Oct 11, 2010
District by District: Another Tough Week for House Republicans
House Republicans across the country faced tough news stories last week, including a police investigation into the assault and attempted rape of a potential campaign volunteer, details and pictures of a candidate dressing up as a Nazi in World War II reenactments, and lackluster Republican support for their own “Pledge to America.”
What else don’t Republican leaders know about their candidates?
Below is a sample of last week’s coverage of the Republicans’ flawed candidates and Members:
Tom Ganley (OH-13) – Police wanted to interview Tom Ganley about sexual assault charges filed against him
“Cleveland police are asking to interview car dealer Tom Ganley about an alleged sexual assault first mentioned in a civil lawsuit. Cleveland Safety Director Martin Flask said police contacted Ganley's legal team to arrange an interview… Ganley's accuser just filed a police report about an incident that allegedly happened at Ganley's Cleveland Chevrolet dealership in the summer of 2009. She filed a civil lawsuit about the alleged assault after mediation did not resolve the situation.” [WKYC-TV, 10/05/10]
Rich Iott (OH-09) – Rich Iott dressed up as a Nazi in World War II reenactments
“Rich Iott, the Republican nominee for Congress from Ohio's 9th District, and a Tea Party favorite, who for years donned a German Waffen SS uniform and participated in Nazi re-enactments…was involved with a group that calls itself Wiking, whose members are devoted to re-enacting the exploits of an actual Nazi division, the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking.” [The Atlantic, 10/08/10]
Bill Flores (TX-17) - Bill Flores avoided paying back $7.5 million to the U.S. government and left taxpayers with the bill
“The Republican challenger who has assailed Rep. Chet Edwards for supporting taxpayer bailouts once led his company through a bankruptcy that let it avoid a $7.5 million debt to the U.S. government. Although Bill Flores, a retired Bryan energy executive, has said all creditors were fully repaid with interest, court records show otherwise. The 1992 bankruptcy allowed Marine Rig 200 Inc. to repay just $3 million of $10.5 million owed to the U.S. Maritime Administration, which held the mortgage on a drilling rig the company owned.” [Dallas Morning News, 10/08/10 and KCEN, 10/09/10]
Scott Rigell (VA-02) – Multimillionaire and used car salesman Scott Rigell needed Cash-for-Clunker program in order for his business to survive
“Telling moment last night from Republican Scott Rigell when he told WAVY's Andy Fox that his dealerships accepted stimulus-linked Cash for Clunkers money to survive the economic downturn. Rigell… has been a harsh critic of the federal stimulus program that Nye backed in Congress… But in the WAVY clip, Rigell said he benefited from Cash for Clunkers ‘in the sense of just basically trying to survive.’” [Daily Press, 10/08/10]
Steve Pearce (NM-02) – Steve Pearce questioned President Obama’s citizenship
At a recent campaign event, when asked about the President’s citizenship, Steve Pearce responded by saying, “Barack Obama raised the most significant issues himself.” “Steve Pearce’s campaign couldn’t bring itself to say President Barack Obama was a natural born U.S. citizen Thursday…” [New Mexico Independent, 10/07/10]
Tom Marino (PA-10) – As a U.S. District Attorney, Tom Marino tried to expunge his friend’s drug record
“A prominent central Pennsylvania car dealer once described as a ‘friend’ by former U.S. Attorney Tom Marino has racked up an extensive rap sheet since leaning on Marino to have a cocaine dealing conviction cleared from his record more than a decade ago, court documents obtained by The Citizens’ Voice show. Jay W. Kilheeney, an admitted drug addict and alcoholic, has been busted three times since Marino clumsily and unsuccessfully interceded in the drug case, in June 1998, and has been accused in protection from abuse petitions of leading a violent, vagabond home life.” [Citizens Voice, 10/09/10]
Tom Marino (PA-10) – Tom Marino’s support for criminals shows poor judgment
“While serving as U.S. Attorney, Marino acted as a personal character reference on a state gambling license application for Louis DeNaples, an admitted federal felon and convicted criminal who imprisoned reputed Mafia boss Billy D’Elia maintains was a longtime associate of organized crime. Before that, though, Marino acted as a reference for a Williamsport businessman who wanted his criminal drug record expunged, according to a lawyer who was close to the case and who agreed to talk only if I withheld his identity.” [WILK 103.1, 10/4/10]
