Deadbeat MNGOP Still Owes Martin, Nicollet And Sibley Counties, Or...

by: TwoPuttTommy

Mon Apr 25, 2011 at 08:22:30 AM CDT

Last November's election result for Governor looked like it was headed towards recount.  The crack legal beagles on the GOPer side sprung into action, and demanded all 87 counties make copies of election related materials - and pronto.  The GOPer attorneys threatened legal action if these documents weren't received fast enough; one such county so threatened was Nicollet County - the same county the GOP has since stiffed for payment.

On March 27th, Bluestem Prairie reported FEC Tony's Republican Party of Minnesota still - STILL - owed Olmsted County money from bills they incurred from the pathetic Emmer Recount.

Here's what FEC Tony Sutton said, towards the end of March:

"The checks ... are going out before the end of next week," Sutton said. "By the end of the month (March), they'll have their payment."

Following up on FEC Tony's promise was worth a phone call, so on April 13th I made one, to Olmsted County.  No surprise by the response; read: "Deadbeat MNGOP Still Owes Olmsted County".

Also no surprise was Sally Jo at Bluestem Prairie digging deeper, the very next day she wrote:  Failed burrito baron and party boss Tony Sutton stiffs counties, looks to MNGOP to stuff tortilla.

One might think all of this negative publicity might shame FEC Tony into paying the bills; alas - today's GOPer has no shame.  Just last Friday, The Mankato Free Press reported:

April 22, 2011
Counties awaiting Republican payments
By Brian Ojanpa  The Free Press

Some area counties continue to wait for money owed them by the Republican Party of Minnesota for document-copying costs following November's gubernatorial election.

Martin County is still owed $350, Nicollet County is owed $1,300 and Sibley County is waiting on $1,623.

Now, keep in mind since FEC Tony said that the GOP is broke and can't pay their bills in a timely manner back in late March, the GOP had their State Central Committee Meeting at the Ramada by the Mall of America on April 16th, and today are doing a statewide flyaround.

Some people might nitpick, and say "yeah, but - that's the legislative GOPers spending dough, NOT the party."

Yeah, "right."  Remember how the party stuck their party's Deputy Chair - ol' MudSlingerMike - onto the taxpayer's back?

The State GOP - and FEC Tony in particular - have a long and sordid history of playing fast and loose with finances; for those not familiar with it, I'd highly recommend you link to read the Tostenson Memo, the Strib's story on it by Dan Browning and Pat Doyle, and "A Key Element Of The Tostenson Memo" by yours truly.

Keep in mind, The Tostenson Memo was written by a party insider; here's the lede from the Strib story:

At least two staff members have left the Minnesota Republican Party since February after they complained that the party misused employee retirement money, improperly reported its finances and ignored or retaliated against staff who reported the problems.

The departures included former finance director and GOP stalwart Dwight Tostenson. He wrote in a Feb. 15 confidential memo that state GOP chairman Ron Carey fired him after he repeatedly pressed the chairman to address what Tostenson regarded as serious financial problems in the state GOP office.

Keep in mind FEC Tony was Party Treasurer during that time.

So it's understandable that the GOP can spend dough for the re-coronation of Sutton as Party Chair - and Brodkorb as Deputy Chair - and do a statewide flyaround ("The Cooked Books Tour"), all the while still owing money to counties for work requested by the Party many months ago - GOPers are always demanding "fiscal responsibility" - of OTHERS.

(Graphic, at the top, courtesy of Tildology.com)