Posted on 12/29/2010 2:05:58 PM PST by freespirited
Federal authorities have opened a criminal investigation of Delaware Republican Christine O'Donnell to determine if the former Senate candidate broke the law by using campaign money to pay personal expenses, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to protect the identity of a client who has been questioned as part of the probe. The case, which has been assigned to two federal prosecutors and two FBI agents in Delaware, has not been brought before a grand jury.
Matt Moran, O'Donnell's former campaign manager, did not immediately respond Wednesday to questions from The AP. He said earlier this month that the campaign had not been contacted about any investigation and criticized what he called "lies and false-attack rumors."
The U.S. Attorney's office has confirmed it is reviewing a complaint about O'Donnell's campaign spending filed by a watchdog group, but officials in the office and the FBI declined to say whether a criminal investigation was under way.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
She did not endorse Brown so New Jersey Realist needs to issue an apology.
Heard this am that Rangel is begging the taxpayers to help him pay his legal fees.....
Another bailout?
What’s the matter, Charlie can’t slip and slide enough to pay those lawyers you didn’t use?
Now what planet are you living on. The (R)s in this corrupt "Two-Party Cartel" will be all talk & no action. They have more important items to take care - like banning plastic food bags or taking away your rights to vitamins.
Why would this have anything to do with Palin BTW.
Just another witch hunt by Obama’s thugs. Ba-dum-dum. Thank you, remember to tip your waitress.
(Sorry, someone had to do it.)
Just received this in email:
December 29, 2010. Wilmington, DE: Christine O’Donnell’s campaign released the following statement in response to investigation rumors and states that Democrat insiders warned her that the “Establishment” would use phony investigations to end her political career;
Campaign Manager Matt Moran responded to the rumor of a criminal investigation, “We have heard absolutely nothing other than the same unsubstantiated allegations and rumors that have been circulating in the press for months. “If anything does materialize from this rumor, we will continue to fully cooperate as we have made every attempt to ensure we are in compliance with all rules and regulations. The politically motivated charge was all started by false accusations by Christine’s political opponents, and ratcheted up by former Biden staffer Melanie Sloan and CREW with their false claims. Let us be clear: there was no impermissible use of campaign funds. Period. This is just an ongoing effort by the George Soros-funded CREW and other liberal groups and individuals to intimidate and threaten Christine, even after the election.”
Christine O’Donnell continued, “Since anonymous sources are being taken seriously, please allow me to share some tips I’ve received and keep the tipsters’ identities anonymous. We’ve been warned by multiple high-ranking Democrat insiders that the Delaware Democrat and Republican political establishment is jointly planning to pull out all the stops to ensure I would never again upset the apple cart. Specifically they told me the plan was to crush me with investigations, lawsuits and false accusations so that my political reputation would become so toxic no one would ever get behind me. I was warned by numerous sources that the DE political establishment is going to use every resource available to them. So given that the King of the Delaware Political Establishment just so happens to be the Vice President of the most liberal Presidential administration in U.S. history, it is no surprise that misuse and abuse of the FBI would not be off the table. And further connecting the dots, do you think it is just a coincidence that Melanie Sloan was a senior Biden staffer just before she joined CREW and filed her complaint against me?!
“I have faith that our supporters and the general public will see right through these thug tactics. This is simply an Establishment trick to stop the anti-establishment Tea Party movement in its tracks. Heck, the Presidency is at stake in 2012.”
Well, yes. Especially since Christine o'Donnell admitted it publicly.
O'Donnell may have convinced herself that she didn't break the law, but she clearly admitted to using campaign funds to pay her rent during the election.
She argued that her home was where her campaign headquarters was located, but the law is crystal clear and paying the rent where you live with campaign money is not allowed, period, whether or not your campaign is located there or not.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101229/ap_on_re_us/us_o_donnell_investigation
O'Donnell's campaign has denied wrongdoing, but acknowledged she had paid part of her rent at times with campaign money, arguing that her house doubled as a campaign headquarters.
Federal law prohibits candidates from spending campaign money for personal benefit. FEC rules say this prohibition applies to the use of campaign money for a candidate's mortgage or rent "even if part of the residence is being used by the campaign," although O'Donnell's campaign maintained that it was told otherwise by someone at the agency.
Previously:
O'Donnell had a judgement against her for not paying her mortgage.
* Owed the IRS $11K back taxes and a lien.
* Didn't pay back her student loans for 17 years.
* Sued a conservative think tank for millions and millions when they fired her for doing her own work on their time. She said she suffered mental anguish.
* Ran previous unsuccessful campaigns into debt
* Doesn't and hasn't had a full time job.
Is it too much to ask that next time, we run someone who can balance a checkbook, hold a job, and understand a clearly written law?
When dims do it, they say, “DID I DO THAT? I had no idea...” finger wagged in face, and everybody moves on. When repubs do it, dims say, “what, WHAT, WHAAAAT, cheater, Cheater, CHEATERRRRRR... you should have your finger nails pulled out one at a time, you loathsome, EEEEEEvil, REPUBL-ech-AN.” And of course three to six years of investigation and trial to last another 1 1/2 years, and a better than 50% chance of conviction in a liberal federal court.
Not good. The article further says "FEC rules say this prohibition applies to the use of campaign money for a candidate's mortgage or rent "even if part of the residence is being used by the campaign""
This is sounding more and more like Charlie Rangel. The powerful pull of access to millions of dollars must be almost irresistible.
Agree. O’Donnell was and is a flawed candidate. One that needs to get a steady job and pay her bills like the rest of us.
Maxine Waters. Her hideousness is called Maxine Waters.
Thanks! I was worried I was getting Alzheimers. It bothers me that so many freepers don’t get Palin.
Did Palin endorse Brown?
What’s wrong with you? SHE LOST THE ELECTION! Give it up.
Yes.
There is so much more to having a job than earning money. Going to work means that you are a responsible person in the long term, that you are able to think, set goals, plan, and carry out those plans. You can manage people/money/resources/time. You are capable of doing all of the things that responsible people do.
A woman (or man) who has reached her stage in life with such a lousy resume has issues.
P.S. Here is a Weekly Standard article about her with the quote about
O'Donnell said she pays half of her rent with campaign donations because she also uses the town home as her Senate campaign headquarters.
"I'm splitting it, legally splitting it and paying part of it," she said. "This is our technical headquarters."
The law is crystal clear on this issue and that is not allowed.
Why? It never seems to be an impediment for Democrats.
Besides, the rest of your allegations have been debunked long ago. Please try to keep up.
At least she paid her bills eventually. Like normal people. She didn't walk away from debt expecting a government handout at least.
What's wrong with me?: Since when is highlighting bad, irresponsible behavior wrong? Would you support that type of resume if the candidate was a Democrat?
Answer: Of course not.
So, why is it okay when the candidate is a Republican?
Answer: It isn't.
Why is it wrong to point out that what she did was wrong?
Answer: It isn't. Those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it. The GOP lost in Delaware. Look at the reason why and try to learn something from it. Don't sweep it under the rug and pretend it never happened. We live in the real world, and these issues matter.
Morals are not situational. It isn't "okay" just because our side does it, and I am not about to start pretend that it is.
Feel free to make all the excuses for bad behavior you like if it makes you "feel" better. Feel free to pretend it never happened. Morals aren't about "feelings", though. They are about facing up to right and wrong, and then doing the right thing even when it's hard.
That doesn't work on my kids, and it doesn't work in the adult world, either.
Seriously. Ethics are not situational.
Excuse bad behavior and you will get more bad behavior.
Besides, the rest of your allegations have been debunked long ago. Please try to keep up.
Which ones? With details, please.
Bunny, do your own research. You are keeping legends alive.
There are plenty of threads about COD with the facts on them. I’m not paid to educate you.
Umm...hoping your temper tantrum is over...my point was that she lost the election. Get over it.
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