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Campaign Finance

Binnie Busters

Adding a thought to what skip provided, and Drew Kline’s initial post on the Binnie Camp’s response to the Cornerstone Ad.  Binnie ‘did call a lawyer’ when he didn’t understand.  The lawyers did not understand either; that Cornerstone is a New Hampshire group founded by who, Karen Testerman?  Yeah, she’s that out of state girl…running for governor … Read more

Hodespocrisy–“It’s Not A Schoomah”

It's Not A Toomah!In keeping with the holier than thou New Hampshire Democrat Party “rules” committee’s abhorrence of money from ‘corrupt’ sources, we bring you Chuck Schumer, New York Senator, Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, and committee member on Banking, Finance, and judiciary.  He has also stained Paul Hodes already questionable reputation with dirty money–$10,000.00 dollars worth of it.

Remember all those Wall Street firms Hodes was standing against? You know, the Wall Street vs. Main Street smackdown. The big bank vs. small bank rhetoric.   Well Hodes can probably thank them for the $10,000.00 dollars he got from Schumer.  Senator Schumer gets ‘fed’ by all of the bailed out boys and girls (and those in between), including an eye-popping career sum from SEC violators Goldman Sachs.  Goldman has shoveled almost half a million of its greedy dollars to Schumer– 486,000.00.  And Schumer’s total career “take” from the evil anti-main Street banking crowd is a paltry $7,000,000.00 million.

 

Can you hear the crickets over at the NHDP headquarters. Loud little bastards aren’t they?

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Hodespocrisy–The Max Baucus Edition

Money money money money...Max Baucus, Democrat Senator from Montana, is the chairman of the Senate Finance committee and his Glacier PAC has donated $10,000.00 dollars to Paul Hodes for Senate.  Baucus may be best known for his influence on Health Care reform or Climate change legislation.  But what he should be known for is his relationship with lawyer/staffer Melodee Hanes, (here, here and here) whom he left his wife for, and also nominated for a job as US district attorney from Montana. (then there’s this) Talk about inside baseball.  But banging a staffer, dumping your wife, and then trying to hook-her up with a well paying federal job–even if it is love–demands questions about your core values and integrity so it’s a good thing he’s a democrat.

If Baucus was Mark Sanford for example, the media would have hung him from the pillory by his man-parts and shamed him out of seeking higher office which makes you wonder if Mark Sanford would have faired better if he’d tried to get his Argentinean mistress a job at the State Department?  Buy her a blue dress and hello Oval Office?  I guess we’ll never know, but since Baucus is a powerful Senator and a democrat, everything about it is a non-scandal-scandal to the unbiased media so he was never in any serious danger over that cozy relationship; but should it make Paul Hodes think twice?

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Welcome To The Hodespocrisy!

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On July 31st the New Hampshire Democrat Party declared open season on Paul Hodes political PAC money so I’m not wasting any time taking up the challenge.  The challenge?  Find hypocrisy in the donors or the donors to the donors—to Paul Hodes campaign.  Let me tell that it’s no challenge making Mr. Hodes and his NHDP supporters look like hypocrites.  So courtesy of the NHDP’s new ‘rules’ I am pleased to bring you an ongoing series of campaign finance investigations suitably called the Hodespocrisy.

First up is DANPAC, one of nine leadership PAC’s that have given Mr. Hodes $10,000.00 dollars this election cycle.  DANPAC is run by Senator Daniel Inouye, democrat from Hawaii, the chairman of the Senate appropriations committee.  DANPAC has given $10,000.00 to Paul Hodes, which Mr. Hodes has accepted despite glaring contradictions.

Contradictions you ask?  What might they be?

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NHDP Cries Hypocrite!

The New Hampshire democrat party–in a typical game of misdirection–is all lathered up about some tenuous connections between Senator Gregg–leaving the Senate, John Sununu–no longer in the Senate, and Kelly Ayotte–not even in the Senate, accepting contributions from two billionaires from Texas who have been charged with securities fraud. The operative word is "charged" not convicted, but the NHDP is already calling them ‘Hypocrites.‘ They are hypocrites for compaining about Hodes and his Rangel cash, while the GOPers apparently have taken "thousands of dollars" of their own. Remember the word "Thousands" as we try to take a look at the cry babies complaint.

Hodes is on the hook for what $13 to $17K from a guy who wrote tax law, while violating tax law, and using his postion to enrich himself at the expense of the people he was representing. Rangel was dirty before Hodes hit the House, but Hodes still took his money. He took, tens of thousands of dollars from Rangel. And that’s just Rangel. Hodes has other dirty money but let’s stay focused for now.

And what about those "billionaires?" Sam and Chuck Wyly are "under investigation" by the SEC for securities fraud. And apparently back on March 31st 2003, one of them (Charles) gave Judd Gregg $3000– back in 2003. That is ‘thousands’ but it’s what, seven years ago? (Link may not work) Make another mental note.

