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Subscribe to RSSAt a Michele Bachmann rally in Fort Dodge, IA, last Sunday, a volunteer from Strong America Now -- a nonprofit group pushing to eliminate the federal debt -- handed out flyers alerting the crowd to a debt-reduction pledge the group is asking GOP presidential candidates to sign.
But the address on the back of the flyers didn’t match that of the Texas-based advocacy group. Instead, it listed the Brooklyn, IA, PO Box of a political firm called Campaign Headquarters – whose president, Nicole Schlinger, is an adviser to Tim Pawlenty’s presidential campaign.
Strong America Now is looking to play a large role in the Ames Straw Poll on Aug. 13 by busing voters to the event and buying their tickets. Schlinger’s connection with the issue group -- and Pawlenty -- is drawing criticism from Bachmann’s campaign, which believes the connections are unethical.
Schlinger, whose company oversees Strong America Now’s grassroots effort in Iowa, is among a small group of Pawlenty advisers with links to outside issue groups. Two other Pawlenty campaign advisers -- Chuck Larson Jr. and Karen Slifka -- work as P.R. consultants with the Iowa Energy Forum, an energy-independence group sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute. The group is enticing Iowa voters to attend straw poll with an “air-conditioned igloo” and a chance to win an iPad 2.
A fourth Pawlenty adviser, Ed Failor Jr., also works with the Iowa Energy Forum, according to an article Tuesday in the Iowa Republican.
These outside groups’ links to the Pawlenty campaign, first reported by the Des Moines Register, are raising the question of how close candidates and issue groups should be. And they’ve become the focal point for a brewing fight between the Pawlenty and Bachmann campaigns.
The charge from Team Bachmann: These outside groups are aiding Pawlenty in next week’s Ames Straw Poll.
In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Michele Bachmann’s Iowa campaign chair, Kent Sorenson, accused Pawlenty of “trying to hijack nonprofit organization for his own political gain.”
Sorenson, an Iowa state senator, added that Pawlenty had “sunk to desperate and unethical attempts to win the Ames Straw Poll.”
In response to a question about the connection between the Pawlenty campaign and these outside groups, Pawlenty spokesman Alex Conant told NBC News “There is none. That would be illegal.”
Conant added, “'We have consultants and voluntary advisers who have multiple clients, which is not unusual.”
Instead, Conant says, the real story is an example of political posturing by a rival campaign. “I think the Bachmann campaign's accusations are malicious, and so much of what they say is made up," he said.
In a statement to NBC News, Joe Shannahan, spokesman for Larson and Slifka’s firm LS2Group, said: “Any suggestion that our firm or IEF [Iowa Energy Forum] coordinates with any candidate is absolutely false. LS2group is familiar with and fully compliant with FEC rules.”
Schlinger could not be reached for comment by NBC. But she told the Des Moines Register in an e-mail, “We know what the rules are in regard to coordination, and operate within them.”
Since the news surfaced about Schlinger’s ties to the Pawlenty campaign, her firm, Campaign Headquarters, has been pulled from its responsibility coordinating Strong America Now's activities for the Ames Straw Poll. Campaign Headquarters, however, will continue to do other work for Strong America Now, such as managing field staff and phone calls in Iowa.
Strong America Now promises a plan to reduce 25% of waste across the federal government. Its pledge has been signed by six candidates, including Pawlenty. Among the major figures in the Republican field who have not signed the pledge: Bachmann, Mitt Romney, and Jon Huntsman.
*** UPDATE *** Strong America Now says that Campaign Headquarters has been pulled from a majority of its responsibilities coordinating the group's straw poll efforts. But Campaign Headquarters will continue to do other work for Strong America Now, such as managing field staff and phone calls in Iowa.
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Put on your big girl panties Michelle - you're in the big league now...
She of ALL people should be aware politics is a contact sport - if you're going to give an elbow, you damn well better be able to take one...
Hey Fiesty give Michelle a break
She cant put her big girl panties on cause ol Marcus keeps borrowing them
Yeah... but did she sign the pledge? And this still does not prove that everyone in Iowa can read.
ROTFLMAO!
Gotta go get some paper towels to clean the screen off!
Thanks! lol
Bachman's just upset because she didn't think of it first and now she won't be able to do it without getting caught.
The Iowa straw poll doesn't really mean anything anyway. It is only used to eliminate the weeds. The wheat is removed from the chaff in the NH and SC primaries. Iowa has been so taken over by the fundamentalist evangelicals that serious candidates don't even bother to campaign there any more.
