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Former President of National Restaurant Association has Ties to the Mitt Romney Campaign

Former President of National Restaurant Association has Ties to the Mitt Romney Campaign 0diggsdiggBased on a suggestion from a local blogger to look into political donors on the Board of Directors of the National Restaurant Association for potential ties to presidential campaigns, I have attempted to identify anyone privy to inside information about the National Restaurant Association who also has recent ties to any presidential campaign.

According to the October 2011 FEC report for ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT INC. a gentlemen named Steven C. Anderson gave $1,000.00 on July 14, 2011. FEC search function here.

Steven C. Anderson is the same gentlemen who took over the helm as Chief Executive Officer at the National Restaurant Association (after a brief intermission) upon Herman Cain's departure in 1999. As CEO it is highly likely he would have been privy to details of litigation and threats about litigation from the immediately previous tenure of Herman Cain.

There is little more than a coincidence between the support for Mitt Romney and the likelihood that Mr. Anderson knows the background of the sexual harassment threats. Nonetheless, watchers of this scandal endlessly pontificate about whether President Obama or a rival campaign is the driving force behind the bombshell story that appeared in the Politico on Sunday.

Reporters should follow-up with Mr. Anderson to discern his knowledge. At the least he likely knows the short list of people with inside knowledge about the sexual harassment allegations.

~23:15 11/1/11 UPDATE: Apparently as this post has taken on a life of its own I need to clarify a few things.

1. This truly is the exact same Steven C. Anderson at the same address that gave donations while at the National Restaurant Association in the early 2000’s.

2. I have purposefully not listed his address, and made it slightly difficult to find. There is an error in the FEC database that leads to a mistaken link for those who dig deeper. Rest assured he made the donation.

3. He may not be the source. If he is not, then he likely knows the short list of people who could have been the source.

Lastly, do not forget to follow @ppradoslaw on Twitter as I broadcast to thousands of conservatives libertarians, and a handful of patient moderates, democrats, and progressives.