Posted on 04/21/2010 9:00:02 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The RNC spent more than $340K at a semi-annual meeting in Honolulu in Jan., Hotline On Call's Reid Wilson reports. This is the latest example of the party spending lavishly on itself while GOP officials worry they won't have enough money to take advantage of a promising national landscape this fall.According to FEC reports filed late Tuesday, the RNC spent $167K on facilities for the 3-day meeting, which took place at a posh resort in Waikiki. That figure doesn't include rooms and office space for the party employees who staffed the meeting, which added up to at least another $90K.
At least 33 RNC staffers and officials made the trip to HI, including top members of the political, communications and research departments, as first reported by Hotline OnCall. Party staff were reimbursed for meals and travel as part of the trip.
RNC communications director Doug Heye, who did not work at the committee when the meeting in Honolulu took place, declined to comment on the expenses Tuesday night.
The $340K documented in FEC filings does not include airfare for each staffer, which could amount to tens of thousands more. FEC rules require the party committees to disclose how they spent their money, including listing merchants who received payments, but it does not require the RNC to list destinations of air travel. Given that the RNC spends thousands of dollars for air travel every month, that means there is no way to account for the staffers who flew to Honolulu.
Figure another $30-60 thousand in air fare (how much you wanna bet they flew first class?) and you're talking real money.
If some GOP candidate loses by an eyelash this fall, we may look back on this waste of party money (why not meet in DC?) in a much different light.
Mike “Mr. Racecard” Steele strikes again.
GET THEE TO A NUNNERY!!
Forget about first class, I bet they flew private jets.
Yet one more reason to hang up the phone when an RNC telemarketer calls my house.
That’s ok... the DNC would have spent 10 times that! We saved money...
Steele, time for you to go sir. That said, why isn’t the media looking into the DNC’s expenses? Are we to believe there are no junkets on their books?
No one could be as incompetent as the Republican leadership pretends to be. The only explanation that makes sense is that they are deliberately trying to sabotage the Republican Party.
RNC will never, ever get a frackin nickel from me!
Do not donate to the RNC. Donate to the individual candidate that you feel best represents you. Whether they live in your district or not, precious donations should only go directly to those people who want to reign in Washington DC, not the bloated RNC
I give nothing to the RNC....waste of money!!!
Special election there next month... the REPUBLICAN has tied or has light lead over the Dem.
RNC got a lot of good press there.
Yes the spent money, thwy would have spent money anywhere they held the meeting, BUT by holding it there they got some added benefit.
Good choice of location.
Oh no .. the Republicans are one-millionth as corrupt and evil as the Democrats! Hmmm .. for whom shall I vote?
Michael Steele was walking along the beach in Hawaii and noticed something glinting in the sand. Hhe rooted around until he pulled out—a magic genie lamp!
He rubbed the lamp and a genie appeared and said,
“You get only one wish. Times are tough all over.”
Mike thought it over, then said, “OK, I’ll say it out loud: I’m black and I’m proud!
But I’ve always been embarrassed about the size of my, um, you know, my uh ... “.
And the Genie nodded and said, “Say no more! When you wake up tomorrow your wish will come true, surely, yes!”
So he went to bed as excited as a 5 year old on Christmas Eve. When he awoke he rolled out of bed, yawned, rubbed his eyes and walked to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, he gasped: his `schwanzeschtucker’ was not only as big as an elephant’s trunk, it looked just like one!
Further, he found that it was prehensile so he was able to multitask, not only punching in telephone numbers but it could hold the phone, he would fluff up his hair, open pop cans and doors ... he sadly discovered, however, that any pole-dancers who saw his `trunk’ ran away screaming.
So he was back on the beach, pensive, hands behind his back, picking up shells, turning them over & skipping them over the waves. He was `Melancholy Mike’. And again MM came across the lamp. He again rubbed it & out came the genie, disturbed:
“No no, you already have your wish!
How do you like it?”
He replied, “I suppose I can live with the `no-women’ part,
even if it is the opposite result of what I wanted ... but I
can’t stand the peanuts being constantly shoved up my a**.”
I am not a supporter of Michael Steele, but where is this liberal Hotline questioning WH & O for wasteful spending loitering around in Airforce One for fund raising & mistress’s shopping spree?
Never heard Rick Moran (brother of ABC’s Terry Moran) attacking O like he is attacking Republicans.
Covert operation to get Birth Certificate, na, it is the RNC after all ...
RNC - KNOCKITOFF!
A real third party is looking better every day. I suggest it be called “The Party of Reagan” and all who run must pass a litmus test. And those currently in either party may join IF their past voting record shows they meet the criteria.
That’s ok... the DNC would have spent 10 times that! We saved money...
340,000 divided by 33 people is a little over $10,000 per person. If this includes airfare, meals, and first class hotels the price is fair. This is a non-story.
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