In Part 1, we looked at how FEC Tony Sutton’s (pictured, right) MN GOP couldn’t (wouldn’t?) accurately report to the FEC how much they owed a vendor they hired to ensure accurate FEC reports. In Part 2, we noted there are now 2 citizen watchdog groups looking into the MN GOP’s Cooked Books — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington – which nailed ‘em last time (the MN GOP got smacked with a near-record $170,000 fine), and Common Cause MN. In Part 3, we looked at how a payroll deductions “no, NO!” that got the MN GOP in trouble last time seems to be a pattern. In Part 4 we looked at the MN GOP using a strange address for one of it’s fundraisers.
In Part 5 we looked at at the official FEC Complaint – filed 12 Jan 2012 – by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (“CREW”). In Part 6 we looked at the MN GOP misrepresenting their expenses. In Part & we looked at how the MN GOP categorized pay for a guy that they very well may have been paying to run for state senate – Lakeville’s Dave Thompson in SD-36.
Today in Part 8 of the continuing Cooked Books Series we’re going to take a look at a MN GOP Campaign Finance Report line item that begs the question: did the State GOP pay for a lawyer for a State Representative’s lawyer in a drunk driving case?
Here’s the background: endorsed GOPer 2010 candidate for Governor Tom Emmer’s campaign was getting hammered over alcohol related incidents, including a certain paid campaign staffer that happened to be Emmer’s kid. The campaign did NOT need any more alocohol-related incidents. Apparently, campaign “consultant” Mark Buesgens, state rep from district 35-B, didn’t get the memo – he got caught driving drunk with an open bottle of vodka.
Team Emmer’s Drinking Team promptly dumped Buesgens. Note the “note” at the bottom of the last entry: “final payment.”
Now, the “official story” put out by Team Emmer’s Drinking Team was: “Hey! It’s just a coincidence, but: just the day before Buesgens got caught driving drunk into the ditch, we ditched him and he went to work for the State GOP!!!”
Yeah, “right.”
Let’s take a look at the timeline, as reported on Buesgen’s court records:
September 18th, 2010 – Busgens gets caught in a ditch with an open bottle of vodka; blows a .16 blood-alcohol content.
September 24th, 2010 – Buesgens cited in Wright County
November 5th, 2010 – Guilty plea entered, case all but settled (final disposition November 23rd, 2010.
Now, remember how in the scramble to distance themselves from the guy in the ditch (with an open bottle of vodka), Team Emmer’s Drinking Team said “Hey! Buesgen’s isn’t OUR bad boy; he’s the GOP’s!!!”
Well, Buesgens does indeed show up on the State GOP’s state Campaign Finance Report for 2010:
Five days after blowing a .16, Buesgens has the good fortune of getting a check from the State GOP for $2,584.62.
Five days before his drunk driving & open bottle case is all but over, Buesgens pulls another check from FEC Tony & Co for $8, 615.38 — for a grand total of eleven grand: $11,000.00.
Coincidences? Or, do those checks look like “retainer & final payment” to defend a drunk driving & open bottle case?
At any rate, it sure looks like a sweet deal for Buesgens; he goes from about $7k a month with Emmer to $11k with the GOP!!!
I’d ask the State GOP for an explanation of why Buesgen’s $11k paydays – in about a month – was for actual work, and not just a pass-through to Buesgen’s lawyer, but: it’s not like they really like to talk to the ol’ TwoPutter. Not that I – or anyone else for that matter – would/should believe ‘em; after all: reasonable people no longer have any reason to believe anything a GOPer official – party nor elected – has to say.
The State GOP needs to prove that the $11k Buesgens got was for actual work – because it sure looks like it simply paid a defense attorney for the actual work of defending one of their own.
If I were a GOPer, I’d be mad as (heck) to think my political donations went to a defense attorney for a guy that drove drunk into the ditch with an open bottle of vodka.
As a progressive, I’m simply not surprised. After all, today’s GOP is morally bankrupt, intellectually dishonest, and institutionally corrupt.
There’s a LOT more, in the GOP’s state and federal financial reports so:
Stay tuned!
And, let’s hope some prosecutor, somewhere, is thinking: “Isn’t it about time to get a Grand Jury together, and do a little digging ourselves?”
