The TNT’s Niki Sullivan is fast becoming my favorite newspaper blogger. After being refused entry into a Christian Businessmen’s Connection (CBMC) event featuring Dino Rossi (obviously, one of the businesses they haven’t connected with yet is PR), Sullivan follows up by reporting that the gathering most likely violated the law, putting the organization’s tax-exempt status at risk.
The problem: CMBC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. And, as far as the Internal Revenue Service is concerned, Rossi could have talked exclusively about his shoe size and the event still would have run afoul of the law.
That tidbit in itself is worth the read, but I just love how Sullivan writes up her exchange with CBMC organizer Dwight Mason:
“I feel like it’s a private party. Our purpose was not fundraising, I can say that,” he said.
I asked if fundraising occurred.
“There was no plea for funds. No funds were solicited.”
I told him I had heard otherwise.
“You know, if there were envelopes there, they weren’t anything that I had anything to do with. When you have a political campaign, I’m sure there’s going to be some envelopes around somewhere.”
Understandable. But whether there was fundraising is irrelevant in the eyes of the law.
“To me this sounds to me like a reporter who has an agenda.”
Correct. My agenda includes something about holding people in power accountable.
Now that’s blogging. You go girl.
Have to agree with you Goldy. We are in dire need of more reporters that work to report the news and not their ‘spin’ on the events of the day.
Perhaps Niki ought to interview former Democratic Mayor of New York, Ed Koch, about O-blah-blah:
FROM NEWSMAX:
Koch: I May Back McCain
Monday, May 19, 2008 7:30 PM
By: Phil Brennan
“Former New York City Mayor Edward Koch, one of the country’s most prominent Democrats, says he may cross over and back Republican Sen. John McCain for president.
In an exclusive Newsmax interview, Koch says McCain “has no equal” when it comes to opposing Islamic terrorism. Though Koch says he disagrees with most of McCain’s positions on domestic issues, he could support him because of his strong national security credentials.
Koch carries significant weight with many Jewish Democrats in New York and across the country. He also has a history of playing the maverick and crossing party lines.
He has backed several New York Republicans, including Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg for New York City mayor, Al D’Amato for the U.S. Senate, and George Pataki for New York governor. In 2004 he endorsed his first Republican for president, George W. Bush. Koch actively campaigned in several states, including Florida and Ohio.
Koch, a regular Newsmax pundit, also says in his interview that he still endorses Sen. Hillary Clinton for the White House and believes she should stay in the race. He says he is bothered by Sen. Barack Obama’s relationships with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and terrorist bomber William Ayers, and agrees with McCain that a pre-emptive strike against Iran may be necessary.”
Well as usual – the hypocrites on the right are for the rule of law – until they’re against it.
The very idea of “Christian Men’s Business Connection (CMBC)” is repulsive to me.
Jewz and kneegrows need not apply.
thorn,
Yeah, and they don’t let us Pagans in either!
As soon as I see “Christian” I know it’s going to be bullshit to the max.
Time for my liberal prayer:
Jesus,
Please deliver me from your followers.
Amen
Note to Goldy: Thank you for having the link open in a new tab or window. Sure wish this could be the rule for links at HA. MLF
Go Niki!
re 2: Well, Mr. Cynical, that is spurious reasoning. So, what you are saying is that if Ed Koch, the former mayor of New York, does something wrong, then it’s OK for Dino Rossi to do the same.
And if a reporter catches Dino Rossi doing some illegal fundraising, the only logical thing to do is to march right up to Ed Koch, the former mayor of New York, and quiz him about his activities.
You are weird.
Some of the Christian organizations who are currently pushing the envelope of co-mingling their charitable status with politics have reacted like it’s a liberal plot against religion when they are called on it.
But they need to remember that it was the Bush administration that fired the first shot in this war, when in 2004 they instructed the IRS to threaten to take away the tax-exempt status of a California church because the minister had preached that Jesus was anti-war.
