UPDATE!! Federal Election laws may have been violated - PA Green Party

[LynneSin]

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/15167552.htm

Santorum donors give to Green Party
They helped fund a drive to get Carl Romanelli on the ballot, which some say may hurt Bob Casey Jr.
By Carrie Budoff
Inquirer Staff Writer

When Sen. Rick Santorum (R., Pa.) encouraged everyone in state politics to help the Green Party earn a spot on the November ballot, at least one group answered the call: Santorum donors.

Fourteen Santorum supporters gave $40,000 to fund a petition drive that has allowed Carl Romanelli to collect about 100,000 voter signatures to qualify for the Senate race. That's 33,000 more signatures than required, and double what independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader gathered here in 2004.

But Romanelli and the Green Party of Luzerne County, which collected the money, might have violated federal election law in the process.

In his latest campaign-finance reports, Romanelli listed $66,000 as an in-kind contribution from the Green Party. Such donations cannot exceed $5,000, said Ian Stirton, a Federal Election Commission spokesman, who spoke generally about election law and not about this specific case.

[GAPeace]

1. If the Greens had decent money I'd dare say they should just go for it

Because Santorum is a total nut but his opponent is as well. But they don't have enough money or support to go after such an important seat. And what's worse is that with Santorum supporting the Greens, it's just satire. He's as far away from a Green as you can get. He's just trying to make the Dems lose (but not to the Greens, unfortunately). If laws have been broken, then Santorum better be crushed.

[LynneSin]

2. The violations are what was received by the Green Party

I mean, even though they are 3rd Party they still have to abide by the same rules.

[GAPeace]

4. Let me ask you who gave the 66,000 dollars the Republicans?

I want to know who is conspiring in this.

[LynneSin]

14. I've read reports that all $100k towards the signature drive caem from GOP

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-santorum-green-candidate,1,3816403.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

Green Party candidate Carl Romanelli, making his first bid for statewide elective office, acknowledged Monday that Republican contributors probably supplied most of the $100,000 that he said he spent gathering signatures to qualify for the Nov. 7 ballot.

[GAPeace]

15. They are terrible people the GOP

They try to give hope to the Greenies trying to act respectable and democratic but they're only agenda is to make them nothing but a leech party.

[rockymountaindem]

3. How can you say Casey is as nutty as Santorum?

Casey isn't trying to ram his personal views down everyones' throats and he doesn't share Santorum's economic policy.

[GAPeace]

5. Ok I said also nutty not as nutty

Nowhere near as good as a progressive like what the Greens always run.

[Selatius]

7. But this is a two-party system we live under

I want to see the system replaced with proportional representation, but we're not going to get that short of a revolution. You know very well that if you introduce a 3rd party into the contest, you can get unpredictable results. Duverger's Law is very hard to escape in single-seat district representation.

[GAPeace]

9. I know that, but you have to admit independents have made progress

In some places like Vermont independent progressives have made huge progress, and in Texas we have 2 powerful independents up for Governor.

[Selatius]

19. Yes, but they are rarities in our system

Again, I point you back to Duverger's Law. There can be independent or third party victories. The Law doesn't say there can't be. What the Law does say is that with first-past-the-post voting, the general tendency is for only two viable parties to emerge.

Our system was established at a time when positions on the idea of political parties were still being formed both in Europe and the US. They never would've predicted the rise of parties, and if they did, I would submit they would've adopted proportional representation instead of what we have now if the notion of proportional representation existed at the time as well.

The only solution towards massive change in the US is to form pressure groups with the goal of pressuring the existing power structure to move in the direction you want. Martin Luther King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference is a great example. Another example is the Labor Movement, and yet another example is the Populist Movement that arose in reaction to the exploitation of people by the corporate robber barons of the late 1800s.

[NoPasaran]

29. But both of the Texas "independents" are scumbags

Carole "FourNamesThreeParties" Strayhorn is a ruthless monster who only went indie when it was clear that the batshit insane Texas GOP primary voters would remain faithful to Governor Goodhair. And Richard Friedman, on the rare occasions he has bothered to vote has voted republican. He also supports mandatory school prayer, Bush* Iraq war and turning over border security to a group of corrupt Mexican generals. If this is progressive I need more koolade.