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
In In Part 1, we looked at how FEC Tony Sutton’s MN GOP couldn’t (wouldn’t?) accurately report to the FEC how much they owed a vendor they hired to ensure accurate FEC reports. In Part 2, we noted there are now 2 citizen watchdog groups looking into the MN GOP’s Cooked Books — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington – which nailed ‘em last time (the MN GOP got smacked with a near-record $170,000 fine), and Common Cause MN. In Part 3, we looked at how a payroll deductions “no, NO!” that got the MN GOP in trouble last time seems to be a pattern. In Part 4 we looked at the MN GOP using a strange address for one of it’s fundraisers. In Part 5 we looked at at the official FEC Complaint – filed 12 Jan 2012 – by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (“CREW”).
Today in Part 6 of the continuing Cooked Books Series we’re going to take a look at the MN GOP misrepresenting what one of their expenses was for – let’s look!
OK, everybody got that? “Cadfael Investigative, Inc” & “”Office Copies” & “$5,000.00″ that’s a line item on the MN GOP’s state Campaign Finance Report.
That one jumped out at me because we know that you can’t believe what Republicans say, ESPECIALLY in campaign reports. Why would an investigative company be running up a tab for “office copies”??!?
Well, take it away, Minnesota Public Radio’s Tom Scheck!
Chairman’s spending decisions on insiders helped lead to GOP debt
by Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio,
Catharine Richert, Minnesota Public Radio
January 20, 2012
.
.
PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS AND MEDICAL MARIJUANAThe spending included some peculiar choices, too.
One was a payment of $5,000 the party made in November 2010 to Cadfael Investigative Group. The owner, Tom Rucke, said he was paid to look into allegations of voter fraud extending from the 2010 governor’s race. He said he reported some allegations to the Hennepin County Attorney’s office, the agency that would typically do that type of investigation. (full story, here)
OK, the question was: “Why would an investigative company be running up a tab for “office copies”??!?”
The answer is: they weren’t.
“…look into allegations of voter fraud…” is what the expense was for, but the MN GOP reported it as “office copies”??!?
Why would they do that?
Well, as we noted in Part 4 of this continuing Cooked Books Series, they also misrepresented what a Vendor’s address was.
There’s a pattern here, and it’s this: reasonable people have no reason to reasonably believe anything a GOP Official says.
Then-RNC Chair Michael Steele said it best: “You have absolutely no reason – none – to trust our words or actions at this point.”.
True then, true now, and tomorrow won’t be any different.
It’s getting near the point that a RICO Investigation of the Minnesota GOP is warranted.
Stay tuned!
Oh – and make sure you go read Tom Scheck & Catharine Richert’s story at Minnesota Public Radio…
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)
I often say that today’s GOP Party is morally bankrupt, intellectually dishonest, and institutionally corrupt. But that’s only because it is. Last Friday morning, at 6:00 am, I posted in “Where There Is Smoke There Is Usually Fire”:
Here’s a time line of what we know:
1 – GOP Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb resigns: 12 October 2011
2 – Senate GOP Majority Chief of Staff Cullen Sheehan resigns: 09 November 2011
3 – GOP Chair Tony Sutton resigns: 02 December 2011
4 – GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch resigns Majority Leader position: 15 December 2011That’s four – FOUR – major resignations in two months.
Well, now the tally is five – FIVE – major positions going vacant in two months because ol’ “Mud Slinger Mike” Brodkorb is no longer spinnin’ tales of lies and deceit as GOP State Senate Communications Director. While there is no official explanation of why Brodkorb is out, speculation and smart money is betting it has to do with whom the ousted GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch was with whilst hikin’ the ol’ Appalachian Trail.
Last Friday morning, when I asked these questions about “takin’ a hike,” I wasn’t expecting a sex scandal:
There’s a LOT of smoke here. Why would an operative like Brodkorb leave a spring-board job like the “unpaid” State Deputy Chair position, to a “volunteer adviser” position on the quixotic campaign of gaffe-prone GOPer Mike Parry? And why would the former staffer of Norm “4th Most-Corrupt Senator” Coleman (not to mention, YouTube Sensation) Cullen Sheehan pack it in? We know that, essentially, ol’ “FEC Tony” Sutton was, essentially, shoved out the door; they just let him call it a “resignation for family reasons” or whatever tripe it was that Tony spewed.
