Show Me the Troops! Cause I don’t see ’em…
In a story published in The Daily Beast and Propublica, Kim Barker breaks wide open the Tea Party Express-associated group Move America Forward’s financial dealings. Barker writes:
“Move America Forward calls itself the nation’s “largest grassroots pro-troop organization,” and has recruited a bevy of Republican luminaries, including former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney, to support its efforts.”
“The driving force behind Move America Forward is Sal Russo, 67, the longtime political consultant who is listed on the 10-year-old charity’s tax returns as chief strategist.
“Russo is better known for helping to form the Our Country Deserves Better PAC, also known as the Tea Party Express, one of the largest Tea Party groups in the country. Consultants from his Sacramento-based firm, Russo, Marsh and Associates, also set up two other PACs, the Move America Forward Freedom PAC and the Conservative Campaign Committee, to aid conservative causes and candidates.”
Some of the expenses of the “nation’s largest pro-troop organization” include a cruise to Alaska. And of course as the Daily Beast notes, Sarah Palin even fundraised for the group (because of course she’d be involved in this).
This, of course, raised my hackles and I decided to do some quick searches through Move America Forward Freedom PAC’s FEC filings. WHAM. Found it.
Move America Forward PAC 2010 filings
Yep, not so shockingly, one of the Alaskans currently running for US Senate got cash for his political campaign from this group that is likely now going to get an IRS visit.
Here are the top 10 recipients of donations from “the nation’s largest grassroots pro-troop organization.” I don’t see the word troops in there…
2010 Top Recipients of cash from Move America Forward PAC- Screen Shots from www.opensecrets.org
The horribleness continues, but I recommend that you read the excellent exposé at The Daily Beast.
Here’s Sarah doing what she does best, fundraising.
This takes brass and not a small quantity of it either.
Why isn’t Palin screaming about this abuse of the troops? Why isn’t she demanding an investigation? How can she allow herself to be used in such a vile manner? Where is “Blood Libel 2”? WTF Sarah? Use that screech to get to the bottom of a real scandal.
Making money from other people’s misfortunes
that be the ;’murrican way
no matter we lie and obfuscate
we be rich at the end of the day.
them suckers be dead or wounded
all volunteered to enter the fray
so why not exploit them for money
that be our ‘murrican way.
not our fault we ain’t got no morals
ain’t had none for 30 plus years
we learnt good from senile old Raygun
whose demise still brings us to tears
Russo and Palin a couple of crooks