I think it’s safe to say Rep. Rodney Alexander’s shift from Dem to GOP has not gone smoothly.
Naturally, Louisiana’s Dems are more-than-a-little peeved, throwing around words like “coward,” “betrayal,” and “Benedict Arnold.” Ultimately, though, these are the least of Alexander’s several problems.
First, the Hotline reported why no one was answering Alexander’s phone yesterday.
Sources confirmed that freshman Rep. Rodney Alexander’s (R) entire DC staff resigned today, in reaction to his last-minute party switch. The staff, en masse this a.m., handed in letters of resignation and returned office keys.
Good for them; that took guts. They’re out looking for work today, but they couldn’t, in good conscience, stay with Alexander after such a sleazy stunt.
Second, if someone were answering Alexander’s phone, they’d probably be taking a message from Rep. Robert Matsui, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. It seems he’s looking for some kind of refund.
“Rodney Alexander owes an apology and he owes a refund to the thousands of honest people who supported him based upon his fraudulent claim that he was going to run for Congress as a Democrat. Louisianans and people all across the country took him at his word and backed his campaign with their hard earned money and with their own time and energy. Because of his calculated and cowardly act of personal advancement on Friday, I am demanding that Mr. Alexander reimburse the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for the $193,000 the committee used to help him win this seat in the 2002 general and run-off elections.
“Mr. Alexander carried the 5th District by less than one thousand votes. The support of the DCCC and the Louisiana Democratic Party was a determining factor to his win. The DCCC directed over $736,000 to the Louisiana State Party to help raise awareness on voter issues in the 2002 cycle.
“If Mr. Alexander has any conscience, he should also give back every penny he has raised this election cycle, including the $70,000 that Democratic Members of Congress have given him based upon his fraudulent claim that he was a Democrat running for Congress. Mr. Alexander’s underhanded and secretive party-switch made it abundantly clear that he is not a man of honor. That said, he can find some redemption by doing the honorable thing and returning the contributions to his former supporters who request it.”
And finally, regardless of whether or not Alexander decides to pay back the money he collected under false pretenses, Dems still have a plan to punish his perfidy.
The Louisiana Democratic Party says it will try to have U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander, who switched at the last minute of qualifying to the Republican Party, disqualified from the Nov. 2 ballot or recalled if he wins re-election.
State party chairman Mike Skinner said he and other party attorneys were researching a possible court challenge to Alexander being on the ballot. The deadline for filing the challenge is Friday.
Skinner said a decision would be reached in a day or two.
Hell hath no fury like a bunch of Louisiana Democrats scorned.