Bachmann Playing with House Money

[Stuart G]

Source: Huff Post, Roll Call



Bachmann Playing With House Money

Bachmann’s Congressional Spending Shows Close Links to Political Activity
By Paul Singer
Roll Call Staff
June 20, 2011, Midnight


On Nov. 5, 2009, at the behest of Rep. Michele Bachmann, thousands of tea party activists descended on the Capitol to vent their rage over the health care overhaul bill pending before Congress.

The assembled activists chanted, "Kill the bill! Kill the bill!" and waved signs opposing a government takeover of health care — but they may not have known that the same government was paying for the event.

According to House expense reports, Bachmann and three conservative GOP colleagues — Reps. Tom Price (Ga.), Steve King (Iowa) and Todd Akin (Mo.) — each paid $3,407.50 that day, a total of $13,630, to a sound and stage company called National Events, apparently for the sound system used at the rally.

The money came from the Members' taxpayer-funded office accounts, despite House rules prohibiting the use of these funds for political activities. Bachmann's office insists the expense was a proper use of official funds.


Read more: http://www.rollcall.com/issues/56_141/bachmann-plays-with-house-money-206599-1.html?pos=hftxt

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I read the story, and it looks like what she did is illegal, and wrong.
Do you think the main stream media will go after her?

[myrna minx]

1. K&R n/t

[SpiralHawk]

2. Republicon socialism

Freaking Republicon grifters got the skankiest ethics.

[Oceansaway]

3. K&R...n/t

[Stuart G]

4. I am guessing that some progressives in media will discuss this.

But, I do not know if others will.

[xchrom]

5. Recommend

[SaveAmerica]

6. Michelle Bachman should resign more than some I know...misappropriations of our tax $$$s

[SaveAmerica]

7. Bless his heart, I read this to my husband and he's checking CNN for news alerts of this info

[HERVEPA]

16. Pretty naive guy, eh?

[Ishoutandscream2]

29. LOL!

[Judi Lynn]

8. Laws don't seem to apply to right-wingers. They need to be free, don't they,

free to do whatever cheap, underhanded, shabby me-first thing that comes to their "minds"?

http://cdn.crooksandliars.com.nyud.net:8090/files/uploads/2010/07/political-pictures-michele-bachmann-crazy1_43760.jpg

[Deb]

9. Censure and expel the filth if true

[Stuart G]

11. I am sure that Bachmann never expected anyone to check this out.

Congratulations to Roll Call and Paul Singer
for uncovering this.

[usrname]

10. IOKIYAR

Again, it's OK if you're a republican. However, I think they (the GOP) may throw her under the bus because she's such a nutcase and may make some really nutjob comment that can come back and bite the GOP in the butt somewhere down the line. Better to disown her and let her run as a third-party Tea-bagger than have her as part of the GOP. At least the Romney/Pawlenty/Gingrich part of the GOP.

[Stumbler]

24. I don't think she'll be thrown under the bus for 2 reasons...

1) Reagan's 11th Commandment that requires reasonable people to defend corruption, war-profiteering, thieves, pedophiles and other sexual creeps ... as long as they're Republican.
2) She's a helluva fundraiser. For whatever reason, she can generate a lot of cash from a lot of stupid people. And even though corporate-America has all the money it needs, it still wants more.

[FredStembottom]

12. Look for some Page 3 paragraph that the money was "re-paid"....

.... then full speed ahead for her campaign.

Conservatives merely have "bumps in the road". Nothing more.

:argh:

[Hubert Flottz]

13. She's "Entitled" to a free ride.

One of the Teabagger Master Race...

[glinda]

39. That is her normal way of thinking all the time. "Entitled".

[Enthusiast]

14. If this was a Democrat.....

If Obama had done this the GOP would be calling for his impeachment.

[JustAnotherGen]

15. The MSM won't go after her

But I bet you Ron Paul does. ;-) I'd email the link to his campaign.

[dflprincess]

17. She didn't Tweet naked pictures of herself so even the Democratic leadership

will determine that this is no big deal - a "tempest in a teapot", if you will.

