RandySF
RandySF's JournalChristine O’Donnell used super pac to buy copies of her own book
She may, famously, not be a witch, but here’s a bit of money magic from former Delaware Republican Senate candidate and recent Mitt Romney endorser Christine O’Donnell: her political campaign gave $142,000 to her super PAC, which proceeded to buy copies of her book.
Federal Election Commission reports filed by her campaign and super PAC this week show that the money her campaign gave to her super PAC represents just under 62 percent of the $229,985 the PAC took in during 2011. $19,912.30 of that money went towards an August 20th purchase labeled “PAC Fundraising Non-Residual Books” from a book shop in Philadelphia.
O’Donnell’s book, “Troublemaker,” had a list price of $25.99. If the books were purchased at that price, the campaign would have gotten around 766 copies. It’s unclear how all those copies were used for fundraising purposes since O’Donnell only received contributions from 16 individuals in the second half of the year. If all of them received a copy, she would have 750 copies of the book on hand.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/christine_odonnell_campaign_gave_to_christine_odonnells_super_pac_which_bought_christine_odonnells_book.php?ref=fpnewsfeed
Ann Romney to crowd: Obey!
Oh lord, it will be a long 4 years if she is First Lady.
Reporter booed, physically shoved at Nevada caucus site
A Los Angeles Times reporter was forced to leave a southern Nevada caucus location Saturday after some Republican voters accused her of being a spy.
Reporter Ashley Powers said she was thrown out of a community center in suburban Sun City Anthem outside Las Vegas after a Republican volunteer mistakenly told the crowd of voters that members of the media didn't have permission to observe balloting.
Powers said the crowd of elderly voters then booed her. She said she was told security would be called if she didn't leave, so she left the room. When she later tried to re-enter, an elderly man grabbed her arm and pushed her.
Powers said Clark County GOP spokeswoman Bobbie Haseley called her to apologize for the misunderstanding.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/feb/04/nv-nevada-caucuses-media-1st-ld-writethru/?hpap
'FEAR FACTOR' PRODUCERS: Canceling Donkey Semen Episode Was an Expensive Mistake
"Fear Factor" producers aren't just pissed NBC execs pulled the plug on their donkey semen episode because it's hilarious -- they're pissed because ANOTHER stunt on the show was extremely expensive to stage ... and now it's going to waste.
Sources connected with the show tell TMZ, in addition to the donkey semen stunt -- contestants had to jump a car through a moving train ... a stunt that cost roughly $150,000 to put together ... and now, will never see the light of day.
On top of the train disappointment -- we're told producers were baffled by NBC's decision to yank the episode ... because the semen challenge was "hands down the nastiest concept" out of the bunch of other stunts that were killed BEFORE coming to fruition.
As one source put it, "There's lots of other gross stuff, but how do you top donkey semen?" A good question.
http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/04/fear-factor-donkey-semen-mistake/#.Ty2vBn3PW_4
AZ lawmaker suggests holiday for white people
Rep. Cecil Ash, a Republican from Mesa, is suggesting Arizona needs a holiday for white people.
"I wanted to speak to you all about Latino Americans here in Arizona," said state Rep. Richard Miranda on the House floor Monday, starting the conversation that sparked the controversy.
Miranda said Arizona should have a Latino American day in Arizona.
After some heated debate, Rep. Cecil Ash stepped up to the mic.
"I'm supportive of this proposition. I just want them to assure me that when we do become in the minority you'll have a day for us," Ash said.
http://www.kpho.com/story/16656530/state-representative-suggests-holiday-for-white-people
Martin O'Malley seen as possible 2016 candidate for president.
Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland, a possible candidate, traveled to South Carolina for its primary two weeks ago to give interviews criticizing Mitt Romney, the Republican front-runner. Andrew M. Cuomo, the New York governor, had a successful first year by going to the left on same-sex marriage and to the center on the budget. The candidate looming above all others is Hillary Rodham Clinton, who would instantaneously become the front-runner if she entered the race but who says she is retiring from public life when she steps down as secretary of state at the end of Mr. Obama’s current term. Democratic strategists and fund-raisers are divided over how seriously to take that vow.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/sunday-review/the-2016-election-already-upon-us.html?_r=2&hp
MO-GOV: PPP has Dem. Gov. Jay Nixon up big for reelection
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon continues to look like an overwhelming favorite for reelection. He leads announced opponents Bill Randles and Dave Spence by margins of 18 and 20 points at 47-29 and 47-27 respectively. And he also has a 48-30 advantage over prospective opponent Tom Schweich.
Nixon has two big things going for him. The first is his own crossover appeal. Nixon's overall approval rating of 44% with 31% of voters disapproving of him doesn't sound that impressive on the surface. But that's just because he has lower than normal numbers with his party base, as only 54% of Democrats approve of him to 25% who disapprove. But he more than makes up for that with a solid +15 approval spread with independents (44/29) and because he almost breaks even with Republicans at 34% approving and 40% disapproving of him. It's very rare for a Governor to be that strong across party lines.
The other reason Nixon's doing well is that he simply doesn't have very strong opposition. Randles has 25% name recognition and Spence is known to only 21% of voters. Even Schweich, generally thought of as someone who would be a stronger and better known candidate, has just 28% name recognition. Nixon would be a formidable foe for Republicans under any circumstances, but the lack of a strong GOP candidate make the road even tougher.
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/02/jay-nixon-up-big-for-reelection.html
Rep. Tim Walberg compares botched 'Fast and Furious' probe to Penn State sexual abuse case
U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg compared the "Fast and Furious" operation to the Penn State child sexual abuse case involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, USA Today reported.
Walberg, R-Tipton, whose district includes Jackson County, is among the members of a House panel questioning U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder about the botched federal gun smuggling probe.
The House Oversight Committee has been holding hearings about Fast and Furious. Federal agents lost track of nearly 1,400 guns that were sold to "straw buyers" who were supposed to be tracked to find smuggling ringleaders. One of the guns was recovered at the scene of a homicide.
Walberg also suggested that the Obama administration intentionally gave guns to criminals for the purpose of justifying new gun control measures, the Arizona Republic reported.
http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2012/02/rep_tim_walberg_compares_botch.html
Romney discards the guy who saved his campaign like yesterday's trash
A GOP operative who won plaudits for bolstering Mitt Romney’s recent debate performances is not being retained by the frontrunner’s campaign, an apparent victim of internal tensions over staff receiving too much credit for the candidate’s comeback, POLITICO has learned.
Brett O’Donnell, a former top aide to Michele Bachmann, has been paid for his work assisting Romney in the crucial Florida debates but was not offered a formal role with the campaign as he expected, according to Republican sources familiar with the situation.
After O’Donnell was identified last week as advising Romney and then highlighted in subsequent news accounts as being one of the reasons behind the former Massachusetts governor’s improved debate performances, Romney campaign officials grew uneasy.
O’Donnell received phone calls late last week from two Romney advisers — campaign manager Matt Rhoades and informal adviser Charlie Black — where it was made clear that there was severe discomfort about how his role was being portrayed in the media and that he ought to tread lightly
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72433.html#ixzz1lN2eDXlY
Ann Romney had $3 million Swiss bank account.
Among the assets omitted is a Swiss bank account in Ann Romney's blind trust that held $3 million until it closed in 2010. The account was listed on a financial disclosure Romney filed in 2007, but it was mistakenly named as an asset held by the couple, not as part of Ann Romney's trust. A campaign spokeswoman said Thursday that Romney will file amendments to both his 2007 and 2011 financial disclosures to correctly identify the bank account.
The Romney campaign dismissed the omission of information as inadvertent and inconsequential, noting he has released more than 600 pages of details about his finances. Indeed, among the hundreds of investments listed on his recent financial disclosure are many foreign funds.
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/26/nation/la-na-romney-disclosure-20120127
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