The NYT article announcing the investigation of the billionaires just came out on July 29th, 2010. It’s been two days and the NHDP is crying about a 3000.00 dollar donation from seven years ago. (I was lucky to get that info by the way.) Still with me?

There’s loads more fun on the jump.

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Carol SEIU-Porter

Fergus Cullen get’s the Hat Tip for spotting this first and posting it over at Red Hampshire, but he didn’t go the extra mile and get a copy of the actual invitation. Here we have a campaign fundrasing breakfast for Carol "Look for the Union Label" SEIU-Porter; remember to make checks payable to Carol SEIU-Porter for … Read more

Hodes Found Someone…

…he thinks he might be able to beat in the New Hampshire Senate race.  Lord knows he can’t beat anyone actually running.  She polls better than he does, but she’s not from New Hampshire, so that improves his odds a little bit.   That’s right, Paul Hodes is now apparently running for the Senate….against Sarah Palin. … Read more

I Stand Corrected

FECFor the record, there is a PDF available of Sean Mahoney’s individual donors at the FEC but it is not as easy to access nor review on line as any of the other FEC data for New Hampshire candidates.  Perhaps I should be clearer.  Out of the 19 candidates reporting receipts to the FEC in all the federal level races for New Hampshire only Wesley Michael Sonner Jr, Timothy Vanblommesteyn (Both in CD-2) and Sean Mahoney do not have their detailed data available on the front end FEC candidate list page for each respective race.  I know what you are thinking.  Who the hell is Timothy Vanblommesteyn and why are he and Sean Mahoney being dissed by the FEC.

 

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I’m Batman

I'm BatmanA "little bird" suggested to me recently that in New Hampshire congressional district one, there were two candidates driving hard for the attention of the grass roots, Frank Guinta and Sean Mahoney.  The comment caught my attention because it was just a tiny bit derisive, as if neither of them even deserved that kind of support.  He was obviously backing someone else so I left it alone, but I did find it interesting that he thought Mr. Mahoney was courting the grass roots.  Mr. Mahoney never struck me as the grass roots type.  I always pictured him as more of an institutional republican, someone like Rich Ashooh; active and connected, has money or knows people with money, with a hint of the K-street ruling class mentality.  You know, like Charlie Bass.

I guess I just didn’t recall Sean Mahoney and no offense to whatever his other redeeming qualities might be, courting the roots, the tips, the tea leaves or anything else.  But I can’t know everyone, even though I know enough "someone’s" to have second or third hand access to almost everyone in the NH grass roots.  Maybe Mr. Mahoney really was trying to make in-roads and was simply not doing a very good job of it?  Or maybe I’d missed out on a well hidden patch of Fescue or Rye and there was something to this?

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Shea-Porter’s Money “Don’t know were it came from.”

Carol's LaundryMoney laundering is illegal unless you are in congress. Once you are a member in good standing you earn the privelege of access to a hoard of cash accumulated by the hundreds and hundreds of congressional PAC’s fed by those buying influence. It is money that comes from lobbyists, special interests, the corporate culture of business big and small, unions, fringe groups, mainstream special interests, and everyone else. Carol Shea Porter is a willing recipient of hundreds of thousands of dollars over her congressional career from this polluted well, but she would like very badly for to believe that "the money don’t know where it came from."

"The money don’t know" meme is the standard dodge reported ad nuaseum on television and in movies whenever one of our imperfect heroes discovers some stash of drug cash. It’s tainted money, accumulated by thugs and murderers on the lives, weakness, and addictions of others, (just like congress) but as the story goes…it’s ok to take it because the money don’t know where it came from. The heroes resist temptation. Shea Porter is no such hero.

From this mornings Nashua Telegraph, Kevin Landrigan quotes Sheep-Porter’s campaign manager Angela Ruslander as she justifies the paltry 200K in fundraising last quarter.

""Since Carol’s winning campaign in 2006 she has never accepted contributions from D.C. Lobbyists or business PAC’s,…Instead, Carol has always relied on a strong grassroots network. This support ensures that Carol can continue to stand up for Granite State veterans, soldiers, seniors, and middle class families."

Bwahahahahaha! Angela how the hell do you sleep at night?

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Hodes + BP + Lobbyist + Rhetoric

Hey That's My SubsidyNo one doubts that BP has a responsibility to clean up after themselves but Paul Hodes has taken the opportunity to play word games and politics. Yesterday he announced that because of BP’s complicity in the release of the Lockerbie Bomber they are no longer entitled to the tax cuts the government gives them out of the goodness of its frozen black little heart. Hodes calls them ‘Tax subsidies. ‘

That is lib-speak for money you legally earned that the government lets you keep. Imagine a mugger leaving you a twenty for cab fare after he takes everything esle including your car keys. That twenty is a subsidy provided by the mugger to you. Hodes is the mugger and he has decided that BP is not entitled to the money it legally earns–and likely needs to stay solvent to help pay for that mess down in the gulf.

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Spin From The House Of Hodes

Good Day Eh!The Hodes camp is trying to adjust their slightly twisted britches after a fund raising trip to the great white north eh. (Ok. This is like, me outside the country eh?) In defense of the move campaign spokesman Matt House said, (From WMUR.com)

At the end of the day, we are going to have the resources we need to win this campaign,” said campaign spokesman Matt House. “Paul has a record of standing up against the special interests.

And..

We are very excited about the momentum we are gaining in New Hampshire, and these political attacks are going to be what they are going to be[.]

Well, I’m glad you are excited Matt but momentum in New Hampshire?  Anyone smart enough to put on their thinking touke, and dexterous enough to use a computer mouse can reveal the truth for themselves.  Rasmussen just announced that Hodes is now trailing four Republican opponents, and every time I look, Mr. Hodes campaign career shows him getting over 70% of his campaign funds from outside New Hampshire. (66% so far this cycle).  Bankers and lawyers (and left wing congressional PAC’s – Oh my!) outside New Hampshire are excited Matt, but that’s about it. So no one doubt’s you will have the resources.

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Good Ol’ Two Face

  June 24th 2010  Today, Paul Hodes fought to end the influence that corporate and foreign special interests have in American elections by supporting the DISCLOSE Act. July 13th 2010 Paul Hodes’ Senate campaign confirmed that "yes, Paul did attend" the weekend fundraiser hosted by trial lawyers in Vancouver, British Columbia. June 24th 2010 "New Hampshire’s … Read more

Carol’s Union Label

Carol Shea-Porter would like you to believe that she represent New Hampshire. But if you are one of the 88% of those employed in New Hampshire who are not in a union or represented by one, (and that does not mean you want or like being in the union if you are) then odds are … Read more

We’ll Have A Gay Old Time

It should be common knowledge that Governor Lynch attended a secret gay-donor confab in Chicago back in May.  But no one was supposed to know.  I got wind of it when I received an article from the Washington Blade questioning the secrecy. (A repost of that blog can be found here)  Only two months later, it is finally showing up locally at the Keene Sentinel.

Of course the Sentinel seemed more concerned with the group and our governor’s evolution on the issue; his shift from what they call ambivalence to outward embrace of gay marriage.  But why not report this meaningful embrace back in May when it happened?  It seems like he could have used a lift after that beating he took from the National Organization for Marriage.  Was it too secret an embrace?  So secret that the no one wanted it known?  Was Governor Lynch afraid to come out of the gay donor closet?

He was, and for good reason.

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Lynch’s Missing 18 minutes

Do the people of New Hampshire realize that they have a governor who runs off in the cover of darkness to secret meetings with wealthy special interests, giving speeches about who knows what?  Do they know that money from many of these well heeled millionaires he just happened to be meeting with in secret has … Read more

Why Did They Donate To Paul Hodes?

  Why would an engineering firm from Colorado employed to help clean up and rebuild after Hurricane Katrina be donating money to Paul Hodes 2010 campaign?  MWH America is, in their own words, a global leader in wet infrastructure, but MWH has recently been charged with poor invoicing practices and even overcharging the city of … Read more

John Lynch Goes Gay (Sort Of)

(Note: This was originally posted on May 28th at NH Insider. It is being re-posted here as an encore presentation, by request.)

 

John Lynch Goes Gay (Sort Of)

The Ray and Kathy Show has this gag they do all the time where they complain about outside money or special interests on the right affecting local elections.  It’s a serious gas because everyone knows it’s actually a projection upon others of their own involvement with deep-pocketed outside interests with which they then exert pressure upon the local worker bees doing the Yeoman’s work at hiding their radical left wing agenda.  But they think it works so we try to play along.   Case in point: Governor John “Liar” Lynch was recently taken to task for saying one thing and doing another on the not uncontroversial subject of same sex marriage.  Lynch flip flopped and plenty of us asked if someone put the thumb screws on our diminutive chief executive. 

No, no.  Lynch is his own man concerned about equality and civil rights, Blah blah blah. 

Enter into the debate this article by Lou Chibbaro Jr. from The Washington Blade, which bills itself as "the lgbtq community resource."  The article is titled, “Rare Peek behind closed doors of secret gay donor confab.”  In the article Lou Chibbaro jr reveals for us the internal happenings at an event on May 15th to May 16th (just two weeks ago).  It’s was..

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Ray’s Gay ATM

 Ray must think people are stupid.  Well of course he does.  Just days after he worked hard to get Carol Shea Porter and Paul Hodes selected to receive out of state gay lobby money;  just days after a June 23rdfiling showed a prominent Gay millionaire funneling money into the NHDP through HRC New Hampshire; not long … Read more

Sugar Daddy

Paul Hodes has a dirty little secret.  His ‘commitment’ to green energy has strings attached that lead directly to the sugar industry and a significant campaign cash “Thank You.”  Back in 2007 and 2008 Congress waged an epic battle over the Farm Bill.  They didn’t call it the farm bill they called it the Food … Read more

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