So, how did Stace Nelson & Liz May’s rebel caucus which was set up to compete with the Republican Party do in their freshman efforts this year?
Well… They raised $1625, with about half coming from Liz May and Tom Pischke, and spent $563 on “consulting.”
Conservative Republican Caucus PAC by Pat Powers on Scribd
Oddly, the purpose of forming a PAC which they billed as competing with the party because no one wants to give them money individually, was that they created a PAC where no one wanted to donate to them.
Literally, had Pischke kept his $200, and Liz May kept her $500, given that they only spent $583, they would have been $117 ahead by just writing the checks themselves.
Speaking of the Conservative Republican Caucus, here’s something interesting… from looking at this report, the PAC’s mailing address is noted at Chip Campbell’s address in Rapid City, but the Organization that the PAC is attached to (the Conservative Republican Caucus) has its address noted on their statements of organization as 4309 South Louise Ave, Sioux Falls, SD.
And it’s also noted here in an e-mail from this past summer, with a slightly different office number:
If you look at the campaign finance report, that office location does not appear on the Conservative Republican Caucus’ PAC’s report.
But it does appear on a report filed with the Secretary of State:
The Conservative Republican Caucus has it’s mailing address at 4309 S Louise Ave… And it is recorded in Senator Stace Nelson’s campaign finance report that an office has been donated to him by Aaron Smith of 4309 S Louise Ave.
That’s.. interesting. It could be just coincidence. But either way, it brings up a couple of different questions.
If the space is being donated to Stace Nelson, why did Senator Nelson establish a campaign office outside of his legislative district? And if it’s an office for the activities of the Conservative Republican Caucus.. why isn’t the donation of goods or services being disclosed on their report instead of Stace’s?
Questions to ponder.
Pat,
This is a textbook example of why the political process is completely dysfunctional. First off, it is money that controls the political process. And second, campaign finance laws are not about holding those with money accountable, but instead are used by those with money and power to find out who their political enemies [true conservatives] are, and then proceed to bully and marginalize them.
Remind us what you’re doing about it, Steve.
Mr. Nelson is corrupt or inept or both.
consider aspirating those gravy taters, grud.
Dysfunctional is a great word to use for the entirety of Stacey Nelson’s political career. Hear Hear; why Lizz May got involved with his exuberance is beyond me.