CA-SEN: Fiorina and the GOP Launch Last-Minute Back-Door Attack on Chuck DeVore

California Senate Race 2010: Carly Fiorina and the GOP Launch Last-Minute Back-door Attack on Chuck DeVore

Apparently, the Republican party “establishment” in California has forgotten about Ronald Reagan’s 11^th commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.” It was postulated by Reagan after he was viciously attacked in the primary for the California governor’s race in the 1960s. (Read his whole speech about it here.)

What is happening right now in the California Senate race is something that voters in the Golden State need to know. It is beyond “speaking ill” of another Republican. Carly Fiorina and certain factions of the GOP establishment nationally and in California are using their money and connections to smear conservative Republican candidate Chuck DeVore just before absentee ballots go out. It won’t matter later if Chuck’s name is cleared later. The damage will be done. This kind of tactic should offend most voters if they know about it.

In the past few weeks, internet bloggers have begun posting stories that California GOP Senate candidate Chuck DeVore is “under investigation” by the Federal Election commission for allegedly “misusing public funds” by having two of his Senate campaign staff on his California state assemblyman state payroll.

An investigation by UNCOVERAGE.net this weekend shows that in the waning weeks before the June 8 primary race for California Senate, the big-money Carly Fiorina campaign and its “operatives” are trying to knock out her grassroots Tea Party competitor in the race, Chuck DeVore, with allegations that appear to be coming from an “independent” “citizens” group. There’s also a barrage of supportive “blogging” for Fiorina to advance the story, which is doubtfully “independent” in nature.

The most recent blog rumor, this one at Redcounty.com, offered no links to any documents. It was given a prominent position on the website, titled with a fore-boding “Sounds Like A Possible FEC Investigation Into DeVore.” The basis for the rumor is what purports to be an “insider” memo from the Fiorina campaign’s Martin Wilson dated April 22, 2010:

“An independent group, California Citizens for Ethics in Government, has called on the California Attorney General and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to investigate whether Chuck is using public dollars to subsidize his campaign. We’ll let the guardians of the public fisc do their job and not speculate about where this may lead.” (original underlining)

Another website which appears to be a dentist’s blog with Carly Fiorina advertising around the edge, picked up the story with this title:

“CA-Sen: Chuck DeVore Misused Public Funds? The answer may be yes if the facts in the below embedded complaint are indeed true.”

The blog then supposedly “linked” to what it called CA Attorney General Complaint Against Chuck Devore.

Click on that link and what is found are two letters, one to California attorney general Jerry Brown (who is a Democrat running for governor) and another to the Federal Election Commission. The letters request that an investigation be started into Chuck DeVore’s purported misuse of government funds by having his volunteer campaign staff on the payroll of his state assemblyman’s office.

–First of all, these letters are REQUESTS that DeVore be investigated. There is nothing anywhere that confirms an investigation by the state attorney general or by the Federal Elections Commission is underway. The blog headlines which imply FEC or attorney general’s investigations are ongoing are false. They are proliferating anyway.

–The RedCounty.com blog, (which has been linked or posted on various other websites as a reference piece, has been disseminated widely in the past 24 hours) purports that the complaints against Chuck DeVore are from an “independent agency.” That is simply not true.

The “citizens” group which sent the letters demanding Republican candidate for Senate Chuck DeVore be investigated for a possible crime has ties to the Carly Fiorina Republican Senate campaign, and to the California Republican Party. It could be that this interconnection of the three may itself be improper or illegal under election laws. At the very least, this is a bullying tactic that California voters deserve to know about before they vote in this primary.

A simple Google search shows “California Citizens for Ethics in Government,” which wrote the letters, has no website. The letters demanding investigations are dated April 6, signed by “Bob Davis,” the president of the organization with an address listed in El Dorado Hills, California, a suburb of Sacramento.

A listing at Campaignmoney.com shows “California Citizens for Ethics in Government” is a 527 political organization set up in 2008 by Charles H. Bell, Jr. who gives an address of 455 Capitol Mall, Suite 801, Sacramento.

“ 527 committees are tax-exempt groups established to raise unlimited money for general political activities, such as voter mobilization efforts. They are prohibited from directly supporting or opposing a specific candidate. Here’s what the most active 527 groups have brought in and spent this cycle.”

The office address at 455 Capitol Mall, Suite 801 is actually for the law firm of Bell, McAndrews and Hiltachk, LLP, where Charles H. Bell, Jr., is senior partner. Again, Mr. Bell is listed as the contact for “California Citizens for Ethics in Government.” Who is Charles Bell?

