1  And seriously, I'm sure Jonathan Strong is pleased as punch that he found two anonymous sources to talk about the abandoned inquiry into purchasing a plane for the RNC. But who gives a fuck about that?

The story here is the lesbian bondage club. Shoulda been in the headline and it shoulda been in the first paragraph.

2 Proud practitioner of the AOSHQ lifestyle. If he kills hobos, Steele's gold.

3 But seriously, would we miss him if we threw him out right now?

4

Shiaatt!  I need to get my resume ready.

5 So does "lesbian themed" mean hot chicks or Janet Napalitano/Janet Reno? I need to know how worried to be about Steele.

6 I denounce the racism and homophobia of this post.  Not to mention the stripaphobia.

7

Ugh.. C'mon GOP.... you have a golden opportunity..

You are blowing it.

Nothing has changed except the people of the US.

8

Dede Scozzafava was his date at Voyeur West.

9 I don't see anything wrong with the expense.

10

Maybe it was some kind of outreach program.. or he was trying to flip Maddow... her 11 viewers would be a boon to the party.

11 ...

awesome.

12 $1,620.71 spent [update: the amount is actually $1,946.25] at Voyeur West Hollywood, a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex.

That settles it, I'm really running for RNC Chair now. 

13 Me neither.

14

Bondage-themed clubs on the RNC's dime?

Nineteen thousand, four hundred sixty-two and a half of them, apparently.

15 Far be it for me to criticize a man's need for quality lesbian-themed entertainment, but...um. Yeah, this jackass needs to get the fuck out. Now.

16 RNC sets a wonderful example.  "Do as we say, not as we do".  Sickening, just as rotten as the arrogant Dem spending.  How do we tell the difference?  And sons of bitches (GOP) still send me requests for donations nearly every month.  What part of the word CONSERVATIVE don't they understand? 

17 So much snark, so little time.

The story here is the lesbian bondage club. Shoulda been in the headline and it shoulda been in the first paragraph.

They should make me RNC Chairman.  My wife won't let me go to these things.

Secondly, when the dems attack this, we can just say they hate gays.

Third, and the RNC wonders why people don't donate.

18

Awesome.

The MSM will spend the next two weeks pouring over these expenditures. Because in the end, this apparently matters (unlike the HC bill we're all just learning the details of).

 

19 He was never right for the job, just the politically correct balance to Obama. Fire him now, before the end of the day. No matter what the Dems and LSM with try to paint the Reps as racist bigots. Take the hit and publish the receipts documenting Steele's hard work id he makes too much of it.

20 As Gabe alluded...I don't have a problem with the hotel charges.  But sending me emails for donations so the chair of the RNC can go watch live porn...nah, I'll save my money.

21 I'm a lifelong, proud Republican and I fully support Michael Steele as party chairman!

22 So Steele is a lesbian??? Is that what you are saying?? All this time I thought the "steele" was somewhere else.. does he go both ways?? We'll have to get Maddow on this ASAP...or maybe a platoon of servicemen.

23 I'm sure it was part of a new program to bring single moms/drug adddicts into the GOP. At $50 a lappy per chick.

Gawd. If he's this dumb, how much you wanna bet he wore sweatpants in there?

24 The story here is the lesbian bondage club. Shoulda been in the headline and it shoulda been in the first paragraph.

Yup.

On the plus side, next time some KoolAid guzzler tells me Republicans are close-minded prudes who want to outlaw "alternative lifestyles", I have actual proof that they are delusional. 

25 Naked women on stage?  This is truly disgusting.  Steele has to go.

26 Make room for Sarah.

27 THERE NEEDS TO BE A PURGE.  NOW.

28

$1,620.71 spent [update: the amount is actually $1,946.25] at Voyeur West Hollywood, a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex.





Just when I thought Michael Steele couldn't possibly be any dumber, he goes and does something like this... ...And Totally Redeems Himself !

29 Bondage themed clubs? Hey, he could pick us up some votes in San Francisco. What? They were women? OK, forget it.

30 The story here is the lesbian bondage club. Shoulda been in the headline and it shoulda been in the first paragraph.

Yeah, this source doesn't fill me with confidence.  I usually read stuff from outfits like this and later learn the "rest of the story".  The airplane inquiry was probably an attempt to save money and sometimes you spend $10K to get $1000K in contributions.  You have to look at the expenses against the revenue.

Even Steele isn't this stupid.  Either the club owns other properties or Steele didn't have a leash on the credit card and somebody used it to buy leashes.

31 I never thought that Mr. Steele would show up at one of my watering holes...but he sure gave the girls a bigger tip than they usually get.

32 I guess I shouldn't have earmarked that $2000 check to the GOP for Lesbian/Bondage-Themed Erotic Entertainment, huh?

33 Every hour that passes without a big red headline on Drudge about the new RNC chair is another few thousand voters deciding to stay home again in November.

34 If Republicans weren't so racist, they would have paid this poor man enough that he wouldn't have had to ask for reimbursement for his strip club expenses.

35   "More elections, less erections."

36 Clearly you AOSHQ haters want the GOP to look like a Nazi Party rally. And you hate gays too. I'm going on a double date with David Frum, don't wait up for me.

37 I'm still angry at Mitt Romney for not taking over as head of the RNC.  He would have been perfect.

Steele is an idiot, clearly.

I'm surprised the MSM hasn't been ALL OVER the bondage club thing.  Can you imagine going to a place like that and actually using your RNC credit card to pay?  Good lord.  I don't know which is worse, the immorality or the sheer stupidity.

38

1,946.25 spent at Voyeur West Hollywood, a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex?

That's pocket change compared to what I spent in Vegas on hookers, booze and gambling the last couple of days.

39 I have to agree, I don't have a problem with the plane, if he is actually helping candidates (435 house districts), but he's not.