[flyarm]

13. i think if it was unpredictable..rethugs wouldn't be donating

that kind of money!! or working so hard to get the guy on the ballot!!

i believe it is extremely predictable!!


make the vote as close as possible..so the steal can go on and the general public is unaware of it..

ohh i believe it is completely predictable..

come visit us in Fla, we will tell you all about it!!

fly

[GAPeace]

16. How Choicepoint and the GOP stole the election where Al Gore won?

I mean yes if the Greens hadn't run maybe Gore could've pulled more votes, but that's a side story to the fact that Gore DID win and the election was stolen. It wasn't really Greens' fault although they could've helped Gore win a stolen election.

To their credit in 2004 both the Green Party and Libertarian Party called for an investigation in Ohio. Guess which parties didn't?

[flyarm]

27. look i have no problem with greens in general..i have many friends who

are in the green party..they worked with me side by side in fla on 2004 election cycle..and they worked hard..

but they were just as disgusted with what nader did to our state of fla in 2000

they were just as pissed..

i have no problem with the greens!

i do have a problem with greens who will not condemn this guy in Pa..

i do have problems with greens who are apologists for this behavior..because they are not only helping steal an election..but they are crapping on their own values..or the values they tell us they have!

i have problems with anyone who are third party who espose certain values and then not only vote against themselves..but they fuck the rest of the country as well!

example..Lie ber man..he is a dem ( or says he is)..i am a dem..but i will never support anyone who will shit on my values..i will support the candidate that will stand for my values..

so tell me what of the republican values do you espouse ..that this candidate is now selling himself as whore for??

this is what the green guy is signing up for..is it what you are willing to give up your values for??

lies and coverup of global warming??

* and cheney energy policies?

cutting down of seqouia trees in calif?

the epa lying about air quality in NYC after 9/11?

censoring scientists who say * is screwing our enviornment?

screwing the poor?

screwing the middle class?

screwing our schools?

taking away poor kids college edcuation by cutting pell grants and financial aide?

starting a war based on lies?

dumping DU all over iraq?

using phosphorus ( naplam ) on Iraqi's and breaking all international laws?

shitting on the geneva conventions?

torture?

jailing americans with no trial ?

letting people in NO die ..and ignoring the worst disaster to this nation, to date?

screwing our unions?

signing over 800+ signing statements and crapping on our laws?

destroying our constitution?

destroying our bill of rights?

spying illegally on American citizens?

outing a cia covert agent , and destroying a cia operation that was working on wmd proliferation for over 13 years??

and thats just for starters!

so is this what you are supporting?

because when this guy in Pa is taking money to help steal an election in Pa ..and you support this green party.. that hasn't thrown this guy out on his ass ..this is what you are supporting!

fly

[LynneSin]

28. Did you see my new post

Even Santorum himself admits they gave the Greens the money because it helps incumbants (and guess who the incumbant is).

Seriously, whoever the head of the Green Party is needs to step in and denounce this. Hell I'd rather vote for Joe Lieberman(if he is democrat) over a Green because at least I know where Lieberman stand on the issues even though I disagree with so many of them. Because to me, voting Green is pretty much saying "I supprt the REpublicans"

[flyarm]

32. NO ..LINK/? BUT I DID SEE THIS!!

GOP Donors Funded Entire PA Green Party Drive
K, we've done it. We've nailed it down: Every single contributor to the Pennsylvania Green Party Senate candidate is actually a conservative -- except for the candidate himself.

The Luzerne County Green Party raised $66,000 in the month of June in order to fund a voter signature drive. The Philly Inquirer reported yesterday that $40,000 came from supporters of Rick Santorum's campaign (or their housemates). Also yesterday, we confirmed that another $15,000 came from GOP donors and conservatives. Only three contributions, totaling $11,000, remained as possible legit donations.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001256.php


I THINK I SAID ENOUGH YESTERDAY..AND I WILL STICK WITH WHAT I SAID..IF THE GREENS DO NOT DISAVOW THIS MAN OR KICK HIM OUT OF THEIR PAETY..THEY ARE NO BETTER THAN THIS SCUM BAG! OR THE REPUBLICAN FASCISTS!

