Katon Dawson [Wikipedia]
Archive for December, 2008
31
Dec
08
Dawson: Wikipedia’d
Awesome. Steven Gerrard gets totally pwn3d by the cops after a bar brawl. Hope Liverpool enjoyed its time on top of the league — it’ll be over pretty soon.
Steven Gerrard faces assault charge over bar fracas [The Guardian]
While the national media is content to stay on the story that SCGOP chairman Katon Dawson was a member of all-white Forest Lake Country Club for 12 years (which made the “Rachel Maddow Show“ tonight) before he was forced to resign because of media inquiries (and was an officer of an elite cotillion that had events at the club), there is still way more than meets the eye, when you start looking.
Since The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder reported Dawson was looking at the RNC chairmanship as early as October 2007, it is no surprise that the party started shelling out the big bucks for plane tickets (On Expedia! On Orbitz! On US Air! Fly away, fly away, fly away to the District!) and hotel rooms in DC that had no direct connection to official party business over the past year.
There is also the issue with the party’s credit cards. Boy, that sure is a nice way to hide expenditures. With certain members of the party in the General Assembly working hard for transparency in state government, why isn’t KD just paying out the money straight, so we all know, and especially party contributors know, where the money is going?
Then there’s the issue with the S.C. Club for Growth plan to take on Republican legislators in the primaries. No national journalist has looked seriously at how divided the SCGOP has been during Dawson’s tenure. Republicans win handily in this state because South Carolina is heavily conservative.
Consider the fact that, according to the “hit list“ proposal, Starboard Communications was supposed to be the consulting firm at the center of operations. Dawson and firm founder Walter Whetsell are considered to be as thick as thieves.
Le Frye (formerly of SCRG) and B.J. Boling (formerly of RQ&A and the McCain campaign) were supposed to be in the middle of things, and moved over to Starboard. The widely-circulated proposal lists the people in the operation.
Josh Gross, former SCCfG executive director, moved over as well, and did mail out of Starboard for the Sandlapper Group’s clients. Don’t forget, Sandlapper, which was founded in November of 2007, is led by Chad Connelly, an SCRG board member, and Taft Matney, spokesman for Conservatives in Action.
Then came Dawson’s puff piece interview with Howard Rich at Dawson’s house (produced by SCRG). Rich heavily funded several of Starboard’s clients and all of Sandlapper’s during the primaries.
How much money has the state party sent Starboard’s way? More than a few bucks, for sure (on both Federal and state accounts):
10/22/08: $67.04 (?)
10/20/08: $53,800.48
10/16/08: $6,851.01
9/26/08: $6,768
8/12/08: $3,186.84
6/26/08: $7,130.96
5/13/08: $19,598.06
3/3/08: $2,500
2/15/08: $2,751
2/1/08: $6,396.21
2/1/08: $8,741.64
1/15/08: $5,165.58
1/15/08: $1,923.76
1/14/08: $467.27
10/11/07: $6,926.23
8/6/07: $2,450
TOTAL: $134,724.08
Wow. That is a nice haul from one client over an election cycle. If the RNC members want someone who will preside over a united party and not pick one side over another, maybe ol’ Katon isn’t the guy.
Gump4Heisman’s Retro Alabama Football Ad Campaign [Gump4Heisman]
28
Dec
08
Dolla bill, y’all
Apparently, Will Folks was passed along some intel about SCGOP chairman Katon Dawson’s fiscal administration of the state party’s money, as Dawson continues his run for RNC chairman. That’s no surprise. Even Vierdsen has been apprised of some things, like a story about how the state party allegedly purchased an SUV on the donors’ dime.
Is it true? Don’t know. According to the party’s disclosure reports, there is no expenditure large enough for a car. However, there are numerous payments for credit card charges, so it could be entirely possible that the SUV payments are on one of the party’s cards. Also, there are plenty of expenditures for car service and repair.
Perhaps one of the most interesting things came up when Hogan Gidley was the party’s executive director. On a regular basis, the party was paying for his coffees at Starbucks. No shit. Really — could Gidley not pay for his own lattes?
