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
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PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA
The 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...