Ehrlich's Helicopter

[Oz]

I don't disagree about following the rules. The guy isn't even in office yet. I voted for him too, and am darned glad that he won! I could care less about a helo ride here or there. Like VB said - at least he's not hitting the treasury for the ride.

We've been dealing with a liberal slant in media for years, and finally, thanks to Fox News, and a few more conservative talk show hosts around the media, we're getting both sides. And this year, it cost the Dems dearly. Good!

By slant, I mean, look at how the media is slanting the Sniper case. It's not about Malvo the illegal immigrant who killed people. It's Malvo, the 17 year old kid without parents. The conservatives who could care less because he shot and killed all these people, or the liberals who want to give you this "Poor John, just a little orphan kid" story. Same for politics. They couldn't wait to report about the Canadian who called Bush a moron.

But getting back to state politics. If anyone watched the election night speeches of KKT and Erlich, you should have seen this coming. KKT is giving her speech and she gives Erlich credit for running a good campaign, to an outcry of boos. Erlich does the same for KKT, and you get polite applause. The Republicans are conducting business in a respectful way, and the Democrats are crying and clawing like a cornered cat. No where was that more obvious than this Merv Hampton character insulting every local voter in St. Mary's County on election night.

The Democrats are sore losers, and they're out of control. They need to get rid of these no-class geezers who "run" the party, starting in St. Mary's County, and running right up the line. There was a touch of class elected to our local Democratic Central Committee. Maybe they'll find some duct tape for Merv and any others who can't grip reality.

 

[demsformd]

While yes this violation is quite tedious, it is yet a violation that I think is unbecoming of such a morally-right man as Mr. Ehrlich. Even donations of the use of a helicopter must be reported in your campaign reports and how could Mr. Anti-corruption not follow the law word for word? None of you repsonded to the fact that the people that elected Mr. Ehrlich were members of our "culture of corruption," like Clarence Mitchell, Mickey Steinberg, Marvin Mandel, and others. Is corruption gonna end? The answer is a hell no.
AS for all of you who hated Mrs. Townsend for her Kennedy name and money, this week at the Republican Governors' Association meeting, Governor-elect Ehrlich is sleeping in a $5,000 a night hotel room and he spent long hours at the hotel - not in meetings or conferences - but by the pool. This is after a vacation at Ocean City. And is Mrs. Ehrlich at the conferenc? The answer is no, she is in the hospital receiving treatment for pneumonia. Mr. Ehrlich is definitely not the man that you all see him as.

 

[Oz]

Originally posted by demsformd
this week at the Republican Governors' Association meeting, Governor-elect Ehrlich is sleeping in a $5,000 a night hotel room and he spent long hours at the hotel - not in meetings or conferences - but by the pool. This is after a vacation at Ocean City. And is Mrs. Ehrlich at the conferenc? The answer is no, she is in the hospital receiving treatment for pneumonia. Mr. Ehrlich is definitely not the man that you all see him as.

$5K per night? Where did you find this number? What hotel? I have my doubts about this, however, I have no concerns about how he spends his campaign money. Whether it's on helicopters or RGA meetings. You're not implying that he is spending Maryland's money for this, are you?

Where are you going with the pneumonia story? Are you implying that we Republicans are overlooking someone's personal life? Clinton was in office for 8 years, and 2 years later Democrats now have morals?

As I recall, Mrs Sauerbrey attended the RGA when Glendenning was busy stealing his first election from her, which would imply that it's what Republican Governor's do after the election. We're supposed to find fault in him socializing with his Governor peers?

I'd love to know the source and have more information on what you are saying here.

 

[vraiblonde]

AS for all of you who hated Mrs. Townsend for her Kennedy name and money,

Just for the record - her Kennedy name and money are beside the point - it's the hypocrisy, the stupidity and the race-baiting that made me not vote for her.

Governor-elect Ehrlich is sleeping in a $5,000 a night hotel room and he spent long hours at the hotel - not in meetings or conferences - but by the pool. This is after a vacation at Ocean City.

You're aware that he's not Governor yet and that his time is still his own, right? Or did I miss the inaguration?

As to the insinuation that Bobby is neglecting Ms. Kendel in her time of sickness - I went to a rally and got the opportunity to see them interact in person. They are either really happily married or both should get Academy Awards.

 

[red]

all this over a helicopter ride. i don't just don't get it.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by demsformd
While yes this violation is quite tedious, it is yet a violation that I think is unbecoming of such a morally-right man as Mr. Ehrlich.

Violation of what? Your code of ethics or an actual law, rule or regulation?

 

[SmallTown]

Originally posted by Ken King
Violation of what? Your code of ethics or an actual law, rule or regulation?

Not reporting it as being paid for by his campaign funds. Seeing that he indeed corrected the error after being confronted with it, we can only assume what he did was not right and they took the correct measures to fix it. It is done with.. Now.. if we would have some young intern on the helicopter with him...

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by SmallTown
Not reporting it as being paid for by his campaign funds. Seeing that he indeed corrected the error after being confronted with it, we can only assume what he did was not right and they took the correct measures to fix it. It is done with.. Now.. if we would have some young intern on the helicopter with him...

Okay, show me the exact aspect of the campaign finance laws that was broken, if you can? The only things I have seen on this thread are allegations and innuendo.