26
Dec
08
The problem with term limits
Again, the prospect of term limits is raising its funky head above the water and making another go of it in the General Assembly. No matter how often this comes up, it just sounds like a bad idea. The fact is, when you have regular turnover of legislators, it allows outside influences to have a bigger influence on the process. Institutional knowledge is lost, so legislators end up relying on, oh, lobbyists and others with set agendas.
There’s a reason people like Howard Rich are so gung-ho for term limits. He didn’t make all that cash by looking out for others. Hell, the basic libertarian belief, boiled down, is, “Fuck you, I’ve got mine.”
That’s to say, it’s not just Rich and his freakshow hydra (SCRG, S.C. Club for Growth, S.C. Policy Council, &c.) in this state that would have way more say in what your representatives do. It’s everybody.
If you think this is just Vierdsen going loopy after a dessert of “special” Christmas brownies, the St. Petersburg Times were all over this six years ago:
The push for term limits in the 1990s has resulted in a raft of unintended consequences, many of which are just beginning to be felt.
In Tallahassee, lawmakers who face the end of their tenure have desperately jockeyed to run for other seats rather than return to private life. The prime example being House Speaker Tom Feeney, who used the power of his office to wangle a new congressional district for himself through redistricting. Moreover, all the turnover has given the Legislature little historical memory, shifting power and expertise to bureaucrats and lobbyists.
There’s a reason we gots elections, Broseph.
Ah, it’s probably just so he can give Will Folks a SuperPoke.
“Aimee Mann’s Christmas Carol,” in four parts.
A Vierdsonian Christmas gift to those of you who can see the funny in elections and English football.
Dec. 20 [Get Fuzzy]
Manchester City [Wikipedia]
25
Dec
08
Gov. Grinch doesn’t care
Gov. Mark Sanford loves his political masturbation ritual — he does something because of “principles,” accuses his opponents of “defrauding the taxpayers” and revels when his plan is shot down.
This is a man who clearly could not give two shits about your everyday guy (or gal), trying to pay his bills and hoping that his job won’t be gone tomorrow. The fact is, South Carolina needs help. We have no money for the unemployed. National unemployment figures are the worst they’ve been since 1982.
But the Hooverite in the Governor’s Mansion doesn’t care. It ain’t harming him none. Shit — his wife is an heiress, and he’s not doing too bad himself. In any other time, it would be fine for Sanford to do his Ayn Rand/Grover Norquist/19th Century economist circle jerk, but right now is when we need real leadership, not someone who governs like he is at a late–night CR session of brandy and cigars.
One of today’s LTEs in The State puts it perfectly:
’Tis the season for goodwill toward our fellow man, unless you happen to be Gov. Mark Sanford. I was deeply troubled by the Dec. 18 article in The State, “State jobless benefits running out.”
It reported that Sanford is threatening not to apply for federal loan money necessary to pay unemployment benefits to 77,000 South Carolinians until the Employment Security Commission capitulates to his demands. Sanford wants an audit — but the commission is already audited annually. He also want additional data collection — the commission is willing to comply, but needs new tools to collect that demanded data.
Even if Sanford’s demands are reasonable, his decision to hold South Carolina’s neediest families hostage in order to advance his bureaucratic agenda is not reasonable. Sanford has frequently chosen ideology over pragmatism and people, but this would outdo “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.”
Sanford is quick to espouse his Christian beliefs when he’s out talking to voters, but cutting off desperately needed unemployment benefits this holiday season in the middle of a recession smacks of hypocrisy.
I hope the governor will take a page from his platitudes and recall that he will be judged by his actions toward the least of those among us.
Thursday’s Letters to the Editor [The State]
23
Dec
08
Shealy party a hootenanny
For those of us proles, Rod Shealy’s Christmas party is one of the highlights of the holiday season. Even while the place is packed, there’s enough booze and food to satisfy a crowd twice the size.
