Loading ...
LEADERS CLAIM CONGRESSMAN ABUSED FRANKING PRIVILEGES, DEMAND TAXPAYERS BE REIMBURSED
A number of taxpayer watchdog groups are outraged that a South Carolina Congressman used a large amount of public money to pay for a gubernatorial campaign mail piece. And, as the mail piece instructed, they’re “making their voices heard.”
Leaders from five Conservative groups in the Upstate Wednesday called on Gresham Barrett to disclose the cost of a recent Congressional franking mail piece that they said was little more than “fluff” to promote his campaign for governor.
“It begins to look to those of us in the grassroots like [Barrett] is using his position as a Congressman and your tax dollars to fund his campaign for higher office,” said Dean Allen, Executive Director of Restore Our American Republic. “We’re calling on Barrett to tell the American people how much this mailing cost and we’re asking him to have his campaign committee reimburse taxpayers the cost.”
Barrett, who has taken heat for supporting the Troubled Asset Relief Program as well as federal stimulus legislation, announced in March that he would be running for governor.
The group displayed an enlarged copy of a mail piece sent by Barrett (see below) that they said was clearly designed to boost his name ID and did not serve as official Congressional business.
Joining Allen at the press conference were Butch Taylor, President of Greenville County Taxpayers Association, Kim Williams, Vice President of Greenville County Taxpayers Association, Brian Frank with The Campaign for Liberty, and Harry Kibler, State Director of Patriotic Resistance.
“The Taxpayers Association is very upset any time elected officials waste taxpayers money and this mail piece is a clear example of waste,” said Taylor.
View the mail piece:
Man — looks like Starboard Communications made a killing off our taxdollars with this mail piece. Next time, Starboard Communications should tell Mr. Barrett to be more careful.
Give back the money, Barrett! You are a crook that only wants to see your name in lights and have no use for the voters that elected you to office other than to promote your own big headed dreams. Our tax dollars should not be used to promote your own delusions of grander
Whatever. Dean Allen is one of the same Ronulans who tried to hijack the SCGOP convention.
Congressman Barrett got me a fraudulent Inspector General report. It covers up the fact that South Carolinians Social Security was privatized at Fidelity Investments long before Barrett ever took office.
If he had no money in his campaign fund and he used taxpayer money, it would just seem desperate. But to have millions already and use the tax money to pay for it? Inappropriate, if indeed true.
Besides, I think his vote on TARP and his TEA Party speech gave him the name recognition he wanted, albeit negative.
Is it just a coincidence that Dean Allen, Butch Taylor and Harry Kibler are also members of the League of the South? Doesn’t this point straight to 1600 Gervais Street for the source of funding for this sham group? And how come Dean Allen can’t drive anywhere? Was his driver’s license revoked? Didn’t Brian Frank support Bob Connelly against Lindsey Graham, the most important RQA client?
I am waiting for the scoop to do a story on McMaster or Bauer for doing PSA announcements and using SLED to drive them to campaign events. It must be nice to have a full time driver paid for by the taxpayer and to have hundreds of commercials raising your name ID.
The real mistake was that Barrett didn’t contract with RQ&A for the production of this mail piece. If he had, he would have been lauded for his attention to his constituents.
Wait a minute…Henry McMaster is shoveling one public service announcement after another promoting his own political ambitions. But a survey makes the headline??? Even more disturbing than that is watching McMaster arrive at political events courtesy of two SLED officers and a state licensed crown vic. It must be nice having the state pick up the tab for a driver, gas, maintenance and car payment for political use.
That’s chutzpah! Barrett has been swimming in the corrupt cesspool of DC for so long, he doesn’t even realize that misuse of taxpayers dollars is wrong! Now he wants to bring Washington DC practices into our state capitol. Thanks but no thanks.
Gresham,
South Carolina is hurting. You know this. It’s hurting like that furniture store of your family’s that you ran into the ground. At a time when we are hurting, I would hope you focus more on job creation and tax relief – not your own personal political ambitions.
– Tax Payers
At least someone is exposing this guy for what he really is! Barrett’s NOT a conservative- he’s a RINO! This is why he got booed.