As an Evangelical Christian, I reject the tendency of both sides to mix religion and politics. Not only is is bad for politics, but more importantly, it is bad for the church. Christians have enough on their hands trying to follow the teachings of Christ, without being distracted by following somebody else’s political agenda, and being subject to the inevitable failings of mortal men and women.
“Connecting Business and the Marketplace with Christ.”
Yea, Jesus Friedman Christ was definitely a free market capitalist.
“You know, if there were envelopes there, they weren’t anything that I had anything to do with.”
He had his fingers crossed when he said this, so it isn’t a sin or a lie. These fudging strategies are laid out in the Bible field manual, on sale today at JeezusH,Inc*. Order now and receive, free of charge a zircon encrusted crucifix/mp3 player.
*6.9% of all profits go toward the former- pastor/pedophile legal defense fund.
re 2: So, Koch is afraid that Obama may talk to, say, the Syrians — like Israel has been doing since 2007.
I can’t believe that Ed Koch could be that stupid. I’m going to check your source.
re 11: Jesus was no free-trader, as evidenced by his sound thrashing of the money-changers in the temple.
Christian businessmen…. Money-changers in the temple….
Hmmmmmnn…
The fact they’re now throwing reporters out of Dino’s campaign appearances shows you how badly their political edifice is crumbling.
I guess it’s inevitable that the politicians would agressivly seek out the support of religious groups. After all, where else in modern society do you find a chance where a few hundred people might be collected on a regular basis, with a podium and an open microphone available, and an audience accostomed to sitting quietly and listening to a speaker for anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours, and even have available an authoritarian leader who might provide an endorsement of some level or another? Not many other places, I wager.
And religious leaders tend to be subject to flattery like everyone else, and they want to be considered an “insider” like anyone else, and when they are approached by someone who is likely a future congressman, governor, or even President, the temptation to “join the fraternity” is often a bit too much for them to handle.
But the religious leaders need to exercise judgement, discretion, and spiritual wisdom in holding these advances from politicians at arm’s length.
Well, of course, they could spin it by saying Dino is not a “person in power” and never will be. That might get them off the hook. I haven’t done legal research on this, though, so if they purloin my thoughts and use this as a legal argument, they do so at their own fucking risk.
@7 Well, I don’t think that’s going to convert me to Judaism or Islam, but I hear what you’re saying.
@12 Why not? Shrub talked to the Libyans and North Koreans. The biggest appeaser of them all is the weed growing in the Oval Office.
Newzmacks
“Republican John McCain said Thursday that (Vice President Dick Cheney) had no right to criticize McCain’s position on military scholarships because (Vice President Dick Cheney) did not serve in uniform.
“And I will not accept from (Vice President Dick Cheney), who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did,” the Arizona senator said in a harshly worded statement issued Thursday.”
Mr. Cynical: Would you consider this an out of context quote? I would have put George W. Bush’s name there, but one could argue that GWB served – until he deserted.
@2 I’m getting out of my energy stocks. I think it’s a bubble, and I expect crude prices to crash soon. Thought you might want to know.
I sold a natural gas stock this morning. Made about 25% since buying it in December — an annualized gain of roughly 50%. Wish I could do that all the time, I’d be a millionaire in no time, but honestly it isn’t that easy or profitable most of the time.
The level of theological ignorance on this blog is breathtaking, and it’s equaled only by the level of partisan hackery hence the fascination with some snarky TNT reporter who seeks to crash an event to which she was neither invited nor one she could, given her parochial frame of reference, cover objectively.
“My agenda includes something about holding people in power accountable.” Under the circumstances, what an incredibly banal statement.
Private citizens, none of whom are identified as office holders nee “people in power,” are harrassed by a prejudiced so-called “journalist,” and we’re supposed to feel sorry for her? G’won!
