Junior Florida Republican Party staffer had $1.3 million charged to party credit card

[cachukis]

Source: St. Petersburg Times

She was a 25-year-old junior staffer when the Florida Republican Party gave her an American Express card.

Over the next 2½ years, nearly $1.3 million in charges wound up on Melanie Phister's AmEx — $40,000 at a London hotel, and nearly $20,000 in plane tickets for indicted former House Speaker Ray Sansom, his wife and kids, for starters. Statements show thousands spent on jewelry, sporting goods and in one case $15,000 for what's listed as a month-long stay at a posh Miami Beach hotel, but which the party says was a forfeited deposit.

The credit card records, obtained by the St. Petersburg Times and Miami Herald, offer the latest behind-the-scenes look at extravagant and free-wheeling spending by the party touting fiscal restraint. Not only did certain elite legislative leaders have their own party credit cards to spend donors' money with little oversight, but Phister's records show these leaders also liberally used an underling's card — without her knowledge, she says.

"I did not have the sole discretion to initiate credit card spending," Phister said in an e-mail statement. "Over that period of time, there were multiple instances when the card was used to make purchases that I had no knowledge of, and I did not regularly review the monthly credit card statements which I understand were sent directly to the Party's accounting office."

Even after a series of embarrassing revelations over profligate credit card spending by the likes of Republican U.S. Senate frontrunner Marco Rubio, Sansom and incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon — and pending state and federal investigations of party finances — revelations of the huge charges on Phister's card had veteran GOP fundraisers apoplectic.


Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/junior-florida-republican-party-staffer-had-13-million-charged-to-party/1086335

---

Oh what a tangled web we weave....

[alstephenson]

1. Excellent...

[Name removed]

2. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Journeyman]

3. Man, gotta get myself a job as a Republican operative. . .

party party party on another person's tab, all while doing a lot of great work for the cause of helping elect Democratic candidates. Quite the scam, I must say. . .

[DCKit]

10. I think that's the point. They're not (R)s, they're con artists ripping off the willfully ignorant.

[tango-tee]

44. And here we are, you and I,

getting up in the morning, making our way to work, doing the best we can to provide for our families, while elsewhere... it's partypartyparty!

Keep going, GOP! We want to see more of those wholesome values you so loudly proclaim! Party on, you sorry sacks of useless, bloviating, pathetic shit. It will bite you in the ass eventually, when (if?) your constituents wake up.

It's okay to hope, isn't it?

Meanwhile, I think I'm developing a migraine.

[pepperbear]

4. whoopee once, whoopee twice, whoopee chicken soup with rice!

[monmouth]

5. This is what Charlie Crist is talking about. He knows a lot methinks..LOL..n/t

[ChiciB1]

60. While "Chawlie" Isn't The Greatest Of the Greats & I Find Him To Be Somewhat

of a coward by NOT admitting to his sexual identity, I MUCH prefer him to win the primary!

Do I understand WHY he won't fess up to who he really is... NO, not one iota! And I'm a female, married to the same man for a long time! Sexual preference SHOULD not be an issue!

Unfortunately, most Repukes have NEVER understood!

JMHO!

[PatSeg]

80. And the fact that he has used women

in his life to further his political career, while throwing his gay friends under the bus. Pretty low.

[druidity33]

6. hey cachukis...

If you're in FL, why have you got the "Bay State" as your icon?

just wonderin'...

:hi:

[cachukis]

47. Moved to fla in '79. I teach in an abomination.

Remembering my roots.

[No Elephants]

50. Blizzard of '78 refugee?

[ChiciB1]

61. Well, Welcome To the Community.... I Live Further Down South Of You...

However, my husband was born in Tampa! Sorry, but Tampa isn't a very pretty city, but it could have been cleaned up since I've been there! Just never liked visiting there even when I lived in Largo!

Where I live... the place is full of UPPITY people who think there are too many peons like me around!!

Oh well, what can you do?? Good OP though and I'm glad to see it posted! This state is getting under my skin and I've been here since '71, so I've seen many changes!

[Mr. Sparkle]

7. It sounds a bit like money laundering. Why would the party use a credit card issued in the name

of one of their employees. It sounds specious.