Come on now Michelle, that's just the price of playing politics. With all the loony tunes thoughts that you put out there. Remember all the Rove tricks played on McCain back in 2000? I agree with Feisty and put on your big girl panties. Let the games begin. No one fights a Republican better than another Republican!!!!
OMG another pledge appears. I give up , just can't keep them straight!!
Tim and Michele, can't wait to see them at the GOP convention. They will be fast friends by then.
the tealiban won't sign a pledge to the american people, the american people are not special interest
'Strong Arm America Now' would be closer to the truth.
I thought the Supreme Court said special interest groups can do what they want...
I guess M. Bachman only supports Swift boat ads.........
Personally, I'd like to see all of this "special interest money" to become illegal in campaigns for all sides.....
Big girl panties ? I would have thought boxers !
Hey, Michele, just because you think everyone's out to get you doesn't mean they aren't!
Seriously, it's a friggin' straw poll and in the end...IT DOESN'T EVEN COUNT TOWARDS WHO WINS THE NOMINATION!!!
Seriously, grow up!
Bachmann does not want to end the wars. She's not going to cut and run was her statement.
Bachmann does not want to end the tax cuts. 11th commandment "Thou shalt not raise taxes on the rich ever"
She is for continuing all the bad decisions that got us in debt. Plus she wants to put our country in default to teach the big bad government.
In the conservative land, the government is the problem, not the bad decisions made by congress people who should be held accountable. Can't, it's the governments fault that the republicans gave those tax cuts and started two wars unfunded.
No, better yet it's Obama's fault and we have his vote against the debt ceiling to prove it.
Baby, you just ain't seen nothin' yet. You better be Taking Care of Business every day. She's gonna Let it Ride and Take it Like a Man, because she's Lookin' Out for #1!
First Read.."the first place for key political news and analysis"
Actually, the choice of topics seems geared to please a left- leaning audience. Lots of real and imagined crises and mini scandals for the GOP, often reported with ill-disguised snark .
Problems for the Democrats and Obama are minimized, spun as opportunites , or solvable, or problems that both sides have.
RePOOPlicans --- nothing but cry babies and crooks, cry babies and crooks. When is the RePOOPlican Party going to find a real statesman to run for President. Opps, Never. Who could possibly sign all those crap filled pledges, bow down to all these special interests and buy off on the wacko social agenda these folks want, only a lunatic, a cry baby and crooked lunatic at that!
RePOOPlicans-- those who spout the same old crap and it still stinks. How about coming up with some new ideas and at least getting humble enbough to admit that you have a problem, A VERY BIG PROBLEM!
They pledged all of their statesmen out of the party, there are no moderates, just the American Taliban and their cut and cap Koran. No wonder they appeal to the religious right, no thinking is required, just "faith".
This Republican war of words is like eating a delicious piece of double chocolate cake with a glass of milk! Simply luv it. Let's see, who do we want to throw stones at: Michelle, Sarah, Tim, Mitt, Paul, John, Newty (His mom always called him this.), Mike down there in Arkansas; you know the television personality, cum preacher. Is there a statesman among them? You betcha and he'll/she'll be president one day, maybe! When the Inuits ask for a recipe to making ice!
James: You are an artist, a talented artist, who came up with a new name for repugnant Republicans....Do you like "Tea Party Taliban"? That came from a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter. It's a winner with a pledge attached to it: "I pledge to discredit my government any way that I can."
Michele's paranoia is showing and the train has barely pulled out of the station!
Michele's train was never in the station she is about as loony as her husband is fat n gay n he knows that as well
Wow, the Republican campaign is already getting pretty nasty.
This one is gonna be dirtier than the 2000 Republican primary campaign (although no Rove involved). Sit back and watch.
They are eating their own. No one is pure enough for the right wing religious ideologues. They would burn Jesus at the stake.
You know Rove is pulling puppet strings somewhere. Usually the ones pulling the strings are behind the curtain.
This tea party crowd doesn't know the smaller government holy grail and the rich stealing our county blind is the same plan. The rich are like only 2% and need a lot of dupes to fight never to raise taxes on the rich again to get their way.
Hello out there, you have been sold a plan that only benefits the rich. I am sure the fairy tale of smaller government is so pretty. You can still breath and drink the water, but not for long.
With all this calling from God to the republican party you have to wonder what kind of cell phone plan he has.
If you love your social security or hope to retire one day vote only Democrats in 2012
Never mind my social security anymore, what I'm concerned about is destroying the Capitol, the White House, the Pentagon, and the whole country we live in and the water we drink! These "conservatives" are really serious and malignant!
We need a commitment form to reduce the National Republicans.
This is why Pawlenty is known as "dirty tricks" Tim.
