Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

bluedigger

(17,087 posts)
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 01:36 PM Apr 2012

Romney Backer Under Fire For Involvement In Ancient Canine Cookout

Mitt Romney’s latest canine controversy involves his bundler Fred Malek who was arrested over 50 years ago conjunction with an incident where a dog was killed and barbecued in an Illinois park. Mr. Malek is hosting a fundraiser for the Romney campaign on Monday in honor of Ann Romney’s birthday. Dogs Against Romney, the stealth PAC backed group dedicated to dogging Mr. Romney about the 1983 incident where he put his Irish Setter on the roof of his car, sent a press release this morning pointing out Mr. Romney’s upcoming fundraiser is hosted by “fellow animal abuser Fred Malek.”

Mr. Malek, who was 22-years-old at the time, was one of five men arrested in August 1959 after police in Peoria, Illinois found them around a grisly scene in a public park where a dog had been skinned, disemboweled and barbecued on a spit. Charges against Mr. Malek were eventually dismissed after one of his companions testified they were solely responsible for killing the animal and attempting to cook it. In 2006, Mr. Malek told Washington Post columnist Colbert King he and the other men arrested at the site of the canine cookout were “drunk out of their minds at the time” and that he merely watched the proceedings and was in no position to stop them. This explanation has not satisfied Dogs Against Romney.

“Malek just…watched. What is it with Mitt Romney and animal cruelty?” the group’s statement said.

Mr. Romney ‘s alleged mistreatment of animals has been a persistent issue for him on the campaign trail since the publication of a 2007 Boston Globe profile that revealed he once strapped his family’s Irish Setter, Seamus, into a carrier on top of the family car for a more than twelve hour road trip. Seamus responded to his roof ride by defecating and, according to our sources, running away once the family arrived at their destination.

http://www.politicker.com/2012/04/12/romney-dog-cookout/


I've been drunk before. That is no damn excuse! Malek needs to leave Public life.
14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Romney Backer Under Fire For Involvement In Ancient Canine Cookout (Original Post) bluedigger Apr 2012 OP
killed and bar b qued?!?! xchrom Apr 2012 #1
You'd rather they did that when it was alive? jberryhill Apr 2012 #6
What a strange response. Nt xchrom Apr 2012 #7
Dunno. Every time I get drunk, I barbeque a dog. immoderate Apr 2012 #2
THEY BARBECUED A DOG???? aquart Apr 2012 #3
Well, technically... bluedigger Apr 2012 #4
Really. Everyone knows that broiling is better jberryhill Apr 2012 #5
I would have caught so much flack if I had said it. bluedigger Apr 2012 #11
I wonder how many of those guys are actually serial killers? WI_DEM Apr 2012 #8
Malek and the other four? Or Republicans in general? bluedigger Apr 2012 #12
Fred Malek? Warmed over Nixon retread. Sleazy also. Why is he working for Romney? yellowcanine Apr 2012 #9
"Gets off"? That's a permanent stain. bluedigger Apr 2012 #10
What the hell? ellie Apr 2012 #13
wtf fishwax Apr 2012 #14

aquart

(69,014 posts)
3. THEY BARBECUED A DOG????
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 01:44 PM
Apr 2012

Sorry, but when I get drunk I just say "Hello" a lot. I never kill anything.

yellowcanine

(35,701 posts)
9. Fred Malek? Warmed over Nixon retread. Sleazy also. Why is he working for Romney?
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 03:27 PM
Apr 2012

He gave Nixon the names of Democrats and Jews (based on their names) at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Several people were reassigned because their names sounded Jewish. Then later he basically lied about the extent of his involvement.

He was also fined $100,000 for his part in a fraudulent scheme to invest $75 million of Connecticut state pension funds with Malek's firm in 2003.

Maybe he gets off for being young and drunk at the dog roasting. But it seems to me with his sleazy history he should be nowhere near a campaign fund raising event.

bluedigger

(17,087 posts)
10. "Gets off"? That's a permanent stain.
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 03:50 PM
Apr 2012

"Mr. Malek, who worked with Presidents Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush and served as National Finance Committee co-chair of John McCain’s 2008 White House bid, is also no stranger to controversy. During his time in the Nixon administration, Mr. Malek compiled a list of “ethnics,” specifically Jews, in the federal government. In recordings released in 2010, President Nixon was taped instructing Malek “to particularly check the Jews throughout the administration … and see what we can do about them.” In 1988, Mr. Malek resigned from the Republican National Committee over questions about his role in President Nixon’s push to oust Jews from the federal government. Mr. Malek apologized for his involvement, but denied playing a substantial role in the scheme."

He has been and remains a Player in the Republican establishment.

Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»2016 Postmortem»Romney Backer Under Fire ...