Open Thread: "He Can Prove It Easily"

Mr. Guinta, your resume seems to qualify you for (4.00 / 3)

consideration for this position. We have called the references you provided, and they speak well of you  But we still need that W2 from your previous employer. When will you be able to provide it?

  Respectfully sir, if I bring you that W4 it will never end. What other documents will HR want?

  That's all we have asked for, Mr. Guinta. Yo do HAVE a W4, don't you? You could always get a copy from the IRS?

  Of course I HAVE the documentation. I just don't want to show it to you. This is really an invasion of privacy.

  I'm sorry you feel that way, but fortunately we have other job applicants...

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by: elwood @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 05:37:06 AM CDT

Transcript would be a better analogy (4.00 / 2)

An old W2 or W4 isn't really a great analogy, as I've never heard of an employer ask for one.  

But substitute a transcript in Elwood's scenario and you've got something effective.

"We still need that transcript verifying your BA in Political Science. When will you be able to provide it?  You do have that transcript, don't you?"

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by: Karen @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 07:08:51 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

The Twisting Of Principle (4.00 / 2)

How is it that GOPers simply slurp up this convoluted CYA. We find Mr. Guinta deperately straining to twist a negative into a positive. Calls for transparency are rebuffed by charges of trespass. Mr. Guinta, it is a "public" office. If Mr. Guinta is principled enough for citizens of NH-01 to send him to Washington D.C. to draft law, then he need be principled enough to demonstrate that he is in conformance with the law.

As Mr. Guinta struts his best "Don't Tread On Me!" pose for all the "big gummint defiers" out there in his far right base, he has to wonder what the middle is thinking. Sure, this whole thing kinda reeks of IRS. And we all like to play our bank statements close to our chests, but Mr. Guinta want to joins a group that Americans are highly suspicious of. Congress really is not well liked and is trusted less.

Our "principled" Mr. Guinta wants to join Congress. Most folks are skeptical of a candidates true motivation. Having a mystery bank account is not getting off on the right foot. He should really wait a few terms before he pulls a stunt like this.  

www.KusterforCongress.com - www.paulhodesforsenate.com

www.nikitsongas.com - www.devalpatrick.com

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 06:49:50 AM CDT

Good point, Jack, (4.00 / 3)

and one I think we miss, here at BH.  For many in Guinta's camp, his defiance of election law is seen as a green badge of courage rather than a character flaw.  "Don't tell us what we can do with our money."

But as you point out, there is the sane middle to worry about.  According to the last GSP, there are still 21% undecideds among independent voters.  It's hard to see how these folks overlook a money scandal and pull the lever for this dishonest character.

"Physical concepts are free creations of the human mind, and are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external world." A. Einstein

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by: StraffordDem @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 07:22:09 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Absolutely. (4.00 / 1)

The law and order crowd look upon the law as an instrument of legal deprivation.  When the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says "there are legitimate benefits" from outsourcing, what he means is that the law has been jiggled to make this extraction of revenue legal.
The problem, of course, is that when the law is used in this fashion, to promote the accumulation of wealth, then the same laws can be refashioned to do the opposite.  Which is why the financial class is all adither--why you've got people like Warren Stephens, of Stephens Inc, talking to the Wall Street Journal about the danger of government "allocating credit" via what he calls a new partnership between banks and the Federal Reserve.  They really want that bank bill (Dodd/Frank) overturned and pretty damned quick before the 250 "resolutions" are turned into regs.  I hadn't realized that there's a conservative objection to public/private partnerships, our definition of privatization.  It turns out, I think, that what's upsetting to traditional marriage is the concept of partnership as embodied in same-gender relationships.  Traditional marriage supports the "natural" hierarchy; gay marriage doesn't.  And that's why it's a threat.

If men aren't considered automatically superior, they'll actually have to do something to demonstrate their value.  That's probably pretty scary for the silver spoon crowd.  