Everyone knows those men standing up there calling out Barrett are supporting Nikki Haley. This needs to stop.
I’m going to go out on limb here and say these guys are working for McMaster. I’ve seen the guy front and center several times and he smells of McMaster, meaning he should take a bath. The funny thing is that all the fliers and propaganda this guys spewing out are mainly untrue and he fails to mention the fact that every Republican Congress person from our state voted for the TARP legislation. Why only beat up Barrett? The fliers clam that Barrett has voted on several things, but only one item on the list is legislation “TARP”, so he’s clearly uneducated, Barrett cannot vote on items that aren’t legislation. I think this guy is pissing in the wind, it’ll all come back and bit him on the ass along with McMaster or who ever he’s working for…
Billy Bob/ Gamecock Garrett,
McMaster has NEVER had a SLED detail, despite it being offered.
As for the PSAs, every single one of those deals with policies of his office and informing the public.
- A.F.
Adam, I’m going to go ahead and disagree. Those PSAs McMaster uses amounts to taxpayer-funded campaigning as well. To say it “deals with the policies of his office and informing the public” is a kinda weak argument.
Artoo – Talk about weak arguments… You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.
Go look at the website: http://www.scattorneygeneral.com/.
There are two PSAs, one on video game ratings and one on securities fraud. In what way do those not deal entirely with the policies of his office?
Take a minute and actually watch them. Then tell me how, in any way, it amounts to campaigning.
Seriously… point out one thing that is even close to the “fluff” in the Barrett mailer. Just one.
Neo – when I blogged this, I got accused of the same thing, and called a dupe as well. It can’t possibly be that people like little ol’ me, who work in the private sector far from Columbia, might just be speaking our minds.
I guess in the world of political hacks, it’s hard to imagine there are those of us who are motivated by our conscience and not a desire to be on the paying and/or winning side.
Well Earl if it wasn’t political why wouldn’t you call out the rest of our states congress persons? Your clearly working for somebody running aganist Gresham, if you were motivated by your conscience you couldn’t single out Gresham.
Did someone say they heard Earl Capps again? What the hell is he continuing to talk for? Earl go back to your blogspot website that looks like it’s a college kid’s diary from 2003. When asked about you, SCGOP staff usually snickers. Why?
Why are you people on Earl’s frickin’ case? Why don’t you redirect all that angst towards That One in the White House?
You are totally wasting some good ill-will.
Mab, if whoever it is wants to throw stones at me from the sidelines, obviously he/she doesn’t have the cojones to put their name to it. Also, it would seem as if this person feels intimidated by me.
I guess you’re never really someone until someone feels the need to take shots at you to tear you down.
Neo – you say I’m working with a candidate, so please let us know who that is, since you’re all-knowing. Talk with my other detractor who thinks I’m a nobody whose support isn’t needed or wanted.
If these guys really know Dean Allen then they wouldn’t be standing up there with him. I believe it shows poor judgement on their part to be associated with such a scondral. Dean Allen is obviously working for someone who I would believe is running against Barrett for the gov. race. Dean Allen dosen’t even live within the 3rd Congressional District in which Cong. Barrett represents. Dean is from Greenville and if any of you folks know about any “Reagan Republicans” from Greenville then that statement says enough. I think these folks need to get off his back. Every Congressman in the state voted for that bailout and you don’t see them critizing them for their votes. Doesn’t add up to me – what y’all think?
I am far from all-knowing Earl I just want to know why you are only bashing Barrett. As I stated in my first post you fail to recognize the fact that every Republican congressperson from our state voted foe the TARP legislation. Tell me why you are calling out Barrett when he was not alone. Oh, I know your working against him.
P.S. your efforts are useless, get a life Earl…
Neo – the mailing and press conference made it “breaking news”, hence it was worth writing about. If you’ve read my blog, you’ll see where I’ve zinged McMaster for a membership at an all-white country club.
If you know me, or know anyone who knows me, they’ll tell you I’m a rogue who doesn’t take orders, kiss booty, or play anyone’s agenda.
So what efforts are you alluding to? I’d love to hear what you think I’m doing. With kids, work, teaching and blogging, I hardly know what I’m doing more than 12 hours in advance.
