Controversies involving the National Republican Congressional Committee

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is the Republican Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Republicans to that body.

Controversies

In 2001, when soft money was about to be prohibited, the Committee successfully invigorated its donor program, raising millions and breaking records. [http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/20/politics/20CAMP.html?ex=1148184000&en=e3e10651fe0a22a3&ei=5070] . Prior to the "soft money" ban, for 2000 and 2002, one-third of the Committee's $210.8 million was soft money donations.

Automated phone calls

In 2006, just days before the November 7 midterm Congressional elections, there were numerous reports of a series of automated phone calls ("robocalls") being authorized by the NRCC, with the apparent intention to confuse and annoy the supporters of Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives. [Citation| last = Babington| first = Charles | last2 = MacGillis| first2 = Alec | title = It's a Candidate Calling. Again.| newspaper = The Washington Post| pages = A08| year = 2006| date = November 7, 2006| url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/06/AR2006110601103_pf.html ]

In New Hampshire, the state attorney general's office requested that the NRCC end the robocalls, but many individuals in the state continued to report receiving them. [http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO33180/ New Hampshire News Article] The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee sent the NRCC a cease-and-desist letter. The DCCC letter cited the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulation requiring that a prerecorded telephone call must identify the responsible entity at the beginning of the message, and must include the entity's telephone number. Because the NRCC's calls did not name the NRCC at the beginning and did not provide a contact phone number, the DCCC charged the NRCC with "a pattern of willful noncompliance with FCC requirements". [http://abcnews.go.com/images/Politics/NRCC%20ceasedesist.pdf]

Cash demands from lobbyists, clients, and "award winners"

Especially after the ban, the NRCC's fundraising sources and techniques have been criticized. For the 2004 election cycle, at least two of its top three donors have been Indian tribal clients of Jack Abramoff. Others include gambling interests (also related to Abramoff). [http://www.capitaleye.org/abramoff_recips_detail.asp?type=R&Name=National+Republican+Congressional+Cmte]

On September 21, 2006 Chairman Tom Reynolds met with lobbyists in Washington, D.C. to warn them to contribute only to Republicans and not to challengers from the Democratic Party because their donations would be tracked and they would lose favors among the Republican members of Congress. [cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14682621 | title=Traps are set for Dems | publisher=MSNBC |date= September 28, 2006 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-05-17] Similar activities of the K Street Project occurred when Davis was head of the NRCC; the organization was fined by the Federal Election Commission for transferring funds between PACs for the same candidates in violation of contribution limits. [cite news | url=http://www.fec.gov/press/press2004/20040409murs.html | title=PARTY MISUSE OF SOFT MONEY TO PAY FOR ISSUE ADS RESULTS IN $280,000 CIVIL PENALTY | publisher=FEC |date= April 9, 2004 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-05-17]

Another of those continuing controversial techniques has been approaching small business leaders to inform them that they are to be recognized with a "National Leadership" Award, in return for a financial gift and the use of their names in a list of supporters. [http://jim-frizzell.com/national_republican_congressiona.htm] [http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050428/NEWS01/104280031/-1/news01] [http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/9/29/14564/3650] Science Friday host Ira Flatow and others report being approached in 2007 by the NRCC offering them such awards as "Congressional Order of Merit" (in exchange for adding their name to a list of NRCC members) [http://www.sciencefriday.com/blog/index.php?/archives/221-Congressional-Order-of-Merit-For-A-Price.html] or "Honorary Chairman of the Business Advisory Council" for a fee between $200 and $500. [http://okiedoke.com/blog/?p=2003]

The television show "60 Minutes" has aired reports highlighting the NRCC and their fundraising activities.

In comparison to other groups, a larger number of donors to the NRCC do not declare an occupation or employer, making connections difficult; this may be due to the nature of its donor pool, which consists of more individuals than groups, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Allegations of embezzlement

On March 13, 2008 the NRCC stated that its former treasurer, Chris Ward, had apparently transferred "several hundred thousand dollars" in NRCC funds to "his personal and business bank accounts". [cite press release| title = NRCC Chairman Cole Releases Statement and Update on Apparent Accounting Irregularities| publisher = National Republican Congressional Committee| date = March 13, 2008| url = http://www.nrcc.org/news/view_article.asp?id=1459| accessdate = 2008-03-14] Ward had also served as treasurer for 83 Republican committees [Citation| last = Kane| first = Paul| title = NRCC Says Ex-Treasurer Diverted Up to $1 Million| newspaper = The Washington Post| pages = A01| year = 2008| date = March 14, 2008| url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/13/AR2008031302841.html?hpid=topnews] and has done work for the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. [Citation| last = Silverstein| first = Ken| author-link = Ken Silverstein| title = NRCC Financial Scandal Looks Like an Inside Job| newspaper = Harper's Magazine| year = 2008| date = February 6, 2008| url = http://www.harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002318]

References

External links

* [http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/20/politics/20CAMP.html?ex=1148184000&en=e3e10651fe0a22a3&ei=5070 "Worried Over Soft Money, G.O.P. Readies Major Gala", New York Times]
* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3476031 "Politician or telemarketer?" MSNBC Nightly News, December 11. 2003]
* Jack Abramoff Lobbying and Political Contributions, 1999 - 2006 at [http://www.capitaleye.org/abramoff_recips_detail.asp?type=R&Name=National+Republican+Congressional+Cmte CapitalEye.com ]