I have to laugh at the mere idea of anyone associated with Bachman or her campaign crying foul. She's a professional at lying about everything Democratic or Obama.
Prostheletizing from her religious high horse about children and "proabortionists" while taking the federal government she hates so for every dime the not-so-little government supported "family" can grab all the coinage possible while bragging about driving us to the brink of default as a nation.
NO ONE cares about the mother hen crying foul from the side of the isle that has been fouling up the gears of congress since January 20, 2009. And Palwenty!? Of all people to accuse of playing dirty (like they all won't and aren't) in the GEE, NO TEA PEOPLE parade of contenders. He's a pushover compared to some of the others in the herd. Thicken the skin Micky B. You've got a lot of shots to take before the real rodeo ramps up after the primary. You ain't seen no foul play to date compared to what's in store.
Got any popcorn Feisty?
You KNOW it GF!
I have that famous Garrett's blend of cheese & caramel corn (extra salty of course)...
Here, I have a nice tall, cold glass of liberal Kool-Aid to wash it down! ;o)
How did you know my favorite combo pop? There's a shop on the Mag Mile I use dto get that from when I was up there. And Yes I am from the kool-aid generation. Raised on it!
Didn't know the DDI was open on Wednesday evenings! I might need extra kool aid to wash down the malarky Bachman pushes. Most of it is not just hard to swallow, she downright force feeds the naive masses her "vision of truth" (something much less than truth but printed on the same paper).
What is foul is this self proclaimed homophobe. She claims lies? She is the on track as telling the most documented lies of any candidate thus far. The hypocrasy of this woman never stops. She calls T-Paw a liar, yet she is the biggest liar of them all. Recently, she blamed Obama for ending the Shuttle program. Lies again - that was 100% Bush.
Honey - we are ALWAYS open! ;o)
I will send you another invite and you can come chat with us!
Good to see you posting in the evening these days... ;O)
Strong America Now is looking to play a large role in the Ames Straw Poll on Aug. 13 by busing voters to the event and buying their tickets. Participants also receive a tri-corner hat and a sign with Obama painted as an African Witch Doctor.
LMAO,
They will @!$%# the public and each other.
I wait with great anticipation for the great "hookup" between Perry and Michele. General rating of course.
I am shocked that any politican would stoop so low as to try to use dirty tricks. Of course, as long as it is Michelle or Sarah using the dirty tricks, lies, distortions etc., its OK, just dont use the same dirty tricks against them. Thats some kind of double standard.
As they continue to eat their own, hope rises that they'll all be gone by 11/12.
Those politicians had better quit signing pledges. They are representing the people, not special interest groups. They are in violation of their oath of office. On the other hand, I haven't gotten much representation lately.
How ironic and -hypocritical- of Bachman to complain about the influence of "outside" groups or shadow aligned individuals trying to influence the election process. It is a dangerous strategy that might explode the pea brains of her followers. After all, Bachman fully supports the Citizens United decision that allows shadow corporations to donate as much financial and other support as they like to influence elections, whether or not they are voters or citizens. These tactics are routinely set up and supported by political opponents. The million dollar donation to the Romney Super Pac is an example of this game. How can Bachman claim that ANY group or person who organizes or contributed money or resources to influence an election [even if it is just a straw poll] against her?
Is this not the same Bachman who boasted about taking a pledge backed by a special interest group that would effectively have caused the US to default on its full faith and credit obligations? So how can Bachman complain about influence of special interests?
Sorry Michelle, either quit whining or just quit, period! You have l.ong since abandoned any right to expect fairness or integrity in the electoral process.
As usual, politicians and their campaign staffs have no concept of ethics.
starting to wonder just who do we really vote to office...seems we are voting in all these special interest groups...they are the ones that seem to be running for office...i guess no one can think for themself...the special interest groups are the ones with the money and thats what we are getting...we just vote in a puppet into office with no brain to think for themself...they are doing whatever the special interest wants them to do...
Hang onto your seats folks, it's going to be a bumpy ride! I'm outta here...wonderful visit for the infirm!
In Minnesota is illeagal to offer a thing of value to voters.In Iowa (Iidiots Only Walking Around) they can be bribed and bussed and fed and whatever as long as they vote the right way. They just have't threw in ladies of the evening yet.
This is Chicago politics at it's best-an it'sT-Paw's first shot at joing the big boys. Mitt Romney tried the very same tactics aganst Mike Huckabee 4 years ago-spending $7 million to only barely nose out the Huck. Paid rides, paid dinners, paid addimison. Obamney won, but it was all down hill from there.
So much for moral supeiourity of Iowa voters All it means is who can bribe the most.