The Other McCain

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FL-24: Cronyism Has Consequences

Posted on | June 16, 2010 | 6 Comments

Last week, Dan Riehl uncovered a worrisome situation in a Florida GOP primary. With multiple candidates seeking the Republican nomination to take on powerful Democratic incumbent Rep. Suzanne Kosmas in the 24th District, the National Republican Congressional Committee put its thumb on the scales. Dan alleged what would be an obvious conflict of interest:

I’ve also been told that Tandy Harrison, wife of NRCC executive director Guy Harrison is [Karen] Diebel’s PAC fund raiser.

Is there any Republican who thinks this kind of arrangement is fair to the other FL-24 candidates? And am I the only one who sees here a faint echo of former Florida GOP chairman Jim Greer’s recent problems?

Not that there is anything illegal here, but it still looks like the kind of political “insider trading” that makes people cynical about the process. Now, Dan has uncovered still more unfortunate news:

A second troubling police report involving Karen Diebel has emerged, one suggesting she may have been subjected to a short-term involuntary commitment for mental health issues by police as recently as September of 2008.

You can and should read the rest of that. Personally, I’m sympathetic toward Mrs. Diebel. Her husband was killed a few years ago in a tragic accident, and maybe she just seemed emotional enough to worry the cops who answered the 911 call.

Dan says “there is no way Karen Diebel makes it through a very competitive general election without being confronted on this issue,” which may or may not be true. My larger concern is that the suggestion of favoritism in NRCC’s Young Guns program could hurt the GOP by giving grassroots supporters of other candidates the idea that the “fix is in” and that party insiders are calling the shots.

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Category: Congress, Dan Riehl, Election, Florida, Republicans

Comments

  • http://www.haemet.blogivists.com Roxeanne de Luca

    Smaller issue first: the “short-term, involuntary commitment” can happen for any reason. I actually had a cop threaten to bring in the EMS – not because I was doing anything irrational, but just because I was (am) young, scared, and had been on the side of the road, by myself, for several hours – the day after getting into a car accident. For someone so worried about my health, he backed off rather quickly once I listed off the causes of action I would use to sue him if he tried anything.

    Bigger issue: with all due respect, Stacy, it’s not merely about the fairness to other candidates, but also to Floridians who should be able to make up their own minds, and donors to the NRCC who want their money to be used to back the best candidates, not the ones with the most connections.

    Of course, this b.s. just serves to kill the Republican party in the long run, so, in a small way, it damages every conservative in the country.

  • http://www.haemet.blogivists.com Roxeanne de Luca

    Smaller issue first: the “short-term, involuntary commitment” can happen for any reason. I actually had a cop threaten to bring in the EMS – not because I was doing anything irrational, but just because I was (am) young, scared, and had been on the side of the road, by myself, for several hours – the day after getting into a car accident. For someone so worried about my health, he backed off rather quickly once I listed off the causes of action I would use to sue him if he tried anything.

    Bigger issue: with all due respect, Stacy, it’s not merely about the fairness to other candidates, but also to Floridians who should be able to make up their own minds, and donors to the NRCC who want their money to be used to back the best candidates, not the ones with the most connections.

    Of course, this b.s. just serves to kill the Republican party in the long run, so, in a small way, it damages every conservative in the country.

  • lions

    I am a conservative and I am really angry at the way the Republican party is trying to push candidates on the voters. For one McCollum, they push this guy every election because it’s his turn and he loses. If he wins the primary and it’s a big if, Sink will clean his clock. So far Scott seems to be a good salesman states his objectives clearly. McCollum has never been able to make that sale. As far as Rubio goes, where is he? I know he may be saving his money for the big push later on, but Rubio needs to pick his spots on tv here and there to state his case, now and later. Crist the snake is getting a lot of air time now with the oil spill fiasco. Rubio starting to look like an establishment guy and that is a huge turn off I am sure to many conservative Democrats which he needs to vote for him and not stay home.

  • lions

    I am a conservative and I am really angry at the way the Republican party is trying to push candidates on the voters. For one McCollum, they push this guy every election because it’s his turn and he loses. If he wins the primary and it’s a big if, Sink will clean his clock. So far Scott seems to be a good salesman states his objectives clearly. McCollum has never been able to make that sale. As far as Rubio goes, where is he? I know he may be saving his money for the big push later on, but Rubio needs to pick his spots on tv here and there to state his case, now and later. Crist the snake is getting a lot of air time now with the oil spill fiasco. Rubio starting to look like an establishment guy and that is a huge turn off I am sure to many conservative Democrats which he needs to vote for him and not stay home.

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