If she wants to “hold people in power accountable,” why doesn’t she wander through the halls of Olympia and root out the mismanagment and corruption down there? Problems in DSHS/CPS, the breathtaking fiascos in the Washington Ferry System, the inability to make real progress on transportation, the ravenous appetite to devour the people’s money through big government and higher taxes – now that’s something that begs accountability.
But n-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o…that would trespass on liberal orthodoxy that says that the people exist to serve the ruling classes and that what is theirs – what properly is their private property – must be re-distributed such that equality of outcome eviscerates equality of opportunity.
Sad it is that so many of you equate quality of life with what is “given” you by government rather than what you make of your life yourself. Sad…but not unexpected.
Uriah Heap would be right at home among the HA Happy Hooligans.
The Piper
re 21: “If she wants to “hold people in power accountable,” why doesn’t she wander through the halls of Olympia and root out the mismanagment and corruption down there?”
Mr. Cynical feels that interviewing former New York mayor Ed Koch would be the proper response.
The Peeper thinks the wise response is to go to Olympia and scream at people in the halls or ‘root’ them out or something. We didn’t have to root out the mismanaging corrupt legislators. We replaced them with Democrats.
Who to believe?
re 21: “Uriah Heap would be right at home among the HA Happy Hooligans.”
Yup! Easy Livin’ (I don’t think you will ever get my reference for as long as you live.)
“Easy Livin,” by Uriah Heep. The Beach Boys of Metal. Worth a listen!
I apologize for continuing the thread-hijack…
Cynical, you forgot a couple of words in your (well, Newsmax’s) paean to Ed Koch. Let me help you out by putting those words into the first paragraph:
Koch has also endorsed (among others) Al D’Amato, George Pataki, and Rudy Giuliani. He is, in other words, the Tim Sheldon of New York City.
And you know how highly Tim is regarded hereabouts.
@24…DR…
Wrong Uriah Heep (my bad for misspelling it in the original post)…Try the unctuous, cloying, hypocritical, lying, completely insincere piece of trash from David Copperfield.
Anyone who beats their own breast to crow about how they are the instrument of our salvation (see Niki Sullivan’s comments above) usually end up as instruments of our ruination.
The Piper
Dino made the front page of the Tacoma paper, that’s good right?
http://www.thenewstribune.com/.....70732.html
I’d say this group definately violated the rules!
Hey Roger…did you bail out completely from oil? You really think the bubble will burst? And how low do you predict it will go?
@27 Micheal – too bad the PI or Slimes couldn’t see the story here!
Hmm… Maybe Piper’s right. Maybe Niki should be figuring out WTF happened to 8.2 billion dollars that the pentagon failed to properly track over in Iraq.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05.....it.html?hp
“Anyone who beats their own breast to crow about how they are the instrument of our salvation”, he crows as he beats his breast.
@30…SS…
I don’t beat my breast; I merely speak prophetic words.
Liberals and minions of the MSM have a monopoly on the “holier than thou” concesssions. Always touting their virture and sinless lives, efforts, and motivations, they claim the absolute right to herd the masses along the path to salvation since they have truth by the tail on a downhill grade.
Today’s liberal: Javert in the flesh.
The Piper
The Piper
@24 More of a Status Quo fan myself, but whatever floats your boat.
Piper, if you’re going to go on about Uriah Heep, don’t forget Mr. Podsnap!
I don’t beat my breast; I merely speak prophetic words.
Podsnappery at it’s finest!
@2
Koch supported Bush in 2004 too. In fact, he even sent out mailings for him.
@30…SS…
I don’t beat my breast; I merely speak prophetic words.
Liberals and minions of the MSM have a monopoly on the “holier than thou” concesssions. Always touting their virture and sinless lives, efforts, and motivations, they claim the absolute right to herd the masses along the path to salvation since they have truth by the tail on a downhill grade.
Today’s liberal: Javert in the flesh.
The Piper
@21
the ravenous appetite to devour the people’s money through big government and higher taxes
When you can find a bigger example of this than the Iraq War, call me. Until then, we’ll just keep laughing at you.
