Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
The Republican National Committee has fired the staffer who organized a $1,946 trip to Voyeur West Hollywood, a bondage-themed strip club. The fired staffer convinced Erik Brown, a donor and vendor, to bill the RNC for the trip.
Now the question is whether RNC Chairman Michael Steele, who says he has never been to Voyeur and knew nothing about the expense report, will keep his job. On the show last night, Ana Marie Cox of GQ suggested that Steele's job is safe -- for the short term:
It's just that it's not a good time for him to step down. Also, he won't step down as you can tell from those quotes that you played. And apparently, it's really difficult to get him out of there. To fire him requires something like 70 or 80 members of the delegation, the national committee to call for a special session and then to call for a vote of no confidence on him. And that's probably not going to happen in part because people want this to go away. The GOP has enough problems right now. I believe you've covered some of them. And I think that also why get rid of him now when there's probably going to be a really convenient time to get rid of him in November?
The Wall Street Journal (subs. req'd.), reports that RNC chief of staff Ken McKay wrote that the staffer "was aware that this activity was not eligible for reimbursement and had been previously counseled on this very subject." Which means that not only did the person need telling -- and who really, seriously, needs that? -- but the person broke the rule anyway. UPDATE: The staffer, Allison Meyers, was director of the RNC's Young Eagles program, and the trip was an afterparty, and Brown footed the bill because the RNC's card wouldn't go through.
Leave a Comment:
They are more fun than we thought.
This is just more of the double standard republicanism. Morality is good and immorality is bad, unless of course, you're just having some fun in topless bar, which republicans know is just good clean fun, not anything immoral. Health care insurance is bad, if you already get it through your job. Abortion is bad, unless you visit hookers like David Vitter and don't need to worry about what happens in unprotected sex. Drugs are bad, unless you can get doctors to give you bags full because you're Rush Limbaugh. Illegal immigrants are bad, unless you need someone honest to clean your 10 bedroom mansion.
I am sick of these idiots pretending to be Christian moralists when they're whoring for votes, and acting like the Devil's procurement agent when they're looking for fun.
Republican Affirmative Action...
Lavish hotel expenses, private chartered jets...uhhuh...but two grand for an outing to an S&M strip club? What I haven't heard yet is someone make the logical connection. I've filled out a zillion expense reports at a number of companies. If this particular expense report was submitted and got approved and paid by the RNC, then putting your strip club expenses on your expense report must be a routine practice at the Republican National Commitee. Gotta love that "family values" crowd, eh? <lmao>
They won't get rid of him any time soon.
As a Black woman, I think it's OK for me to say that the Republicans worked hard to find THEIR counterpart to the President (shows you that all their taste is in their mouths). Now they'll keep him, let him mess up as much as possible and then, with righteous indignation, tell the world that they did it to show us an example of what happens when you let "those people" run anything.
Exactly, none of the talking heads have addressed this idea that Michael Steele can say anything he chooses about the Democrats and not be called a racist.
Susan
And what about Sarah Palin as a representative of women? Not me!!!
Susan
Personally, I think that Steele ought to be fired from his job. He is an "Uncle Tom" right-wing idiot that is screwing up his own party not to mention the rest of America.
You'd think the RNC would jump at the chance to dump Steele. The fact that they didn't get rid of him over this means he probably wasn't involved. Which is a good thing because he's the most entertaining RNC Chairman we've had in many years.
I suspect the reason Mr. Steele hasn't been booted is that it is too close to the mid-term elections to make that change. I'm sure Steele knows this and is enjoying some freebies until November; after that he'll be gone.
Works for me, since there will be less money for the RNC to use on propaganda to convince the unwashed masses (aka teabaggers) to vote against their best interests.
Kind of makes you wonder about the motivation of the fired staffer.
Also, since he "was aware that this activity was not eligible for reimbursement and had been previously counseled on this very subject.", can we assume that the cost of kinky nightclubs had been claimed as an expense before?
Speaking of Christian morals, I love this quote by Mark Twain, "There are two kinds of Christian morals, one private and the other public. These two are so distinct, so unrelated, that they are no more kin to each other then are archangels and politicians."
Perhaps the Republicans REALLY could have used that help they got in their little undercover video from ACORN!
I must plead guilty of sending these people about $5000 over the past several years. I was lead to believe this was the party of christian morals and family values. After seeing this display of hippocracy I am wondering if there is some way to get my money back.
They have disappointed me for the last time! I want my money and I want it
"NOW"!!!!
Wow! What I totally love about the Republican Party is how they encourage morality thru example. Sometimes in order to be moral you have an opportunity to act immoral so that when the real test comes you are able to are able to tell the difference. That is the real reason why Republicans have affairs, sex clubs, and junkets to strip joints. I am happy that the Republicans believe in their moral superiority. It totally keeps the world safe!
So... have we confirmed that "Republican Morality" is an oxymoron? Or are they just plain old morons?
Sounds like there are a lot of GOP meetings at Strip bars. Which brings up a whole gamut of questions. Was there a live band and did Huck set in on bass? Did Palin ever go and did they get her to get on stage? If so could she see Russia from the north pole? Did Rush Limbaugh have the cigar concession? And what about the other faction of the GOP? Did Larry Craig give tap dance lessons to GOP hopefuls in the men's room? Or did he hang out with Foley and friends in the cloak closet? Any reimbursement to Chip-in-Dales? Did Beck put on his chaps and crawl around on all fours? Was Steele wearing a floppy hat with feathers?
Doesn't the quote "was aware that this activity was not eligible for reimbursement and had been previously counseled on this very subject." lead one to believe that this is not the first time someone associated with the Republican Party tried to expense a trip to a "naked lady place?'' "Previously counseled" makes me believe that to possibly be the case? How many times has the RNC been asked to subsidize strip club visits?
Family Values? It is hard to imagine how the Republican party could promote itself as the party of family values after so many republicans have been revealed as crooks, liars, and people grossly misrepresenting their sexual orientation, sexual conduct, and sexual preferences. Republican has now come to mean party of deceit.
They should just change their platform to one word, HYPOCRACY!
I think I know the republican jobs strategy now. They will create jobs one dollar (in the G-string) at a time.
The party that wants to repeal the Health Care Bill cannot even be bothered to fire someone who's just doing a terrible job in their camp.
What leadership?
Steele either has loads of material to blackmail the RNC into letting him keep his job or the RNC is completely disorganized and incompetent. Hmmn ... I'm gonna go with the second option.
Wow - talk about an unexpected twist - the staffer was a woman. Talk about your shock and awe. I am there.
It is easy to see that the RNC threw this person under the bus, to cover up what really went on.
I want to give whoever at TRMS came up with the perfect phrase "naked lady place" several high-fives.
The RNC's Diners' Club card got declined? How embarrasing. Perhaps they should have brought their Hypocrites' Club card instead. That thing would have been approved quicker than a professional naked lady could spin a tassel.
The party of NO cannot say no when it comes to immorality.