 

[SmallTown]

in basic terms:

http://www.elections.state.md.us/campaign_finance/summary_guide/sg_12.html#1

 

[Oz]

3rd Tuesday post-general must include ALL transactions from 10-21-2002 through 11-19-2002 (11-26-2002)

I would call your attention to this. This thread was started on 11/22, 4 days before the campaign report was due for this period. (Today is the due date.) So, if he filed today or prior about these things, he hasn't broken any law or ethics.

http://www.elections.state.md.us/campaign_finance/2002_reporting_schedule.html

 

[demsformd]

Read the Washington Post or the Baltimore Sun from a week ago on this subject. They were the ones that broke the story.
Still, how is Ehrlich gonna stop the corruption?
As for this whole thing with Clinton using federal money to play politics or go on vacations, President Bush has spent 42% of his tenure out of the White House. He has used the Federal Government's money to transport him to Crawford or to Camp David. He has also allowed several campaign donors to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom plus he used Air Force One and the money of the people to pay for campaign visits for the Republican Party. Don't talk about Clinton when your guy does the exact same thing.

 

[SmallTown]

Originally posted by Oz
I would call your attention to this. This thread was started on 11/22, 4 days before the campaign report was due for this period. (Today is the due date.) So, if he filed today or prior about these things, he hasn't broken any law or ethics.

http://www.elections.state.md.us/campaign_finance/2002_reporting_schedule.html

Like we have said, he has made the correct steps to correct it. Its just he didn't do it until the media plastered all over the news.. So yes, the "liberal" media helped him out by making him aware of it.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by SmallTown
in basic terms:

http://www.elections.state.md.us/campaign_finance/summary_guide/sg_12.html#1

Okay, look at http://www.elections.state.md.us/campaign_finance/summary_guide/sg_07.html#4 and see if this was even considered an "in-kind" contribution. The owner of the helicopter didn't normally charter it so should it be claimed as a contribution?

 

[SmallTown]

Originally posted by Ken King
Okay, look at http://www.elections.state.md.us/campaign_finance/summary_guide/sg_07.html#4 and see if this was even considered an "in-kind" contribution. The owner of the helicopter didn't normally charter it so should it be claimed as a contribution?

Well, the actual numbers escape me, but they said normally the fee would have been $2500 (either an hour or per trip, not sure) and that the amount he is paying comes to around $1000 per. So I assume he does normally charter?

 

[vraiblonde]

Ya'll are like a bunch of clocks - tick, tick, tick. I find it interesting that Clinton voters would even remotely care that Ehrlich used his buddy's helicopter for transportation. For eight years you overlooked your guy taking money from the Chinese, cheating on his wife, lying under oath, etc, etc, etc - and NOW you've suddenly decided that there must be ethics in our elected officials?

Gimme a break. If you voted for Clinton you have NO moral authority and NO right to say anything about any other candidate. I equate this to bin Laden's manifesto - the hypocrisy is stunning.

 

[SmallTown]

I did not vote for clinton, but did vote for ehrlich.. I just call a spade a spade.

But I don't quite see your argument that if you voted for clinton you have no morals and no rights to judge others. So are the republicans who voted for ehrlich lacking in morals as well because of his stance on abortion (seeing that TRUE republicans have a very strong pro-life platform)?

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by SmallTown
Well, the actual numbers escape me, but they said normally the fee would have been $2500 (either an hour or per trip, not sure) and that the amount he is paying comes to around $1000 per. So I assume he does normally charter?

Okay, I found some more on this. The helicopter isn't owned by Sinclair Broadcasting, it is owned by Whirlwind Aviation, Inc. whose sole director is J. Duncan Smith (his family owns Sinclair Broadcasting). This is where my confusion was coming from because if Sinclair Broadcasting had donated the helicopter it would not necessarily have been a reportable item. It however appears that Whirlwind Aviation provided the services and since they are a chartered service this would make the use of the helicopter a declarable contribution for an “in-kind” donation.

As to the timing of the financial statements it seems that previous filings were in error, but does that indicate corruption or a simple error in a very confusing system. As long as the errors are corrected is it a problem? I mean it isn't like someone contributed to their campaign to get a pardon for a family member or pardoned convicted terrorists to enhance their spouses ability to when a Senatorial race or something like that.

 

[vraiblonde]

There's that steroetype again. I am a TRUE Republican - says so on my voter registration card. I used to be against abortion - now I wish more people would have them.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
There's that steroetype again. I am a TRUE Republican - says so on my voter registration card. I used to be against abortion - now I wish more people would have them.

Retroactive ones are the type I am for.

 

[SmallTown]

Originally posted by Ken King

As to the timing of the financial statements it seems that previous filings were in error, but does that indicate corruption or a simple error in a very confusing system. As long as the errors are corrected is it a problem? I mean it isn't like someone contributed to their campaign to get a pardon for a family member or pardoned convicted terrorists to enhance their spouses ability to when a Senatorial race or something like that.

I'm just glad it is fixed so it won't be brought up later in his term.

Does it indicate corruption or future corruption? I hope not, but only time will tell.. I mean, 2 years ago seeing arab men at flight schools wasn't considerd a bad thing either.