Skip to comments.
McConnell's Growing Ties to Rand Paul: Trouble Brewing? [12/10/2013]
Open Secrets.org ^
| December 10, 2013 5:06 PM
| Russ Choma
Posted on 01/29/2014 9:26:50 AM PST by SoConPubbie
There's increasingly little daylight between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his fellow Kentucky Republican, Sen. Rand Paul: Campaign expenditure reports show the top Republican has been paying another consultant closely linked to Paul.
According to reports filed by McConnell's campaign, Elizabeth Stafford has been paid a total of $30,000 so far this year for fundraising consulting. Stafford is the wife of Doug Stafford, the executive director of
Reinventing A New Direction PAC (RAND PAC), Paul's leadership PAC. The only other payments made by a federal campaign or political committee to Elizabeth Stafford were two checks from RAND PAC totaling $5,500.
McConnell's campaign manager is Jesse Benton, who managed Paul's 2010 Senate campaign and is married to the granddaughter of former presidential candidate and Rep.
Ron Paul (R-Texas). If Benton was hired in part to help fend off a primary challenge from the right, as many observers said, it didn't work; the senior senator is now fighting a tea party insurgent as well as a credible Democratic candidate. Earlier this month, we wrote that McConnell's campaign also
paid a political operative named Dimitri Kesari, a top Ron Paul aide.
But McConnell's proliferating ties to the Paul family also bring him closer to individuals who have been accused by a former colleague of violating Iowa campaign finance law and misleading the IRS -- as well as being involved in negotiations to pay an Iowa state senator for his support in Iowa straw polls in 2011.
Both Kesari and Doug Stafford are former employees of the National Right to Work Committee; Stafford was the group's vice president until 2010. Late last month, another former National Right to Work employee provided OpenSecrets.org with a copy of
a complaint he made to the anti-labor union organization, accusing Kesari of running an off-the-books mass mailing operation that coordinated closely, and illegally, with Iowa legislative candidates. The mail campaigns, and the use of paid employees of National Right to Work or its Iowa affiliate to assist candidates, happened under Kesari's direction, and with the knowledge of Stafford and other top officials of the organization, claims Dennis Fusaro, who made the complaint. Fusaro says the group misled the IRS by reporting it had not engaged in any political activity.
Kesari also has been
named in emails, along with Benton, that appear to show they were involved in negotiations to pay an Iowa state senator in 2011 to switch his support from Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) to Ron Paul in the presidential straw poll in Ames. Benton and Kesari were both working on Ron Paul's White House bid at the time.
While Sorenson has denied that he authorized anyone to negotiate with the Paul campaign for payment for his support, he resigned in October after a state special prosecutor reported there was "
probable cause" to believe the lawmaker was paid by Bachmann's campaign and later received payment from someone connected to Paul's campaign around the time he switched his support to Paul.
And there appears to be a federal investigation ongoing as well: Several weeks ago, the FBI
executed a search warrant on Sorenson's home, taking computers and other materials connected to his involvement in presidential politics.
Benton did not respond to requests for comment, nor did McConnell's Senate office. Doug and Elizabeth Stafford declined to comment.
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: mcconnell; randpaul
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-28 next last
"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton |
|
"We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldnt make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan |
|
"A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 |
|
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams |
|
"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams |
|
|
|
To: SoConPubbie
McConnell can see who the new sharks in the Senate are and he's trying to be a lamprey. Too bad he's trying to grab campaign mercenaries rather than learning and living Rand Paul's political philosophy.
2
posted on
01/29/2014 9:35:02 AM PST
by
KarlInOhio
(Republican amnesty supporters don't care whether their own homes are called mansions or haciendas.)
To: SoConPubbie
Doesn’t matter to me.
If a person’s name isn’t Ted Cruz, then I’m not interested in that person.
3
posted on
01/29/2014 9:36:10 AM PST
by
chris37
(Heartless.)
To: SoConPubbie
Rand should be swimming away, as fast as possible, from anything Midge.
4
posted on
01/29/2014 9:38:01 AM PST
by
Jane Long
(While Marxists continue the fundamental transformation of the USA, progressive RINOs assist!)
To: SoConPubbie
I think that Rand has cut some kind of political deal with McConnell,possibly with 2016 in mind. When Rand first came to DC, they could barely stand each other. Now, it’s like Rand is relying on McConnell as his mentor.
5
posted on
01/29/2014 9:38:32 AM PST
by
Timber Rattler
(Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
To: SoConPubbie
I’m afraid that Rand Paul, given a chance, will turn out to be pretty much like Ron Paul, who played the libertarian while gobbling pork with the worst of them.