40 Does the RNC have a bus?

41 I was makin' in rain, bitches!!!

42 Can we get an over-under on how soon some wonk in the MSM tells us that firing Steele just shows how racist the GOP is?  I'm guessing . . . 20 minutes.

43 Now this is change we can believe in...

44 What's next? A tearful presser followed by a rehab stint? Ari Fleisher call your office. How can anyone still be a Republican?

45

I'm Michael Steele, and when I go to a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex, I take my RNC credit card.  Don't leave home without it.

46

I'm very, very happy that I have not financially supported the Republican party recently.

 

47 and $1,620.71 spent [update: the amount is actually $1,946.25] at Voyeur West Hollywood, a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex.

Aw c'mon...a man's got to live! I spend ten times that much every month to watch lesbians. And I'm not even counting Hillary...huh, huh, huh!

48 Since incompetent black men are all the rage right now, maybe we could give the job to Marion Barry.

49 Imitating lesbian sex. Imitating lesbian sex? He wasn't even paying for the real thing? What a loser.

50 Do you have an address on that strip club??

51 Like every citizen of the country, the performers at voyeur West Hollywood are only exercising their right to free speech. This right is protected by law even if the speech is offensive to others; you aren't against free speech for gays, are you teabaggers?

52

Ahg!  Fire this idiot if nothing else for his stupidity!

Don't any of these fools know what century we're in?  Hello!  Twenty first century!     Cameras everywhere!  Microphones everywhere!  Indexed searchable database of fucking everything!  All public records are now public domain and the media is your enemy.  They have bots doing searches of all new documents for all the salacious words, all of them.  Every utterance you make will be stamped, file, indexed, briefed, de-briefed and numbered. 

You want your vices, fine, you have to do it on your own dime.  When you hear the term, "party funds" it's not that kind of party.  It is no longer acceptable to be appear squeaky clean you must be squeaky clean.  Put them all on notice: Stupidity is now a firing offense!

(No pithy after thought remark possible now, check back later...)

53

Wait a second. Was Steele really that stupid to  use a RNC credit card at a bondage nightclub? How could he be that dumb?

I would like to see some more sourcing on this, because while I am no big fan of Steele, I would never have guessed him being that dumb.

Mix in some cash Mike!

54 You guys complain now but you'll be singing as different tune when the polls show that the lesbian dominatrix demographic has moved decvisively into the conservative camp.

55 I've got nothing.
Beyond stupid.

56

Bondage-themed clubs on the RNC's dime? When you hear stories like this, I always wonder what the inevitably shamed and fired was thinking. Did Steele not know that the RNC has to disclose its expenses?

This is just clueless on Steele's part.  He needs to go. 

Now if he does get kicked out because of this, be prepared for the many more stories about how racist the RNC is.  Plenty of distraction for the next Big Bad Thing the Administration's going to push down our throats, be it amnesty or crap and tax.

 

57 I'm surprised the MSM hasn't been ALL OVER the bondage club thing.

Don't worry, you've got about 2 solid weeks of this comin at you, plus a continuing series on GMA and 60 Minutes until the fall elections.

58 He does suck.

59 44 Does the RNC have a bus?

Posted by: SlaveDog at March 29, 2010 11:30 AM (H6Jyg)

He can't be thrown under, otherwise the MSM will accuse the RNC of throwing him under the "back part of the bus"

60

What up?

 

*makes it rain benjamins up on the stage*

61

For God's sake, somebody tell this asshole about ATMs.

62 Dayum dude! We gotta hook up for some straight-up scrimpin'! Bein' a little rebellion! Holla atcho boy!

http://preview.tinyurl.com/6qgcro

63 I don't know which is worse, the immorality or the sheer stupidity.

"It was worse than a crime, it was a blunder"

64 Damn! I thought it was safe to visit the Ace site... now I got to get on that f#@$%ing airplane back to Mississippi. Thanks for nothing Ace.

65

As bad as this is (and it's really bad), What is worse is Steele's dereliction of duty.

We should already have a strong slate of conservative Republicans ready for the November election. Right now we've got squat. It's past time for Steele to go.

66 The story here is the lesbian bondage club.

Also, and I am ashamed at you Morons that this hasn't been said yet, video or it didn't happen. 

67 Strip-a-gram.

68 #31 - I LOL'ed. Thx dude.

69

For God's sake, somebody tell this asshole about ATMs.

That costs extra.

70 Oh yeah Joe, you should switch to be a republican Nice party leader there guys At least everyone knows my party is a bunch of pigs

71 I suggest we nuke chairman steele from orbit!  Maybe we can trick steele into visiting maricopa county and kill off two birds with one big ass stone! Kaboom!

72 Yeah.. totally. I want the video too.. Lesbian sex.. ALRIGHT!!!

73 If he's not a Dem plant, I fail to see how he's acted any differently than if he were.

74 Inexcusable ... he should resign by close of business today!

75

I agree that he should be shown the door. However, I'd like to see the RNC use this as teachnig moment.

It was the RNC's cash, rather than public funds.

I.E. Pelosi's drunken plane rides

76

Seriously, can an RNC Chairman get a table dance?

 

*tosses wad of bills at DJ*

77 We'll take him!

78

Does he have a missus that he's having to explain all this to, as well?

Poor Michael.

79 If he had a brain Steele would anounce a campaign against madCOWski for U.S. Senate.  Sadly, meaning he'd need to resign as chair.  Dems would need to spend at least some resources to keep the seat, and there's a chance he'd actually win.  When the mood hits him he's a gifted stump speaker.  I'd send him money before Crist.

80 I will never understand why men think lesbian sex is erotic. The very last thing in the world I would want to see after lesbian sex is gay sex. Doesn't make sense. As a woman, this confuses me. But don't explain. Please.

81

 $1,620.71 spent [update: the amount is actually $1,946.25] at Voyeur West Hollywood, a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex.

