The RNC needs to learn how to manage its money
It seems the folks at the Republican National Committee aren’t as fiscally conservative with their money as they say they’d be with taxpayers’ money, according to a report from The Washington Post’s 44 blog. According to newly filed financial disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, the RNC has spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on expensive meals, limousines, and hotel accommodations, including nearly $2,000 that was spent for meal expenses at Voyeur West Hollywood, a lesbian-themed California nightclub that features topless dancers wearing horse-bits and other bondage gear. The club includes “impromptu bondage and S&M ‘scenes’ being played out on an elevated platform by scantily clad performers,” and its opening night included one woman “with a horse’s bit in her mouth…strapped to the wall by another,” according to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times. After the $2,000 spent at Voyeur West Hollywood was made public, the RNC announced it was investigating the disbursement, which was made to Erik Brown, a high-dollar Republican Party contributor. A spokesman for the RNC was quick to note Brown was not on the RNC’s staff and that the expenses at Voyeur were not related to an official RNC event, and that an investigation into the disbursement has been initiated.
Here’s some of the more noteworthy expenses from the RNC’s financial disclosure reports:
- $2,000 at Voyeur West Hollywood
- More than $17,000 on private jet travel in February
- Nearly $13,000 for limousines and car services
- $9,000 at the posh Beverly Hills Hotel
- $6,600 at the equally posh Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons
- $15,000 at the W Hotel in Washington
- $43,000 for the GOP’s midwinter meeting in sunny Hawaii, a number that does not include airfare
Michael Steele, chairman of the RNC, has previously come under fire for his alleged mismanagement of the RNC’s finances, and it’s worth noting that while the RNC had more than $22 million on hand when Steele was chosen as RNC chair last year, the RNC’s cash on hand is down to under $10 million now, despite the RNC raising $96 million during that same time period.
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You do realize that Republican staffer was promptly fired? Care to mention that?
On a side note, I’m heading to Las Vegas this weekend. Any chance I can borrow your kid for card counting assistance on the blackjack tables?
Middle Ground, my son doesn’t like hanging out with internet trolls, but I’m betting the folks over at Badger Blogger would certainly appreciate your cracks about my family, since most of the commenters over there seem to relish those kinds of comments about a person’s family, etc. I’m assuming that by referencing my son’s autism, you were really really hoping to get a rise out of me, but it’ll take more than comments by some random internet troll to get under my skin. However, here’s a word of advice: if you’re going to come over here and make comments about my family, at least be man enough to do so without hiding behind a proxy server.
Email: midground@yahoo.com
Hostname: 64.34.197.75
ISP: Peer 1 Network
Organization: ServerBeach
Proxy: Confirmed proxy server
Zach…I read this earlier and I was going to reply but then thought he wasn’t worth it…and I knew you’d take care of him. He just wants to get under your skin as you said. And…I’m sure he crawled out of his hole at Badger Blogger to come here and troll.
Good for you…you handled *it* perfectly.
The internet brings out the ugly in some people.
Hmmm and weren’t we just talking about the desire of more civility and respect? I admit, I had to look up the term “internet troll” — that was a new one to me.
Back to the topic, just one reason I have never contributed to the RNC! But do you honestly believe that the DNC doesn’t spend money on limos and fancy hotels? I wonder if Steele is on the way out…?
forgot…who are you “hmmmm”ing at? Who do you think was not civil or respectful? If you have something to say spit it out instead of playing these stupid games with your half-ass comments.
Oh no Anon I think you misunderstood. I was referencing a comment Zach and I were having on another post about mutual respect even when there are disagreements, and then we went from that to seeing a comment like the one from Middle Ground. I was agreeing that the Middle Ground guy was out of line. I didn’t mean my comment to come off as snarky or unclear, but I can certainly see how it came off that way reading it now after the fact.
Thank you for clarifying your comment.
Laurie, the entertainment club was not the only thing mentioned. Zach referenced limo, hotel, and meal expenses, as he has done before, to imply Republicans are out of touch for holding a conference in Hawaii. Because the DNC is sitting around a Motel 6 in Toledo eating from McDonalds. ?!
And I acknowledged that the DNC does spend money on limos, hotels and meals….but they know how to keep it out of the scandle news. By the RNC listing the name of the club in their reports they made the story.
So someone fell on his sword…but I bet it took more than just one RNC staffer to get a disbursement made.
I’m betting you’re right.
This ‘scandal’ does not bother me. The National Inquirer drives scandal today, ask Edwards. Drinks at a bondage-themed club flys in the face of Republican posturing but I don’t see a scandal. Anybody caught OWI? Anybody there that Spitzer knows?
I think this sort of thing goes on with the Democrats as well. It’s part of the fundraising game. I don’t think it would be too hard to compile a list of very sordid enteratinment activities involving Democrats.
If Steele had to go to a strip club to keep a donor happy – that’s fine with me. We need every dime we can get.