(the two of us) , Whenifhow, and LasVegasDave.
Posted on 04/08/2014 6:50:35 AM PDT by Deadeye Division
WASHINGTON, D. C. - A controversial Super PAC headed by former GOP congressman Steve LaTourette has spent $44,000 on mailings against the Tea Party Republican who is challenging his handpicked successor in Congress, Russell Township GOP congressman Dave Joyce.
Federal Election Commission records show the Defending Main Street SuperPAC that LaTourette launched to support centrist Republicans against Tea Party challengers bought mailers against Bainbridge Township state legislator Matt Lynch on March 18.
FEC records show the group also spent $200,000 in March on door hangers to support the re-election of Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson, who chairs House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. Last July, Simpson's subcommittee restored money to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at Joyce's request after an earlier version of the bill slashed the program by 80 percent.
Defending Main Street SuperPAC treasurer Sarah Chamberlain said the organization made independent expenditures in those races to counter spending by the Club for Growth, which has backed challengers to several GOP incumbents it deems insufficiently conservative.
"If the Club for Growth would stop attacking sitting members of Congress, we wouldn't need to exist," Chamberlain said.
FEC records compiled by the Sunlight Foundation show the Club for Growth has spent more than $200,000 to oppose Simpson, though it hasn't spent anything in the race between Joyce and Lynch.
Club for Growth spokesman Barney Keller acknowledged his group backs Simpson's opponent, attorney Bryan Smith, and spent money on his behalf. He said it "is watching" the race between Lynch and Joyce, but hasn't issued an endorsement or spent any money.
"I think Steve LaTourette may have eaten a lot of paint chips as a kid," said Keller.
Through a spokesman, LaTourette called Keller's taunt "a pretty bold statement for a guy named after a purple dinosaur."
Lynch was endorsed last month by a separate group called FreedomWorks for America, which distributed yard signs to favor his campaign.
Lynch said he believes the mailings by LaTourette's group will help him "dramatically" because they demonstrate Lynch is the "real conservative" in the race.
"Steve LaTourette was a disappointing congressman for many years who was kept in office by the party establishment," Lynch said. "When he left, the party bosses chose Dave Joyce to carry on in the same vein. For those who want a congressman who will just go to John Boehner and kiss the ring, it fits perfectly with that M.O."
Joyce spokesman Kevin Benacci replied that Joyce is "proud of the fact that he got Washington on a budget for the first time in 5 years, has voted against Obamacare every single chance he’s had and actually introduced a bill that would cut $200 billion in government waste and duplicative programs."
"Matt Lynch is running around like the boy who cried wolf, complaining about one thing after another in an attempt to distract from his real record - voting with the Ohio Democratic Party Chairman nearly 60% of the time and voting against a $2.7 billion tax cut for Ohioans," Benacci continued.
The Defending Main Street SuperPAC has raised most of its publicly disclosed cash from labor unions - a fact that has rankled some other GOP organizations. Records show it collected $250,000 each last year from the International Union of Operating Engineers and Working for Working Americans, a building trades union. It has also collected $150,000 from the Laborers International Union of North America and $100,000 from the Laborers' Political League Education Fund.
Chamberlain said many labor union members are Republicans, who are pleased to see a share of their organizational money go to Republicans.
"Every dollar given to us is a dollar that is not given to Nancy Pelosi," said Chamberlain. "We use that money to keep Republicans elected in swing districts."
She said the Defending Main Street organization also has a wide range of non-union donors who give money through a 501 (c) 4 operation that doesn't have to be publicly disclosed. She said the group's union donors want to publicize their GOP contributions.
In addition to serving as president of the Defending Main Street SuperPAC, Chamberlain said LaTourette is on the board of a different political action committee called the Republican Main Street Partnership PAC. Chamberlain is treasurer of both organizations.
She said the Republican Main Street Partnership PAC makes $5,000 and $10,000 contributions to sitting members of Congress and does not focus on independent expenditures, like the other group, although FEC records show it spent roughly $23,000 on a radio ad against Democrat Alex Sink, who last month lost a Florida special election to Republican David Jolly.
Over the past year, the Republican Main Street Partnership PAC gave money to Joyce, as well as Ohio GOP congressmen Jim Renacci of Wadsworth, Mike Turner of the Dayton area and Steve Stivers and Pat Tiberi of the Columbus area. It also gave money to the National Congressional Campaign Committee and House Speaker John Boehner.
Its donors are primarily large corporations. A small fraction are labor unions.
A policy retreat weekend that that a Republican Main Street Partnership offshoot called "Main Street Advocacy" is holding next weekend at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida, has drawn outrage from some conservative bloggers. They accuse participating GOP leaders - such as House GOP Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia and House GOP Whip Kevin McCarthy of California - of collaborating "with left-wing interests against conservatives."
Chamberlain said members of Congress at the retreat will brief donors on main street business issues, such as tax extenders that are being considered by Congress.
"We are not having secret meetings to talk about defeating conservative members of Congress," said Chamberlain. "We are really talking about policy and what we hope to get accomplished."
“I think Steve LaTourette may have eaten a lot of paint chips as a kid,” said Keller.
Through a spokesman, LaTourette called Keller’s taunt “a pretty bold statement for a guy named after a purple dinosaur.”
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I miss Ronald Reagan and William F. Buckley so much.
LaTourette, why not join the Moderate Democrat Party, because you aren’t a Republican. What you are is a jackass.
Ohio Bump
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