Look, you prisses. We need to stop being such prudes and realize that if our Party is going to survive, we need to look for voters EVRYWHERE. Big tent-

 

Ummm by the way, are they hiring for this kind of outreach? 

82 I would like to hear Steele's side of the story, but it might be time for him to go. I would say replace him with Sarah, but she is more valuable solo right now without restrictions and without having to deal with the RINO's.

83 So....a leak from the inside to get rid of him?

84

Are you sure this isn't NANCY PELOSI's spending?

85  I agree that the strip club stuff should have been the headline. I also agree that IF this is TRUE he needs to go and will likely be gone soon.

That being said do we trust this organization reporting this? I never heard of The Daily Caller before.  I wouldn't trust this if it came from the MSM, why should I trust it from this group?

86 Bondage-themed clubs on the RNC's dime

Hey, I am from Maryland, here we call those clubs "crab houses".

87 The media is only playing to itself now. Cries of racism don't hold water with most of the electorate, at least the ones that are fired up now like the Tea Party participants. It's more important to get rid of him in the long run.

88

If we fire Steele, we may lose all 23 of our African-American Republicans. 

89 I would have more confidence in Steele if knew how to properly handle large bags of cash - not using cash, when cash is called for is a problem.

90 This is a gift - a way to get rid of Steele on his own foibles rather than his weak-tea, inconsistent policy stances.  Thank the deities for small favors.

91 I would like to hear Steele's side of the story, but it might be time for him to go. I would say replace him with Sarah, but she is more valuable solo right now without restrictions and without having to deal with the RINO's.

I agree, Sarah needs to continue what she is doing now (except the McCain shit).  The Republican chairman really doesn't have much authority anyway.

92

I lived in Maryland for four years, and Steele, interestingly, was far better as a Lt. Governor of a liveral state that he is running the RNC.

The national prominence went to his head, at the very least.

93 dagny - fewer hairy backs

94 C'mon, Steele.  WTF is this shit?

Would it absolutely kill the RNC to finally get serious, while this country comes under assault from within?

RNC dollars for lesbian bondage when we need to spend every damn dollar we humanly can, electing conservatives?

No money from me for the damn RNC until this fucking Voyeur West is fully explained and Steele is 86'ed.

95 You can't fire an Affirmative Action hire, suckahs!

96 #86

Let me take a shot at it.

2 boobs = Teh awesome.

4 boobs = Teh totally awesome.

And so one, and so on...

97

News Break!

Police have arrested Helen Thomas and Nancy Pelosi and charged them with topless dancing and imitating lesbian sex at a club called Voyeur West Hollywood.

98 #96

Celebrities? 
Never heard of one of them.  Must be game show hosts or tweeb rockers?

99 C'mon now, Gabe, as a libertarian, surely you aren't concerned about the bedroom behaviour of a few politicos, now are you?

100 Could be worse. Could be gay bondage.

101 Miniature Salt Chucker - WTF, the only name I knew was Mickey - and that was something I didn't need to see. Was he performing.

102 I don't see the problem here.

103

Give him a break. Michael Steele is just trying to change the GOP from The Party Of No, into The Party Of Ho.

104 All is forgiven, Republicans!

105 It's time for Americans to realize that governing is hard work, and that a RNC Chairman can't just wave his magic wand by himself and fix everything.

106 Depends on what the definition of "lesbian bondage" is.

107 Gawd, I would love it if they would appoint Sarah interim head of the RNC. Just six months of her in that position, until the mid-terms. We might hit 90% voter turnout. 100% GOP turnout, 60% (D), 100% (I).

Posted by: Miniature Salt Chucker at March 29, 2010 11:28 AM (IhHdM)

--All she has to do is wink at someone and send a sexual signal, and recruitment will be easy!

108 This is a gift - a way to get rid of Steele on his own foibles rather than his weak-tea, inconsistent policy stances.  Thank the deities for small favors.

Posted by: Jazz at March 29, 2010 11:43 AM (hnq5i)

The Repukes will probably squander this opportunity.  Any time they're given a gift they fuck it up.

109 Ummmm...don't dirty old men need (perverted) love, also?

110 Let's assume this is all true -- whose on deck? George Allen, Pataki

111  Bleg: anyone know how to edit this down to just: ""Get it to the floor. Up or down, baby. Put it on the table." Perhaps loop it a coupla times?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTXB8Eh3MQE

112

Also, and I am ashamed at you Morons that this hasn't been said yet, video or it didn't happen. 

Which is why we need to send money to Ace ASAP so he can detour on the way home and check this place out.

Timing-questioning, anyone??

113 86 you sure you don't want it explained I can explain it I'm a giver like that

114 117 Let's assume this is all true -- whose on deck? George Allen, Pataki

The best party chairs are green-eyeshade types who work behind the scenes.

115 That being said do we trust this organization reporting this? I never heard of The Daily Caller before.  I wouldn't trust this if it came from the MSM, why should I trust it from this group?


Vic, you're right to be sceptical. But The Daily Caller is Tucker Carlson's creation. And more importantly, it's Jim Treacher's gig. I'll go with Treach.

116 If this story is anything like true, and not just an April Fools' piece that leaked a little early, then it's pretty clear that certain individuals at the GOP haven't gotten the word. 

This is a serious embarrassment and needs to be dealt with as such (and I'm not talking about O-Cedar and an extra-thick rug.)

117 Mama - we would never get Ace out of that place.

118 Some people are arguing that the RNC has an anti-hobo slant. Well, duh. The primary campaigns covered, West Hollywood, Las Vegas, and Washington DC, are amongst the most sweaty tussles fought by our hobo hunting lesbians. There was a level of savagery in the stage lights that the European theater, for all its wholesale carnage, never achieved. And while our lesbians weren't motivated by a hobo pelt imperative as some might think, it is undeniable that there was a baby oil and glitter component that was almost entirely absent in the European theater. Let's face it, we were a country that wouldn't even allow Shiba Inu puppies to fight- how do you think our lesbians felt about the Japanese Bukake Actors' Guild, who were not only different looking, but culturally almost incomprehensible to us, and very gooey - but mostly very gooey?