[Mopar151]

17. Not really

I had a $12000 VISA "procurement card" in my name - I was a machine shop foreman, and all the tooling, coolants, etc. went on it. I bought a couple small machines without making it sweat. But, if we were on the road, the senior man (biggest cheese in the room) bought food 'n such - eliminated buying influence with Co. money. A big shot buying stuff on an underling's card would have been a big no-no.

[Mr. Sparkle]

76. I have to respectably disagree.

It is not everyday 1.3million is run up, on a low level employee's credit card. It is pretty clear she has no knowledge of many of the purchases.

Obviously I could be wrong, but it still sounds very suspicious.

[Mopar151]

77. I should also add

That I went over the monthly statement line by line with my boss, and needed invoices for backup. What I'm saying is - the card being in her name is not an issue, it's the fact that she did not control it, or have to account for the charges - THAT'S a red flag!

[DeSwiss]

8. K&R

- "Republicans are a collection of mean spirited, self centered sissies. But they are entertaining." http://www.texasmonthly.com/blogs/inthepink/?p=17936#comment-1036757">*

[tomm2thumbs]

30. +1 for the cartoon and commentary

and they are giving their base cause to reconsider anything to do with 'em

[Stuart G]

9. K and R

[salguine]

11. Let's not be hypocritical. If Democratic Party credit card records would be searched with

a fine-tooth comb, does anyone really believe that nothing like this would be found? Not that I'm defending the Republicans, but I hate hypocrites as much as I hate Republicans.

[ooglymoogly]

19. Is this then what you call preemptive sandbagging?

In law this would be called a prejudicial statement. Politely called unfounded gossip. Whether it is or is not true, this is not what this post is about. If you want to see what dirt you can dig up on the Dems; Be my guest and by all means post your own post. You will then find even more criticism. But then that is not what is coming down the pike right now is it.

[salguine]

20. You've completely missed my point.

[liberation]

25. Missed? I think the attempt at establishing a faulty equivalence was pretty obvious

LOL.

When that happens, I am sure we will walk down that road. But let's focus on the matter at hand, shall we? Or is your "concern" so great which is preventing you for concentrating in the present?

[laertes]

33. Maybe....

I think salguine makes a good fundamental point if a bit lacking in presentation or facts :-)

When you think about it all political parties bend principles and do things in the name of expediency and the good-old-boy network. It's like the church - I consider myself a Christian and I try to live by those precepts but does that make me a pedophile because the organization looks the other way in it's own ranks on horrendous behavior like that?

This is why I'm NPA (No Party Affiliation). Give money and power to any group and bad shit happens. Vote principles.

[Hekate]

35. Sadly for the false-equivalency crowd, the GOP is about the most corrupt party since Tammany Hall...

... just now. Today I heard one of the yakky newsbabes on MSNBC say that the GOP was saying bad things about the Dems in a segment that glossed over the "misbehavior" of the Teabaggers at townhalls last summer. Glossed over the way they screamed and threatened until some Congressional Representatives decided to give it a pass until things cooled down.

Then she sighed and said that Dems also said bad things about Republicans "so what can you do?"

No, that is not what has been going on. That is false equivalency. Are Democratic mobs spitting on Congressmen, shouting Nigger and Wetback at them? (This was all caught on film, so don't try to say they didn't.) No, they are not. Those are mobs whipped up by Republican hate-speech. Did Democratic mobs shut down local town hall meetings held by Republican last summer? No, they did not. Those were Teabaggers whipped up by Republican lies about health insurance reform.

Do all political parties have a few people who see what minor things they can get away with if there's no sunshine and accountability? Yes, there will always be a few. But right now it is the GOP that is hip deep in mud of it's own making -- corrupt, out to serve the wealthiest and most powerful while convincing the hyper-religious that they are the party of "family values" -- while sex scandal after sex scandal has broken. Blathering on about being the party of fiscal responsibility while spending donors' money to support mistresses and pay off mistresses; fiscal responsibility and keeping the country safe -- while nearly bankrupting this nation in two unnecessary wars.

> Edited to add: It's the GOP, not the Dems, who have encouraged people to assault, vandalize offices, and even threaten to murder our public officials and their families for not giving in to their tantrums. <

There is NO comparison. I still have all my faculties and I remember when the GOP started this slide into the muck -- simultaneously turning "Liberal" into a dirty word.