6
posted on
01/29/2014 9:39:58 AM PST
by
Cicero
(Marcus Tullius)
To: KarlInOhio
McConnell can see who the new sharks in the Senate are and he's trying to be a lamprey. Too bad he's trying to grab campaign mercenaries rather than learning and living Rand Paul's political philosophy Or is it Paul sees Ted Cruz as his primariy opponent for the 2016 nomination and is keeping close to McConnell for his own purposes? If Paul has a hand in dragging McConnell's sorry butt into another term then as Senate Minority/Majority leader McConnell can help marginalize Cruz in the Capitol. If McConnell loses the nomination or election the Paul's help won't hurt him under the 'at least I tried' explanation.
To: KarlInOhio
Maybe Mac is just helping the dems set up rand as one of the next in a continuing series.of fed crackdowns on the right. The tyrants march on.
8
posted on
01/29/2014 9:53:16 AM PST
by
epluribus_2
(he had the best mom - ever.)
To: KarlInOhio
I think I agree with you. Rand Paul doesn’t appear to be the beholden type. I think he is gaining charge in some RINO quarters, and definitly staking some ground that will be useful later. McConnell is obviously needy for someone’s muscle in Kentucky. Rand appears to be gathering chits and indebting Mitch.
9
posted on
01/29/2014 9:56:34 AM PST
by
RitaOK
( VIVA CHRISTO REY / Public education is the farm team for more Marxists coming.)
To: DoodleDawg
I think Rand to trying to worm into the GOPe to garner support for Rand's next re-election campaign.
Plus they are from the same state.
10
posted on
01/29/2014 9:56:42 AM PST
by
Paladin2
To: DoodleDawg
11
posted on
01/29/2014 9:57:34 AM PST
by
RitaOK
( VIVA CHRISTO REY / Public education is the farm team for more Marxists coming.)
To: Jane Long
I don’t think he has to. Mitch will soon be ‘lost in the waves’. BEVIN FOR SENATE!
To: KarlInOhio
Yes and I’m not seeing anything negative on Rand Paul about this. Its a non event.
13
posted on
01/29/2014 10:09:18 AM PST
by
Georgia Girl 2
(The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
To: KarlInOhio
Just remember this boys and girls. Should McConnell lose to Bevin, and I also hope he does, that leaves who in line as the next senate leader? Yup, it is John McCain.
Pick the poison. We had better make Dam sure we get the place loaded up with strict conservatives or all hell breaks loose.
14
posted on
01/29/2014 10:11:07 AM PST
by
crz
To: crz
Should McConnell lose to Bevin, and I also hope he does, that leaves who in line as the next senate leader? Yup, it is John McCain.Ugh....hopefully, not!
AZ voters should be reminded of this...especially the state GOP, that just censured Juan.
15
posted on
01/29/2014 10:16:33 AM PST
by
Jane Long
(While Marxists continue the fundamental transformation of the USA, progressive RINOs assist!)
To: crz
Just remember this boys and girls. Should McConnell lose to Bevin, and I also hope he does, that leaves who in line as the next senate leader? Yup, it is John McCain. Incorrect. McCain holds no leadership position in the Senate Republican hierarchy.
Next in line for Minority Leader would be the Minority Whip: John Cornyn (R-TX).
16
posted on
01/29/2014 10:19:23 AM PST
by
okie01
(The Mainstream Media -- IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
To: Jane Long
Sorry, but thats how it will shake down. McCain will be the next senate leader if McConell loses.
What a hell of a mess. And McCain is defiant of the latest goings on in AZ I.E. censorship of him.
17
posted on
01/29/2014 10:20:45 AM PST
by
crz
To: okie01
Provided Cornyn wins his election. The next could be Thune.
And Cornyn would be any better?
18
posted on
01/29/2014 10:27:04 AM PST
by
crz
To: crz
Provided Cornyn wins his election. The next could be Thune. And Cornyn would be any better?
I'm not voting for him in the primary but, realistically, Cornyn will probably win...handily.
And, yes, Cornyn -- flawed as he is -- would be an improvement on McConnell. Especially since McConnell's defeat would send a strong message to those RINOs who survive: There, but for the grace of God, go thee!
That's not to say I wouldn't prefer, say, Mike Lee for Majority Leader.
19
posted on
01/29/2014 10:42:35 AM PST
by
okie01
(The Mainstream Media -- IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
To: Georgia Girl 2
"Yes and Im not seeing anything negative on Rand Paul about this. Its a non event." On the surface it is a non event, but given today's politically motivated prosecutions by the DOJ, any person opposed to the regime can be railroaded into a conviction.
20
posted on
01/29/2014 10:53:57 AM PST
by
buckalfa
(Tilting at Windmills)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-28 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson