Steele used Md. campaign funds for legal bills, which ran to at least $188,000

[Rosa Luxemburg]

Source: Baltimore Sun

WASHINGTON — - Former Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele's personal political accounts were billed at least $188,000 by Washington law firms during his first year as chairman of the Republican National Committee, according to state and federal disclosure reports.

Steele used state campaign funds to pay the law firms, but the specific purpose for most of the expenditures wasn't disclosed, in apparent violation of Maryland reporting guidelines.



Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bal-md.steele20feb20,0,6108767.story

---

Steele is not 'squeaky clean' Tsk tsk.

[FrenchieCat]

1. Will the Media Whores

who read news with teleprompters report this story breathlessly?
I think not!

[Wizard777]

9. I don't think our State Prosecutor will investigate this. (R)oh(R)baugh only prosecutes Democrats.

[bulloney]

13. Are you kidding? They're too busy analyzing Tiger Woods' mea culpa.

Because they KNOW that's what we're all begging to hear about.

You can bet if something similar to this would have broken on Howard Dean, it would have been on the airwaves 24/7.

[MrMickeysMom]

16. Oh, but yes they will...

because, they're the l-i-b-e-r-a-l media.
:sarcasm:

[Cirque du So-What]

2. More from the article:

'No charges have surfaced in connection with the allegations, and there has been no indication that either Steele or his sister is now under investigation.'

Why the hell not? Steele has been operating under a cloud of suspicion regarding campaign finances for years, so why the fuck not go down this rabbit hole? Perhaps Steele has dodged the grand jury so far because closer scrutiny would catch even bigger fish that would prove quite embarrassing to the entire Republican apparatus. Fuck 'em, I say. Release the hounds!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. and this

I wonder why this one didn't get pursued? Big rabbit hole.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/10/AR2005111001903.html

[Cosmocat]

14. Because, sad to say ...

it is allowable to use campaign funds for legal costs ...

Not shiitee ...

[NecklyTyler]

21. Obviously the Republicans have some horsepower with the legal system in Maryland

The Republicans are determined not to repeat the Spiro T. Agnew fiasco.

Republicans who have conspiracy, tax fraud, bribery and extortion on their resume advance quicker in the party

[Rosa Luxemburg]

46. it will interesting to see

[jaysunb]

4. " Dump Truck," anyone ?

And, so it begins. :rofl:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. we hope he stays

however, ousting and scrutinizing Steele might put the damper on Ehrlich who may stand against Gov O'Malley?

[hatesthegop]

6. ALL GOP People are SCUM!!!!

[JCMach1]

7. This SHOULD give them the excuse to dump Steele

who has been a disaster... even by GOP standards.

[elehhhhna]

27. Dump?!! He's their pet liar - skank! He's the Chemical Ali of the cReepubblican't party!

[zbdent]

32. If they dumped him, they'd have to hire another black person!

do you think they have enough bribe money to hire another black?

[KamaAina]

34. Alan Keyes, destiny is calling you

:P

[JCMach1]

41. Nah, saving him to run against Obama when all the other candidates

self-destruct.

[zbdent]

45. nah, they're going to run Kindasleezy Rice ...

that way, they can claim racism AND sexism in opposing her ...

[Hubert Flottz]

8. If he wasn't a liar and a cheat he wouldn't be a good republican...

Better check his diaper!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

20. strange how it isn't prominent in the MSM? Haven't seen it anywhere else?

The B. Sun got yhe scoop! anybody heard this on TV?

If it were a DNC chair it would be all over the networks. On Morning Joe tomorrow?

[Hubert Flottz]

43. Laws are made for poor people and democrats...

To the manor born republicans are royals.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

44. not a sign

you can tell by the MSM's silence

[SpiralHawk]

10. Wide-stance Republicon Family Values

As ususal

[pattmarty]

11. It has really become in this country "one set of laws for the well.............

.........off/well connected, and another set for the working class. The old "hooray for me, fuck you".

[Lasher]

12. It's legal according to the Federal Election Commission.

It's legal as long as the conduct in question occurred while he was in office. Steele was Lt. Governor of MD from January 2003 to January 2007.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2850528

However, this is according to federal law. MD state law might have something else to say about it.

[Cosmocat]

15. YEP ...

scumbaggish, but most of what they do is ...

They thought to make it legal ahead of time ...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

23. State

I think it is a violation of MD law? We shall see.

[vincenzoesq]

17. Rethugs; you can dress them up

but you can't take them out.

[usregimechange]

18. Opps

[Bitwit1234]

19. I have told people he is a crook since before Ehrich

picked him as Lt. governor. Way back when Mike Tyson had money he married Steele's sister. Before she married she signed a pre-nup. Then after some time they wanted a divorce. She tried to wrangle more money out of him. Then Steele stepped in. First he had failed the bar exam several times. He has since passed it. But at that time he was not a lawyer. He went to Mike Tyson and told him a bunch of hooey and tried to get him to give his sister half of his money. Tyson, must have gotten someone with sense to help him out after Steele threatened him with a lawsuit, because he told Tyson HE WAS A LAWYER AND WOULD HANDLE THE CASE FOR HIS SISTER.

Then later as I said he passed the bar and Ehrlich knowing that most of Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Prince Georges had a majority of black needed Steele to get elected. And during that election they pulled dirty trick after dirty trick which was documented after the election and are too many to post here.

But you see Steele was acting criminal back then. Isn't it against the law to pose as a lawyer.

[NecklyTyler]

22. K&R

[FrenchieCat]

24. Kick!

So has it been reported anywhere other than this newspaper?

Will we "hear" about it being reported by the Cable triplets?

Let me know.

In the meantime, let's keep this thread kicked.

[alp227]

25. Sarah Palin also used campaign funds to buy her own book in bulk

Source: Sarah Palin Uses PAC to Buy Her Own Book, a Brian Ross investigative piece on ABC from earlier this month.

If Republicans keep this behaviour up they will look like total clowns in front of the American people, who overwhelmingly oppose increased corporate contributions to elections.

[subterranean]

26. I'm sure Fox News will be all over this story!

:sarcasm:

[MadBadger]

28. Booo...I LOVE Michael Steele

He's the gift that keeps on giving. I want him to be able to give more and more.

[DebbieCDC]

33. Off-topic but I just have to say -- Mad Badger, I LOVE your avatar

A big thumbs up for the Mighty Max!

[MadBadger]

35. Thanks! Just gotta give it up to the best Late Night Band Ever.

[DebbieCDC]

36. And probably the best rock & roll drummer EVER!

He puts the beat in the E Street band!!

[benld74]

29. THAT DOES IT!! I am getting into Politics! I GOT ME SOME BILLS. VOTE FOR ME

[Rosa Luxemburg]

38. I wonder would they pay my health bills?

There's an idea!

[lonestarnot]

30. They don't call him steele for nutt'n.

[Plucketeer]

31. You might be onto something there....

...I think whenever we talk about him here, we ought to spell his last name STEAL. It just seems more fitting!

[AnnieBW]

37. We knew he was corrupt in MD

And his buddy Erlich wants to run again against O'Malley? When O'Malley's fiscal policies got MD the highest bond rating EVER?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[hootinholler]

39. Yeah, he's as clean as Agnew. n/t

[Rosa Luxemburg]

40. Agnew

yes I remember

[defendandprotect]

42. kick