@32, Tlazo, wow quick work with the Podsnap. ^5
@32…T…
Sorry…wrong answer.
Pompous and complacent I most definitely am not! I simply bring some truth to dispell the fog of looney left-wing misconceptions; it’s an ugly task, but someone must do it!
BTW…making book on the last leg of the Triple Crown? Enlighten us as to how Belmont is different than both KD and the Prekness such that Big Brown can be beaten. How many horses have nailed handsomly the first two legs only to fall short on the third?
Your thoughts?
The Piper
Well, the trolls win this battle. Notice how they quickly knocked this thread off-topic with a specious argument so as to avoid discussing Dino Rossi’s illegal fundraising?
Nice job.
@37
Pompous and complacent I most definitely am not!
Hands down the funniest thing ever said in a HorsesAss comment thread.
@38
Goldy, the trolls can’t handle it. If I were you, I’d just buy stock in the diaper companies right before November.
@38…Goldy…
Typical…that you allege something must mean that it is so – especially where there is no real evidence to support the allegations, only the huffy snips of some snarky reporter who bitched because she wasn’t accorded what she felt was her due?
Please…spare us.
She is properly the subject of the thread for her tantrum. That she believes the world must kowtow to her because of her exaulted status evidences how vapid and shallow her contribution to Western Civilization actually is.
Let’s just leave it at this: Emile Zola she ain’t!
The Piper
@ 39
Republicans have the blues that Just Won’t Burn.
(OT: Her voice and his guitar…)
Piper @ 40
The only time when the messenger becomes the focus of the attack is when one cannot refute the message.
@40
She is properly the subject of the thread for her tantrum.
The Boston Tea Party was a tantrum too. When you understand that, you’ll figure out that we’re the patriots here, while you’re still the village idiot.
“holier than thou”
Sad it is that so many of you equate quality of life with what is “given” you by government rather than what you make of your life yourself. Sad…but not unexpected.
Sad that you’ve had your head so stuck in the pages of National Review that you haven’t the first clue about what people around here want from their government.
One clue: over HALF of Olympia’s freaking budget is for the schools yet WA State ranks near BOTTOM in per pupil spending.
@44
And the problem is that idiots like Crackpiper keep demanding that our money be spent on more prisons and more law enforcement to wage a war against drugs that can never be won, while the things that government can provide and can give us greater liberty and opportunity go underfunded.
re 31: “I don’t beat my breast; I merely speak prophetic words.”
You are not trying to be ironic here or to display a self-deprecating brand of wit? You don’t have it in you, do you?
re 40: “Let’s just leave it at this: Emile Zola she ain’t!”
On more levels than you intend.
@46…DR…
To know me is to love me…Ask anyone in town! Save the HA Happy Hooligans, that is – nobody likes their conscience.
The Piper
The righties only care about illegal fundraising when they think a Dem is doing it.
@49…BBGOP…
So you concede Dems do it?
The Piper
@ 50.
No. What he said was the only time Republicans give a rat’s ass about illegal fundraising is when they THINK a Dem is doing it.
Therefore, he concedes nothing to you.
Can you say Jack Abramoff?
Can you say Duke Cunningham?
Can you say Bob Ney?
Can you say, oh hell, it’s just easier to say Republican.
The Republican theme song at their convention this year: “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.”
Q- Why is a Republican’s nose always brown?
A- ’cause he’s always lookin’ fer love in all the wrong places.
re 50: So, you admit that Democrats are your standard for moral behavior.
@21 “The level of theological ignorance on this blog is breathtaking”
Unfortunately, you bring no enlightenment to the table. But what you need, more than anything else, is political reformation. No, wait, on second thought I think you need all the saving you can get from Jesus or any other source …
@55
I’d rather have theological ignorance than scientific or political ignorance.
@56…Lee…
Leave it to you to take pride in ignorance.
The Piper
@57
And I’ll leave it to you to not get it when someone is making fun of you.
@58…Lee…
Ditto
The Piper