But Koch’s decision to take a hike? Well, Brodkorb is/was Koch’s “executive assistant”… but, still. Why take the hike, now?
I was expecting a breaking story about the GOP’s continuing financial scandal.
And I’m still expecting that story to break. Amy Koch’s sordid scandal is a convenient diversion for the GOP; gives the base something else to look at.
In the years since The Tostenson Memo came to light, GOP State Party Officials hardly had an epiphany. If only half of what is being talked about is true, it makes pre-Tostenson activities look like Choir Boy antics.
That’s where the GOP Base should be looking, and looking to hold those accountable accountable – but a sordid sex scandal is a convenient diversion for those that dug the GOP so deeply into debt.
But I won’t be surprised if that story is kept swept under the rug; if it is it’ll just be another pathetic example of today’s GOP Party being morally bankrupt, intellectually dishonest, and institutionally corrupt.
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
Here’s a time line of what we know:
1 – GOP Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb resigns: 12 October 2011
2 – Senate GOP Majority Chief of Staff Cullen Sheehan resigns: 09 November 2011
3 – GOP Chair Tony Sutton resigns: 02 December 2011
4 – GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch resigns Majority Leader position: 15 December 2011
That’s four – FOUR – major resignations in two months.
Here’s what else we know: a committee of GOP Party Insiders, led by RNC Member Jeff Johnson, has been taking a real hard look into party finances. We also know Interim GOP Chair Kelly Fenton just added Mike Vekich as an “advisor” to the cooked books stinkin’ up the offices at MN GOP HQ.
There’s a reason the FEC nailed the MN GOP with “one of the largest fines” in FEC history.
Here’s what hasn’t been confirmed by multiple sources: said GOPer investigation (led by RNC Jeff Johnson) included a review of Brodkorb’s expense accounting. Remember, when Brodkorb said he wouldn’t take a salary for being GOPer Deputy Chair, he didn’t say he wouldn’t be claiming expenses.
There’s a LOT of smoke here. Why would an operative like Brodkorb leave a spring-board job like the “unpaid” State Deputy Chair position, to a “volunteer adviser” position on the quixotic campaign of gaffe-prone GOPer Mike Parry? And why would the former staffer of Norm “4th Most-Corrupt Senator” Coleman (not to mention, YouTube Sensation) Cullen Sheehan pack it in? We know that, essentially, ol’ “FEC Tony” Sutton was, essentially, shoved out the door; they just let him call it a “resignation for family reasons” or whatever tripe it was that Tony spewed.
But Koch’s decision to take a hike? Well, Brodkorb is/was Koch’s “executive assistant”… but, still. Why take the hike, now?
Gotta wonder, ’cause where there is smoke – especially from cooked books – there’s usually fire.
But don’t be surprised if there’s that ol’ GOPer Cover-Up.
Remember, the GOP has been saying for years – until the FEC smacked ‘em – that there was “nothing to see, here!” despite what was in “The Tostenson Memo” – and that”s really the root cause of the GOP’s cooked books, today. Maybe now that the FEC has taken a look at those cooked books, it’s time for a prosecutor to do so too.
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com‘ comments welcome there)
If one were to base GOPer support in the race to replace deposed former Chair FEC Tony (pictured, right) by twitter traffic, one would suppose there was widespread support for GOPer Brandon Sawalich. Mr. Sawalich released a letter announcing his run for GOP State Party Chair; he listed a 5 Point Plan for “The Way Forward” – and we’ll look at just one of ‘em, bulleted “Financial integrity and transparency” – with pictures!
Before we get to ‘em, I’d like to point out what I said earlier today, when I updated the original “The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same, or… how Zellers’ election demonstrates – once again – that GOP still stands for GreedOverPrinciples.”, posted back in June of ’09:
There’s a fight in the MN GOP for the Chair position – and it’s roots go back to “The Tostenson Memo” and the 2008 MN GOP State Convention in Rochester. And it’s coming to a boil. Why? Because GOPers covered up their mess back then; and some of those same GOPers are doin’ their best to KEEP it covered up. (more, here)
And indeed it does go back to the GOP State Convention in Rochester MN, back in 2008! For a quick trip back to what happened then, here’s what I wrote back then! It’s called “Fear And Loathing In Rochester”. From it:
What everyone needs to remember is that the fact the Republican Party Of Minnesota’s financial problems have been under discussion for a year is a) the result of Republicans airing their own financial problems, and b) republiCon Ron refusing to face the problem publicly. Indeed, not only is republiCon Ron is still trying to hide this problem, he refuses to answer questions about it.
Yep – way back in 2008, financial mismanagement by the State GOP was a topic of conversation for a year! And, 4 years later, it still is!
OK, so who was GOPer Party Treasurer in 2008, before Tony Sutton took the Party Chair position in 2009?
Yep! FEC Tony was GOPer Treasurer, before he was GOPer Chair!
Above, in “Fear And Loathing In Rochester” we touched on the GOPer Party Establishment refusing to deal with the financial reformers at the 2008 Rochester Convention; but there was another dynamic at work – Ron Paul’s 2008 bid for the GOP Nomination! There were a bunch of Ron Paul supporters there; and the Party Establishment was none-too-happy to see them – or, even Ron Paul! In fact, GOPer Leadership refused to let Ron Paul address the GOP Convention.
Here’s what GOPer Blogger Martin Andrade wrote about the convention, back then:
At the MNGOP State Convention
Posted on May 30, 2008 by Marty AndradeNotes and Thoughts from the Convention Floor:
.
.
-There are two different factions, the establishment faction called “Minnesota Conservative Delegate Team” and among the notable people on this list are Norm Coleman and Tim Pawlenty. The other faction, from what I can tell, is called “The Conservative Conscience Coalition” and these are partly Ron Paul supporters.
.
.
-On that contention, I will say I think the process was unfair this year. Ron Paul people were kept off the ballot, there were no nominations from the floor allowed, people were forced to vote for a certain number of people and there was some behind the scenes stuff I didn’t see. It is this attempt to silence dissent which upset me.
.
.
-Unfortunately, a great portion of the Ron Paul people were not allowed to speak nor were they on the ballot.
So, who was that “Minnesota Conservative Delegate Team” that dissed the Ron Paul people? Let’s look!
That’s their FEC Statement Of Organization, signed 5-27-2008 and received by the FEC on June 5th, 2008 – AFTER the convention closed. Hmmm….
So, where did the “Minnesota Conservative Delegate Team” get their dough? Let’s look!
Hmmm… from OpenSecrets.org, a project of the Center for Responsive Politics – a list of “major donors ($200+)” to the Minnesota Conservative Delegate Team… hmmm….
Brandon Salawich, 5-22-08: $3,000
Michael Vekich, 5-22-08: $1,000
Michael Brodkorb, 7-2-08: $500
I recognize those names!
As a matter o’ fact, Vekich just made the news, earlier today! From Minnesota Public Radio:
Vekich will advise state GOP on finances
Posted at 12:57 PM on December 12, 2011 by Tim PugmireThe Republican Party of Minnesota has turned to businessman and accountant Mike Vekich to help clean up its financial problems.
The party’s acting chairwoman Kelly Fenton announced today that Vekich, who is CEO of Vekich Associates, will provide voluntary assistance until Dec. 31. That’s when the party’s state central committee is scheduled to elect a new chair.
In a news release, Fenton said Vekich may enlist others in his evaluation of party finances, if necessary. (more, here)
OK, so what did this “Minnesota Conservative Delegate Team” do? Well, let’s go to RonPaul.com and get their take, o’ what was done unto them!!!
Minnesota GOP: “Vote for McCain and Shut Up!”
20 Responses
by RonPaul.com on May 28, 2008
.
.
In Minnesota, John McCain got only 22% of the vote in the state’s caucuses on February 5, compared with Ron Paul’s 16%. The Minnesota party establishment is concerned enough to send out an unsigned letter to GOP members, signed only as “Friends of the Minnesota Conservative Delegate Team”.In a chilling attack on free speech and open discussion among Republicans, the missive exhorts GOP members to attend the State Convention this Friday and assist the party establishment in stifling the growing number of dissenting voices:
.
