After reading the entire post I have to ask, is the
Sierra Club charging McLaughlin with a crime or
campaign violation?
It certainly seems you went beyond the usual screening
with questions focused on the mission of your
organization. Maybe because both of these guys have
pretty good credentials and records you took it
another step.
Out of fairness, did you look over the Mayors'
campaign to check to see, which events are within
Mayoral duties and which are clear campaign events?
Or, if he is using any contacts he may have made as
Mayor and now utilizing them on his re-election
campaign?
Of course not that's impossible to check and there is
nothing wrong with it. Nothing.
According to your accusation, resources intended for
the entity of county commissioner may have helped the
Mayoral effort. Big deal.
There isn't an incumbent officeholder out there who
could escape that charge. Not one with staff and
resources that is, unless you're a one pony show.
Comparing what one politician pays for a service to
what another pays is a horrible way to draw this kind
of conclusion. There is no real market rate for the
skills us consultants bring to the table and many
times some of the contracts are given to friends that
they know and therefore pay them what they feel like,
ask for or can afford.
If I am running for another office in the next year or
two, my database of contacts will be most
important(supporters, endorsments, money,etc).
If I'm planning to be re-elected, my previous contacts
will be most important.
Your main concern should be checking to be sure it's
not taxpayer dollars. In this case, this is money that
people willingly gave PM for election purposes.
Until elected officials step down from the current
office duties to run for the next office, there will
always be crossover. They will always utilize the same
lists, supporters and funders. It's not illegal and
common practice.
I don't have a horse in this race and would take
either one over here in St Paul in a heartbeat.
This post just seem to go beyond explain an endorsment
and jumped to an accusation or charges of shadiness.
Eric Mitchell
St Paul- Mpls 5th Ward resident last election
--- ken bradley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Dear Minneapolis Issues Folks,
>
> The Sierra Club North Star Chapter also had concerns
> about about campaign finance issues. Durring my
> review of campaign expenditure reports. I found what
> appears to be some irregularities related to Friend
> of Peter McLaughlin (County Commissioner) campaign
> report and the possible transfer of funds to
> McLaughlin for Mayor Committee. This was one of many
> issues that had an impact on our endorsement. But
> please allow me to explain.
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