Ryan Frazier (CO-07) – Ryan Frazier is a senior partner at a company that specializes in outsourcing American jobs
Ryan Frazier is “a senior partner at a firm specializing in outsourcing…'Outsourcing' explicitly appears as one of the services offered by the firm, albeit a hidden service. When HuffPost moused over 'services' - 'outsourcing' did not appear as an available service. But after HuffPost clicked on an offered services and then went back and moused over services again, 'outsourcing' appeared.” [Huffington Post, 10/05/10]
Frank Guinta (NH-01) – Frank Guinta asked to explain “magical bank accounts”
“In the complaints, NHDP executive director Mike Brunelle notes that Guinta campaign finance reports show he made three loans totaling $245,000 to his campaign, on June 30, 2009, and March 28 and June 27 of this year. Brunnelle also pointed out that on Sept. 3 and 10, Guinta made two personal contributions to his campaign committee totaling an additional $110,000. Brunelle noted that Guinta did not originally list enough assets to support making such huge loans and contributions.” [Union Leader, 10/6/10]
Frank Guinta (NH-01) – Frank Guinta faced accusations of illegal campaign donations
Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter is highlighting criticism her Republican opponent Frank Guinta has faced from his own party, accusing him of accepting illegal campaign donations. Guinta, the former mayor of Manchester, “amended a disclosure form last summer to list a previously unreported bank account holding up to $500,000 but has refused to show a bank statement that proves the account's existence.” [AP, 10/07/10]
Ilario Pantano (NC-07) – Local Tea Party activist endorsed Representative McIntyre over Republican candidate Ilario Pantano
“Deborah Johns said Monday it appears that voters are ignoring Republican candidate Ilario Pantano’s past. Pantano was charged with premeditated murder in 2005, and prosecutors accused him of shooting two Iraqis in the back. An investigating officer later said that Pantano made ‘serious errors’ in judgment but should not be brought to trial for murder. Johns is the former vice chair of the Tea Party Express who still speaks at party events. She’s the mother of a Marine and said McIntyre was the first Democrat she’s endorsed.” [AP, 10/04/10]
Steven Palazzo (MS-04) – Steven Palazzo is under investigation by the Federal Election Commission
“Richard W. Keefer, a member of the Hattiesburg 9-12 Tea Party organization, filed the complaint over ‘what appear to be serious campaign law violations,’ he said, centered on campaign donations totaling $4,000 made by Palazzo’s brother-in-law, Lee Hertz. Keefer questions whether the money actually came from Palazzo’s father, Frank Palazzo. Federal campaign law prohibits anyone from making a contribution in another person’s name, and limits the amount individuals can give to a campaign.” [Sun Herald, 10/06/10]
Scott Tipton (CO-03) – Scott Tipton reversed his position…Again
After trying to reverse his positions on doing away with the 17th Amendment, eliminating the Department of Education and cutting federal spending by 50 percent, it should come as no surprise that Tipton is attempting to change his story – again. This time this Tipton criticized a bill to change one Colorado county’s designation because it would raise county employee salaries, even though Tipton himself sponsored a bill the year before to do the exact same thing for a different county. [The Durango Herald, 10/06/10]
Mick Mulvaney (SC-05) – Mick Mulvaney broke his promise in local land deal
“Republican U.S. House candidate Mick Mulvaney is fending off questions over his role in a housing development plagued by financial and environmental problems. Construction permits for new homes in the Edenmoor subdivision have been halted for more than six months because of erosion and extensive road problems. Lancaster County attorneys say Edenmoor's delinquent taxes and assessments exceed $5.1 million. The county has begun condemnation proceedings.” [The Herald, 10/08/10]
Austin Scott (GA-08) – Local resident wanted Austin Scott’s divorce records open to the public
“Amy Morton, a Macon-based family therapist and Democrat activist, had a motion filed to open the divorce records on Sept. 30… ‘I’ve had no contact with the Marshall campaign on this issue. It is my decision. I think the public has a right to know why the records are sealed and what is in the records,’ Morton said. ‘My records, other people’s records, are open. Why should Mr. Scott be any different? I’m not making a judgment of what is in the records. How would anybody know? They are sealed.’” [Macon Telegraph, 10/08/10]
Want the latest updates? Follow the DCCC on Facebook and Twitter:
