Sending Missionaries
Texas is now sending missionaries to other states to teach them how to violate campaign laws. Sadly, sometimes the natives eat them.
Michael Grimm represents the Staten Island part of Brooklyn. And yes, he’s a Republican.
A Texas woman who was a friend of and fund-raiser for Representative Michael G. Grimm has been charged with illegally funneling more than $10,000 into his 2010 campaign, according to court papers and people with knowledge of the case. The charges suggest that a two-year-old federal investigation into his fund-raising is still active.
The woman, Diana Durand, 47, of Houston, was arrested there on Friday by the F.B.I. on a criminal complaint filed in United States District Court in Brooklyn charging she used “straw donors” to mask more than $10,000 in illegal donations to Mr. Grimm. She had already donated $4,800, the legal limit.
So, if I lived in a foreign state and a fundraiser from Texas came to town, I’d ask to see their redneck passport.
Thanks to Dennis for the heads up.
I’m pretty much an equal opportunity JUST SAY NO! to fund-raisers which makes it more amazing that I give to JUANITA JEAN’S events as well as a couple other folks like the FCNL and the TEXAS DROUGHT PROJECT. And memberships in stuff like the TCDP which will probably continue past my funeral, I hope, and hope that’s not for a long time. I got stuff to do. Here’s an update on the indexing for Texas Observer: I get to go to the TO offices on Friday and hang out and learn how they want their last 19 years’ worth of TOs indexed! I am so excited. You know dang well I ain’t gonna do 19 yrs worth of them, but you too can get in on the excitement if you just find Texas Observer Indexing Project and talk to them. Nice folks.
1Campaign Finance Reform, anyone?
Ms Durand delivered $14,800 in funds to Grimm. Sheldon Adelson had politicians come to him to collect over $70 million in contributions. So, the amount isn’t in question, but how it is collected? Or, does it mean small contributors are not welcome?
2Isn’t Staten Island its own Borrough? Richmond County, Brooklyn is Kings County, Manhattan County, Queens County, Bronx County. Nearby are Yonkers & Westchester; Suffolk & Nassau, Jamaica Plain and that county up the Hudson along the Conn. line – Putnam.
P-K-M:
3Probably means size counts.
Yup, Staten Island is its own borough and County. But Manhattan is New York County. Go figure.
4Oh, I think the case was brought in Brooklyn, because it and Staten Island are in one federal district, while Manhattan is in a different one.
5“We are saddened that the government took the extraordinary step of arresting a single mother on these allegations, and hope the matter will be resolved quickly,” he [Mr. Grimm’s lawyer, William McGinley] said in an email. So they’re concerned about single mothers now are they? I’m sure the women who have had unemployment and SNAP cut would like the same consideration. Oh wait, those wimmin, particularly the single ones, drawing unemployment and SNAP are just slutty slut sluts and don’t _deserve_ any help. But IOKIYAR.
6I SECOND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM!
7Gee, don’t the K. brothers and Sherman Addled-son know that this is how it all starts, with teeny little holes in the dike. Very often its not how big a hole is but how many of them before the dam breaks.
8This is suppose to be news. Republicans violate campaign law. News would be if they went out of their way to comply with the laws.
9Turns out Diana Durand is a ex-girlfriend of Grimm!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/14/michael-grimm-diana-durand_n_4595691.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
10Ms Durand didn’t come up with this plan all by herownself. Mr. Grimm has some ‘splainin’ to do.
11Read about New Mexico being unfriendly turf for the Koch brothers. They packed up their millions and closed the doors on their influence peddling shops.
Reform should pose limits on any outside influence peddlers who are not residents of the state where they are spending the money. Like when Utah $millions$ lobbied in California against same-sex marriage. Vote and donate in the state of your primary residence.
Susan, I would like to donate as much as I can to elect Wendy Davis, special circumstances for a special lady. But when it comes to the law, I plead ignorance. Do you or your husband know how much a little guy from out of state legally can contribute? Not pleading poverty, just saying we don’t have a battalion of attorneys like the Koch brothers or Adelson.
12How does one be unfriendly to the Koch brothers? Are there any workshops on it? Could we build a fence around Texas?
13And update: tonight I signed up to donate $10 a month to Alan Grayson, my designated Congressman from Florida. I don’t live there but I don’t care. My Congressman in Texas doesn’t care either. See, everyone’s happy! Sort of. And PKM, you can spend from now til bedtime wandering around in the online Texas Ethics Commission, which should surprise everyone. Texas has an ethics commission? Well, let’s put ’em to work. NOW, let’s talk about the TPP. You can call your Congresscritter or state rep and say listen, honey, I know you’re workin’ hard but me and all my buds are worryin’ about who’s gonna vote for you when we’re all livin’ under bridges when the jobs all go overseas. Do you think maybe you could find it in your heart to stand up and say NO FAST TRACK FOR THE TRANS PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP! We could all get matching T shirts! Call 202 225 3121 to order, Oh, that’s the switchboard for Congress. Shoot. Well, anyway.
14If she can afford to donate more than $10,000 to an out of state candidate, she’s certainly not a typical “single mother”. How many jobs is she working? Where? Who’s taking care of her kid(s)?
If she was a brown-skinned person working two or three jobs to feed her family, all sorts of people would have their noses in her business–is she neglecting her kids, does she drink, does she smoke, how dare she have found a *nice* dress in that sack of donated clothes, and what is she doing buying a kid any candy ever?
But this person with $10K to throw at a candidate? Oh, she’s suddenly a saint who can’t be questioned for breaking the law. Want to bet she pays retail for her clothes and has a “nails lady” do her hands and a “hair man” do her hair?
E.
15Can this be counted as a new state export?
Thinking positively,
16AlanInAustin
RA-single mothers for rethuglicans don’t commit heinous crimes like them damnable,liberal,single mothers who want abortions. Doesn’t matter that abortions are legal AND constitutionally protected. Just wait until you see the grief wingnuts dump on Wendy Davis-a liberal,single mother who is in favor of women’s rights. Nutjobs won’t be defending “that” single mother,for sure.
17Lest everyone forget,Citizen’s United-decided by activist,rw,bought and paid for clowns of the Scotus allowed unlimited korporate monies and then put conditions on union contributions. Unions have to receive permission from their members to back candidate,korporate boards aren’t required to get permission.
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