119

Andrea Derritt Steele, I think it's time you had that 'talk' with your husband.

120 How are we going to get the lesbian bondage chicks in the party if we don't reach out to them ?

121 13 Jell-O shooters. $26
3lbs of hot wings and two jugs of beer: $14.79
Voyeur West Hollywood, bondage-themed topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex: $1,946.25
A new RNC chief: Priceless.

122 I love how that NRO fatassed scrunt KLo is covering for Steele:  Further, the spokesman gives the indication that thereÂ’s more to the plane story — or, rather, less to it Â— than the piece suggests and insists that “SteeleÂ’s expenses” are not always “SteeleÂ’s expenses” but finance and fundraising expenses.

Steele's expenses aren't always Steele's expenses?  What a fucking crock.  This is what I'd expect from the commiecrats.  Fuck them all.

123

Mama - we would never get Ace out of that place.

But imagine his output if he blogged from there.

Wait, that didn't come out right.

124 Hmmm and I manage to do my job flying coach and staying at Motel 8's.

125 It's Jim Treacher's gig. I'll go with Treach.

If it is an output of Treacher I'll go with that. Note that I have no great lover for Tucker Carlson either.

We do need to hear from Steele and what we need to hear from him is (a) did he actually spend this money in a strip club and (b) if so, was it his money or RNC money?

If he actually spent RNC political donations on a strip club that is likely a violation of law. A politician could not do that with campaign donations.

126 For the first time, I strongly support Michael Steele.

127 This is a cultural background thing. He should get a pass.

128 124 RNC sez Steele was not at the club.

Yeah.  I think the story is (1) that Steele is playing fast and loose with RNC's money to the point that (2) staffers' expenses are not closely scrutinized.

Why do I think that the Daily Caller knew this and that is why they buried the lede?  I hate it when I have to find out "the rest of the story".

129 What #136 say.

130 Come on....you'd have to be stupid collapsed in on itself to submit an expense like that.  Is he THAT stupid?

131 Posted by: Gerry at March 29, 2010 11:52 AM (xul+3)

Well it looks like the story may not be so true after all.

132 You figure that a guy who has risen to a position of relative power in his life would know that you use your own money on the whores and don't expense it.  Amateurs.

133

Eh...wasn't this guy like a monk or something? Talk about a fall from grace.

You can take the numinous, well spoken black man outta the lieutenant governorship but you can't take him outta the titty bar.

  

134 Well, I'm just saying he could have gone to that club and he could have spent that amount of money watching lesbian women.

135

Regardless of whether it was his expense or not, I do not believe the RNC should be spending close to $2000 at a fake lesbian bondage club.

136

Thank you Gerry #124.

"TWENTY FOUR HOUR RULE IN EFFECT"

137 You figure that a guy who has risen to a position of relative power in his life would know that you use your own money on the whores and don't expense it cook the books to make it look like the whore money went to something benign--catering, perhaps.

138 I have been unimpressed with DC, they seem to be as "liberal" with anti-GOP stories as HuffPo is. I only read Jim Treacher, that's about it.

139

RNC's claim that "Steele wasn't at the club" is the weakest shit in town.

Steele didn't even have to be at the club.  He is still 100% fully responsible for the Republican National Committee's Voyeur West bondage-love expenditure.

That fucking stupid-ass piss-away of RNC money still needs to be completely explained and he still needs to go.

140

One mans fake lesbian bondage is another mans....

Eh bunk..

141 RNC Says It Wasn't Steele
GOP says all black men look alike.

142 Regardless of whether it was his expense or not, I do not believe the RNC should be spending close to $2000 at a fake lesbian bondage club.

Yeah, I'm wondering how this happened at all.  A $2000 expense should have gone through a pretty decent review process.  If we saw 100 $20 expenses for porn videos, I'd know what was going on.

143

What I said before:

What is worse is Steele's dereliction of duty.

We should already have a strong slate of conservative Republicans ready for the November election. Right now we've got squat. It's past time for Steele to go.

144 Regardless of whether it was his expense or not, I do not believe the RNC should be spending close to $2000 at a fake lesbian bondage club.

Yup.  Even if the "staffer" paid back every penny, someone needs to be fired for hiring someone stupid enough to put his lesbian bondage club night out on the company credit card.

145 120 Yuck. And hairy backs--not so much. But I do like a hairy chest. I don't grasp this new manscaping waxing thing. Another feminization thing. I have no desire to complement a guy on the smoothness of his skin.

146 Steele's expenses are not always Steele's expenses?

Really? Is this the level of accounting we can expect from Mr. Steele?

The story raises all kinds of improprieties that go far beyond lesbian bondage dance clubs being paid for by Republican Party donors:

1) Who was at the club with RNC funds?

2) What other expenses has that person been responsible for during his tenure at the RNC?

3) Does the RNC not have an accounting staff looking at the bills?

4) Are these the people we want scouring the budget looking for ways to cut federal government spending when they can't even detect strip club spending in their own party?

5) Where has Steele been travelling and are his claims that no service existed true? Or is a cover-up in progress? Are Steele's expenses really Steele's expenses, or is a co-mingling of funds occurring?

6) Why is Michael "'Yo Dog" Steele spending $9 large at the fucking Beverly Hills Hotel?

7) Will there be an outside, independent audit ... or an inside cover-up job?

Michael Steele has got to go.

He is destroying the Republican Party from the inside.

147 It's the seriousness of the charge that counts!

148 Yo Steele!

Just have them come to your house instead. Then you can always kill them if they get 'out of line'.

PS - I'll be back Detroit! Just wait!

149

Before we jump on this it would be nice to find out if the lefties have done some creative expense allocation. Perhaps they used the building for a fundraiser and it has lesbian bondage shows on every third saturday night.

