RNC kept White House informed about payments for Tobin

May 19, 2006

I continue to believe, perhaps mistakenly, that the GOP [tag]phone-jamming[/tag] [tag]scandal[/tag] in [tag]New Hampshire[/tag] is a bigger deal than the attention it’s been getting. Today, there’s some follow-up regarding the [tag]White House[/tag]’s connection to the controversy.

Of course, the White House already has some ambiguous ties to this mess. For example, on Election Day 2002, while [tag]James Tobin[/tag], the regional chairman of [tag]Bush[/tag]’s presidential campaign, was criminally interfering with the election process, he called the White House 12 times.

Today, however, the Union Leader adds to the story by noting that the-then RNC chairman talked to the White House about paying Tobin’s legal bills after he was busted for his scheme.

The former chairman of the Republican National Committee remembers telling someone at the White House that he had decided to have the [tag]RNC[/tag] pay the legal defense bills for convicted phone-jamming conspirator James [tag]Tobin[/tag], but he can’t remember who.

[tag]Ed Gillespie[/tag] told the New Hampshire Union Leader yesterday he informed the White House after he decided to authorize payment.

24 hours prior, however, Gillespie told the WaPo that he had “informed the White House, without seeking formal approval, before authorizing the payments.” Inconsistent? Not according to Gillespie, who told the Union Leader that he decided to authorize the payments “before telling the White House and actually authorized the payments after telling the White House.”

Something doesn’t quite add up.

Paul Keil summarized the story thusly:

So here’s the whole story as Gillespie tells it. He made an arbitrary decision that the RNC would cover Tobin’s legal bills. Why? Because “it’s the custom, not written anywhere, that you covered your people.” … Having made that decision, he then informed someone at the White House, he can’t remember who, that he was going to abide by this unwritten rule. But this was just a heads up, a courtesy, not a dialogue. It was non-negotiable.

Sound funny to you?

Actually, yes, especially in light of the current RNC policy that explains “consulting contracts now explicitly declare that independent contractors must be prepared to pay their own legal costs in civil and criminal cases.”

Maybe something will come of this, maybe not, but it’d be nice if some enterprising reporters in the White House press corps did a little digging.

“enterprising reporters in the White House press corps” – CB

Contradiction in terms. There are no enterprising reporters in the White House press corps. They sit around all day waiting to be told what to report and then stand infront of blue screens with the White House behind them following a scripted conversation with their networks’ anchors.

If they where enterprising, they would not get press credentials from the White House.

  • If they where enterprising, they would not get press credentials from the White House.

    In all fairness, Helen Thomas is certianly an exception. Having said that, I do believe that your point remains.

  • Ahh, there you go Lance and Edo, beating me to the punch! Of course there are no enterprising reporters there; that’s why it is no longer the White House press “corps” but the “corpse” — it’s been dead for quite a while now. Although we do still need to bury the stinking, putrid, rotting remnants so that we can all brush the dirt off our hands, call it a day, and say good bye to America as the fascism takes deeper root in our land.

  • “In all fairness, Helen Thomas is certianly an exception. Having said that, I do believe that your point remains.”
    Comment by Edo

    Perchance she was grandfathered (or more appropriately ‘grandmothered’) in?

  • It would be interesting to see investigation and analysis of how many phone calls, on average, the White House receives from ALL RNC offices and directors on any given election day. Twelve is a good number for a jury, but its a bit much for phone calls, even in a close race.

  • I continue to believe, perhaps mistakenly, that the GOP phone-jamming scandal in New Hampshire is a bigger deal than the attention it’s been getting.

    Of course you’re not wrong Mr. CB. Every damn thing that RepubCo has touched, looked at, thought about or walked by is infested with more rot and decay than any appearance could possibly indicate.

    Why? Because “it’s the custom, not written anywhere, that you covered your people.” … Ed Gillespie

    “Covering your people” might come in handy if “you” didn’t want them yakking their heads off until the pardons can be handed out. You bet yer ass it ain’t written anywhere. The only difference between these guys and the Mob is that they don’t have as free a hand at putting out hits on their screwups. And really, that’s causing them just all sorts of grief.

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