.
And RonPaul.com goes on to reprint the “misive” sent out to GOPers. Want to read it? Go here.
Want to find out who produced it? Go to the FEC reports!!!
Well, based on the sketchy FEC Reports, it has to be these folks:
OK, let’s review: the 2008 GOP State Convention in Rochester was notable for 2 reasons – Chair Carey and Treasurer Sutton shouted down those that dared question Party Finances that ultimately resulted in a #170,000 FEC fine, and they shut out the Ron Paul Supporters.
Prior to, and at that Convention, Establishment GOPers passed out lit dissing Ron Paul supporters (at that time, many “establishment” GOPers were dissing those same Ron Paul supporters as “PaulBots” and “Ronulans”). Current Candidate for GOPer Chair, Brandon Sawalich, tossed down $3k to the group that prepared the lit before the convention, AND BEFORE THE GROUP filed their FEC paperwork.
And with a hat tip to deposed GOP Chair Tony Sutton, apparently the “Minnesota Ceonservative Delegate Team” didn’t bother paying off the bill to the prepareruntil months later.
And a few years later, Sawalich is running on a platform with a key bullet point, and I quote:
“Financial integrity and transparency”
Yeah, “right.” Only if “integrity” means “sweep it” and “transparency” means “under a rug.”
In Minnesota’s Greed Over Principles party, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
Last July we looked at the continuing fiscal mismanagement of the MN GOP – “Today’s Examples Of Republicans Believe In Fiscal Accountability (Except When They Don’t)” – we looked at their seemingly Enronesque accounting methods and the way the deadbeats were stiffing Counties over their recount debts for the 2010 Governor’s race (among other things).
For instance, Doug Groh, auditor/treasurer of Mower County, was told on three different occasions that – literally – “the check was in the mail.”
The check, of course, was not.
And we asked: “how does the GOP Faithful reward FEC Tony for his financial mismanagement – besides promoting him from the elected Treasurer to Chair?”
We answered: “By putting FEC Tony on the party payroll! $100,000 smackers worth! Good thing – for FEC Tony – that Tom Emmer covered the deadbeat RPM’s recount bills to the counties!”
This was before the Federal Elections Commission smacked the MN GOP with one of their largest fines ever — $170,000.00 smackers, to be exact. FEC Tony was MN GOP Treasurer when those shenanigans occurred.
So I wasn’t surprised to see this story, in today’s Strib:
State GOP faces $533,000 in debt
Article by: Baird Helgeson, Star Tribune
October 27, 2011
,
,
Sutton said he made a calculated gamble to spend heavily on the 2010 elections and that it paid off politically. Republicans won control of the Legislature for the first time in a generation and then were able to block DFL Gov. Mark Dayton’s proposed income tax increases.“It was totally worth it to not raise taxes,” Sutton said.(empasis added)
But it left the party deeply in debt. Sutton took the helm of the state GOP in 2009 with more than $1 million in the bank and by January of this year the party owed creditors $750,000.
(more, here)
So it’s “totally worth it” to go into debt to avoid raising taxes in FEC Tony’s world??!?
Remember that, the next tome some pompous jack@ss GOPer spews the “you can’t spend more than in the check book” tripe they always do.
Of course, they actually believe that — YOU can’t (but THEY can).
The simple fact is that GOPers believe in “fiscal accountability” — except when they don’t. GOPers are always demanding “fiscal responsibility” – of OTHERS.
Reasonable people have no reason to reasonably believe anything GOPers say.
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
Immediately after last November’s election, the Republican Party of Minnesota (“RPM”) demanded – yes, “demanded” – Minnesota’s counties make thousands and thousands and thousands of copies for the upcoming recount of the governor’s race. And the RPM demanded – yes, “demanded” – that all that copying be done immediately. Not surprisingly, payment by the RPM to MN Counties for services rendered has NOT been “immediate” nor “prompt” nor “timely.” Far from it, as has been documented over and Over and OVER and OVER – and that’s just here and on MPP. As previously noted, SallyJo at Bluestem Prairie has been all over this one, too.
