Apparently having slept through the last three years, the Morning Call's John Micek is suddenly clutching his pearls over the delivery of a Dave Argall for Congress fund raising letter to Frank Dermody's CAPITOL OFFICES! (Yes, in all caps, lest you overlook what a BIG DEAL is is).
Puh-leez. House Republicans openly have been using the Capitol as a campaign office at least as far back as 2004. Why wouldn't Argall assume everyone else does, too?
As campaign finance reports reveal, House Republican members Rick Geist, (2004 2007), Gordon Denlinger, Adam Harris, David Millard, Katie True (2006, early 2007 and late 2007), Nick Micozzie (2004, 2005 and 2007),
Tom Killion (January 2004, May 2004, August 2004, October 2004, December 2004, May 2005, and September 2007) all sent checks to the House Republican Campaign Committee at the state Capitol.
Frank Linn collected campaign checks at the Capitol, as well, while Melissa Murphy Weber (March 2004 and July 2004) and Dave Reed collected campaign checks at their taxpayer-funded district offices. Weber's district office was the address of record for her campaign, according to the Committee of Seventy.
Hilariously, when we confronted Rep. Denlinger about the issue, he claimed listing the Capitol address was a mistake by his campaign treasurer. He immediately clammed up when we observed that so many House Republican campaign treasurers seemed to make the same mistake, repeatedly. (Apparently, confronting legislators about apparent transgressions isn't standard operating procedure for the Capitol Stenographers Corps: Micek only "briefly toyed with the idea of calling Argall's office for comment.")
Funny how Gubernatorial Candidate Tom Corbett missed all this in his three-year investigation of the legislature. Then again, you can't find what you're not looking for. He was looking for headlines, and he got 'em, so why bother antagonizing legislators any more than he had to do?
Harder to understand is why Argall's 44-cent mailing suddenly generates attention, when his $10,000 "double dipping" through his Republican Whip contingency account is completely ignored. Corbett charged Mike Veon with five felonies for exactly the same practice.
Perhaps we should strike a job-sharing deal with the Capitol Stenographers Corps? You provide the snarky commentary; we'll provide the factual reporting. Deal?
I'm quite certain Argall didn't address this mail himself, but used a mail house, and the mail house almost certainly just pull a long list of potential donors.
ReplyDeleteSo the question is why Dermody's Capitol Office was on that list? I.e., who or what has Dermody given to before using his Capitol Office as the return address?
A good question for some digging.
You should also look into any rules against using the state list of registered lobbyists is for campaign solicitations -- I'm tired of getting by House and Senate Democrats campaigns at my work email, and since I work for a nonprofit, and they should know who I am, it's just as outrageous.
Gotta love a tried and true Republican kool-aid drinker like Nathan...he immediately dismisses the charge against David "Guess which Office I'm Running for this Week" Argall, and tries to divert attention to a Democrat...nice try, wanna be Rove.
ReplyDeleteHow about Mike Long using a Senate office phone number in a political consulting magazine, in essence advertsing that you should contact him at work for the state if you want to hire him to work on your campaign. Or House Republicans posting campaign materials on the state computer.
ReplyDeleteHow do I sign up to give criminal public corruption testimony to the Grand Jury against this bum?
ReplyDeleteRichard Liberatoscioli
9 Reformed Rd.
#4
Linfield, PA 19468
richard.liberatoscioli@gmail.com
http://lowermerioncivic.blogsite.org/
Make the sign of the doubl cross and do as I say, Not as I do, and thou shalt be healed. That's the way it has always been. Take the
ReplyDeleteoath of hypocrisy and you shall be absolved.
Back when Preate was Attorney General, I visited the Democratic Research office and was shocked--shocked--to see the staff stuffing envelopes for a political candidate. I asked to speak to one of the supervisors who assured me that not only did both parties do this, but that the Attorney General knew and was allowing this. I have always wondered if anyone ever asked Ernie Preate if this was true. Of course, by no means does this make any of it legal, but it does help indicate whether the Attorney General's office was knowinlyg allowing this to occur. I also wonder whether any of the subsequent elected and acting Attorney Generals also knew?
ReplyDelete