Breaking: Feldkamp Gives Up Cunningham Dirty Money
Kari Chisholm
Wow.
Just hours after my initial post - demanding that he give the dirty Cunningham $1000 to charity - Jim Feldkamp did just that.
From his announcement this morning:
I was saddened to learn U.S. Representative Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) has resigned from the U.S. Congress upon admission of pleading guilty to conspiracy and tax charges. ...In light of the current events, I feel it is necessary that I donate the $1,000 contribution Congressman Cunningham gave to my 2004 congressional campaign to Food For Lane County.
So, Jim, about that $10,000 that Tom DeLay gave you?
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Nov 29, '05
Way to go Kari!
Now let's go after the MILLIONS Cheney is feasting on... as he scrubs and scrubs the thick red blood from his fat-fingered, shaky hands.
No Doubt Dick just bought ANOTHER $2,000,000 vacation home... as the kids keep on dying... and the checks keep on coming.
But, do not worry, fallen midget Lee Atwater has saved DarkDick a seat near the fire, and better yet, he's got wood!
Nov 29, '05
Well, since Cunningham admits guilt whereas DeLay is innocent until proven guilty, there is no reason to deal with a donation linked to DeLay in the same manner as a donation linked to Cunningham. I commend Feldkamp for having the integrity to do the right thing with this donation. I also applaud his choice of Food For Lane County as a recipient (better than giving it back to the crook!).
Nov 30, '05
Q: Do we simply nod and say, "Oh, ok, give the tainted money to some charity and it's all good." Or should there be more in the way of amends? Perhaps some multiplier should be applied: "Take dirty money, and get caught, and you'll have to pay 100 times the amount to a charity of the State Attorney General's choice, NOT yours." Note that Skippy "commends" the "charitable giving" that helps whitewash the affair.
Nov 30, '05
Dandy, does that mean DeFazio should have to multiply the donation he returned from Neil "Pediphile" Goldschmidt by 100 and hand it over to the U.S. Attorney General to decide on what Charity should benifit? (Would it be okay to have the charity by a religious one?)
3:23 p.m.
Nov 30, '05
I have a little trouble with the idea that if you accept a campaign contribution from someone, you are vouching for that person's morals, politics or business practices. I appreciate the fact that Jim Feldkamp turned the money from Congressman Cunningham over to charity, but can anyone explain to me where Jim did anything wrong in accepting the donation in the first place?
Nov 30, '05
but can anyone explain to me where Jim did anything wrong in accepting the donation in the first place?
Radical as this may seem, how about raising money for Oregon races in Oregon?
I met Feldkamp on Filing Day 2004 and he seemed intelligent. That was not my impression of his campaign.
If money from Congressmen in one or more other states is only used to pay for attack ads (as opposed, for instance, to cover travel expenses to do in person Q & A or visit various areas (like VA hospital?) and discuss actual issues important to the district) then why is that a virtue--because "it has always been done like that"?
There has been considerable reporting recently on the corrosive effect of money on politics, and that wonderful Wash. Post column not long ago where someone who worked for Bob Dole said that voters are tired of games and it was titled "GOP and the Sandbox".
If Feldkamp can't give an opinion on, for instance, whether he supports Greg Walden's efforts on Mt. Hood or any other issue, how is all the money in the world going to overcome voters saying, "I may not always agree with Peter DeFazio, but he is the genuine article and I see nothing to suggest I should vote for the guy who ran a campaign I didn't support last time because I didn't like the tone of the campaign."? There are some things in politics that money can't buy.
10:31 p.m.
Nov 30, '05
I have a little trouble with the idea that if you accept a campaign contribution from someone, you are vouching for that person's morals, politics or business practices. I appreciate the fact that Jim Feldkamp turned the money from Congressman Cunningham over to charity, but can anyone explain to me where Jim did anything wrong in accepting the donation in the first place?
Or, as Ronald Reagan put it when faced with a similar situation, "Just because he's a fan of mine, doesn't mean I'm a fan of his."
Because with campaign money, there are expectations. And I hope that criminals such as Cunningham never get to set expectations in that manner.
It also used to be the law, and perhaps still is, that any money received from drug sources was forfeit, even if it was legitimately earned. Same principle at work there.
I applaud Mr. Feldkamp's decision, however he was pressured to make it. But I applaud even more the people in Oregon 3, who sent Peter DeFazio back to office.
10:32 p.m.
Nov 30, '05
I always thought I wouldn't make that italics mistake. TypePad needs post-editing.
Dec 2, '05
This situation with Feldkamp and Cunningham draws from the exact similarities of puppies and gynocologists in the respect that they both got their noses wet. I do not expect Jim to give up the $10,000 anytime soon.