Welcome to DU. You've already discovered one friend.

Hekate

[Cronus Protagonist]

39. All parties do not spend thousands on hookers and titty bars - Republicans do.

The Republican party is who does that. Republicans have sex parties on their donors money. It's the Republicans doing all this free spending of donor cash. I'm so glad I never donated a dime to their little Republican sex junkets. It makes me think of little piglets running hog wild with their mother's food, these Republicans.

[Gman2]

82. Remember the oil lease board?

[stlsaxman]

46. No- this is status quo FLGOP... from the end of the article-

The Florida Democratic Party requires staffers and leaders to use their own credit cards and seek reimbursement for appropriate expenses. That's now the practice at the Florida Republican Party, and fundraiser Hoffman suggested it's about time.

"My company, with 4,000 employees, nobody had credit cards,'' said Hoffman, a developer. "If you wanted to expense, you had to submit a form with backup. . . . It wasn't one employee taking another out to eat and charging it all off."

Preemptive sandbagging, indeed. Making excuses for wrongs done by one by saying everyone does it. Wrong is wrong, no means no and that line of reasoning is full of shit. Wake up and smell the slime.

[tango-tee]

49. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Welcome to the wild and crazy world of DU, laertes!

[No Elephants]

51. Welcome to DU, Laertes.

[CanonRay]

56. Here in Colorado at least

the Party is EXTREMELY careful with money.

[hwmnbn]

63. I suspect there are Rove type repug operatives ....

doing this very same search on the dems as we speak. It's called "oppo research" and they are notoriously good at it. Up to now there hasn't been much of a pushback from them, but maybe they're waiting to spring all the nasty details closer to the election.

[socialist_n_TN]

71. I'm sure they are being searched as we speak........................

Apparently they haven't found anything yet.

The difference is in attitude. ALL Republicans think they are entitled to a high life lifestyle, even if they aren't rich. THAT'S why they are Republicans after all. Dems aren't infected with this attitude as bad.

[Dogtown]

72. We *know* the GOP is culpable.

They got caught.

Although it's certain that some Democrats are also corrupt, the Republican corruption has extended to such an extent that it's impossible for them to cover up, despite the control of the news media that the Republicans enjoy.

The Republican dandruff is all over their tailored-made lapels. No need for your "fine tooth comb".

But you already knew that.

[1monster]

73. From the article linked in the OP:

The Florida Democratic Party requires staffers and leaders to use their own credit cards and seek reimbursement for appropriate expenses. That's now the practice at the Florida Republican Party, and fundraiser Hoffman suggested it's about time.

[applegrove]

12. At least the character of who GOPers are is shining through.

[bloomington-lib]

13. How long until MSM networks pick this up?

[Xenotime]

66. Never. They are starting to like the Rs more and more.

[donco6]

14. Oh, this makes the Bondage club look like a Brownie Picnic.

Yikes.

[Historic NY]

15. Hey she could be on Steele's staff or Palin's.

[Cha]

16. And, the republicon voters just love this shit

and never hold them accountable. There's no limit how far down they can go and not get propped up byt the US corporatemediawhores.

[xxqqqzme]

18. So that's why they needed all that corporate

money.....PAR-TEeeeeeeeeee 'n livin' large!

[guruoo]

21. Melanie Phister's Linkedin profile shows her as: 'Finance Director,

House Campaigns at Republican Party of Florida'

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/melanie-phister/5/767/8a0

[tomm2thumbs]

32. in the GOP, that means 'Spender in Chief'

and no doubt all those who donated to the GOP are going to enjoy seeing their money spent so wisely

[chollybocker]

22. Let the Eagles Soar...

:patriot: :rofl:

[Cronus Protagonist]

40. Fun reference!

[grantcart]

23. there is just so much here

1) $ 15,000 for a forfeited deposit - nobody actually got to use the hotel room.

2) Using an underling's credit card in order to avoid responsibility

3) Not letting the card user see the statement. If any merchant had known they could have added thousands because there was no one person who would read the statement and be responsbile for it.

4) Taking advantage of a good person:


Google around and found this comment on another blog


Melanie Phister does not deserve to be the subject of anyones disaproval. Anyone who knows or has even met her knows that she is the kindest and most honest young woman around. Ray Sansom abused her trust and used her loyalty to pad his personal gain at the RPOF's expense. To make the suggestion that Melanie Phister was anything more than a staffer being manipulated and kept in the dark as to her supposed involvment is an insult and an outrage. You would be hard pressed to find a more decent person in all of Florida... much less in state government.


Just keeps on getting better and better

[liberation]

28. I love the tone of their response...

... truly the epitome of entitlement and disconnect with reality. They really see themselves as a gilded superior class who is morally superior to the rif raf which is the common American citizen.

I truly think the genius of the GOP is in the fact that they managed to convince those who have utter contempt for, to vote for them.

[socialist_n_TN]

74. Yep. The epitome of entitlement..................

They are the elites. Even the ones who AREN'T elites have that sense of entitlement.

One saving grace to this that nobody's mentioned is that the more they spend on partying and strip clubs, the less they have to spend on Marco Rubio campaign ads.

[harry_pothead]

84. Stockholm Syndrome

[kirby]

24. Sounds like Republican training n/t

[cliffordu]

26. Melody Fister?????

Hmmm.....

[Divine Discontent]

27. largess spending on themselves at the expense of an underling - sounds like W. at the expense of US

taxpayers... The GOP is great at wasting large amounts of money...


GOP DONORS = A FOOL AND THEIR MONEY

[Gman]

29. Because they're just that way with other people's money

whether it's donors or the US Treasury.

[47of74]

31. The whole party stinks like a

[Zambero]

34. GOP raffle ticket idea: All expenses paid fantasy trips to CA & FL?

The lucky winner takes it all!

Year-round VIP pass to the Voyeur Club,
Over-the-border quickie limousine trip to the NV brothel of your choice,
Open-LOC VISA account for Rodeo Drive shopping spree (betcha can't top that Sarah Palin campaign '08 clothes orgy though!),
Fundie Prayer Meeting, TBA, TLR (= to look respectable),
Under-the-radar moonlight cigar cruise to Havana,
and,
Manatee bloodlust 50-calibre shooting excursion

[caseymoz]

36. Looks like people are going to learn what a pro-business party looks like.

No different than Sara Palin, the hero of the Teabag movement, charging $100,000+ per speech.

Hey, anybody in the politics business should make a profit, otherwise government is a waste of their time.

[harry_pothead]

85. Or buying $250,000 dresses on the RNC credit card.

[old mark]

37. Is this why they call it the republican PARTY!!!!? I hope they spend all their money

this way, long before the election.

How many people still really think the GOP will win in November?


mark

[d_r]

57. yep, the grand ole PARTAY!

[WileEcoyote]

38. This is beautiful!

Gift that keeps on giving.

Now let's be careful not to lump all sex workers into the same category as this girl.


On another matter this all reminds me of:

Way way back. Thirty one years ago I did some GOP related fund raising. None of it went to the party it was all a scam. Couldn't have lived with myself otherwise.

Each office had a local favorite. The San Diego Republican office branch had a teen aged mom named Audrey. She would do the boss while her husband was in the Navy. In return she got bigger sales commissions than the rest of us.

[demwing]

65. The girl is not a sex worker

read before you react

[Cronus Protagonist]

41. I wonder why Republicans are such wasteful spenders.

All they can think to do is borrow and spend. Borrow and spend Republicans - Ronald Reagan must be rolling in his grave.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

52. Why would he be rolling? He was the Original B&Ser.

[Hubert Flottz]

42. "I am tired of being poor, let me in that statehouse door!"

Sounds like they were shopping for some of those "Family Values" they are always talking about.

"Compassionate" "CONservative" = The Party Of Shock and Awe-Shit!

[Sancho]

43. These are the same idiots who just voted to kill teacher pay...

you think Florida elections are crazy and you may have a local politician who has affairs with the staff or something, but this group of nuts was mostly recruited and "trained" by Jeb, and they are so off the wall it is hard to believe. They are arrogant, openly steal taxpayers dollars, joke about minority and special populations, and act like they hardly care who knows it.

We've been watching the streaming debates over the insane education legislation, and it's hard to even listen with all the insults about state employees, holier-than-thou comments, and simple stupidity.

In the meanwhile, for years they use GOP dollars for fun and games, "invest" the state retirement fund with friends who provide kickbacks and post-election jobs, and are proud to be racists.

Of course, they think that teachers should be "paid for performance" - so you wonder what kind of performance deserves $70,000 a year and 1.3 million on a credit card? She must be really, really good at scheduling meetings.

[d_r]

58. yep

well said

[SpiralHawk]

45. Republicon Family Values

You just can't get any skankier...

[No Elephants]

48. Rove is forming his own organization to raise $ for Republican candidates.

[liberal N proud]

53. Spend, spend, spend - Just keep on spending GOPers

Yet they will project the Democrats as the party of big spending.

:nuke:

[Ian David]

54. We shouldn't investigate this. It stimulates the economy.

Let them continue doing this freely.

I think they're doing a GREAT JOB!

[Historic NY]

55. Republicans are fiscally responsible...when spending other peoples money....

got to hand it too them "credit card Republicans" its hard to break the habit.:rofl:

[Botany]

62. Going to those European Socialist Countries?

Now what did I spend the money on? Office supplies or trip to Germany for me and mom ..... they are so much alike. I mean I thought
I was in line @ Staples but it turned out it was to get on a plane and fly to Berlin. Who knew?

:rofl:

[ChiciB1]

59. OH, PLEASE!! Let This Get Connected To RUBIO In A Big Way!!

I've gotten so ANXIOUS about his rise that I'm beside myself! In my county (which is super Red) I'm seeing bumper sticker after bumper sticker with his name on it!

Scares the HELL out of me!!

[boomerbust]

64. What do they expect

A single 25 yr. old woman and a no limit Am Ex. card? Hellooooooo.

[D23MIURG23]

67. Fiscal restraint is code for "not spending to help the poor and disadvantaged".

Basically any other kind of spending is ok with them.

[timtom]

68. Looks like the GOP has been "Phisted"

(Sorry -- I just couldn't resist.)

[voteearlyvoteoften]

69. to all -plz help local fl dems get elected to legislature

we are so far behind with fundraising and the repukes are running roughshod over our teachers and our state.
check out stevebarnes.com he is running against the "annointed" next speaker..a real big spending lock stepping type.
if you could help we would be very grateful....go blue

[LynneSin]

70. "I did not have the sole discretion to initiate credit card spending"....

no but you did have the discretion to call out when you thought someone was abusing the card. I would suspect that someone within the Republican party would have preferred nipping this one in the bud before it became splashed across the front pages of the St. Petersburg Times.

[BunkerHill24]

75. Happy to be #100 K &R

[ladywnch]

78. Well, this settles it for me..... I'm joining the republican party.

I've been looking for a job (a task made more difficult by my recent prescription for medical marijuana) and now I know where to go. I'm sure they won't care about my 'medication' status.

I'll join the repubs as a volunteer, start asking for donations and then spend the money as I see fit....on myself.

This has to be one of the greatest scams in history.....I'll bet Charles Ponzi is humbled by the republican party. Just ask for money, make a lot of empty promises, throw out a lot of senseless rhetoric and then live high off the hog.

How does this not meet the legal definition of grand theft, fraud and fiduciary malfeasance? How many times do the rethugs have to be caught before they are shut down permanently? I mean they shut down ACORN for less with less proof. It seems pretty obvious that the republican party is nothing more than a front for thieves and con men. They should be made to disband for being criminal enterprise.

[harry_pothead]

86. Most GOP operatives love the Democrats being in power.

So they can ramp extra donations from the angry Cons and take more trips to St. Barth.

[Overseas]

79. K&R to highlight Republican ethics. //nt

[Canuckistanian]

81. GOP - "Have credit card, will party"

Just another incentive for donors to AVOID the FRP.

[valerief]

83. Why would we expected the RNC to treat their donations any differently than the GOP

treated the federal budget?

:shrug:

[Blue_Tires]

87. For all their rhetoric and other bullshit, the GOP sure loves spending other peoples money...

Who knew???