House Republicans were dealt another round of self-made scandals this week, as it was revealed that Rep. Rod Blum is under an ethics investigation, Republican candidate Pete Stauber appears to have been caught campaigning on the taxpayer’s dime, and a judge ruled Rep. Scott Taylor’s campaign committed ‘instances of forgery’ and ‘out and out fraud’. As a reminder, these legal and ethics issues add to an existing cesspool of House Republican corruption including two indictments, insider trading, tax cuts for yachts, shady foreign bank loans, failing to disclose sketchy businesses, and much more.
People are taking notice: Cook Political Report moved IA-01 to Lean Democratic and VA-02 to Toss Up in light of Blum and Taylor’s ethics problems.
IA-01: Rod Blum
Rep. Rod Blum is now being investigated by the House Ethics Committee for his gross misuse of taxpayer resources to promote his shady, anti-consumer internet company, Tin Moon. Blum was caught using his official office to promote his internet marketing firm that profits from burying damaging information online about companies with questionable practices, including FDA healthy and safety violations.
- Associated Press: House Ethics Committee Investigating Iowa Rep. Rod Blum
- Roll Call: Vulnerable Rod Blum Under House Ethics Inquiry
- CNN: House ethics panel looks into case involving Iowa Republican Rep. Rod Blum
- Des Moines Register: Ethics committee announces inquiry into Rep. Rod Blum over disclosure
- Cedar Rapids Gazette: Rod Blum calls ethics violation charge a ‘crusade of destruction’
- Cook Political Report: IA-01: Blum Moves From Toss up to Lean Democratic
- VIDEO: KCCI: Rep. Rod Blum Faces House Ethics Investigation
- VIDEO: KFXA: House Ethics Investigation into Private Business Started by Rep. Rod Blum
MN-08: Pete Stauber
A new breaking report from the Star Tribune reveals that national Republicans’ hand-picked candidate in MN-08, Pete Stauber, has been caught campaigning on the taxpayer’s dime. In his role as St. Louis County Commissioner, Stauber has apparently violated ethics rules by coordinating campaign activity with the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) and cheating taxpayers for his own personal gain. Stauber is now mired in Republicans’ culture of corruption.
- Star Tribune: U.S. House candidate Pete Stauber used government email for political correspondence
- KDLH: Report Stauber Violated Communication Rules
- WDIO: In the Hot Seat
VA-02: Scott Taylor
This week, a judge ruled that Taylor’s campaign actions involved ‘instances of forgery’ and ‘out and out fraud’. We also learned that, “Six people connected to the Taylor campaign signed affidavits indicating they would plead the fifth if asked, ‘did Scott Taylor personally direct you to collect signatures.’”
- Washington Post: Judge orders independent candidate off the ballot in Va. congressional race, citing ‘out and out fraud’
- Richmond Times-Dispatch: Richmond judge finds ‘out and out fraud,’ rules independent Shaun Brown should be removed from 2nd District congressional ballot
- Virginian Pilot: Judge orders Shaun Brown’s name removed from ballot, citing fraud
- National Journal: Legal Drama Endangers a GOP Seat in Coastal Virginia
- Roll Call: Judge Tosses All Ballot Petitions Turned In by Taylor Staffers
- Cook Political Report: VA-02: Taylor Moves From Lean Republican to Toss Up
- WTKR: Judge Says Signatures Should be Removed
- WAVY: 2nd District Ballot Battle
- WVEC: Inside Judge’s 2nd District Ballot Decision
- WVEC: Judge: Shaun Brown Won’t Be On the Ballot
Photo credit: Newseum Front Pages
Photo credit: Newseum Front Pages