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by: hannah @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 08:45:07 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Foster's has letters-- (0.00 / 0)

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pb...

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by: hannah @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 08:28:31 AM CDT

Frank Guinta finally explains... (4.00 / 1)

Guinta finally issued a statement:

-----


Thanks for all the fish


-----

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 09:37:31 AM CDT

Bass Back on Defense (0.00 / 0)

Expect more on this.

NHDP Press Release via e-mail:
NH Democratic Party Official Releases New Bass Ethics Scandal Evidence, Calls for Release of All Related Email & Telephone Communications

Concord, NH - In light of the growing ethics cloud surrounding the use of his congressional office to promote his nephew's company, Congressman Charlie Bass made claims last week that flatly contradict congressional testimony from 2005 and 2006 - prompting former New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Kathy Sullivan to call for the release of all government email and phone records related to the scandal.

Facing questions about his role in promoting a tax credit "ideally suited" for his nephew's biomass company, Bass denied to the Nashua Telegraph that he had set up a meeting between his nephew and the U.S. Energy Secretary in February 2006, and he "denied ever talking to Bodman about the biomass industry."

But new evidence shows that Bass did in fact talk with Secretary Bodman about the biomass industry - and congressional testimony even proves that Bass personally pressured Secretary Bodman before, during, and after Bodman's trip to New Hampshire to approve $150 million in funding for the very tax credit that would benefit his nephew's biomass company.

"Not only did Congressman Bass use his office to promote his nephew's company, and later made a lucrative investment in that company, but now congressional testimony from 2006 proves that despite his prior statements, he did have conversations with the energy secretary about the tax credit," said former New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Kathy Sullivan, who called a press conference in Concord to share new evidence.

"These contradictions between Congressman Bass's assertions and the actual facts are very troubling. The voters are entitled to a complete, honest accounting. That is why I am calling on Congressman Bass today to release all emails and telephone logs between himself, his congressional office, his nephew, his nephew's company, and the U.S. Department of Energy from 2005 through 2007.  We deserve to know who wrote this legislation, what Congressman Bass did to get it passed, and exactly how and when he profited from his association with his nephew's company."

*** FACT SHEET ***
OCTOBER, 2010: BASS SAYS HE DIDN'T SET UP MEETING OR DISCUSS BIOMASS WITH BODMAN:
[Nashua Telegraph, 10/14/10]

MARCH, 2006: IN HEARING, BASS PRESSURES BODMAN TO FUND BIOMASS TAX CREDIT
[Hearing Of The House Energy And Commerce Committee, 3/9/06]

MARCH, 2006: BODMAN SAYS BASS TALKED TO HIM ABOUT BIOMASS TAX CREDIT DURING NH VISIT
[Hearing Of The House Energy And Commerce Committee, 3/9/06]

FEBRUARY, 2006: PRESS SAYS THAT DURING BODMAN VISIT, BASS TOUTS BIOMASS TAX CREDIT
[The Nashua Telegraph, 2/24/06]

MARCH, 2006: BASS TELLS CONSTITUENTS HE "URGED" BODMAN TO FUND BIOMASS TAX CREDIT
[Weekly Report From Washington By Rep. Bass, 3/10/06]

MARCH, 2006: BASS CALLS HIS OWN ADVOCACY FOR BIOMASS TAX CREDIT "OVERLY REPETITIVE"
[Weekly Report From Washington By Rep. Bass, 3/10/06]

MARCH, 2006:  INDUSTRY NEWSLETTER SAYS BASS SET UP MEETING WITH BODMAN
[Charlie Neibling, New England Wood Pellet Co., Pellet Fuels Institute Newsletter, January - March 2006 edition]

FEBRUARY, 2005: IN HEARING ONE YEAR EALIER, BASS PRESSURED BODMAN ON BIOMASS
[Hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, 2/9/05]

www.KusterforCongress.com - www.paulhodesforsenate.com

www.nikitsongas.com - www.devalpatrick.com

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 14:36:35 PM CDT

This IS an election issue. (4.00 / 1)

Guinta's dodging is based on two tactics.  First, he clings to his third version of events and says he "was fortunate to make money in the private sector."

