Posted on 11/24/2023 2:02:08 PM PST by conservative98
By ABC News December 23, 2011
ABC News' Shushannah Walshe and Michael Falcone report:
DAVENPORT, Iowa - An Iowa Christian conservative leader who bestowed his highly sought-after endorsement on presidential candidate Rick Santorum this week is now at the center of a controversy over whether he asked for cash in exchange for his public support.
Less than 48-hours after receiving the backing of Bob Vander Plaats, the head of the prominent evangelical group The Family Leader, Santorum disclosed that the prominent Iowan told him he needed money to make the most out of the endorsement.
And sources familiar with talks between the conservative heavyweight and representatives from several of the Republican presidential campaigns went a step further, describing Vander Plaats' tactics as corrupt.
"Clearly the endorsement was for sale - without a doubt," one source said.
[cut]
Though Santorum did not specify the dollar amount he and Vander Plaats discussed, multiple sources said he was soliciting as much as $1 million from Santorum and other candidates.
In an interview with the Des Moines Register this week, Vander Plaats said that it was his "ethical responsibility" to essentially put some money where his mouth is.
"You can't say, 'We endorsed you. Now see you later,'" Vander Plaats told the Iowa newspaper. "That's not going to do a lot in the long run."
But one long-time Iowa conservative activist told ABC News, "There is no way he could buy enough ad space in Iowa for a million dollars - couldn't buy that much advertising in a week and a half in Iowa."
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
That is a lie. He did not “give VanderPlaatss $100,000.”
What happened was that his campaign bought an ad in the program for VanderPlaats’s event and bought a table at the event. A couple of other campaigns did the same.
Trump did, in fact, seek the endorsement AND OFFERED TO PAY FOR IT. That’s according to someone extremely close to the situation.
You’re being gaslighted.
(BTW, VanderPlaats has endorsed the winner in Iowa in each of hte last 4 contested nomination fights.)
ABC “News” is not a credible source.
I think Scott also put out some money before he withdrew.
Not credible sources.
So you’re going to ignore you said Trump tried to bribe vander plaats for an endorsement, and accused others when he didn’t get it...
Figures....
Typical behavior to expect from desantis and his supporters.
Both are wannabe preachers and make up stories.
As Trump used to say, “The Bible held high. He puts it down and then he lies.”
ROTFLOL!
desantis bought a used wh0re!
That’s true; he did.
He didn’t pay anything for it.
Bullshit.
Better yet....
Post your credible media source that says Trump tried to bribe vander plaats, and when he got rejected, began attacking desantis....
Or it shows you lied and just made stuff up
VanderPlaats said so himself. I think he knows mroe about this than you do.
I’m sorry you believe accurate information is BS.
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