Republican Party Suffers Spate of Money Woes

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

RNC Aide Who Expensed $17k in 'Tips' Just One in Series of Scandals for GOP

When bloggers started reporting last month that the RNC's deputy finance director had expensed a $450 jewelry store purchase as a "meal," she was abruptly terminated.

The deputy, Debbie LeHardy, has never publicly addressed the matter and did not respond to email and phone messages. But a subsequent review of campaign finance reports by ABC News has revealed that LeHardy was not shy about putting in for expenses. Reports show she collected $211,172 in reimbursements in 2009 and 2010, including more than $33,000 for "office supplies" and $17,621 for what was identified only as "Tips." (Several of those tips were in excess of $700.)

The RNC has attempted to overhaul its finance department, since LeHardy's departure, given that questions about bookkeeping there just compounded unflattering reports about spending under the leadership of Chairman Michael Steele  including the infamous $2,000 bill from Voyeur, a Los Angeles club where topless dancers can be seen mimicking sex and bondage, submitted by a GOP consultant.

"We wanted to make a change in our finance department," RNC spokesman Doug Heye explained, noting that LeHardy's boss was replaced as well. "We've had to address internally problems that we've had and we have taken immediate action to fix those problems."

Even as Republicans have shown the potential for electoral gains at the polls and with donors, it has become clear the RNC is hardly alone in grappling with questions about its handling of funds. Just in the past two weeks, in fact, a series of political party committees have been confronting audits, investigations, and inquiries about their handling of donations.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/republican-party-suffers-spate-money-woes/story?id=10459262

[BlueIdaho]

1. And these idiots are supposed to balance the budget?

If they can't be trusted wih their party funds, what makes folks think they will do any better if they run the country?

[KansDem]

3. Aren't they the "Party of Fiscal Responsibility?"

:rofl:

Another myth shattered!

[Beavker]

2. They are the fiscally conservative.

Yet spend like whores when it's in their favor.

Love it. Too bad most of the U.S. Citizens are too ingorant to realize this.

[spinbaby]

4. $700 tip?

Isn't that usually called a bribe? Or don't Republicans think of that as a lot of money?

[formercia]

5. The GOP has always played people for suckers.

If people are stupid enough to donate to the GOP.........

[fascisthunter]

6. does this include their global program to conservatize foreign countries?

hopefully it does... their cancer has spread far enough, just look at the global economy. This shit is not a coincidence.

[old mark]

7. Let's hope the Democrats don't hire her - the Party seems dumb enough to do that...nt

[totodeinhere]

8. But thanks to that odious Supreme Court decision that opened the floodgates of corporate spending

on political campaigns, the right will have plenty of money to spend on future elections. This is an interesting story but I doubt if it will have much influence on the GOP's electoral chances. They will have plenty of money.

[teknomanzer]

10. Which is why they are spending money like a junkie with an inheritance.

Republicans are corrupt to the fucking core. Dems are not far behind. I shudder when I think of the influence of corporate money over the political system.

[LynnTheDem]

9. Put Sarah Palin in charge of the books.

Snort.