You think ANY of us bloggers have lives? Are you kidding me?!? We’re so bad that Trekkies make fun of us.
Earl, yet again you fail to answer my question. WHY ARE YOU ONLY BASHING BARRETT? Why is this question so tuff for you? I’ve ask you now three times, so please don’t reply again if your not going to answer my question.
P.S. I’m glad to see you have a life…
Neocon = Barrett staffer. Talk about transparency.
Earl – if you’re taking flak then you’re over the target. Keep up the good work and keep those Barrett kids all stirred up. Its great entertainment for the rest of us.
and McFogle….you’re right. McMaster doesnt have SLED detail. He does however have a couple of staffers drive him around. I just hope they are paid for by campaign funds and not by us taxpayers. The disclosure reports would show that.
There’s no such thing as freedom and I’m not a Barrett staffer…
Freedom = Slightly retarded redneck
Neo,
Listen you little dips … alad, I was discussing the news of a press release which was sent to me. A press release about a press conference which discussed CURRENT goings-on by Congressman and gubernatorial hopefull Gresham Barrett. Not about anyone else – because in case you came out of your hole in the ground, you might have noticed no other congressman is 1) running for Governor and 2) was bashed for franking in a recent press conference.
It’s called NEWS. They cover that in Intro to Journalism.
Does what I did bother you THAT much? Are you such a f … in’ rockhead that you couldn’t READ MY ANSWER?
While you’re at it, please tell me who you’re backing for Governor – as if I couldn’t already guess that one.
First off I’m not a little dipshit second off I’m not a fucking rockhead. Where do you get off calling me these names? You don’t know me asshole, so don’t talk shit about me. Why don’t you go jack off to some black porn or something and get back on here when your in a better state of mind…
Ok, maybe you’re not a little … maybe you’re a big one?
I tell you what – why don’t you spend a little less time running your mouth and a little more time actually doing your homework? Maybe then people like me won’t be able to have so much fun at your expense.
By the way, you still haven’t answered MY question.
Undecided Earl, I just don’t know why the people in the above vid. only bash Barrett along with Adam of TPS. Sorry I assumed you rolled with those guys, I just think people are scared of Barrett, that’s why there’s so much negativity being thrown his way. I really don’t know how your having fun at my expense because I do know what I’m talking about, but at least it’s making you happy so it can’t be that bad.
“Sorry I assumed you rolled with those guys” – that right there said you have no idea what you’re talking about. Adam Fogle and I have disagreed plenty, especially recently. People who know never assume, speculate, or guess blindly.
As to why that group did it … go back to my posting above. It was newsworthy. Intro to Journalism again …
Why is there so much negativity? Maybe he asks for it by what he does – ever consider that?
So sorry your Holiness, your the greatest thing ever, I’m just so privileged to have had you reply to my first post over 4 days ago.
As for newsworthy; not so sure, this happens all the time.
Please leave me alone now and post on your blog.
Anyone who thinks that about me truly is stupid.
Only if you go post on your blog – oh, I’m sorry, you don’t have one. Darn, I guess you’ll have to put up with me then.
Press releases like that don’t happen all the time, even if you lap up what other people tell you.
Like Ruby in “Cold Mountain” — I like to number my points…
1. Foges, I quit Profanity Patrol.
2. Neocon, why don’t you address all of this on Earl’s blog?
3. Earl, Give ‘em Hell.
4. SC, this here is a snapshot of your political personality.
5. This snapshot is why I love South Carolina.
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2545326336/ch0009333
Adam, Check in to GB’s congressional staff. From my stand point in DC, I have seen a lot of his Hill staff go back to SC and become “District Staff”. To me, paying staffers to move and run a campaign while also working as “District Staff” seems to be more of a waste then mailing out some fliers.
And my boy Obama is going to fly down to SC and make sure the Grand ole Cluster [expletive deleted] does not have a chance to run our state further in the ground.
[...] In May, he led a number of conservative groups that took Congressman Gresham Barrett to task for abusing franking privileges to spend a large amount of public money on a gubernatorial campaign mail piece. Posted in 1, SC [...]