Among the VIPs were U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (with Preston Grisham tied at his hip), Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, State Sen. Jake Knotts, State Sen. Ronnie Cromer, State Rep. Nathan Ballentine (though Vierdsen missed him because John was talking to a girl, natch), State Rep. Anton Gunn, GOP operative Mike Green (who still has an S.C. Hotline sticker on his car, and likes a Crown and Diet Coke), Democratic operative Zeke Stokes and a bevy of other friends and well-wishers who gathered to celebrate the season.
Among the best food were the platters delivered by Zaxby’s and Zorbas. Mmm, mmm, good. Unfortunately, there was no Chick-fil-A (curses!) and Captain Morgan seems to have been at sea. Still, saying that is like wishing your team won by 21 instead of 10. It’s unusual that one Christmas gathering will have average working Joes rubbing elbows with the state’s political elite, so it can be assured that, as the cliche goes, a good time was had by all.
22
Dec
08
Oh, no
Katon is not doing so well at chooseyourchairman.com.
20
Dec
08
Hysterical
h/t Mattheus Mei
19
Dec
08
An Alabama Christmas
God help us all.
Because the ACC wasn’t satisfied with having just one of its teams getting blown out by Alabama in the Georgia Dome, Virginia Tech will be coming to town on Sept. 5 to face the Crimson Tide in the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff.
Expect nuggets, waffle fries.
Hokie fans (see example on right) tend to think Tech is pretty hot shit, especially since the Gobblers have been good, UVa has sucked, and the national media have been suckling at Frank Beamer’s special teams teat for over a decade.
The game will be sweet revenge for Bama fans, who still remember getting prison raped by Tech in the ‘98 Music City Bowl. And it sure will be fun to see Hokie fans heading to the exits before the end of the third quarter.
Crimson Tide, Hokies to meet in College Kickoff [ESPN.com]
UPDATE: Alabama’s 2009 schedule was released today:
Sept. 5 vs. Virginia Tech @ Atlanta
Sept. 12 vs. Florida International
Sept. 19 vs. North Texas
Sept. 26 vs. Arkansas
Oct. 3 @ Kentucky
Oct. 10 @ Ole Miss
Oct. 17 vs. South Carolina
Oct. 24 vs. Tennessee
Nov. 7 vs. LSU
Nov. 14 @ Mississippi State
Nov. 21 vs. UT-Chattanooga
Nov. 28 @ Auburn
Damn. That looks mighty nice.
Good times.
18
Dec
08
Quinns + S.C. CfG = BFF
In other Howard Rich foot soldier news, the fine people at S.C. Club for Growth seem to have solidified their ties to (and, perchance, allegiance from?) one of S.C.’s top three consulting firms.
Yes sir, the Quinns gave $6,900 to SCCfG last quarter, spaced out between The Copy Shop, Mail Marketing Strategies and the firm’s personal booze palace, The Back Porch.
Interesting. In Will Folks’ proposal to the Club last year, the Quinns were mentioned as a relatively minor player in the Club’s plans for the ’08 elections.
But, a decent number of the Quinns’ clients were “hit list” contenders, and the firm’s propaganda office has of late been an apologist for SCGOP Chairman Katon Dawson and Rich, Dawson’s newest buddy.
Then again, maybe it’s just a way for the Quinns to ameliorate things because of Rick’s involvement with the state trial lawyers’ organization.
The common thought is that politics is one of the industries that is pretty close to recession-proof, since there will always be elections and legislation.
Well, tell that to J.J. Darby (or John J. Darby III, if you’re nasty), who put out a widely-circulated email today announcing that he would be leaving Palmetto Policy Group. Why would this be? As a lobbyist for PPG, he represented a number of clients, including PPG’s building mates, South Carolinians for Responsible Government.
Word on the street is that Darby had to be let go because — hold on to your asses — NYC libertarian financier and school choice clown Howard Rich is pulling his lobbying cash out of South Carolina.
If this is true, it marks the ultimate referendum on the ‘08 General Assembly elections — a significant defeat for Rich and his heimwehren in this state.
18
Dec
08
Jeff Sewell is at it again
Oh, ho, man. Maybe Sewell and Fogle can get together at Atty. Gen. Mac Daddy’s party tonight and swap ignorant jokes about “teh gheys.”
Comments for John