The RNC is pushing the 'We Built That' theme hard at this week's convention. Many speakers illustrated instances of the irony of taking government assistance to build their businesses on the one hand, while denying any such help on the other, have been pointed out, including one of the speakers at the convention who gave a Powerpoint presentation on how to get business from the government earlier this year.
With this context and today being Paul Ryan's big day at the convention it seems like the right time to dig into this interesting detail from Paul Ryan's background.
Campaign Donation Controversies
Dennis Troha, businessperson from Kenosha, WI, (part of Ryan's district) was indicted on federal charges of illegal campaign financing for his donations to then Governor Jim Doyle's gubernatorial campaign. [...]
Troha and his family also contributed approximately $60,000 to U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan's campaign. After the indictment, it was reported that Ryan donated that money to a local charity. It was also reported that Ryan called federal agencies on Troha's behalf in relation to the casino project. Ryan was also one of many politicians (from both parties) who were investigated for their support of a transportation bill that directly benefited Troha.[92]
"I didn't help them build that"
Ryan (Wis.) also supported a bill in Congress that benefited Troha and his trucking company, legislation that drew the interest of federal prosecutors because of the contributions Ryan and other congressmen had accepted from Troha and his family.
When a Troha associate pleaded guilty in the campaign finance scheme, the only political figure specifically named in court documents for receiving contributions from the associate was Ryan.
The Romney campaign (along with rightwing websites) was quick to dismiss this as a non-issue because Paul Ryan donated the equivalent amount to charity (a local boys and girls club).
The Romney campaign looked into the Troha matter “and concluded it was a complete non-issue,” a campaign official said on the condition of anonymity because he was not an authorized spokesman.
Plus Ryan donated the money to
charity, so it's all copasetic:
But after Troha was indicted for fraud and convicted of misdemeanor campaign contribution violations involving other politicians, Ryan gave the full amount of Troha's donations to charity and cut ties to him.
And, as Ryan's office
said it was just an example of constituent services (never mind the contribution was from a constituent who had donated $60,000).
A spokeswoman for Ryan’s congressional office, Smythe Anderson, said Saturday that Ryan, “just as he has done for tens of thousands of constituents in southern Wisconsin, placed an inquiry with a federal agency. It is a simple example of casework, and there was never any allegation of impropriety.”
While Troha was under indictment, the Journal Sentinel revealed that Congress had two years earlier passed a measure that allowed his trucking firm, JHT, to haul more trucks on each route. The paper obtained bank records showing that JHT had paid a consulting firm owned by Troha $107,238 and that such fees would continue until 2010 because Congress had passed the legislation.
The paper reported that Ryan had been one of several congressmen pushing for the legislation and had signed a letter in support.
Troha, in the interview, said the bill benefited the entire hauling industry, and his former attorney, Franklyn Gimbel, said Ryan’s help was appropriate. “I’d like to think that every person can call their congressman and say, ‘I’ve got a bill that I’d like your help with,’ and if it doesn’t have any illegalities or immoralities connected with it, of course they’re going to help a constituent,” Gimbel said.
Ryan said he supported the measure because he thought it was good public policy and told the Milwaukee paper that he was unaware that Troha stood to gain financially, calling it “extremely inappropriate.”
So let's just set aside the impropriety of illegal campaign donations, because Ryan gave them back and only a Democrat (can you say Tony Rezko) can be thus besmirched. Let's ignore the perposterous claim that Paul Ryan had no idea a constituent who had given him a $60,000 'campaign contribution' didn't stand to benefit from the legislation he was asking his Cogressman to pass. Here we have the constituent on record admitting that not only did the congressman (i.e. government) help him to expand his business, but that of every other business that benefited from those roads. No, no, no - they don't need the government's help 'to build that'!