As have a lot of people. Jeff Rosenberg at MnPublius , early in the month last March, (last March!!!) pointed out a quote by the Mower County Auditor/Treasurer:
“Since December, I’ve had repeated conversations about when we’ll get paid,” said Doug Groh, auditor/treasurer of Mower County. “I had no problem with the Democrats paying, but the Republicans are fudging, because they’re short of money — that’s what I was told in December.”
Since then, Groh said, he’s been told the invoice was lost; on three different occasions, he was told — literally — the check was in the mail.
So when you read the following quote – you might think it, too, has to do with Tony Sutton’s RPM stiffing Minnesota Counties on the rightfully owed Recount bills:
“Not paying vendors on a timely basis, berating them when they call for payment, and then refusing to pay interest charges owed them for services rendered in good faith.”
Yep! Sounds EXACTLY like what FEC Tony’s RPM has been doin’ lately!!!
Well, except for the interest charges; the Counties haven’t been charging interest.
But that quote’s actually from several years ago.
You see, the RPM is notorious for it’s internal financial mismanagement. And I’m calling Minnesota’s GOP party “RPM” because that’s how they’re referred to by the Federal Elections Commission- a Federal Elections Commission that’s very familiar with the RPM (“Republican Party of Minnesota”) and Tony Sutton – reasons that cause me to refer to Tony Sutton, current chair of the RPM, as “FEC Tony.”
I’ll let Spot, at The Cucking Stool, do the intro:
Friday, July 31, 2009
Where have I heard that name before?
Something that’s been percolating around my brain for a while is a question about this Tony Sutton dude. No, not whether the Mexican restaurant chain is introducing a line of chimichangas named after prominent GOP gasbags, but his new gig as Chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota. As I read about his new job, I had this sneaking suspicion that his name was not entirely new to me, that there was something in the past that he’d done.
Then it came flooding back to me. This Sutton guy was, before ascending to the throne room at the RPM, the treasurer of the RPM. He’s the one whose name is most closely associated with the horrific accounting and auditing nightmare that is the treasury of the RPM. He’s been front and center in that complaint filed with the Federal Elections Commission and he’s the one who has had rather pointed questions directed at him by the FEC here, here, here, and here. He also had to send in those humiliating letters – over and over and over again – stating that “An amended report correcting this error will be filed when the committee’s internal audit has been completed.” In short, he was apparently the doofus in charge as this mess was allowed to fester and grow into what some think will eventually lead to the largest FEC fine in history for poor bookkeeping.
For most of us, being so intimately connected with this monumental mess would be such a professional embarrassment that we’d slink off to North Dakota or something. We’d at least have the good sense to drop out of politics.
But not Mr. Sutton.
(more, here)
Indeed – not Mr. Sutton, a/k/a “FEC Tony”.
Yes, this quote – “Not paying vendors on a timely basis, berating them when they call for payment, and then refusing to pay interest charges owed them for services rendered in god faith.” – is from a RPM Staffer, back in February 2007, back when FEC Tony was RPM Treasurer.
This quote - “Since December, I’ve had repeated conversations about when we’ll get paid,” said Doug Groh, auditor/treasurer of Mower County. “I had no problem with the Democrats paying, but the Republicans are fudging, because they’re short of money — that’s what I was told in December.” – is from a RPM Vendor, this year, with FEC Tony as the RPM Chair.
And how does the GOP Faithful reward FEC Tony for his financial mismanagement – besides promoting him from the elected Treasurer to Chair?
By putting FEC Tony on the party payroll! $100,000 smackers worth! Good thing – for FEC Tony – that Tom Emmer covered the deadbeat RMP’s recount bills to the counties!
If there were any justice in this world, whey you googled “Peter Principle” a picture of FEC Tony would pop up – a picture from back during his tenure as RPM Treasurer, that is. Because as those two quotes show, the more things change, the more the fiscal mismanagement at the RPM doesn’t.
Hey – at least FEC Tony is on the RPM Payroll; the RPM Deputy Chair – Michael Brodkorb – well, the RPM stuck him on the Taxpayer’s tab.
Reasonable people have no reason to reasonably believe anything the RPM says. This whole sordid and scandalous RPM County Recount saga demonstrates once again that Republicans believe in fiscal accountability (except when they don’t) – and that Republicans are always demanding “fiscal responsibility” – of OTHERS.
