In case you missed it, since last night the New York Times, MSNBC, and National Journal have highlighted the massive petition scandal that is engulfing Rep. Scott Taylor and his campaign.
Taylor was featured in an MSNBC segment about the culture of corruption swamping the Republican Party in Washington. In this above graphic he is pictured next to Rep. Chris Collins, who has been indicted for insider trading, and Rep. Duncan Hunter, who has been indicted for spending more than $250,000 in campaign funds on personal expenses.
According to the indictment, Duncan Hunter tried to hide a purchase of Hawaiian shorts by saying that he was buying golf balls to raise funds for wounded warriors. Hunter also wrote in an email “Tell the Navy to go f*** themselves” when they wouldn’t schedule a visit to a base around his $14k campaign-funded family vacation to Italy.
Duncan Hunter has donated to Scott Taylor’s campaigns.
Taylor was also featured in this story from National Journal: GOP Legal Troubles Boost Democrats’ Anti-Corruption Message.
And then, there’s this from the New York Times:
“Only hours after the convictions of Mr. Cohen and Mr. Manafort, Representative Duncan D. Hunter of California was indicted on a charge of using campaign money to fund a lavish lifestyle, including the alleged purchase of golf shorts masked as a charitable veterans contribution.
“Those charges came only weeks after Representative Chris Collins of New York was arrested on charges of insider trading, something that has also tarnished a handful of his colleagues, including Representative John Culberson, an endangered Texas Republican. Mr. Collins and Mr. Hunter were Mr. Trump’s two earliest congressional supporters.
“In Virginia, Representative Scott Taylor is accused of forging signatures to get an independent on the ballot this fall to help save his seat. And in Florida, Representative Vern Buchanan is accused of accepting a seven-figure yacht loan from a bank lobbying for last year’s tax cut, then purchasing the 73-foot vessel on the same day he voted for the measure he helped write.
“’It has been a really bad August,’ as Mr. Cole put it.”
“There should be no doubt that the special prosecutor’s investigation into Rep. Scott Taylor’s campaign is a serious issue for his chances in November and part of a broader corruption problem engulfing him and fellow Washington Republicans.” – DCCC Spokesperson Jacob Peters