I often say that today’s GOP Party is morally bankrupt, intellectually dishonest, and institutionally corrupt. All three are self-evident; for “morally bankrupt” (for starters) consider GOPers Mark “Is There A Page In The House?” Foely, “Diaper” David Vitter, and John “She’s My Best Friend’s Wife” Ensign. Remember, that’s just for starters, and keep in mind how many other GOPers covered for those miscreants.
For a few examples of the intellectually dishonest GOPers in today’s GreedOverPrinciples Party, look no further than Minnesota’s Tim “Any Way The Wind Blows” Pawlenty and Michele “Passing Out Pork Is A Happy Day” Bachmann, let alone the current crop of anti-intellectuals running for President, with the possible and notable exception of Jon Huntsman.
Today’s Example of the GOP Party’s institutionalized corruption goes back several years here in Minnesota; it was brought to light in a June 2007 story in the Star Tribune: “Internal complaints roil state GOP office”
Here’s the lede:
Staff members who asked the leadership to address questions of how money was used say they were ignored or faced retaliation.
The Strib story was brought to light by folk that worked for the Minnesota GOP.
Let me say that again – the Strib story was brought to light by folk that worked for the Minnesota GOP!!!
The Strib just reported the Federal Elections Commission Settlement in the case (brought to their attention by the good folks at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington):
“Minnesota Republican Party to pay $170K fine for federal campaign finance violations”
So, what was the Minnesota GOP “leadership” response to getting whacked with a $170,000 fine? Remember, today’s GOP Party Chair – FEC Tony Sutton – was the then Party Treasurer….
Well, Spot MNObserver over at The Cucking Stool handled THAT one, earlier today – let’s look!!!
By now, most have heard about the final resolution of the Republican Party of Minnesota’s numerous violations of federal election law that took place when its current chair, Tony Sutton, was holding down the fort as treasurer. We’ve highlighted this ongoing investigation here, here, here, and here. In a Conciliation Agreement with the Federal Election Commission, available as a pdf from the MPR website, the Party admitted to the violations and agreed to pay a fine of $170,000.
.
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A simple mea culpa might be expected from a more thoughtful organization, but we’re dealing with Tony Sutton here. So of course we get the unsurprising bellyaching we’ve grown to expect from Mr. Sutton. In a press release issued to address the issue (also available from MPR), no blame is accepted and all manner of excuses offered.First, he claims that the complaint was filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a “liberal organization,” implying that – heck, I don’t know – that the financial mess didn’t exist because some liberal organization pointed it out? Calling those who disagree with him names is nothing new to Mr.Sutton, so this is to be expected. Then, Chairman Sutton insists that the party has “proactively made changes to its FEC accounting and reporting processes.” Not so fast, Mr. Sutton. In the agreement, the FEC specifically found (Par. 17) that the “proactive” steps taken “did not disclose all previously undisclosed debt.” Nice try, but no dice.
Then of course, there’s the excuse that “this is complicated stuff!” as if that excused one from following federal law. Withholding money from employees’ paychecks and not depositing the funds where they belong isn’t complicated, Mr. Sutton. Recording your debts – especially if they amount to over half a million bucks – isn’t complicated either. Ask any bookkeeper – such things happen all the time in the mysterious world of accrual accounting.
(there’s more…)
Spot MNObserver nailed that one – FEC Tony crying “Me-a NOT-a Culpa!
This needs to be pointed out over and Over and OVER – FEC Tony blaming anyone and everyone for his financial misconduct.
You see, this isn’t the first time FEC Tony dodges blame – does everyone remember how his deadbeat GOP stiffed Minnesota counties over the 2010 Recount??!?
One person Sutton didn’t slime when good and decent Republicans questioned their party’s “stewardship” by party leaders such as republiCon Ron Carey and FEC Tony Sutton was an officer and a gentlemen that is in Snopes.com because the story is actually true – LTC (ret) Joe Repya. I wrote about this back in May of 2008, in a blogpost entitled “Enemies Of The Party”. I’d guess the reason Sutton didn’t slime Col. Repya is his boss, republiCon Ron Carey, did. Here’s what republiCon Ron sent to the party gullible “faithful” on July 25th, 2007:
“When we ought to be working to unite our Party and win Minnesota in 2008, Joe Repya has apparently decided to further attempt to divide us by sending a letter with inaccurate information and over-the-top attacks.”
Seems that with the news of the Mn GreedOverPrinciples Party’s settlement, FEC Tony has a few apologies to hand out.
But since his Mea Culpa came out as he intended – Me-a NOT-a Culpa – I’d guess Col. Repya ought not be waiting by the phone, expecting FEC Tony’s call.
In an honest organization, FEC Tony would have been sacked, years ago. Instead, he’s rewarded for the errors of his way – which just goes to show the latter of what I often say: today’s GOP Party is morally bankrupt, intellectually dishonest, and institutionally corrupt.
(crossposted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
…”The more things change, the more GOPers don’t”
Yesterday, I read about 13 former GOP state Legislators endorsing former Republican (now IP Endorsed) candidate for Governor Tom Horner.
So I wasn’t surprised when Tony Sutton, State GOP Party Chair, reacted with this:
Republican Party chairman Tony Sutton took it a step further, dismissing defectors as “a generation of Republicans that were not successful, the permanent minority. There’s a special place in hell for these quislings.” (emphasis added)
(StarTribune.com, 06 October 2010)
Apparently feeling the heat for calling these retired lawmakers who had served in the Legislature “quislings” – which relates to Nazi collaborators during World War II, State GOP Chair Tony Sutton backed off – kind of…
Sutton says he didn’t intend a Nazi comparison, but used the word as a common term for traitor.
(WCCO.com)
The other thing I read today, was an editorial (“Beware of campaign rhetoric Insist on answers, not just mud-flinging”) from the print edition of The Eden Prairie News (not available on-line). From it:
“Ask the candidate who merely attacks an opponent’s position on an issue how the problem can be solved – and to please be specific. (EPNews, 07 October 2010)
Mudflinging is all today’s GOP “leadership” has, from the top on down; for example, local GOP SD42 Chair Marc Papinau trashes Dayton in a letter to the editor in today’s print edition of the EP News. And again, this trashing/mud-slinging by the GOP isn’t new; let’s look back at how the State GOP “leadership” treated a true American hero, LTC (Retired) Joe Repya:
GOPer Party Official Trashes Veteran Joe Repya And Is Rewarded
by: TwoPuttTommy
Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:15:18 AM CDT
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Joe Repya is, by any standard, an American Hero. People may not like his conservative political philosophy, but few (if any) have served this great country with the courage, valor, integrity and distinction Lieutenant Colonel Joe Repya has. Colonel Repya served in combat in Vietnam, the Gulf War in 1990, and in 2004 – at age 58 – came out of retirement to serve again in Iraq. How Colonel Repya missed The Balkans has to be an interesting story; a story I’d like to follow up on – but, that’s a tangent.
Colonel Repya challenged then-incumbent MN-GOP Party Chair Ron Carey in 2007, on a “reform the party” platform – because, clearly today’s GreedOverPrinciples party needs to be cleaned up. For this, Colonel Repya was essentially smeared called an “enemy of the party” by then-GOP Party Chair Ron Carey. An important point is Ron Carey’s campaign manager was current GOP State Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb.
Everybody got that? Challenge the party chair’s “stewardship” and get trashed as essentially an “enemy of the party”, by the guy (Ron Carey) who’s campaign Michael Brodkorb ran.
Fast forward, to last month. Tony Sutton, the GOP party’s Treasurer under Carey, is elected Party Chair. Sutton was “the man” while a whole bunch of the GOP Party’s FEC problems were unfolding – link here to read the Tostenson Memo. Michael Brodkorb, who’s plotical tactics Joe Repya has condemened, is elected GOP State Party Deputy Chair.
So, when FEC Tony and MudSlingerMike were elected Chair and Deputy Chair, Colonel Repya had had enough – he wrote an Op/Ed in the Pioneer Press titled “Why I’m leaving the Minnesota GOP.” While that Op/Ed is no longer available on the PiPress website, comments on that Op/Ed are. Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, did comment – here’s what he had to say:
I am Deputy Chair of the Fourth Congressional District and one of the newer anti-war Republican activists. It’s difficult for words to describe how happy I am that you are leaving our Party. The roots of your “neconservative” philosophy lie in Straussian Trotzkyite Communism. “Corporate money” influencing our Party? Nothing compared to the damage your military industrial complex (that Eisenhower warned us about) has wreaked on our Party and our Country.
I hope you will find a happy home among your fellow communists. Your days of endless illegal wars and military industrial complex domination of our party are over.
Obama is ramping up his War in Afghanistan and continues to illegally bomb Pakistan. Perhaps you can join him to satiate your bloodlust. (emphasis added) (PiPress)
Lieutenant Colenel (Retired) Joe Repya a communist??!? A neo-con??!? “…satiate bloodlust…” – WT(C)? Colonel Repya is a warmonger, too??!?
So, one might wonder how the new regime of FEC Tony and MudlsingerMike responded to an elected GOP Party Official – Deputy Chair of the 4th CD – trashing a bona fide American military hero? How did FEC Tony and MudslingerMike respond to an elected GOP Party Official essentially spitting on Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Joe Repya?
By rewarding GOP CD-4 Deputy Chair Nathan Hansen with a plum assignment within the State GOP.
Which really isn’t surprising, when you think about it – it’s a page “right” out of the GOP Playbook.
In today’s GreedOverPrinciples Party, “led” locally by Tony Sutton and Michael Brodkorb, you can expect anyone they don’t like to be slimed, smeared, and spit on.
It’s really rather pathetic – and just as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, it’s predictable, too.
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
It’s been a busy week, and I wanted to touch back on the Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive FEC problems reported by Karl Bremer over at Dump Bachmann. It seems Bachmann has some serious paperwork problems with the FEC, and that’s FEC problems from BEFORE she hired republiCon Ron.
The Minnesota GOPers have a longstanding tradition of running a completely FUBAR paperwork operation; for example, here’s the infamous “Tostenson Memo”.
And I wanted to share one FEC Filing from the MN GOP that just warms my heart:
GOPers simply have to wonder where their “donations” to the GOP go. We know at the national level, donations fund stuff like “meals” at bondage clubs. And I’m sure it warms local GOPer’s hearts, too, knowing that their donations went to pay for Senator Franken’s legal fees….
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
…well, could be filed in the ol’ republiCon “Do As We Say (Not As We Do)” Department, too…
Yesterday, over on Brodkorb’s Blog, Michael’s newest pseudonym “Contributor” tried – TRIED – to rip Tarryl Clark for the ghastly deed of “holding a fundraiser outside of the 6th District.” Now, this is funny for two reasons: 1) Michael’s newest pseudonym “Contributor” – Luke Hellier – used to work for Bachmann, so he surely knows about the many fundraisers Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive has held outside the 6th District, such as the infamous fundraiser D*ck (cheney)in’ Cheney held for Michele on Lake Minnetonka, and 2) Brodkorb knows – KNOWS – that GOPer Eva Ng recently held a fundraiser outside of the district bounaries where she’s running, ’cause not only did MudSlingerMike tweet about it, it’s on the official Mn GOP website, where the ol’ MudSlinger is the State Party Deputy Chair!!!
And Tony Sutton had to know about the fundraiser; it was held at FEC Tony’s taco shop.
That, gentle readers, certainly qualifies as “stupid is as stupid does.”
It’s things like this, and more, why I say – often – “Hypocrisy, Thy Party Is GOP.”
Let’s look at a couple more examples:
In 2007, Mn GOP Party Chair republiCon Ron wouldn’t answer questions about his piss-poor “stewardship” of Party Finances, as documented in a June 2007 Strib story:
Party records show that money was withheld for employee retirement plans from September 2005 through May 2006, but Federal Election Commission (FEC) records reflect no deposits into the accounts during that period. In June 2006, the party made two makeup payments totaling $12,243 into the accounts.
The delay in depositing the money could have benefitted the party by giving it temporary access to the employees’ funds.
Carey didn’t explain why the retirement money wasn’t deposited promptly.
“There seemed to be some gray areas as to what was the requirement,” Carey said. Asked to explain the gray areas, he said, “I really would prefer not to get into the weeds on something like that.” (StarTribune.com)
Hmmm….”gray areas”….hmmm….”don’t want to get into the weeds”….
Where and what was republiCon Ron doing, during the summer of ’08? Ripping Al Franken over Franken’s paperwork problems, and demanding – DEMANDING! – that Franken answer questions!!!
Oh, and it needs to be pointed out that during the whole shoddy and sorry MnGOP PaperGate saga, FEC Tony was involved, except during his stint as Deputy to State Auditor Pat Anderson. And the shoddy and sorry saga apparently isn’t over…why, less than two weeks ago, the Mn GOP had to fix MORE of their (cheney)-ups:
Filings by REPUBLICAN PARTY OF MINNESOTA – C00001313
525 PARK STREET
SUITE 250
ST PAULThe Following FEC Electronic Filings are Available:
Click on the form name to view it.
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433152
Period FROM 11/25/2008 through 12/31/2008
Report Type: YEAR-END
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433149
Period FROM 10/16/2008 through 11/24/2008
Report Type: POST-GENERAL
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433147
Period FROM 10/01/2008 through 10/15/2008
Report Type: PRE-GENERAL
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433140
Period FROM 09/01/2008 through 09/30/2008
Report Type: OCT MONTHLY
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433126
Period FROM 08/01/2008 through 08/31/2008
Report Type: SEP MONTHLY
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433122
Period FROM 07/01/2008 through 07/31/2008
Report Type: AUG MONTHLY
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433116
Period FROM 06/01/2008 through 06/30/2008
Report Type: JUL MONTHLY
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433113
Period FROM 05/01/2008 through 05/31/2008
Report Type: JUN MONTHLY
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433112
Period FROM 04/01/2008 through 04/30/2008
Report Type: MAY MONTHLY
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433107
Period FROM 03/01/2008 through 03/31/2008
Report Type: APR MONTHLY
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433104
Period FROM 02/01/2008 through 02/29/2008
Report Type: MAR MONTHLY
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433101
Period FROM 01/01/2008 through 01/31/2008
Report Type: FEB MONTHLY
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433099
Period FROM 12/01/2007 through 12/31/2007
Report Type: YEAR-END
Filed 09/21/2009
Form F3XA – 09/21/2009
FEC Filing #: FEC-433098
Period FROM 11/01/2007 through 11/30/2007
Report Type: DEC MONTHLY
Filed 09/21/2009
(Federal Election Commission)
Fourteen – FOURTEEN! – more “oops! We screwed up – AGAIN” amended reports??!?
Amending and re-amending and re-amending the re-amended is a long-standing pattern for Minnesota’s GreedOverPrinciples party. Amazing, when you consider GOPers like to consider themselves “The Party Of Fiscal Accountability”…
The last example I’ll use today is GOPer Governor-Candidate Marty Seifert – as explained by Dusty Trice:
Marty Seifert Gets Hit With His Own Slime!
Last Wednesday Marty Seifert held a press conference where he attacked several of his opponents by saying they might be using taxpayer money and their elected positions to gain publicity.
“I don’t know if they are doing that, but I want to throw it out there,” Seifert said. (MinnPost)
Looks like Marty Seifert combed over one very important detail. It turns out in the MN House Seifert is the chief offender!
MPR News checked, and it turns out it was Marty Seifert who claimed more money for expenses over the last four months than any other House member running for governor. (MPR via Blue Man)
Seifert has expensed $6,081 in travel, lodging and other expenses to the taxpayers since early June! (DustyTrice.com)
There’s Pawlenty plenty more examples of GOP Hypocrisy, such as Republicans Believe In States Rights (Except When They Don’t), and we’ll be reviewing them often.
Why?
Because:
“Hypocrisy, Thy Party Is GOP”
(cross-posted from MnProgressiveProject)
Richard Glasgow is an American Patriot that has taken honoring Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to a higher level. At this moment, I’m looking at a business-sized card that on one side says:
Dear American Hero,
I am not certain as to how to express my gratitude for all you have done to secure my freedoms. Please accept this simple card as a small token of my appreciation.
A grateful American citizen.
It was handed to me by someone while shopping; he noticed the hat I usually wear. I keep the card on my desk, where I’m writing this.
Richard’s website is called Dear American Hero, have your speakers turned down before you link. I talked to Richard earlier this week after receiving this Press Release:
GOP Party Leader Abuses Position to Trash Veterans, Receives Promotion
St Paul, MN – A ranking leader within the Republican Party of Minnesota used his elected capacity to openly attack veterans in a response letter to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Nathan Hansen, Deputy Chair of the 4th Congressional District GOP, abused his leadership role to promote his personal antiwar agenda, proclaiming veterans to be “Communists”. Hansen’s response came to Lt. Col. Joe Repya’s June 2009 article, “Why I am Leaving the Minnesota GOP”. Hansen used his leverage as visible leader within the MN GOP to openly show disrespect for GOP members, American history and veterans’ service to America.
Repeated attempts to resolve this matter with the Minnesota GOP, regarding censorship and/or removal of Hansen, has resulted in little action. Furthermore, Hansen was subsequently appointed to a highly visible position within the state GOP leadership structure.
In response to this disparaging letter, veterans and other concerned citizens will be raising awareness of this issue at the Minnesota GOP Convention October 3, 2009, at the River Center in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. This gathering of Patriots will begin at 7am and will last until Noon.
# # #
For complete information on this important issue please visit http://nathanhansenmustgo.info
I’ve written about LTC Joe Repya before, most notably here:
GOPer Party Official Trashes Veteran Joe Repya And Is Rewarded
by: TwoPuttTommy
Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:15:18 AM CDT
and here:
I Wrote The Post; Somebody ELSE Got Sued??!?
by: TwoPuttTommy
Mon Sep 14, 2009 at 11:39:58 AM CDT
In talking to Richard Glasgow, I not only found out he’s making 4 million – MILLION – more of those “Dear American Hero” cards, he, too, was served with legal papers by a guy MnGOP Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb thinks is a “must read.”
Well, I guess when Nathan Hansen serves ya with legal papers, indeed that’s a “must read.” I’d go off about the GOP is constantly wailing and gnashing their teeth over “frivolous lawsuits” but Nathan Hansen, an elected GOP Party Official goes off and serves up what I’d call a frivolous lawsuit (a leagle beagle pal o’ mine read it and said technically it’s not “frivolous” – it’s “completely without merit”), but: that would be a tangent. Well, possibly a future blogpost, too…
Anyway, I also found out what I expected, that Dear American Hero is NON-partisan, even though Richard Glasgow is a Republican (and note I say “Republican”). Very simply, he is appalled that someone like Nathan Hansen, whom I gather to be a RonPaulRepublican, can not only trash a true American Hero like Joe Repya, but be rewarded by the likes of Michael Brodkorb and Tony Sutton. And Richard Glasgow told me anyone – ANYONE – that supports our troops and our veterans is welcome to attend.
I’ll be there; I’m going to talk a little about this on “Minnesota Matters” this Friday nite on AM-950 radio and then go cover it on Saturday morning, bright and early.
If you go (and if you support the troops and support our veterans and can go, you should go), look for me – I’ll be wearing the same hat I was when that kind gentleman handed me a card that read:
“Dear American Hero”
(cross-posted from MnProgressiveProject)
Dusty Trice got the scoop! Here’s what Dusty has to say about his video, as posted on YouTube:
EXCLUSIVE: Ron Paul explains why the MN GOP suddenly needs his help: “They Want My Money.”
The MN GOP blocked Ron Paul from speaking at their 2008 convention in Rochester, MN. But on Sept. 25, 2009 the MN GOP sponsored an appearance by Dr. Paul at Northrup Auditorium in what was billed as a joint town hall with Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.
What’s behind the MN GOP’s sudden change of heart? According to Ron Paul, “They want my money. They want to get a little bit of influence from our supporters, too.”
I think this says a lot about Ron Paul, who’s been a consistent voice for what he believes in, so much so that he was willing to forget the past troubles with the MN GOP.
I also thinks this speaks volumes about the MN GOP. Their leadership realizes that they have alienated roughly 15% of their party. Now they realize that Michele Bachmann is actually in trouble and the only way to save her is to turn to the person they publicly shunned and beg for his money and help.
The MN GOP is exploiting Ron Paul because they are terrified without his support they will lose and lose big.
On a side note, I’d like to thank Congressman Paul for taking moment to speak with me. (DustyTrice)
Let’s watch!!!
I’ll have my own thoughts about Dusty’s breaking story later, for now, link here for Mary Lahammer’s May 30th, 2008 report from the 2008 MnGOP State Convention – the footage of the floor scuffle between a Ron Paul supporter and a McCain suporter is “must see TV” – great job by Mary Lahammer and the Twin Cities Public Television team!!!
(cross-posted from MnProgressiveProject)
How did THAT Happen? The short story: Colonel Joe Repya has been a long-standing critic of republiCon Ron – and, by extension, FEC Tony and MudSlingerMike – over (among other things) the MN GOP’s apparent financial mismanagement. For said criticism, and mounting a challenge to Carey for the MN GOP party Chair position, Colonel Repya was essentially labeled an “enemy of the party” by republiCon Ron. After republiCon Ron stepped aside, and FEC Tony and MudSlingerMike were elected Chair and Deputy Chair, Colonel Repya had had enough: The Good Colonel announced in a PiPress Op/ed on 6/23/09 that he was leaving the Minnesota GOP – and why.
Here’s where it gets really, Really, REALLY interesting: in the comments section of said Op/Ed, Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, wrote, and I quote:
I am Deputy Chair of the Fourth Congressional District and one of the newer anti-war Republican activists. It’s difficult for words to describe how happy I am that you are leaving our Party. The roots of your “neconservative” philosophy lie in Straussian Trotzkyite Communism. “Corporate money” influencing our Party? Nothing compared to the damage your military industrial complex (that Eisenhower warned us about) has wreaked on our Party and our Country.
I hope you will find a happy home among your fellow communists. Your days of endless illegal wars and military industrial complex domination of our party are over.
Obama is ramping up his War in Afghanistan and continues to illegally bomb Pakistan. Perhaps you can join him to satiate your bloodlust. (emphasis added) (PiPress)
So, what was the MN GOP’s response to Nathan Hansen, speaking as GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, calling The Good Colonel a commie? Why, a plum Committee assignment in the MN GOP!!!
Some people within the MN GOP were outraged; Andy Aplikowski (who blogs at “Residual Forces”) being one:
Again, this is the Deputy Chair of the CD4 Republicans who is attacking a veteran, our military, and anyone who believes in a strong national defense. Sure there is room for debate on specifics, but that is not what Dep. Chair Hanson decided to do. Nope, he went right for the jugular and crossed a line as far as I am concerned.
.
.
.
A high level officer in the Republican party cannot do what Mr. Hanson did. He is entitled to his opinion, but what he gave was an opinion that had to come with his official title, hence, he has to go.(ResidualForces.com)
Anoter person highly offended was Joe Salmon, Army Veteran and Chairman of the GOP’s SD56.
Joe Salmon started a blog about Nathan Hansen’s trashing of the military and veterans in general, and The Good Colonel in particular. At the very top, just under the masthead in the blog’s navigation bar, is a repost of what yours truly, the ol’ TwoPutter, wrote here, on the MnProgressiveProject. Here’s the link.
That’s the background. Now, apparently Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, got his undies in a bunch after seeing (more or less)”Dump Hansen” signs and buttons at the August 20th GOP picnic in Roseville.
So, what’s a “good” GOPer like Nathan Hansen to do?
File a lawsuit!!!
Yes, you heard “right” – attorney Nathan Hansen had a Summons and Complaint served upon Joe Salmon, over Salmon’s blog!!!
Now, in the Summons and Complaint, Hansen lists as Defendants “John Doe” and “Jane Roe” – a/k/a, anyone. So far, I haven’t been sued; nor – as of this date, according to his blog, has Andy Aplikowski. Here’s the meat of the suit:
FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
5. On this website, the Defandants allege that “Nathan Hansen…Believes all veterans are Baby Killers and Communists.”
Based on what Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, wrote in the PiPress, and quoted in it’s entirety above, that’s EXACTLY what I would deduce!
COUNT I: DEFAMATION
9. Defendants have made a false and defamatory statement about the Plaintiff.
Again, based on what Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, wrote in the PiPress, and quoted in it’s entirety above, that doesn’t look false to me. Especially since, as far as I can tell, Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, has only issued what the self-described Minnesota Conservatives describe as “…a classic example of the non-apology apology.”
What strikes me, is that republiCons always make a big stink about “frivolous lawsuits. Keep that in mind while noting the following definition of a “Public Figures”:
public figure
n. in the law of defamation (libel and slander), a personage of great public interest or familiarity like a government official, politician, celebrity, business leader, movie star or sports hero. Incorrect harmful statements published about a public figure cannot be the basis of a lawsuit for defamation unless there is proof that the writer or publisher intentionally defamed the person with malice (hate).See also: defamation libel slander
(Law.com)
Hmmm…”Incorrect harmful statements”…”published”…”intentially defame”…”malice (hate)”…add to that: “… how happy I am that you are leaving our Party…” and “I hope you will find a happy home among your fellow communists” and “Perhaps you can join him to satiate your bloodlust.”…Hmmm…
Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, smears Joe Repya, but then gets his undies in a bunch when he feels smeared.
Dam – another Irony Meter, pegged to broken!!!
Rather than Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, perhaps the person that ouught to file a lawsuit would be The Good Colonel, Joe Repya?
I called Colonel Repya, and asked if he had considered filing a lawsuit against Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4.
“No, Tommy, I didn’t. Unfortunately, until today’s bitter political environment changes, reasonable people simply have to understand they are going to take unreasonable shots from unreasonable people.”
That about sums this one up, folks: an unreasonable lawyer publicly trashing one guy, but then unreasonably suing when held to account.
I can see the answer as “Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4″ to the call-out on “Jeapardy!” someday:
“I’ll take “Frivoulous Lawsuits for $200, Alex…”
(orignially published at MnProgressiveProject.com)
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Joe Repya is, by any standard, an American Hero. People may not like his conservative political philosophy, but few (if any) have served this great country with the courage, valor, integrity and distinction Lieutenant Colonel Joe Repya has. Colonel Repya served in combat in Vietnam, the Gulf War in 1990, and in 2004 – at age 58 – came out of retirement to serve again in Iraq. How Colonel Repya missed The Balkans has to be an interesting story; a story I’d like to follow up on – but, that’s a tangent.
Colonel Repya challenged then-incumbent MN-GOP Party Chair Ron Carey in 2007, on a “reform the party” platform – because, clearly today’s GreedOverPrinciples party needs to be cleaned up. For this, Colonel Repya was essentially smeared called an “enemy of the party” by then-GOP Party Chair Ron Carey. An important point is Ron Carey’s campaign manager was current GOP State Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb.
Everybody got that? Challenge the party chair’s “stewardship” and get trashed as essentially an “enemy of the party”, by the guy (Ron Carey) who’s campaign Michael Brodkorb ran.
Fast forward, to last month. Tony Sutton, the GOP party’s Treasurer under Carey, is elected Party Chair. Sutton was “the man” while a whole bunch of the GOP Party’s FEC problems were unfolding – link here to read the Tostenson Memo. Michael Brodkorb, who’s plotical tactics Joe Repya has condemened, is elected GOP State Party Deputy Chair.
So, when FEC Tony and MudSlingerMike were elected Chair and Deputy Chair, Colonel Repya had had enough – he wrote an Op/Ed in the Pioneer Press titled “Why I’m leaving the Minnesota GOP.” While that Op/Ed is no longer available on the PiPress website, comments on that Op/Ed are. Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, did comment – here’s what he had to say:
I am Deputy Chair of the Fourth Congressional District and one of the newer anti-war Republican activists. It’s difficult for words to describe how happy I am that you are leaving our Party. The roots of your “neconservative” philosophy lie in Straussian Trotzkyite Communism. “Corporate money” influencing our Party? Nothing compared to the damage your military industrial complex (that Eisenhower warned us about) has wreaked on our Party and our Country.
I hope you will find a happy home among your fellow communists. Your days of endless illegal wars and military industrial complex domination of our party are over.
Obama is ramping up his War in Afghanistan and continues to illegally bomb Pakistan. Perhaps you can join him to satiate your bloodlust. (emphasis added) (PiPress)
Lieutenant Colenel (Retired) Joe Repya a communist??!? A neo-con??!? “…satiate bloodlust…” – WT(C)? Colonel Repya is a warmonger, too??!?
