August 25, 2005
National Republican Contributions to RI
Some people want me to believe that the national Republican party wants to donate $500,000 to the state Republican party, a full year before the election, because it is interested in improving the general health of the state party. If that is true, then the national party has dramatically changed its attitude towards Rhode Island in the past year.
Because of the Harwood and other scandals, the state Republican party was optimistic about its chances to pick up seats in both the Rhode Island Senate and General Assembly in 2004. So, in this potentially banner year, how much did the national Republicans contribute to Rhode Island? Well, according to opensecrets.org, which tracks campaign finance information, in 2004, the national party donated a grand total of $15,000 to the state party, contributing a single lump sum about a month before the election.
Now to be fair, the party did make substantial contributions in 2002, which like 2006, was a gubernatorial election year. But given this history, some Republicans in Rhode Island would like to know what strings are attached to the national party’s early $500,000 burst of generosity. Has the national party stipulated something like $485,000 of the money can only go to Lincoln Chafee and Don Carcieri, and that everyone else has to split up $15,000?
Andrew, drink all the Laffey Kool-aid you like.
Bottomline is Mr. Laffey HAS NOT DECLARED FOR THE SENATE yet his minion Mr. Manning has been sitting on a half million dollars of much needed party funds since MAY.
Please explain!!!!!!!!
And when you're done explaining that please explain how you hold this great devotion to a guy who's been running around trying to cut himself a deal using the "I won't run for the Senate" as his leverage??
Your party is a laughingstock and it's why people like me will not join.
Posted by: Tim at August 25, 2005 9:10 AMTim, I am going to explain this one more time to you. It doesn't matter that there are no declared candidates in the Senate race. According to RNC rule 11(a), the national party cannot stipulate that money be spent on a particular candidate before that candidate becomes the party's official nominee UNLESS all of the state party officers sign a waiver.
The fact that Robert Manning can block funds from coming to Rhode Island means that the national party is contributing the money with the stipulation the some portion of it can only be used to support Lincoln Chafee. Whether Manning is a Laffey ally or nor, he is right that the national party should not be supporting candidates before the voters of Rhode Island have their say.
And Tim, the only one who appears to be doing heavy drinking before posting is you.
Posted by: Andrew at August 25, 2005 9:47 AMAndrew, I knew you couldn't answer my
very legitimate questions.
Once again I'm going to explain this to you, Andrew.
If Steve Laffey were not interested in running for the Senate but let's say a no name Republican candidate was going to challenge Linc Chafee, Laffey minion Robert Manning would have already signed off on the half million from the RNC and would have done so in May.
This issue is NOT about party independence or principle at all (despite your spin) and EVERYONE knows it.
This is about a Laffey minion willing to screw his entire party to protect his buddy's turf.
Andrew, you Reps had better get your act together and soon. If not then there's a pretty good chance you're going to lose the governorship along with the Senate.
Tim, right now all the evidence points to the national party, to use your preferred term, “screwing” the state party in order to protect Lincoln Chafee.
If there is evidence – by evidence, I mean evidence, not unfounded accusations or character assassination – otherwise, I’d like to hear it.
But let’s make a token attempt to stay on-topic in the comments here. How do you explain the fact that the national party which contributed just $15,000 (a month before the election) to the state party in the last election cycle suddenly wants to contribute $500,000 (a year before the election)?
Andrew, why are you concerned over the RNC helping out an incumbent Republican Senator especialy when NOBOBY has declared they're challenging him??
How come Andy?? Let me guess, it's the principle of the matter. lol
And one more thing Andrew, how do you explain Steve Laffey running all over town trying to secure a sweet deal for himself and using the "I won't run for the Senate if you give me what I want" as his hand puppet Rob Manning sits on $500,000 earmarked for the state party since May??
Just because you drink the Kool-aid does not mean others looking at this scam don't see it for what it is.
Steve Laffey has hurt himself and your party with this game playing.
First of all, Mayor Laffey hasn't been "running all over town trying to secure a sweet deal" as our master of spin would like us all to believe. The state party has been offering him everything but the kitchen sink, in order to convince him not to run for Senate, because they know that if Laffey challenges Chafee in the Republican primary, that Chafee is toast. It won't even be close.
Laffey will do what he thinks will do the most good for the most people. If that means running for Senate, so be it. He's easily more than qualified for the position.
The RNC is trying to pull a fast one. They couldn't give a rat's rght rump about building the party in Rhode Island; they are just trying to find an alternate way of directing more resources to help Chafee (and to specifically not help a potential GOP challenger).
The RNC shouldn't be in the business of choosing winners in advance of an endorsement or a primary. That they are attempting to shut out Laffey completely, should he decide to run, only shows what their real agenda is -- protecting incumbents at any cost, no matter how lousy they are, how disloyal they are, or how much they undermine what the party stands for.