Well, sir, I am truly happy to hear your experiences with Alan Keyes have been far more productive than were mine and those of nearly everone I know who ever worked, or had dealings, with him. In his home state, the man is basically a pariah, to the point his help on others' campaigns is unwanted.
Since you've worked closely with Keyes, has he ever explained why he was past due on his taxes or why he's failed to pay off his campaign debts?
All I know on these financial matters is what I read in the papers.
"The lien resulted from what Pascoe called "an erroneous tax accounting" involving payments for speeches by Keyes to a personal corporation he formed to handle money he makes as a public speaker, Pascoe said.
Former Illinois Atty. Gen. Ty Fahner, who screened potential GOP Senate candidates, said they all were asked whether they had failed to file any state or federal income taxes. And they were asked if they had any outstanding issues with the Federal Election Commission, which regulates campaign spending in federal campaigns.
Though some Republican sources said they believed Keyes had not fully disclosed all his campaign debts, two state central committeemen said he told the committee, which nominated him Wednesday, that the debts were being taken care of.
"The majority of the outstanding debt is money that is due and payable to longtime Keyes staff and operatives," said Pascoe. "They fully expect to settle the campaign's debts within short order of coming to final agreement with the FEC."
At the committee meeting, when asked about his outstanding campaign debts, Keyes "said everything is being finalized and worked out," said state Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford).
Douglas Webber of the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C., said it is not unusual for candidates to allow debt to accrue for years in losing campaigns."
Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune
Obviously, as you aren't an Illinoisan, you can't vote in our state for Keyes. However, you might want to take note of your own comments about yourself on this forum, when one clicks on your name. Here you are:
"I vote for the most libertarian/conservative candidate in Republican primaries, but always vote "R" in the general - no matter how the "R" stacks up against the "D." As a numbers man, I know it's always the more "R's" the better.
Lastly, to me a RINO is a someone who claims to be a Republican - but who will vote for someone other than a Republican because he/she may disagree with some of the views a given Republican candidate supports. Other definitiions of "RINO" are disingenuous at best."