FLY

[wisteria]

30. I have personally met Casey and some in my family have meet with

Santorum. I can personally say that Casey is not a nut. He is a very personable, down to earth guy with a very nice family. his views are not entirely left leaning, but he is a democrat in most all the best ways. His abortion views are tied up in his religion and although, I do not agree with his opinion on this issue, I do agree with him on many others.
Santorum on the other hand, is as nasty and unfriendly as he appears. He has a genuine hatred for Democrats and has let out a few nasty remarks about his opinion of them, even to constituents who visit with him. Even with them he is aloof. Besides that, try reading some of his latest book or google for some of his crazy suggestions about how family life should be.

[Selatius]

6. If Romanelli broke the law, he should pay for it

It is in the interests of fairness that I say the law should be upheld.

As much as I absolutely loathe the two-party system, the reality says that Santorum is trying to splinter the votes to win. This is the most cynical approach to democracy there is. It is a sick joke to set up a system that says you can only vote between two choices and no other and call that democracy.

[flyarm]

8. hmmm and what have we been saying all day??..hmmmm..

thanks for the article...it only reinforces what i have been posting all day..

the proof is in the pudding..don't you think Lynne??????????

fly:hi: :hi: :pals: :yourock:

[LynneSin]

10. Fricking CALIFORNIA SANTORUM SUPPORTERS...Geez!!

From the article:

The petition drive, which involved a mix of volunteers and paid workers, was funded with $34,000 from a dozen individuals who contributed to Santorum's reelection campaign. An additional $6,000 came from individuals who lived at the same addresses as Santorum donors.

The Taylor family of Salinas, Calif., was the most active. Steven and Kathryn Taylor and two others at the same address who listed their occupation as students contributed $10,000 to the Green Party; five Taylor family members have contributed $20,700 to Santorum's reelection campaign.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

11. The irony may end up being that pro-choice suburban REPUB women and

environmentally conscious outdoorsy types in "the rural T" end up voting for the GREEN instead of Santorum.

If Santorum lost more votes to the Greens then Casey and lost the election, THAT would be sweet.

I'd rather the Greens had the good sense to back off of this race, but, in the end, Santorum may be the one stung by the Green hornet he created.

[LynneSin]

12. I just hope the Casey team plays this off well

I mean even I want Greens in the party - but because they were able to do it, not this slime deal they made with the republican party.

[enough]

18. A good opportunity for Casey to come out with STRONG environmental

proposals. Some things that would demonstrate that he's serious and knows what he's talking about. That would make it easier for a lot of us to hold our noses and vote for him.

[LynneSin]

20. Casey name is strong environmentally

and if you look at Casey's stances on the issues, outside of the choice he looks like he could do soem good in DC

[wisteria]

31. I agree. n/t

[GOPisEvil]

17. Memo to the PA Greens: lie down with dogs and wake up with fleas.

[LynneSin]

21. WHERE WERE YOU THIS AFTERNOON!!!!

I was in rare form after I read this - and this is making all the major network news. Hell Rush Limbaugh was even raving about it

[GOPisEvil]

22. Can't post from work.

:(

Don't get home until 6 eastern.

I'm trying to plan a trip that direction Labor Day weekend. I'll let you know.

[LynneSin]

24. Awesome

:D

[GOPisEvil]

26. Yeah, I just need to confirm I can get a day off...

I'll stay with Susie.

I want sushi, dammit. :9

[creeksneakers2]

23. There are small parties on the right too

And lots of Republicans around that would prefer to throw a protest vote.

If the GOP wants to play this way, the Dems should too.

[LynneSin]

25. They could but it's too late

And the fact that Santorum only worked for the Green Party means he wants those votes pulled from Casey