I've noticed that the local episcopalian church is renting out to muslim cab drivers on Fridays.

Ya never know.

150

Steele is obviously an Obama plant.

And about as smart as one too.

 

151 $1,946.25 and all you get is imitation lesbian sex?  What the hell is this world coming to?

152 make it look like the whore money went to something benign--catering, perhaps.
And this $1,946.25 expense for hare pie, Mr. Steele, was that a for a large party? And wouldn't tacos have been more cost effective?

153 Big oops by the Daily Caller. 

154

Tiger, Steele, R. Kelly...Call Me!

 

155

Steele is obviously an Obama plant.

Cannabis?

156 I have no desire to complement a guy on the smoothness of his skin.
Bitch.

157 163 Big oops by the Daily Caller.

They should have "called" somebody at the RNC for confirmation.  At least then they could have written, "There's this bondage club expense and here's the lame RNC response."

158

Don't just stare at it...EAT IT!

 

159 I contacted Kathern Lopez and she refused to name her single source claiming all RNC expenses were appropriate or not Michael Steele's expenses.

My sources (which, of course, I cannot name) indicate that Katheryn Lopez's sole unidentified source is in fact, Michael Steele himself.

160 Me defense is that I'm incompetent, not corrupt.

161 Couldn't they find better things to spend RNC money on like tickets to the Final Four?  Geezus!

162 He went into the club with his eyes wide shut.

163
yeah, I've been saying this forever

164 Didn't The Daily Crawler have to retract a story just recently? 

165 MSNBC will be intolerable when and if the fire Steele.

166 Steele may not have done this, but what was he doing when this happened? Steele needs to show some leadership... or show himself the door.

167 MSNBC will be intolerable when and if the fire Steele.

I'm sure you didn't mean to imply they're tolerable now...

168 This story may well be false, in which case Bow-tie Tucker's little bloggy thing will have some 'splainin' to do.

But Steele needs to go, for the same reason AEI bounced David Frumpy: he's not getting the job done.

Any money spent on him is a waste.

169 Steele's management is clearly a problem.  But this and the fundraising powerpoint (in which they talk about using fear to motivate small donors and with the infamous - although I don't know why - Joker image) are not directly coming from him.  Like any of us, he's only as good as the staff who work for him.  It's stupid for supposedly right-leaning or even centrist media to amp up the charges against Steele this way.  Let's leave that to MSNBC. 

If Steele needs to be replaced, it should be done with as little fanfare as possible.  It doesn't help the GOP or conservatives for it to appear to happen because of a scandal. 

170 I'm going Powell on you cracka's hummmum I iz.

171

I'd treat that hotel expense with a grain of salt also. One hospitality suite with an open bar and some shrimp on ice will run that easy.

I'm supportive of DC and hope they do well, but this story went out half-baked.

Oh, and Steele needs to go, but as has been pointed out above, unless you have another black guy for the position, we're stuck with him.

172 175 MSNBC will be intolerable when and if the fire Steele.

Posted by: kansas at March 29, 2010 12:24 PM (mka2b)

they are now? besides, who the hell's going to see it anyway?

173

Is Steele (or whoever it was at this club) married to a hot actress who can refuse go to the club with him and maybe pave just one stone for an obscure state legislator who grew up in Indonesia?

174 Yep, it is already beginning to appear that we don't have the facts in this case. This is similar to the way that the story about James O'Keefe broke.

We had a bunch of eyeores then all blasting O'Keefe for giving conservatives a bad name by pulling a boneheaded move like trying to tap the Commie-LA's phone.

A lot of us said this smells big time but the eyeores persisted.  Now we see that all the charges but the ludicrous "entering a federal building under false pretenses" have been dropped.  IOW the entire thing was BS to begin with.

Lets keep our eyeore BS to the minimum get the entire story before we charge off like Democraps slamming the entire Republican Party and Steele.

If we have anyone at the RNC spending RNC funds on strip clubs they need to go, but lets find out if that is really the case first.

175 ...As a woman, this confuses me. But don't explain. Please.

That way they have someone to talk to after I fall a sleep.

176 "Oh, and Steele needs to go, but as has been pointed out above, unless you have another black guy for the position, we're stuck with him."

My God, what a horribly racist thing to say.

Only a black man can run the RNC?

White people need not apply?

Is that the Republican Party that you want me to donate my fucking money to? You seriously want to make that statement in the same breath that you want me to not give money to the Tea Party?

Wow, reading the comments on AoSHQ is really getting very revealing of the mindset in the Republican Party recently. It's quite disturbing to see these sorts of comments cheerfully said and accepted by the group.

177

Someone had posted info about the club saying you had to be young, good looking, and hip to even get in. It was at this moment I was positive it wasn't Steele in da club.

Didn't I just see it somewhere that he had raised an assload of money?

~going to go check~

178 Your rush to post this before verifying the facts really sucks.

I am no big fan of Steeles' but whose damn side are you on?

What, did Steele make a visit to AZ and visit Sheriff Joe or something?

179 "If we have anyone at the RNC spending RNC funds on strip clubs they need to go, but lets find out if that is really the case first."

Do receipts count as evidence? Do MasterCard bills count as evidence? They're public records, you know. And they've been acquired.

The RNC is donor spending money at lesbian strip clubs. And the receipts back this up. Who exactly was doing it will, I'm certain, forever be a mystery as I'm confident that the shredder is working overtime and the protection of Michael Steele himself is in the works.

Steele. Must. Go.

The fact that this could possibly happen under his watch is indicative of his laisse faire attitude regarding ethics in the workplace and his hands-off management style. This leadership style is reflected by this episode.

He's too busy selling his personal books and not minding the store at his place of employment. And Republicans everywhere are now going to pay a price for his shitty job performance.

That much is perfectly clear.

