Pot, meet kettle
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a July, 2010 press release…
Tenth District Congressional candidate Robert Dold called on opponent Dan Seals today to return his $41,217 contribution from the Rangel Victory Fund. Yesterday it was disclosed and widely reported that the House Ethics Committee will charge New York Representative Charles Rangel with multiple ethics violations.
Rep. Rangel is among Seals’s largest contributors. In March 2010, after the House began its initial probe into Rangel’s alleged ethics violations, Seals gave $14,000 in contributions from Rangel to charity. Despite Dold’s urging, Seals has thus far refused to return the full $55,217 he has received from Rangel during his six-year run for the 10th District Congressional seat.
On August 20, 2008, Seals received $41,217 from the Rangel Victory Fund.
“Dan Seals should know that the right thing to do is to return the tainted Rangel money,” said Dold. “Illinois voters have had enough of unethical politicians.”
You’ll recall that Congressman Dold has refused to jettison the $10,000 he received from now disgraced almost former Congressman Aaron Schock. Dold’s spokesperson said that the Schock money had all been spent, but that two-year-old Rangel contribution was also surely gone by July of 2010.
- A guy - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 1:32 pm:
Taint is taint whether it’s $40K or $10K. The only difference is the number. Unload the dough Bob where it can do something besides attract criticism.
Rangel sure was more generous with the honey pot than Schock.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 1:38 pm:
That’s different because it was the other guys money
- sal-says - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 1:39 pm:
Just nothin’ like hypocrisy.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 2:00 pm:
Do as I say, not as I do.
- DuPage - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 2:03 pm:
Ethics. A word unfamiliar to most politicians, especially ones getting money from 1%ers.
- Annon3 - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 2:05 pm:
He must be banking on very few people from Kenliworth read this blog!
- illini - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 2:11 pm:
Again, look at my comments yesterday - neither Davis or Bost ( from my part of the state ) have made any amends for receiving tainted money or at least not to my knowledge. And now Davis is chairing a House committee to review the ethics of its own members.
And I do acknowledge that this issue cuts both ways, whether D or R - that still does not make it right or acceptable
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 2:45 pm:
Bozo Bob Dold is at it again with rank hypocrisy? I’m shocked!
- Huh? - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 2:56 pm:
I don’t understand this rush to donate cash from a disgraced politician. From my perspective, it is a little like Schock repaying to the government ill gotten gand due to false travel vouchers. How does that undo the crime?
How does donating the cash undo the receiving the supposedly tainted cash?
- Concerned - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 3:04 pm:
Hey Huh, the point is that, whether you think there is a moral or logical basis for returning the cash or not, it has become the thing to do under these sorts of circumstances. Others do it and, importantly to this thread, Dold has demanded that others return the cash in like circumstances. Yet when called upon to do the same, he finds an excuse not to. That, my friend, is called hypocrisy!
- Amateur Hour - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 3:04 pm:
Prior to this revelation, I would have said don’t return the money. Now it’s pretty clear Dold has to follow his own standards. This is literally the exact same situation in reverse. Great ad.
- Chris - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 3:11 pm:
It’s like a bad rendition of Casablanca:
I am shocked! Shocked!!! To hear hypocrisy from a Congressman.
Of all the campaign funds of all the politicians in all the world, he had to deposit money into mine.
- Larouchebag - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 3:18 pm:
After this, why the heck would anyone vote for someone as callous as Dold? He must think his voters are real idiots.
- Guru - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 3:26 pm:
Let’s not forget the Dold attack on Seals for living outside the district. Has anyone seen Dold moving into the 10th district after six years of promising to move north? Problem will be solved when he decides to run for the Senate seat.
- illini - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 3:54 pm:
It appears once again that I among a select few South of I-80 that chooses to comment. Maybe because this is largely R country. Where is the outrage with Bost and Davis and the money they received??????????
Or has this issue become old news?
If the situation were reversed, I am relatively certain the outrage would have been different!
- mcb - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 3:59 pm:
One big difference for now is that Schock hasn’t been charged with anything.
- Chris - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 4:01 pm:
“One big difference for now is that Schock hasn’t been charged with anything.”
Another big different is that Rangel didn’t resign to avoid being charged by the House. Indeed, Rangel was re-elected afterward…
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 4:06 pm:
With all do respect to the posters and author, these two cases are totally different.
1. Rangel is black.
2. Rangel is a Democrat.
It is no secret that we hold African American politicians, particularly Democratic ones, to a different standard, especially when it comes to alleged corruption.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 4:40 pm:
YDD, it is noted that Rangel is still in office while Schock is not.
- Carl Nyberg - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 4:48 pm:
I suppose if Rangel had resigned from Congress, he wouldn’t be in Congress either.
- anonin' - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 5:20 pm:
When Dold is done with the bob abd weave we know a place in the 18th that will accept the donation and say thanks
- illini - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 5:51 pm:
YDD - I’m not at all certain that I share your perspectives. I am a solid D and am as critical of my own party as I am of the other side.
- big noise - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 6:24 pm:
is bob dold moving into his congressional district? any news? i assume his school age kids would finish their year, but then….?
- low level - Tuesday, Mar 31, 15 @ 7:25 pm:
Illini - no need to share his perspectives.
That is why it’s called an opinion.
YDD is exactly correct. Rangel is the wrong everything, from Harlem no less! and Schock is all the right demographics from good old Peoria.
But if it is tainted it is trained Bob! Bob! Dold
- Whateves - Wednesday, Apr 1, 15 @ 12:23 am:
Obfuscate. Political operatives - Google the word. This is simple the DCCC trying to spin the truth. You make it seem like Dold accepted $10,000 from Schock in the 2016 cycle. Not true. He took $10,000 in 2013 and March 2014. It’s gone. And look up “obfuscate”.
- Whateves - Wednesday, Apr 1, 15 @ 12:24 am:
Obfuscate. Political operatives - Google the word. This is simple the DCCC trying to spin the truth. You make it seem like Dold accepted $10,000 from Schock in the 2014 cycle. Not true. He took $10,000 in 2013 and March 2014. It’s gone. And look up “obfuscate”.
- Really? - Wednesday, Apr 1, 15 @ 12:41 am:
Whateves: Seriously? Dold can fork over 10 grand that he has raised since if he actually cared about ethics.
Let’s all remember this when we see another commercial about him being independent aND thoughtful.
There goes the rumor that Kirk was going to step down so Dold can run for Senate…or is that still possible?
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Apr 1, 15 @ 8:32 am:
Dold needs to take the money and ensure that he gets it to every charity he would like to get a PR boost from. Acknowledge who gave him the money, explain what he is doing with it, and then before the press, tell the District why the good folks at the charity selected, gets money for the good work they do.
Eat crow. Make it look tasty. Make political opponents wish they had crow to eat too.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Apr 1, 15 @ 8:43 am:
Dold should have Congressman Rangel visit during the campaign and do the honor of handing out the Schock contribution. You know, filthy congressman with no conscience with filthy money, handing out the filthy money donated by a filthy congressman with enough conscience to resign - it all would fit very well.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 1, 15 @ 9:03 am:
Dolds getting a lot of free publicity for that $10K.