* * *
(image credit: Tildology)
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
For months and Months and MONTHS , I’ve covered the Deadbeat MnGOP’s refusal to pay their debts to Minnesota Counties for the services they demanded – DEMANDED – concerning the November 2010 Election Recount.
And that’s just here, at MPP – - SallyJo at Bluestem Prairie has been all over this scandal, too.
And just this morning, I found two, and possibly three, Counties that STILL HAVEN’T BEEN PAID – Cass, Fillmore, and Grant. There may be more; after two “No” and a “Don’t think so; will get back to you” why keep going?
The funny thing is, despite Tony Sutton claiming way back in March that the MnGOP would pay it’s bills, it took someone else to to it!
Yes, Beltrami, Chisago, and Clearwater counties told me earlier today that Tom Emmer stepped up and did what Tony Sutton’s MnGOP wouldn’t – pay some bills.
Does it really surprise anyone that a party that would stiff counties for months and Months and MONTHS would drive a state to shutdown? Because that’s exactly what the MnGOP will do this Friday – shut this state down.
Oh – and can someone call Emmer, and tell him there’s still a few more counties out there, that Tony Sutton’s MnGOP has stiffed?
* * *
Previous MPP Posts:
“Deadbeat MnGOP Still Owes Omsted County” – 13 April 2011
“Deadbeat MnGOP Still Owes Martin, Nicollet, And Sibley Counties, or…” “…GOPers are always demanding “fiscal responsibility” – of OTHERS.” — 25 April 2011
“Today’s Example Of Why Reasonable People Cannot Reasonably Believe What GOPers Say: Recount” — 07 June 2011
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)
Currently in Minnesota, all legislative bills are fisked and given fiscal notes by an agency in the Executive Branch, MN Management & Budget (MM&B). Here’s the problem with that, for today’s GOP Legislative “Leaders” – MM&B has been pointing out GOPer numbers haven’t been adding up; for instance, GOPers “claim” their Senate File 908 will save taxpayers (using THEIR numbers) an impressive $36.6 MILLION. But, that’s using THEIR numbers.
The MM&B’s Fiscal Note shows this GOPer Bill will cost – yes, COST – taxpayers almost a half MILLION ($435,000.00, actually) over the next biennium.
GOPers have been taking fire over their Enron Accounting gimmicks. What do good GOPers do, when people they can’t control don’t give them what they want? Fire ‘em! Just like Nixon did with The Saturday Night Massacre, just like republiCon Ron’s response to The Tostenson Memo, “Fire ‘EM!!” — it’s a time honored tradition in the Greed Over Principles Party!
Hmmm… who to do the dirty deed? Need someone you can count on… a reliable numbers guy….. Hey! Here’s where “Stats” Banaian comes in!!! I saw this in a tweet, and sure enough, there it was:
There’s a lot these GOPers have been doing in this session, that reminds me of Nixon. Sometime, I might just make a list. If I do, “Stats” Banaian is sure to be on it.
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)
…”compromise is the DFL doing it OUR way.”
Rather than taking the time on the last day of the Easter Break to pay their overdue bills, Minnesota’s GOP “Leaders” took off on a fly around to eight cities yesterday – the “Cooked Books Tour.”
The goal was to sell their budget bills. Here’s how Big E, a couple o’ weeks ago, described the GOPer bills:
They have broken precedent and are using numbers created by business lobbyists and other states. The MMB and Dept of Revenue question the validity of their numbers.
Personally, I like the Twitter hashtag – #EnronAccounting – to describe the GOPer’s make (stuff) up numbers, but hey – that’s just me. So, while flying around the great state, did the GOPers leave any room for compromise between them and DFL Governor Mark Dayton? Let’s look!
First stop, Rochester. From the Post Bulletin, here’s the lede:
With less than a month until the legislative session deadline, GOP legislative leaders on Monday reiterated they will not consider tax increases as part of a final budget deal.
“There is a lot of room to compromise and we will compromise and we will cooperate with the governor. We’re just not going to compromise our principles and we’re not raising taxes. Minnesotans can’t afford it,” said Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo.