180 I am no big fan of Steeles' but whose damn side are you on?

I, for one, am on the side of not spending RNC money on strip clubs.  The money was spent, like it or not.  Something in the RNC is broken, and the head of that corporation - Michael Steele - needs to be held to account for it.

181 "FEC filings suggest, Steele travels in style. A February RNC trip to California, for example, included a $9,099 stop at the Beverly Hills Hotel, $6,596 dropped at the nearby Four Seasons, and $1,620.71 spent [update: the amount is actually $1,946.25] at Voyeur West Hollywood, a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex."

These are public records, in the public domain. The information is public and available for anyone to request. The information is contained in FEC filings that have been submitted to the FEC by the RNC.

The facts of the matter are clear for all to see and are not in dispute. The receipts indicate the RNC is spending Republican donations at lesbian bondage strip clubs.

Who exactly is doing it is beside the point, really, isn't it? It is occurring on Michael Steele's watch because he has lost control of our organization. Any business would have controls to prevent such use of their business credit cards, and to detect unauthorized use. But somehow the RNC isn't capable of hiring competent accounting personnel to detect this sort of stuff when it occurs.

Leadership flows down from the top.

This money is only now being sought back from the employee who spent it at the strip club ... only after it's become public ... long after FEC filings were made.

The RNC is being mismanaged. It is time to fire that management.

It's that simple.

182 Is it wrong to just lmao at this news?  The Stupid Party:  always good for a Monday morning pick me up.

183 This is some kind of organized campaign to get rid of Steel via intense pressure.  Even if the nude club is a lie, that's probably a vicious enough lie to really hurt Steele.

It will get eyeballs paying attention ans asking if Steele really has what it takes, and it will get people considering the rest of his expenses.  He is spending too much, he isn't doing his job well, and we have an opportunity he could be wasting.  He's on record saying now isn't the time to take back power.  More scrutiny for Steele is bad for Steele, even if this specific smear is a total fabrication.

Tucker Carlson, however, better have some proof.  Reputation lost?

184 The only thing missing from this post is a noose.

185 furthermore, it's clear that the GOP did spend a shitload of money at the Hollywood nudey club, where a bottle of Vodka is $200.

Even if Steele didn't know about it, the buck stops with him.  Spending has been out of control for K Street happy staffers for a long time.  Steele is part of that culture of ridiculous ruling class luxury.  There's absolutely no reason for him to ever leave town, ride in a limo, or get a free meal.  He would do a more effective job if he focused on productive campaign organization, and he can do that via the internet.

His leadership that opened to door to private jets, limos, and lesbian whores dancing in glass boxes with my ENTIRE history of donations to the GOP = shitty leadership.

186

SteeleÂ’s standing has also benefited from the RNCÂ’s solid recent fundraising performance — a critical determinant of a chairmanÂ’s success. The RNC raised more money than the Democratic National Committee in both Jan and Feb and reports a cash-on-hand advantage of $24.4 million to $9.1 million.

 

187 " This is some kind of organized campaign to get rid of Steel via intense pressure. "

No, this is an organized campaign to get rid of Steele by revealing to you precisely how he's been running our organization and spending our campaign donations.

Any pressure is self-applied.

Steele is open to criticism because of the manner in which he is husbanding limited resources. Spending campaign donations at lesbian bondage clubs is not a good use of our money.

"A March 20 FEC filing shows the RNC has $9.5 million cash on hand. Steele began his tenure with $22.8 million, and has since raised $96.2 million. During the same period, however, the RNC has spent $109.6 million, for a deficit of $13.4 million"
So, according to FEC records, we're running a deficit of $13.4 million six months before the biggest election of our lives; and Michael "Yo Bitch" Steele is stuffing (figuratively) $20s into the waistbands of lesbian bondage whores.

I think we can dispense with the conspiracy theories, don't you? This isn't the vast-right-wing conspiracy you're looking for.

This is looking at the records to see what's been going on and then giving that information to the people who pay Michael Steele's salary.

188 That is different that the article I found, someguy. Thanks. I knew there was something I'd just read about the money raised.

189 I have to say that anyone who the RNC might find in a lesbian bondage club is probably not top drawer material for recruitment by the GOP.

190 Someguy/sublog ya'll keep saying we have all this "evidence" but the only evidence we have seen so far is this article from that web site of Tucker Carlson's.

The RNC has denied it. Before we go off half-cocked we need some better evidence.

191 191 "FEC filings suggest, Steele travels in style.

You know who else travels in style? Fundraisers. Seriously, when you are soliciting wealthy people for large donations, you don't stay at a Red Roof Inn and drive up in a Ford Focus.  Even a higher ed fundraiser might stay in a Beverly Hills hotel for the right donor call. 

If the RNC is spending 50 cents to raise a dollar, I'll worry about hotel bills.  If they aren't, I won't.

I think there's enough amiss with Steele's public statements and management style to tell him that it's time to move on, but I would not move him on if there isn't a clearly superior candidate waiting in the wings to replace him.  I remember watching the voting process that brought Steele in.  It was not pleasant.  If we bring in someone who is seen as "the social cons' guy" or "the Beltway insiders' guy," there's going to be damage done. 

Personally, I think Mitt Romney is the logical choice at this stage of the game.  If he'll do it.  No, that doesn't mean he should be the GOP nominee.  I just think he would do a good job managing the RNC and raising money. 

192 Someguy/sublog ya'll keep saying we have all this "evidence" but the only evidence we have seen so far is this article from that web site of Tucker Carlson's. The RNC has denied it. Before we go off half-cocked we need some better evidence.

The RNC has denied that Steele spent the money on strip clubs, not that the money was spent.

And the money was spent.

Go here: http://tinyurl.com/yhx9qrn

Find the March Monthly filing, filed on 03/20/2010.  Open the pdf.  Go to page 1781.  It's expense C on that page.

193 Tucker Carlson, however, better have some proof.  Reputation lost?

Carlson lost his reputation a long time ago. He is no friend of the Republican Party. In fact, he is a Paul-Bot libertarian and we should not put a lot of stock into anything he says about the Republican Party in general.