“Mr. Bell is the General Counsel to the California Republican Party, and has served in that role for 23 of the past 29 years. He has counseled many California candidates and officeholders, including current Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Governors Pete Wilson and George Deukmejian, Attorney General Dan Lungren, and many of the State Assembly and Senate Republican Leaders since 1980. Mr. Bell also has represented the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee on California matters, as well as a number of federal candidates and officeholders. Mr. Bell has served as counsel to numerous political action committees, lobbyists and lobbying firms, corporations and trade associations.”

Opensecrets.org’s records show Carly for California’s 527 committee is the 7^th largest in the country right now, with $3.5 million dollars in donations and $830,000 in expenditures.

Only 527s such as the Obama-loving SEIU (Service Employees International Union) and the pro-abortion Emily’s List have more money than Carly’s group.

A check of Carly for California’s FEC filing shows it uses the same address as the “California Citizens for Ethics in Government”: 455 Capitol Mall, Suite 801, Sacramento.

When contacted by Saturday by telephone, Mr. Bell confirmed his law firm represents the California Republican Party, Carly Fiorina’s Senate campaign, the Meg Whitman for California governor campaign, and “many others.” He said he is “only” the “treasurer” of the “California Citizens for Ethics in Government” and that the group’s president, Mr. Davis would have to discuss the accusatory letters about Chuck DeVore written by the group to the state attorney general and FEC.

When asked if he thought it might be a conflict of interest for him or his law firm to be representing Carly Fiorina for Senate and the California Republican party, and to be listed as the contact for a “citizens” 527 group which was trying to initiate a criminal investigation against Carly’s opponent in the Senate race, Mr. Bell said he did “not appreciate being cross-examined.”

I probably also mentioned something about the ethics and advisability of the California Republican party “eating its own” before Mr. Bell hung up on me.

I have not spoken with “President” Bob Davis of the supposedly “independent” citizens’ committee which is attacking DeVore. I think we know what we need to know. The law firm which represents the well-oiled Carly Fiorina campaign, and the state Republican party, has also created this thinly-veiled “citizens” committee which is viciously attacking the other Republican candidate in the California Senate race, Chuck DeVore, one month before the primary. Lovely.

This is “astro-turf” against “grassroots” in California Republican politics. The establishment good ol’ boys have decided that Carly Fiorina should win this race and they are now pulling out all stops to see that it happens.

The procession of endorsements from out of state carpet-baggers to campaign for Carly Fiorina is a RINO rhumba dance: John McCain (for whom Carly worked in 2008), Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, you get the picture.

This week, Sarah Palin burned her Tea Party bridges around the country by going full-in for Carly. Since Sarah feels she must be loyal to John McCain for pulling her out of Alaska and into the national klieg-lights, she apparently feels she must also support McCain’s aide, Carly. This seems odd since Carly dissed Sarah for “not being qualified” to run a big company during the presidential race. Fiorina was back-benched by McCain after the flub, and dubbed “Joe Biden-like” for her public speaking gaffes.

(Knowing that about Carly, the idea of the brain-foofing Fiorina debating the hormone-raging “Don’t Call Me Ma’am” Barbara Boxer for the U.S. Senate race in California is a really bad visual. Talk about “lose-lose” scenario for California.)

The good old boys at the National Republican Senatorial Committee believe they know best for every state in the country. After brilliantly driving the John McCain presidential “run/walk” off the cliff in 2008, they pushed Charlie Crist in the Senate race in Florida. A young new conservative, Marco Rubio, was already in and raising money, but suddenly, Rubio was going to have spend a lot more money. Rubio has, and he went from nowhere to 30 points ahead of Crist last month. Way to call it (again) John and Rob!

Crist, as the “anointed one,” pocketed loads of NRSC cash, but just switched parties to an independent/”traitor” after Rubio cleaned his clock in the polls. Now NRSC chairman, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, is whining they should get their money back. Duh.

The NRSC also began manipulating of the California Senate race to beat incumbent Barbara Boxer began last year. Chuck DeVore was running for the Senate all by himself, a Ronald Reagan conservative. He’s a state assemblyman, not a millionaire.

The “geniuses” at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, are Sen. Cornyn and his disastrous former Texas staffer, Rob Jesmer, who was “peter-principled” up to the NRSC when Cornyn eked into the chairmanship. (more on Rob Jesmer.)

After messing with the Florida Senate race, Jesmer and Cornyn got it into their well-coiffed heads that there needs to be a “moderate” vagina GOP candidate to run against Boxer in California. DeVore was the “out man” from that point on and the race became much more expensive for him.

Eventually getting the “coronation” from the NRSC was Hewlett Packard’s fired CEO, Carly Fiorina. She has a $21 million dollar “parachute” from HP burning a hole in her Prada ® bag, apparently. From a Cornyn/Jesmer perspective, it’s always better to have a candidate who will “self-fund” with her own millions so the national committee doesn’t have to, right? Invoking Joe Biden again, Fiorina gave them all a headache by holding back her own cash for awhile. She did eventually pony up.

In the meantime, Chuck DeVore scrounged $1.8 million the “hard way.” That’s more than has been raised by the supposed “front-runner” Republican, Tom Campbell.

The NRSC’s guidelines are such that it is not supposed to “play favorites” in contested races. So it was a little embarrassing that Carly Fiorina (uh oh, Joe Biden again) bragged publicly last October that she was “recruited” by the NRSC to run for Boxer’s seat. DeVore had a big “I told you so.” The NRSC even had to “help out” a hopeless candidate in the CA-SEN race after Fiorina’s “gaffe” by offering an embarassing fig leaf to the what’s-his-name by letting him use a Sacramento office for a news conference….to show how objective and nice they are. Chuck has understandably declined to meet with NRSC. He probably feels they will just run back to Carly with the oppo and rightly so.

The OC Register blog’s “WatchDog” discussed the allegations of “misuse” of government funds with the DeVore campaign last month when the “citizen’s” group letter first came out. The allegations stem from two employees of the DeVore campaign who are volunteering their time on the campaign, yet are paid staff in his state assemblyman’s office. You can read the whole discussion here from OC Watchdog April 15, 2010 and here.

For the record, Fiorina’s people told the OC Watchdog it’s just a coincidence that the “citizen’s group” shares an address with Carly’s campaign attorney. (crickets chirping.)

I’m no attorney or investigator, so I make no legal conclusions about whether there is anything improper about DeVore’s handling of his staff salaries. The explanations given to the OC Watchdog seem very thorough and clearly the campaign is aware of the laws and feels it has followed them. It is also not unusual for state employees to work on the campaigns of their employers. If the boss gets elected to the next best job, the loyalists move up and along for the ride to the big show. DeVore’s staffers say they work for little pay because they believe in him.

Why? Have all of you lost your memories of the 2008 election and the media trashing that took place against Palin? Do ANY OF YOU remember who it was that came out in a news conference to defend Palin and then went on ALL the nighttime programs to defend her? Yes, it was Fiorina... no one should be shocked that Sarah has endorsed her and I bet they even discussed some of the things important to Palin during that period of time and Sarah knows her a lot better than the people here.

Why? Did you read my post:

For the record, Fiorina’s people told the OC Watchdog it’s just a coincidence that the “citizen’s group” shares an address with Carly’s campaign attorney.

That is obscene. Palin should withdraw her support immediately.

You are one of those guys that likes to carry his baggage around from thread to thread I see, try not to do that.

I did ask you if you know who wrote this conspiracy theory article you posted. Do you?

“to me it looks like a good strategy would be for people to realize that Tom Campbell is in the race, and is winning it.”

For someone who is carping about us not ‘getting it’, I thought for sure you’d have a great strategy for us to consider for the end of this race. This is it?

Maybe DeVore pulls Fiorina rightward, and then she’ll have to deal with the Tea Party directly.

Further, this is not a sprint - it is a marathon. That said, this is a key race we cannot afford to lose to a RINO like Campbell. Fiorina is probably just a lesser RINO, establishment Republican. I say in 2 weeks Conservatives in CA make their decision, but not now.

When the worst candidate possible is consistently ahead, and I have to use the MOE going in both directions to get to a tie, well, I never do that.

I want people to realize that a man named Tom Campbell is running, and is winning the primary, and I would like to start seeing some discussion on that.

Sarah Palin was right to endorse Rick Perry and right to endorse Rand Paul.

I forgive her for McCain and even for Fiorina.

I would vote for her right now for president.

But this move with Fiorina hurts me and it should hurt her when she considers her own roots as the “outsider”

Read the bottom of page 2 and top of page 3 in “Going Rogue.”

She describes being shunned when she first ran for office by the pro-life group because of the “state GOP machine.” She was the Chuck DeVore back then.

“It doesn’t look that close to me” Did you read that last poll? Fiorina is within the margin of error. Do you know what the MOE there was? 4.3% - put her up and Campbell down that much, and she’s past him. With 15% undecided. Yes, if DeVore is still polling like this in 2 weeks, many Conservatives will need to make a tough decision - to abandon DeVore and wipe out Campbell. But not yet. That’s my strategy. This is NOT a game. It IS driving the whole crew rightward. “it looks like a good strategy would be for people to realize that Tom Campbell is in the race, and is winning it.” That’s not a strategy Ansel - what do you want us to DO?