Guinta's second tactic is to attack.  He accuses CSP of wanting to avoid any discussion of the issues.  Now, because we are engaged, we see this for the farce that it is.  We've seen firsthand how Guinta has avoided any specifics on the issues while Carol has clearly stated her positions and what policy options we have.  She has thoroughly dominated the issue discussion in this election.

What has been left unsaid, I think, is how big of an election issue Guinta's money scandal is.  It gets to the heart of fair, honest, and transparent elections.  NH has been flooded with money from corporations and the wealthy who have a naked economic interest in manipulating this election.  Led by the US CoC, groups of secret donors are breaking all records for campaign spending, almost all of it in favor of Republican candidates.  

Guinta says he made the money in the private sector.  How do we know that he didn't make or take the money from a corporation with a vested interest in the outcome of the election?  Guinta says he left an account with up to $500,000 off his disclosure forms for both the Congressional race and his term of mayor because he forgot.  He says the account existed since the early aughts.  

The circumstances surrounding Guinta's convenient memory loss and the influx of millions of dollars to influence the political outcome in NH demand that Guinta release his bank records to prove the veracity of his statements.  

The credibility of our election system rests on issues such as this and should not be allowed to be dismissed.

"Physical concepts are free creations of the human mind, and are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external world." A. Einstein

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by: StraffordDem @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 15:56:22 PM CDT

But will it really matter? (0.00 / 0)

I started another thread on this earlier, and didn't get much response.

It looks to me like folks who are predisposed to trust Frank will, and those who aren't, won't.

While I've read a lot of "the truth will out" sentiment here, I don't know what legal compulsion can or will be brought to bear.  If Frank wins, but the Democrats win the house, there might be an investigation.  That's the best-case scenario, I think.  AFAICT, he has fulfilled the FEC filing requirements.  It all looks extremely, almost absurdly fishy, but there's no smoking gun.  

Someone please tell me I'm wrong.

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by: The Money Magician @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 18:03:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Fulfilling the FEC rules is not the same (0.00 / 0)

as the FEC and clerk of congress investigating the complaints they received - from people in both parties.

In addition to what the FEC discovers, which in itslef could trigger a fine and or House Ethics investigation, there is the matter of the IRS.  I don't know what mechanism triggers it, but ig Guinta is publicly claiming the existence of these bank accounts "for years" over and over and over, and his tax returns make no mention of that, that is a serious matter.

Frank thinks he can run the clock out on this.

He is dead wrong.  It will be MUCH worse for him and for us if he squeaks by with this glaring and obvious wrongdoing and becomes a congressperson with it hanging over his head.

birch, finch, beech

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by: Dean Barker @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 18:21:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Joe Miller (AK) wants to best E. Germany (4.00 / 1)

Remember the East Germans? Pissa female olympians and border secure-ers.

Seriously. He went there.

Anchorage blogger Steve Aufrecht reports that during the town hall, he cited his time serving at the Fulda Gap, one point on the former border between East and West Germany during the Cold War.

During that time, he said, "East Germany was very, very able to reduce the flow" from one side of the border to the other. "Now, obviously, other things there were involved. We have the capacity to, as a great nation, obviously to secure our border. If East Germany could, we could."

America! At least as great as Communist East Germany.

Stroke of genius, Joe.

www.KusterforCongress.com - www.paulhodesforsenate.com

www.nikitsongas.com - www.devalpatrick.com

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 16:11:53 PM CDT

Alaska is wierd. (0.00 / 0)

The GOPers up there who crow the most about FREEDOM, i.e., Palin and Miller, are the same ones who employ the most authoritarianism when it comes to access.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyo...

birch, finch, beech

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by: Dean Barker @ Mon Oct 18, 2010 at 18:58:09 PM CDT