194 I sure hope the Daily Caller is picking through the FEC filings for the DNC. 

195 94

If we fire Steele, we may lose all 23 of our African-American Republicans. 

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at March 29, 2010 11:42 AM (DPM1U)

Not if they (we) are conservatives, you won't.

And, IMO, those who voted him in were operating by non-conservative principles anyway.  He most certainly was not the best available candidate.  The RNC picked Steele because a) he's black & the RNC mistakenly thought it needed to counter Obama's blackness, and b) he is better known than was the other black candidate for RNC chair, Ken Blackwell. A shallow and craven choice all around and I said as much before the vote.

196

Obviously even a staffer (rather than the chair) spending any RNC cash at any Badda-Bing is a fail - but frankly I'm more upset about the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Four Seasons. 

I want my chairman and his staff to be the ones the other well-heeled political  skanks laugh at because they stay in Motel 6 and eat at Hometown Buffet. 

That's known as "putting your mouths where our money is."  Also known as "practicing what your preach." 

Austerity sucks, boys - welcome to the (Grand Old) party.  If you want to hog down caviar and travel in stretch limos, the DNC's across the street - and they'll be hiring soon. 

How much harder is it to pry dollars out of overtaxed Republican wallets when they're imagining you grubbing down lobster and steak on their dime ?

Call it the "Cincinnatus Plan" for staff spending.  Now that would be a choice, not an echo.

 

 

197 No more frequent flyer bitch miles for my boy! PLAYA!

198 The RNC has denied that Steele spent the money on strip clubs, not that the money was spent.

OK, thanks for that link. It appears that a Mr. Erik Brown should explain who authorized him to spend money on a strip club and how that expense was related to advancing the Republican party.

Everyone that had anything to do with this should be fired. I'll go with that. But we should find out who had something to do with it first.

Meanwhile, be sure to note that the Dems and Paul-Bots are laughing their asses off right now.

199 Meanwhile, be sure to note that the Dems and Paul-Bots are laughing their asses off right now.

Who cares?  A little temporary embarrassment seems a small price to pay to ensure that donor money isn't spent on stuff like this. 

200

Obviously even a staffer (rather than the chair) spending any RNC cash at any Badda-Bing is a fail - but frankly I'm more upset about the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Four Seasons. 

I want my chairman and his staff to be the ones the other well-heeled political  skanks laugh at because they stay in Motel 6 and eat at Hometown Buffet. 

That's known as "putting your mouths where our money is."  Also known as "practicing what your preach."  

Sounds nice, but it is unrealistic.  It is not good fundraising best practice to make your ultra-wealthy donor prospects uncomfortable by approaching them that way.  It's really well-established that people give to strength, not to need.  It's also really well-established that people respond best to peer solicitation.  That's why fundraisers try to blend in with their donors. 

Steele is the chief fundraiser for the RNC.  I would expect that any trip he takes, whatever the primary purpose, has a fundraising component to it.  As long as at least 60 cents of each dollar he raises is going to support the RNC's mission, I don't really care how he spends it. 

The audience is not you and me -- and it's certainly not the opposition -- it's the wealthy people whom we need to pony up with the dollars to match Soros and company.  I don't care if those people give because they are "real" conservatives or if they just give because they want to preserve their wealth.  You shouldn't care either. 

201

Obviously even a staffer (rather than the chair) spending any RNC cash at any Badda-Bing is a fail - but frankly I'm more upset about the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Four Seasons. 

I want my chairman and his staff to be the ones the other well-heeled political  skanks laugh at because they stay in Motel 6 and eat at Hometown Buffet. 

That's known as "putting your mouths where our money is."  Also known as "practicing what your preach." 

*LOST THE FORMATTING - ARG!*

------------

Sounds nice, but it is unrealistic.  It is not good fundraising best practice to make your ultra-wealthy donor prospects uncomfortable by approaching them that way.  It's really well-established that people give to strength, not to need.  It's also really well-established that people respond best to peer solicitation.  That's why fundraisers try to blend in with their donors. 

Steele is the chief fundraiser for the RNC.  I would expect that any trip he takes, whatever the primary purpose, has a fundraising component to it.  As long as at least 60 cents of each dollar he raises is going to support the RNC's mission, I don't really care how he spends it. 

The audience is not you and me -- and it's certainly not the opposition -- it's the wealthy people whom we need to pony up with the dollars to match Soros and company.  I don't care if those people give because they are "real" conservatives or if they just give because they want to preserve their wealth.  You shouldn't care either. 

202 "I sure hope the Daily Caller is picking through the FEC filings for the DNC. "

Why aren't YOU doing that?

I invite you to get up off your fucking ass and help your party by doing precisely that.

Democrats have invaded the Republican Party and are wasting our money at lesbian bondage strip clubs.

Go here: http://tinyurl.com/yhx9qrn

Find the March Monthly filing, filed on 03/20/2010.  Open the pdf.  Go to page 1781.  It's expense C on that page.

On that same website, you'll find the DNC submissions. Start going through them. Do something. Help out. Anything negative you find should be sent to ace@aceofspadeshq.com

While you're doing your part, let's get our own fucking house in order.

OK?

We can do both at the same time if you pitch in and offer to lend a hand, instead of fucking whinging.

203 @212

The day I start taking orders from some pixelated asshat on the internet is the day Barack Obama convinces me he loves this country. 

204 Steele is the chief fundraiser for the RNC.  I would expect that any trip he takes, whatever the primary purpose, has a fundraising component to it.  As long as at least 60 cents of each dollar he raises is going to support the RNC's mission, I don't really care how he spends it.

I agree, as long as the money spent provides a good return.  It doesn't bother me if Steele and the RNC spend 2-3K wining and dining donors if their work results in six and seven figure donations.  That's development money well spent. 