To recap: GOPers ran on not raising taxes, DFL Governor Mark Dayton ran on raising taxes on those paying less than their fair-share: the rich. It’s a matter of principle for both, and the GOP’s solution?
“Compromise is the DFL doing it OUR way.”
Next stop, Mankato. From The Free Press, here’s the lede:
MANKATO — During a stop in Mankato Monday, Republican leaders of the Minnesota House and Senate again vowed to oppose any of the state tax increases Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton is insisting be part of budget compromise.
.
.
The legislative leaders were asked about a Minneapolis Star Tribune report on Sunday that backroom discussions at the Capitol showed some GOP willingness to consider possible revenue increases as part of a compromise budget, including closing tax loopholes that mostly benefit high-income Minnesotans. Dayton’s budget proposal focuses tax hikes on higher income tax brackets, based on the argument that wealthier Minnesotans are paying a lower percentage of their income in state and local taxes than middle-class residents.“Don’t believe them,” Deputy Senate Majority Leader Geoff Michel said. “Don’t believe the Star Tribune.”
Message from GOPers, at Mankato? Well, there’s TWO messages:
1 – “Compromise is the DFL doing it OUR way.”, and
2 – “Don’t believe the Star Tribune.”
Way to work the refs Geoff!
The fly around included Bemidji; from The Pioneer:
(GOPer Senator Amy) Koch said the business climate can’t improve until the state government gets the budget under control. With that accomplished, the economy will grow, she said.
“This is about so much more than making the books balance,” she said.
“…so much more than making the books balance.”??!?
Yeah, “right.” For the GOP, it’s about cookin’ the books, too.
From the St. Cloud Times:
Less than a month remains before May 23, the scheduled end to the 2011 legislative session that’s prescribed in Minnesota’s Constitution. Yet Republican legislators and Gov. Mark Dayton appear to be miles apart on how to dispatch the state’s deficit.
Republicans would balance the $5 billion deficit primarily with spending cuts, and by delaying repayment of a funding shift to school districts.
Dayton’s budget proposal also would delay repayment of the school-district shift, and would cut projected spending by an additional $300 million in the next two years.
But the Dayton plan also would generate about $3.3 billion in new state revenues, by hiking income taxes on the state’s highest earners and imposing new fees and surcharges on health care providers and individuals.
In an interview after Monday’s event, (St Cloud GOP State Senator John) Pederson expressed optimism that legislators and Dayton can find common ground.
“There probably is some room for compromise, if we can stay away from the tax increases,” Pederson said.
Once again, the GOP position is clear: “compromise is the DFL doing it OUR way.”
From the Alexandria Echo Press:
Published April 22, 2011, 12:00 AM
GOP leaders to stop in Alexandria Monday
Minnesota Senate and House GOP leaders will be doing a statewide fly-around on Monday, April 25. They will be arriving at the Alexandria Airport around 4:40 p.m.
Oops! The GOPer’s Cooked Books Tour couldn’t even get coverage; it seems one paper had the good sense to ignore the BS the GOP is spewing.
Here’s what the Duluth News Tribune had to say:
Published April 25, 2011, 08:57 AM
Minnesota GOP legislative leaders to tour Duluth, state
Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and House Speaker Kurt Zellers start this morning in St. Paul before making stops in Rochester, Mankato, St. Cloud, Moorhead, Bemidji, Alexandria and Duluth.”
Oops, AGAIN!!!
From Fargo-Moorhead Forum:
MOORHEAD – Minnesota Re publican legislative leaders made a stop here Monday to promote their party’s plan for battling the state’s budget deficit.
“We say: ‘What’s in our checkbook is what we have to spend,’ ’’ said Sen. Majority Leader Amy Koch of Buffalo.
Three points – as noted here, GOPers were quite comfortable ordering recount copying services when they didn’t have the “money in the checkbook” to pay for it, and “what’s in the checkbook is what there is to spend” is obviously a concept unfamiliar to squawk-talker and reliable GOPer bootlicker Mitch Berg; and once again, GOPer Senator Amy Koch paints her party into a corner with no negotiating room, unless:
“compromise is the DFL doing it OUR way.”
Get ready for the GOPers to shut this state down, folks – in GOPer world, there is no compromise.
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