Nine polls this year, Jan onwards: Devore: 6-14% Fiorina: 16-27% Campbell: 23-34% Isn't it obvious? Stop Campbell.

“and I have to use the MOE going in both directions to get to a tie”

OK, use 3.5% of the MOE in both directions and they’re tied with 15% undecided. I think you’ll see much more resolution in 2 weeks in any case.

This is crunch time, we can’t abandon DeVore now, and you’re still not telling us what you think we should do in the next 4 weeks.

Fear of Campbell, Fear of Pelosi, Fear of Obama, Fear of ......??????

The RNC, NRCC, NRSC love to use fear to drive us to vote for the same old business as usual politicians.

I am not afraid and I will vote my conscience here in Pennsylvania on May 18th.

I hope Californians do the same on June 8th.

I like Sarah. It’s Carly that I have a problem with.

Just two statements disqualify her for my vote.
1. She said her favorite senator was Diane Feinstein.
2. She said that Jesse Jackson had done more for more people than anyone in recent history.

I seem to remember that it was Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thachter that caused the Berlin wall to come down, the countries of Eastern Europe to be free, and the Soviet Union to implode. Can’t recall how Jesse had much to do with that.

You are correct. Sarah is the one who has been in the trenches.
Left Wing bloggers, etc filed over 2 dozen Frivolous law suits, all thrown out costing her legal fees and time away from her work.
Every type of smear about her and her family.
Lies about her record.

In 2008 Sarah Palin learned she would have a down syndrome baby
and gave birth to Trig because she walks the walk with her PRO LIFE belief the Same year her 18 year old son left for a year in Iraq in the Army then Sarah was picked to run for Vice President.

Some her on FR can bash her all they want, it only proves what type of people they are.

Further, this is not a sprint - it is a marathon.

This is a huge absentee state, voting starts tomorrow, this is going to be a short Marathon.

During this week or two that you mention, would be a good time to introduce freerepublic to the actual front runner in the California Senate race, Tom Campbell.

It would be nice for people to find out that an 800 pound gorilla is sitting in an easy chair up, by the finish line.

You are one of those guys that likes to carry his baggage around from thread to thread I see, try not to do that.
I did ask you if you know who wrote this conspiracy theory article you posted. Do you?

You are one sick puppy.

Why are you bringing up other threads?

Being as you have, do you really expect me to answer a question when on another thread I asked you many questions, and you just copied and pasted a stock statement about a poll and ignored the questions?

You got a link to a "conspiracy theory" thread I have posted?

It's obvious you don't spend much effort reading posts to you and responding with reasoned discourse, but if you want information about a source click on the link at the top of a thread.

It helps sometimes to read those.

“Nine polls this year, Jan onwards: Devore: 6-14% Fiorina: 16-27% Campbell: 23-34% Isn’t it obvious? Stop Campbell.”

Obvious? You, or Fiorina, can’t presume the support of the Tea Partiers (perhaps you are one). Fiorina had best get out there and start earning it. Also, I’m confident that Tea Partiers will ‘do the right thing here.’ I think in about 2 weeks if Devore is still double digits behind, they roll off and squash Campbell.

But she needs to get out there publicly and earn our support.

IMHO.

But this move with Fiorina hurts me and it should hurt her when she considers her own roots as the “outsider”

You're right, however, trying say that there is a pattern here is not factual or supportable by the facts on the ground.

It comes across as another agenda-driven baseless slam by people that are best described as PDS Sufferers.

It never fails that you refuse to be honest about your executive position in a competing Political party.

Yeah, right, I guess that's why my homepage tells everything about me. What my agenda is, in detail. Including my own real name.

I don't see any like that on your homepage.

“This is a huge absentee state, voting starts tomorrow, this is going to be a short Marathon.”

I was not talking about just this race. I’m talking about taking back this nation. The soul of this nation. You evidently are thinking much more short term.

Still no strategy from the one carping about how crazy it is that we’re not talking about Campbell...waiting...

Sorry if I’m not answering all your questions that you want to pose to me, it isn’t my job here.

Campbell is in the winners seat and voting is already starting, and I see thread after thread, of people concentrating on the general match up with the three of them versus Boxer.

Yeah, right, I guess that's why my homepage tells everything about me. What my agenda is, in detail. Including my own real name.

I don't see any like that on your homepage.

That's not the point, now is it? And it is just another example of deceitful deflection on your part.

The point is that you are never out-front or open or honest about being an executive in a third-party political party when you go on a GOP-bashing binge.

Never!

It always has to be pointed out by someone else.

It is shameful behavior on your part.

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