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<DIV><FONT size=2>This is a much better, far more productive expenditure of
GOP money than a lot of their other expenditures.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I encourage them to expand this practice to many other party
members. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>W.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=thansen@moscow.com href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com">Tom Hansen</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">Moscow Vision 2020</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, March 29, 2010 1:32
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] RNC Chairman Steele
suggested buying private jet withGOP funds</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>RNC Chair Michael Steele spent $2,000 at Voyeur West Hollywood,
"a<BR>bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating
lesbian<BR>sex," which is outrageous, since that money could easily have
bought<BR>genuine lesbian sex.<BR><BR>Courtesy of The Daily Caller
at:<BR><BR><A
href="http://tinyurl.com/RNC-Chair-Steele-Private-Jet">http://tinyurl.com/RNC-Chair-Steele-Private-Jet</A><BR><BR>--------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>High
flyer: RNC Chairman Steele suggested buying private jet with GOP
funds<BR><BR>According to two knowledgeable sources, Republican National
Committee<BR>chairman Michael Steele once raised the possibility of using
party money<BR>to buy a private jet for his travel.<BR><BR>"I know that .
regular ongoing use of planes was something that was looked<BR>at," says one
person with direct knowledge. "I can't speak to how serious<BR>those inquiries
were." Both sources say Steele considered purchasing a<BR>plane outright, or
buying fractional ownership in one, through a company<BR>such as
NetJets.<BR><BR>Steele's spokesman, Doug Heye, did not deny that such
discussions took<BR>place, responding that the RNC never had a "plan" to buy a
plane. "I don't<BR>know what somebody might have discussed or might not have
discussed."<BR><BR>While Steele has not purchased a plane, he continues to
charter them.<BR>According to federal disclosure records, the RNC spent
$17,514 on private<BR>aircraft in the month of February alone (as well as
$12,691 on limousines<BR>during the same period). There are no readily
identifiable private plane<BR>expenses for Democratic National Committee
chairman Tim Kaine in the DNC's<BR>last three months of filings.<BR><BR>The
RNC explains that Steele charters jets only when commercial service
is<BR>unavailable, or when his tight schedule requires it. "Anytime the
chairman<BR>has taken any private travel has been a either to a route that
doesn't<BR>exist or because of connections and multiple travel to where he
just<BR>wasn't able to do so," Heye said. Yet Steele's office repeatedly
refused<BR>to explain in specific terms the circumstances of the February
charter<BR>flights.<BR><BR>Once on the ground, FEC filings suggest, Steele
travels in style. A<BR>February RNC trip to California, for example, included
a $9,099 stop at<BR>the Beverly Hills Hotel, $6,596 dropped at the nearby Four
Seasons, and<BR>$1,620.71 spent [update: the amount is actually $1,946.25] at
Voyeur West<BR>Hollywood, a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women
dancers<BR>imitating lesbian sex.<BR><BR>RNC trips to other cities produced
bills from a long list of chic and<BR>costly hotels such as the Venetian and
the M Resort in Las Vegas, and the<BR>W (for a total of $19,443) in
Washington. A midwinter trip to Hawaii cost<BR>the RNC $43,828, not including
airfare.<BR><BR>Steele himself declined numerous interview requests, though
his defenders<BR>point out that luxurious accommodations are sometimes
necessary to attract<BR>big-time donors, especially since Republicans remain
in the minority in<BR>Washington.<BR><BR>Still, the nature and size of
Steele's expenses are likely to reignite<BR>persistent complaints from
high-end donors and key party figures that the<BR>RNC is bleeding cash in the
months before a pivotal midterm election.<BR>Several months into Steele's term
as chairman, his spending spurred<BR>Republican committeemen to pass a
resolution requiring checks to be signed<BR>by at least two RNC officers, and
contracts over $100,000 to go out to<BR>competitive
bidding.<BR><BR>Complaints, almost always expressed off the record, have been
bitter.<BR>"This is not somebody who is out recruiting candidates," said an
aide who<BR>worked closely with Steele. "He is not meeting with donors. He's
not<BR>asking for money. The guy is writing his book or doing his speaking
gigs,<BR>or whatever the hell else he fills his days with. Those are
his<BR>priorities."<BR><BR>A March 20 FEC filing shows the RNC has $9.5
million cash on hand. Steele<BR>began his tenure with $22.8 million, and has
since raised $96.2 million.<BR>During the same period, however, the RNC has
spent $109.6 million, for a<BR>deficit of $13.4 million. That spending
included aid to the campaigns that<BR>elected Gov. Bob McDonnell in Virginia
and Gov. Chris Christie in New<BR>Jersey.<BR><BR>"The story is less what's
left, and more what's been spent," said one<BR>longtime Republican operative.
"It's difficult to draw distinctions<BR>between various elections because the
circumstances are so different. But<BR>what is worthy of scrutiny is the March
cash on hand versus where it was<BR>January or February last year, which is
essentially the same picture. And<BR>that comes despite having raised more
than $90 million dollars."<BR><BR>According to spokesman Heye, the RNC is
right on track with fundraising.<BR>"We're very comfortable with where we are
financially and we know that<BR>we'll have the resources on the ground to be
competitive in November as we<BR>move forward to try and take back the House
and Senate." He noted the RNC<BR>had outraised the DNC in seven out of 12
months in 2009 and was raising<BR>gobs of money in the wake of President Obama
signing health care reform<BR>legislation into
law.<BR><BR>--------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Seeya
round town, Moscow.<BR><BR>Tom Hansen<BR>Moscow, Idaho<BR><BR>"The Pessimist
complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change<BR>and the Realist
adjusts his sails."<BR><BR>-
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