy sellout establishment shills and you’re ready to put a real leader in the Senate next to Ted Cruz and Rand Paul. Follow this link, sign your name to our petition, and help us show Sarah Palin the Tea Party Leadership Fund has her back!

 

ABOUT THE TEA PARTY LEADERSHIP FUND
The Tea Party Leadership Fund is a leader in this freedom movement putting your nationwide support into local action.  Learn more                                       TheTeaPartyLeadershipFund.com

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Quick Heads Up! TeaParty.net Leadership Funds are Being Diverted to RINOS McConnell and Cornyn

mcconnell and john

By Isabel Matos

A quick heads up. You may already know this, but if you made a donation to the TeaParty.Net Leadership Fund, your money was diverted to two of the most hideous creatures of the RINO lagoon: Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn. Attorney Dan Baker, the Fund’s treasurer, who intercepts the money, took in over $3.4 million in donations in this election cycle per Lee Stranahan’s article:

How Tea Party Donor Money Went to Establishment Republicans Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn

Follow the money.

How did $20,000 in donations that people thought was going to the “Tea Party Movement” end up in the hands of  establishment Republicans Mitch McConnell & John Cornyn?

The transactions don’t show up on the TeaParty.net Leadership Fund list of candidate expenses. It’s all a matter of public record but it’s been hidden of diverting it through a JFC or Joint Fundraising Committee.

The story was even reported back in 2013 by Roll Call, but went largely unnoticed and Roll Call didn’t catch the connection of attorney Dan Backer to so many groups involved. Roll Call wrote:

A national tea party committee, the Tea Party Leadership Fund (formerly known as the TeaParty.Net Leadership Fund), a hybrid PAC with a noncontribution account, based in Alexandria, Va., contributed $40,000 in May to In Defense of Free Speech JFC, a joint fundraising committee set up in May. The $53,800 in proceeds were split between four candidates, with each getting $13,450. The candidates were McConnell, Cruz, Lee and John Cornyn, R-Texas. The McConnell Senate Committee ’14 was sent $10,950 on June 29 and $2,500 on June 25.

Follow the steps used to send Tea Party donor money to Cornyn & McConnell and note all the connections to Dan Backer and don’t take my word for it: click the links.

When people are urged to donate to The TeaParty.net Leadership Fund, they are told their money to support the Tea Party Movement. Here’s their donation page: 

donate

How did money end up in Mitch McConnell and Cornyn’s coffers?

One common link is Virginia attorney Dan Backer, who is the treasurer for The TeaParty.net Leadership Fund, who took in over $3.4 million in donations in this election cycle. Most of the money went to fundraising and ‘unclassifiable’ expenses.

graphi

 

One of the groups biggest expenditures was $40,000 to a group called In Defense of Free Speech JFC.

jcf

In Defense of Free Speech JFC was originally set up by in 2013 by Dan Backer, who was also the group’s original treasurer. Laster, a woman named Christina Sirois–who works for Backer’s company DB Capitol Strategies

–was named as treasurer. The group was dissolved in February, 2014.

In Defense of Free Speech JFC did one thing in its short life: gave $13,450 each to Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee.

2014-03-05_22-16-55

Where did the money for the In Defense of Free Speech JFCcome group set up by Dan Backer come from?

  • $40,000 came from The TeaParty.net Leadership Fund  – Dan Backer, Treasurer
  • $5000 came from Shaun McCutcheon, a client of Dan Backer’s
  • $5000 came from a group called E Pluribus Unum PAC –  Dan Backer, Treasurer. The group’s only purpose appears to have been to give $5000 to the In Defense of Free Speech JFC
  • $5000 came from a man  Richard Campbell — who was also the sole donor for the E Pluribus Unum PAC set up by Dan Backer

Ironically, Dan Backer was the treasurer for Cornyn’s primary opponent, Rep. Steve Stockman, who got $2,500 from The TeaParty.net Leadership Fund.

This means that John Cornyn’s $10,000 take was four times what Stockman.

Just follow the arrows on this flowchart I mad.

DefenseOfFreeSpeech

 

UPDATE: Article showing what we already knew – that Sarah Palin’s name was used to raise funds.

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Sarah Palin: “Ring Leader” Barack Obama Needs to Get His Government Circus Under Control

636_021412_fx_palin_greta

By Gary P Jackson

On Monday night Governor Sarah Palin talked with Greta about a number of subjects, from Lois Lener, and the fact she waved her 5th Amendment rights during concessional questioning, to the need for a special investigator to look into the IRS.

Governor Palin also talks about President Obama’s “circus government” and the fact that while many in our military won’t be able to have traditional 4th of July celebrations, and are still forced to use Vietnam era equipment, Obama is on a $100 million faction in Africa.

Not a long interview, but Governor Palin makes some strong points:

Video courtesy SarahNET

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