However, if Steele is spending a bit too much for little return, then it should be time for the board to start examining his spending more carefully.

205 @213

I encourage you to pick up a shovel and start digging, dude.

The Republican Party needs you to do something besides fucking whine about what everybody else is doing.

206 "... if Steele is spending a bit too much for little return, then it should be time for the board to start examining his spending more carefully."

Is a $13 million dollar deficit a good return?

According to the Federal Elections Commission, that's what Michael Steele has produced six months out from the biggest election in our party's history.

A fucking $13 million donations deficit.

That's not a return at all. That's losing money.

He's deliberately destroying the party from inside of it. Wake the fuck up, people.

207

211 Y-Not

That's the same excuse used by fatcat union leaders and Soviet party bosses - "we're doing this for you guys, we have to keep up appearances with donors, world leaders, etc... - ergo someone has to eat caviar even though we're making you live on turnips - and that's me - KTHXBAI."

It's hypocritical bullshit.

As for realism, the GOP lives on smaller donations from more people.  It lost the last election because it was seen by its base and independent voters alike as a party of rich white elitist snobs who wasted money on this kind of shit while the other guys at least wasted their money on the poor - not true, we all know, but why do you want to play to type ?

We're trying to win back disgruntled Conservatives and Libertarians and convince Blue Dogs that we're different from their own party.  How do you propose we do by "business as usual ?" 

I'm more worried about what Joe Schmo in Iowa thinks of us than what anyone in Beverly Hills does.  Ask Hillary how well the "Blue-Chip Donor Appeal" strategy worked for her last time.

208 I'm confused. Is that supposed to be a bad thing?

209

S&M Lesbian titty bars?

Hells Jeah!!! That's what I'm sayin'.

Was there a line item for Val-U-Rite Vodka?

Its about time someone understood it's supposed to be the Republican PARTY!!!

Hey, it's better than funding Charlie Crist's Senate campaign. I may start donating again.

Best. RNC Chairman. Evar.

210

_{[rubs hands with gleeful smile]}

This is just what the doctor ordered.

211 OK, new thread up for update on this subject.

212

Listen Up- We NEED this kind of outreach-

we have to find voters where we kind find them!

Ifor one would gladly help out with this outreach program. I am a Big tent (in my pants) kind of guy....

213

Well, now that it looks like Steele did not fraternize with BDSM lesbians, I'm afraid I must withdraw my support for him.

People.  Think about it.  Do we really want to be the party that's against lesbians spanking each other?  Because I'm telling you, that excludes 99% of males.

214 someguy said "
No, this is an organized campaign to get rid of Steele by revealing to you precisely how he's been running our organization and spending our campaign donations.

Any pressure is self-applied."

Dude, what does this mean?  Of course there's an organized campaign to get rid of Steele.  And of course it's about how he's running the RNC.  This is a serious effort to get scrutiny onto Steele, and using a sex scandal, even if it's a bit off target, gets tons of attention to the really lousy job Steele is doing, which money in particular.

'any pressure is self applied'  If you're saying he brought this on himself, you're probably right, but the pressure is coming from a lot of people who want to win in November.  It's not just coming from the ether.

215 Oh, I forgot who someguy was.  He's that useless moron who likes to bark orders and people and project the fact that he's just about the whiniest and sorriest sack of shit to ever grace this blog's comments.

I get it... you're mad at everybody and complain that they all suck.  Meanwhile, how dare they complain about anything.  Whatever.  Go away.

What have you accomplished that justifies your hatred of this blog, or of the people working to fix this party?  Anything?  What's the URL to your blog? 
It really doesn't matter what anyone says... you're just going to bitch about it like a crippled donkey.  Go concern troll somewhere else.

To the legit commenters:
slu's right.. this club is offensive.  It represents everything that is wrong with out culture.  Lindsey Lohan shorting coke off a table that is really a clear cage with lesbos fucking in it?  $300 bottles of booze for super connected Hollywood idiots?  Entry only for the MTV elite?  Hey, it's a free country, but my donation money must not go to this kind of crap.  Anyone expensive $2000 for a single meal ought to get enough scrutiny to realize this wasn't acceptable.  Even for $200,000 in donations, which I know we didn't get, it's unacceptable because it's bad PR.

Fuck Steele.  This is his responsibility.

216 And while Steele is not deliberately trying to destroy the GOP any more than Bush let 9/11 happen, Steele is very ineffective for a variety of reasons.

One is that he's one of those force of personality guys.  He used to be great on TV as a talking head.  He's a powerful speaker when it's just about him.  That ego has led to many internal problems, but it's also led to Steele using his chair to enrich his career, his book sales, etc.  He's just not that much of a team player, or the guy to fix a broken organization.

He would make a great politician, Senator, or talking head.  Not great for digging into the nitty gritty.  A great leader would have finances under control.  There would be isolated fuckups, but limos and jets and strippers would really be at a minimum.  Maybe a tool for huge donors, but not a rule for staff lifestyle.

Steele fired a shit load of good people from the RNC and even though he installed a fresh set, there are still many internal issues with Steele's ego.  The fired staffers realize they were not the problem with the RNC.  The RNC has often been highly effective with gaining money and using it well, organizing great campaigns, etc.  It's the boxos at the top making idiotic decisions that have cost us.

Scozzafava, Crist, Tarp... those are not staffer problems.  72 hour GOTV and many other initiatives show that Steele really did the wrong thing to gut a good organization.

Anyway, ignore the idiots like someguy.  They are right that Steele is the wrong leader, but it's not because Steele's the spawn of Cthulu and the illuminati.  It's because he's got a big head and doesn't give a shit about details.

217

Cool! My wife says we're going there the next time we're in California. Kinked lesbians will be a great break from the in-laws.

Damn, I married well.

218 SGT Dan, if this is the best you and your old lady can do with $2k, at least you're spending your own money.

219 i can't believe

220 get a good diet and do more exercises