Whether it's an odd coincidence or a sign of business as usual in the New Hampshire Republican party, both of the party's House nominees -- Frank Guinta in the first district and Charlie Bass in the second -- have had teeny tiny issues with their financial disclosure documents and truth-telling surrounding the financial transactions involved.
Guinta, of course, lent his campaign $355,000 dollars from a personal bank account he had never disclosed, an amount of money which he had no apparent means of having earned. He has refused to show evidence that it was in fact a long-standing bank account and not a way of laundering a massive sum of money to get around FEC regulations.
Bass, meanwhile, first filed financial disclosure forms showing that he had bought stock in his nephew-by-marriage's pellet stove company while still in Congress. Which was particularly noteworthy since he had also authored legislation providing rebates on, yes, pellet stoves, and had set up a meeting between his nephew and the Energy Secretary.
While Guinta's response has been simple stonewalling, claiming again and again that it was his money and no one gave it to him and no, he will not show the bank statements, Bass has had more to refute.
First, Bass has denied setting up a meeting between his nephew and the Energy Secretary. Never mind that at the time the Pellet Fuels Institute newsletter (PDF) described it as a "one-on-one" meeting "arranged by" Bass. Not only that, Bass denied ever having discussed the biomass industry with the Energy Secretary.
Except that the Congressional Record contains this:
"SEC. BODMAN: I have looked at [the rebate for solar, wind, and biomass]. You and I talked about it when I visited. And I have a team working on it. And I do not have a specific answer at this point in time, but I'd be happy to respond to you promptly; that is to say, within the month." [Hearing Of The House Energy And Commerce Committee, 3/9/06]
So Bass lied about that. Which makes me wonder if I was too credulous on Saturday when I said that Bass had demonstrated that his stock purchase was in fact after he left office. With the reminder of what an out-and-out liar he is, let's revisit that. Bass did show some reporters in the state proof that he bought stock in the pellet stove company in January 2007, after he left office, but there were two 2006 purchases listed on his disclosure. And for that matter, we have no real reason to believe the January 2007 purchase wasn't a third buy.
Bass' lies have been steadily chipped away by the public record. Guinta, meanwhile, continues to face hard questioning -- but in the meantime, as of the last filing, Guinta's total cash on hand was less than the mystery money, which means that every day of his campaign is running on illicit cash.