[Stuart G]

18. I sent the story with link to Rachel Maddow...nt

[dotymed]

19. Of course they do...

Bachmann's office insists the expense was a proper use of official funds.


Do you think the main stream media will go after her? HELL NO. The MSM is owned by her cohorts.

IMO, Bachmann, besides being insane, is the most blatant, "the laws don't apply to us" advocate in "our" government.

Our only recourse is to locate an A.G. willing to prosecute her. Of course this is not easy when President Obama did not ,as is customary in every opposing party win, at the Presidential level, replace his adversaries "henchmen."

Did President Obama or the invisible Eric Holder ever try to justify keeping the republican politically appointed state A.G.'s in place after a Democratic win?

Again, more proof that we have become one corporate party instead of two political parties that oppose each other's views of governance.

[Baron von Stueben]

20. It's probably not illegal...

Either that, or she has some really stupid attorneys advising her.

[L. Coyote]

48. It is illegal.

[wordpix]

62. she probably didn't ask an attorney's advice---or maybe she went to John Yoo

[geardaddy]

65. She's a former tax attorney.

She ought to know better, but I expect she thinks government money is ok for her to take.

[VA_Jill]

21. Nail her

Is your congresscritter a member of the House Ethics committee? Contact him/her at once! (Unfortunately mine is a spineless GOP rubber stamp who isn't)

[delunapark]

22. Can her Ass

n/t

[cstanleytech]

23. Its not the media that needs to go after her but rather the DOJ

[tekisui]

31. Indeed.

[paparush]

25. She's not remotely progressive. As such, the M$M will ignore.

The M$M sees progressives as a threat to be eliminated.

[dballance]

26. Of Course No One Will Go after her

Our "leaders" decided to ignore the crimes Bush and Cheney committed. I highly doubt anyone will pursue Bachmann.

[Chipper Chat]

38. No weiner involved.

And besides, she is sent from God to save amurca.

[customerserviceguy]

51. Just Bachmann's balls in doing this

And there are no pictures.

[valerief]

27. So her illegal activity will result in (drum roll, please) NOTHING! As usual! nt

[valerief]

28. Nancy, Debbie, Barack, where are you now? nt

[gratuitous]

30. Will we see a parade of folks demanding Bachmann's resignation

Magic 8 Ball sez: "All Signs Point to No Fucking Way in Hell."

[wordpix]

63. scales of justice: one man's package online vs. stealing from House funds

Let me see...which is the more criminal act...?

[Harriety]

32. The heck with MSM, if it's illegal she should be procesuted.

[Blue Owl]

33. Bachmann's greatest strength

is the utter stupidity and blindness of her own supporters.

What a pathetic sight.

[leftyohiolib]

34. oh the irony .stupid teabaggers, not tax cut for you

[JAnthony]

35. Maybe this can be on the MSM network news at 6:

This woman, who supposedly got a law degree in tax law from some screwy religious law school...

This could expose her as a lying fraud from day one, if we work this story right.

Journalists, reading this before you write your 6 PM news for Michele...remember this..

She's supposed to know tax law and accounting..but has no problem ripping off the taxpayers for her own agenda.

Research Michele, taxes, subsidies, and let's make mincemeat of this crazy woman before she gets any further with her "Obama out to destrooy Medicare for Obamacare" stupidity.

[Kingofalldems]

36. Kick this and rec big time

Repubs will want to change the subject big time on this one.

[madrchsod]

37. dan rostenkowski

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Rostenkowski


those were the years when politicians paid a price for their indiscretions.


those days are long gone....

[jsgindc]

40. "Do you think the main stream media will go after her?"

Did she tweet the payments?

The MSM will only cover the story if Backmann tweeted the payments.

[ThoughtCriminal]

41. What part of "prohibited for political activities"

is she pretending to not understand?

[harmonicon]

42. No. No one will go after her. nt.

[kestrel91316]

43. Those laws don't apply to Repukes.

[hootinholler]

44. Did she stand on the stage and photograph her penis?

Then it will be AOK.