So, one might wonder how the new regime of FEC Tony and MudlsingerMike responded to an elected GOP Party Official – Deputy Chair of the 4th CD – trashing a bona fide American military hero? How did FEC Tony and MudslingerMike respond to an elected GOP Party Official essentially spitting on Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Joe Repya?
By rewarding GOP CD-4 Deputy Chair Nathan Hansen with a plum assignment within the State GOP.
Which really isn’t surprising, when you think about it – it’s a page “right” out of the GOP Playbook.
In today’s GreedOverPrinciples Party, “led” locally by Tony Sutton and Michael Brodkorb, you can expect anyone they don’t like to be slimed, smeared, and spit on.
It’s really rather pathetic – and just as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, it’s predictable, too.
(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)
(Editor’s note: TwoPuttTommy is on vacation; this post was originally published on May 27th, 2008 at MnBlue. While TPT discusses then-Party Chairman Ron Carey, Current Party Chairman Tony Sutton was Party Treasurer.)
Ladies and Gentlemen,
“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 since Ron Carey began criticizing Al Franken’s bookkeeping problems, demanding Franken answer questions, republiCon Ron began ducking questions and re-filing amended monthly reports to the FEC for a period covering almost SIX YEARS. And who knows? There may be even more amended returns coming up. After all, what’s republiCon Ron gonna say about the latest batch of amended returns – “Well, sure, we’ve amended a bunch of previously amended reports, but THIS time, we got ‘em “right”!!!”
Hey – if they didn’t get ‘em “right” the first time, nor the second, why would anyone believe republiCon Ron got ‘em “right”, this time?
Think about that – since 2002, the Republican Party of Minnesota has not gotten a single month’s report done correctly. Not a single one.
How’s THAT, for a track record?
Now, one thing to remember, is this: the whole time republiCon Ron was in front of a microphone, piously criticizing Franken’s paperwork, he KNEW that those seventy amendments to the previously amended reports were going to be filed.
He KNEW.
Yet he hypocritically ripped Franken anyway.
Why?
Unfortunately, that’s a question that can’t be asked, because although republiCon Ron is fond of demanding Franken answer questions, answering questions isn’t something Ron likes to do, himself.
That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the beginning of a line in a June 3rd, 2007 story by Dan Browning and Pat Doyle of the Star Tribune. That story may be a key in explaining why the unDynamic Duo of Ron Carey and Tony Sutton had to amend and re-amend and sometimes even re-amend the re-amended FEC (Federal Election Commission) Reports. Here’s a key excerpts from Dan Browning and Pat Doyle’s June 3rd, 2007 story:
A key element of Tostenson’s memo deals with his accusation that the party appears to have violated federal law by repeatedly delaying the deposit of employee payroll contributions into their retirement accounts. He said the “misappropriation” helped cover party expenses before the money was deposited.
“As reported on our payables at the state executive meetings last summer there was as much as $12,000 not deposited at any one time,” he wrote. “This represented months of paycheck withholdings by the Party which had not been deposited within the 30-day legally required time limit.”
The party offers Simple Individual Retirement Accounts for some employees. Federal law requires that money deducted from employees’ checks for those accounts be deposited as soon as possible, and in no case later than 30 days after the month when it was withheld.
In cases of tardy deposits, employers may be required to make the plan whole by paying back any lost investment earnings. If they had mixed the employees’ retirement money with general operating funds they could be required to pay an excise tax.
Party records show that money was withheld for employee retirement plans from September 2005 through May 2006, but Federal Election Commission (FEC) records reflect no deposits into the accounts during that period. In June 2006, the party made two makeup payments totaling $12,243 into the accounts.
The delay in depositing the money could have benefitted the party by giving it temporary access to the employees’ funds.
Carey didn’t explain why the retirement money wasn’t deposited promptly.
“There seemed to be some gray areas as to what was the requirement,” Carey said. Asked to explain the gray areas, he said, “I really would prefer not to get into the weeds on something like that. (StarTribune.com)
“gray areas”??!? “…get into the weeds…”??!?
Yeah, “right.”
Supposedly, the newly-elected Chairman of the State GOP – Tony Sutton – is holding an overview of 2010 election today at 1:30 at GOP HQ; I’d bet they don’t get “into the weeds” on just how much GOP mismanagement – when Sutton was GOPer Treasurer – is going to figure into 2010.
