The U.S. Attorney's office has confirmed it is reviewing a complaint about O'Donnell's campaign spending lodged this year by a watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics of Washington. CREW filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission raising allegations about O'Donnell's campaign spending. The group asked Delaware's federal prosecutor to investigate.
The allegations came about from two former campaign workers who alleged that O'Donnell routinely used political contributions to pay personal expenses including her rent in recent years as she ran for the Senate three consecutive times, starting in 2006 and the case has been assigned to two federal prosecutors and two FBI agents in Delaware.
O'Donnell, had set a state record by raising more than $7.3 million in a "Sarah Palin" backed Tea Party fueled campaign this year, and has long been dogged by questions about her personal and campaign finances. O'Donnell acknowledged she paid part of her rent at times with campaign money.
Federal law prohibits candidates from spending campaign money for personal benefit. FEC rules state that this prohibition applies to the use of campaign money for a candidate's mortgage or rent "even if part of the residence is being used by the campaign!"
One former O'Donnell staffer, Kristin Murray, accused O'Donnell of “living on campaign donations using them for rent and personal expenses, while leaving her workers unpaid and piling up thousands in debt.”
Another former aide, David Keegan, said he became concerned about O'Donnell's 2008 campaign finances as she fell behind on bills and had no apparent source of income besides political contributions. He submitted an affidavit to CREW alleging that she used campaign money to cover meals, gas, a bowling outing, and rent to her boyfriend and now landlord, Brent Vasher.
O'Donnell, who announced just after Election Day that she had signed a book deal, hasn't held a full-time job in years and has struggled to explain how she makes a living.
She reported in July that she earned only $5,800 in income for the previous 18 months through freelance public relations work. She said she lived mostly on a savings account that she reported in an amended Senate disclosure report as being worth between $1,000 and $15,000.
Her financial past includes a tax lien from the IRS, a lawsuit from the university she attended over unpaid bills and a foreclosure action that she avoided by selling her house to Vasher just before a sheriff's auction.
I will close with this message of here is just one more example of how those claiming Tea Party affiliations, have been yet once again bamboozled by the Republican Political Con Men.
This irresponsible little buffoon has taken the voters of Delaware for a big ride. Let the Feds throw the book at her. She is a big waste of time who loves being in the limelight, just like that *%&$@! Sarah Palin!
ReplyDeleteHello All,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to pass on an “Apologist Teabagger’s” statement I heard today in Seaford, DE with reference to Christine O’Donnell’s abuse of her campaign funds breaking Federal Election Laws.
I quote, “Oh yea! Like she’s the only one who has spent campaign funds for personal use!!! This is just politically motivated….”
Yes as if this was a justification excusing and exonerating O’Donnell’s breaking Federal Laws was because others before have done it also.
Well Teabaggers, there were plenty of criminals who robbed banks before Bonnie and Clyde. I can think of Frank and Jessie James, Al Capone, John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Willie Sutton (the original “Slick Willie) just to name a few…..but do you really think that these are good reasonable arguments to justify Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow robbing banks?
So how does others abusing campaign funds become a good reasonable argument to justify O’Donnell blatant misuse of campaign money?
This is the Teabagger’s mindset…..what a bunch a dumb asses.
She claims she's getting mugged by progressive political thuggery.
ReplyDeleteJust like the new Teabag elected Republican governor of Maine, Paul LePage, who threatened reporters during the campaign with physical violence and railed against waste and favoritism to weasel his was into power...the first thing he did was appoint his under qualified daughter to a 50k a year cushy job.....
Wait until Ohioans get a load of the incompetent crap artist they elected as their governor...he hasn't been sworn in yet and he's already cost the state thousands of jobs and millions of federal funds...
I guess it takes living through a real car wreck before some folks realize that they should learn how to drive first.
Aside from all of that, Have a great New Year, Mr. Engineer...I'm doing everything I can to make this year better than the last!