New perspective on Schock's link to the NRCC scandal

A GOP friend with experience helping run a Congressional campaign doubts very much that the Aaron Schock 18th District campaign -- or any Congressional candidate -- benefited from any of the financial irregularities being investigated at the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Last week, the Schock campaign (as well as other candidates) fired its campaign treasurer Christopher J Ward after news reports identified him as the central figure in an investigation into irregularities at the NRCC.

Steve Schearer told the press that he not only never met Ward (he was hired on his reputation alone), Ward never touched the money that had been donated to Schock.

I found that odd, and speculated that Shearer was trying to establish plausible deniability should the scandal reach the Schock campaign.

I just got off the phone with a GOP friend. This person was deeply involved at a high level in different GOP Congressional campaign during a previous election cycle . This campaign also hired Ward. While Ward was on record as their campaign treasurer, Ward never met high ranking campaign officials, nor did he have any access to the funds. Ward was sent copies of checks and invoices and bills, then used them to compile financial reports that were electronically fired with the Federal Election Commission. Ward charged them $2,000 quarterly.

Why hire Ward, a former NRCC staffer who worked as a vendor out of NRCC offices? My source says that most people just do not realize how "painful" the FEC financial reporting process is. He doubts there is anyone in Peoria who could do it.

Because of Ward's lack of access to that campaign's funds, my source is not worried that they lost any money, or that money was funneled into that campaign. The source says it's foolish to even try, because not only is the FEC ruthless in demanding documentation, the FEC reports are poured over by the local and national media looking for discrepancies.

My two cents: Several days ago, I thought this story had legs and would turn into an investigation into the candidates whose campaigns hired ward. After this conversation, Shearer's statements seem much more plausible to me.

Nevertheless, I must remind myself of something that is true of people who break the rules: They think they can get away with it. I wouldn't want to tangle with the FEC. But hubris is a common trait among those who dabble in politics.

I don't think this will go far beyond Ward. But you never know.

Cross posted to Peoria Pundit.

Read more...

Plausibility Deniability for Schock in the growing NRCC scandal?

I'm trying to not be incredulous here. I suppose it's possible. It just seems damn reckless to me. But Aaron Schock's campaign manager Steve Shearer tells the State Journal-Register's Bernie Schoenburg that he's never met the man they hired as campaign treasurer. This is the same guy who is considered a central figure into a federal investigation into the finances into the National Republican Congressional Committee:

Steve Shearer, campaign manager for Schock, said the campaign replaced Christopher J. Ward as soon as officials heard of the questions. A Schock staffer, Rachel Honegger, was named the new treasurer, Shearer said.

Shearer said he has never met Ward, but Ward was a long-time comptroller of the NRCC, which helps GOP candidates for the U.S. House nationwide. Ward's association with that group, and the fact that he has been associated with perhaps more than 100 House and Senate campaigns nationwide, indicated he had impeccable credentials, Shearer said.

It's a good breaking news story, and by the time most people read this post, a full version might be up at the SJ-R Website.

The gist of the story is that the Ward fellow never touched Schock's campaign money, just made sure the campaign was in compliance with federal laws. Or so Shearer says now.

Here are my observations:

• The purpose of the NRCC is to make sure Republicans get elected to Congress, and once they get there, stay there. Making sure they have huge campaign war chests is one way they do that.


• If there were any financial shenanigans, they were shenanigans designed put money into he hands of Congressional candidates.


• Aaron Schock is a Congressional candidate.


• The "central figure" in this alleged attempt to illegally put money into the hands of Congressional candidates was, until recently, employed by Aaron Schock's campaign.


• Schock outspent and outraised his two primary opponents in the 18th District race, one of whom is a millionaire and one of whom is a professional fundraiser.

You do the math.

And I'll make this observation, too. Shearer is a master of finding the line between what is legal and what is not. He comes very close, and according to come, he crosses it on occasion, then feigns innocence when called on it. This was true of Shearer back when he was running Schock's state house campaign as it is the Congressional campaign. Look at his early attempt to illegally operate out of Peoria County Republican Party offices during the early weeks of the campaign.

The one guy who Shearer hired as campaign treasurer just happens to be the central figure in s financial scandal at the NRCC. And when news hits the paper, Shearer says he never met the guy, and he never touched the money anyway.

I'm just not buying it.

Remember, Nixon never met the Watergate plumbers. He wouldn't know who they were had they met him on the street.

And don't waste your time sending me emails defending Steve Shearer's honor. This is a man who had no problems working for Jerry Weller, the 11th District Republican who is figuratively and literally in bed with Central American genocidal dictators. Being involved in some financial slight of hand would be a step up on the morality scale.

Cross posted to Peoria Pundit.

Read more...