-Hoot

[Name removed]

55. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DreamSmoker]

45. The Ends justify the means

If these Folks were true and righteous..
Fact is they are not....
If they were as conservative as claimed... They would support legalization of Cannabis and get the Feds out of their states as one very important issue....
Even these Folks will and want to leave the sick and the Dieing to help themselves..
In other words they want their share of political power fist and above all else including the America People too..
Even if it is a blatant violation of civil rights..
So I see Tea Baggers and Neocons as the very same model painted another color....

[avebury]

46. I wouldn't hold my breath on the MSM covering this story.

If it were a Democrat and a sex scandel they would be all over it.

[muntrv]

47. Once again, my taxes support their whiney teabaggin' asses!!!

[fascisthunter]

49. No, I think the Media will Protect Her

and by extension protect the GOP itself. We know who the owners of the media are.

[PatrynXX]

50. Well since the bar is now set crazy high thanks to the anti weiner folks

since he did nothing illegal and he had to resign. the two folks from Iowa (BS by the way. Been here almost 11 years in Iowa born in Iowa.. never heard of Michelle Bachman nobody knows her. but she's from the city next to mine) Now Steve King is the embarrassment and and do to redistricting a bit too close for comfort. We'll end up with 2 so called Iowans being idiots. so technically all 3 should resign , but hey Scott Walker has broken the law three ways my my asshole... and he's still in the Gov spot. At the very most Steve King must resign. I can see running as a presidential twirp Michelle refusing. But this is a real Ethics issue. Not the fake one from Anthony Weiner who I hope is re elected in the special election...

[Wait Wut]

52. Really need to get to the eye doctor.

Thought this said:

"Bachmann Playing with House Monkey"

Totally confused me. What's wrong with an animal lover, huh? Get off 'er back fer crissakes!!

Oh...nm.

[SoapBox]

53. Not even a surprise...she's a Thug...a liar...and a crook...

Typical.

And she will simply get away with it...Thanks "lame stream" media for not covering this.

[Initech]

54. Unlike Vegas, Bachmann's house always loses.

[enki23]

56. thank god none of that money went to funding any fucking health care.

.

[AlbertCat]

57. thank god none of that money went to funding any fucking health care.

My thoughts exactly.


People who oppose the elected president deserve monetary help from Congress.

Sick people... not so much.... you're on your own.

[Yon_Yonson]

58. A picture and its thousand words

[Corruption Winz]

59. I'm sure it will be mentioned in some form or another.

Though, I don't think that it will be the issue it should be. I mean, she didn't tweet pictures of her boobies, so it's obviously not important.

My favorite part of this article. "Bachmann's office insists the expense was a proper use of official funds."

So, you can't use that money for political activities. They used it for political activities.

Thank God they insisted that it was proper. Otherwise, I might have thought she broke the law. Whew.

[Alcibiades]

60. This is getting coverage

I'm as cynical as anyone, but some folks in the media are covering this:

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/20/6898804-2012-bachmann-spends-taxpayer-on-tea-party-event

OK, so it's on outlets such as MSNBC, Minnesota Public Radio and Huffington Post. That still means it's not dead yet.

Also, please don't make this just about Bachmann. The fact is that Tom Price, Steve King and Todd Akin are all on the hook with her. They are all every bit as bad as Bachmann, too. It's a four-fer.

[wordpix]

61. and what ELSE have House repugs paid for with taxpayer funds?

[wordpix]

64. I accidentally came upon that crowd in '09 & will never forget the older guy on Medicare

I happened to meet this guy who was obviously around 70 holding a "No government health care" sign. I said to him, "Excuse me, but aren't you on Medicare?"

He responded, "I've worked for it."

I said, "So you've got yours but you want to prevent others from getting it?"

At that point, some other guy in the crowd butts in and starts foaming at the mouth and screaming at me about being a red Commie. (I'm sure this is the guy who spit on the black House member).

My response, "With an argument like that, I won't be joining your movement anytime soon."

These teabaggers are totally irrational and some of them are mentally imbalanced.

[geardaddy]

66. Man, I can't stand idiots like that.