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Subscribe to RSSHerman Cain enthusiastically embraced the Koch brothers -- saying he is their "brother from another mother" -- just hours after facing a legal complaint challenging his campaign's ties to a Koch brother affiliated non profit.
"Just so I can clarify this for the media, this may be a breaking news announcement for the media: I am the Koch brothers' brother from another mother," Cain said during a speech at the Americans for Prosperity gathering in Washington, D.C. "Yes. I'm their brother from another mother! And proud of it!"
Cain said: "I'm proud to know the Koch brothers." He said a recent New York Times article made it sound like "we've had time to go fishing together, hunting together, skiiing together."
Charles and David Koch, whose company, Koch Industries, is one of the country's largest privately-held energy firms, have been major donors to conservative causes and, through their group, Americans for Prosperity, have been widely credited with helping to spur the emergence of the Tea Party. (David Koch was in attendance for today's speech.)
But Cain's ties to the Koch brothers and Americans for Prosperity have received new scrutiny this week. A watchdog group, the Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington (CREW), on Friday filed a legal complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) charging that Cain and his campaign manager, Mark Block, violated election laws by using $40,000 in funds from a non profit founded by Block to pay for iPads and charter flights for Cain's presidential campaign.
Cain made his remarks Friday in direct reference to a story published Friday in the New York Times outlining those ties.
Non-profits are barred by law from spending money for presidential campaigns. Internal documents from the non-profit, Prosperity USA, were published this week by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. They contain apperent references to expenses paid by AFP on behalf of Prosperity USA and Cain -- "From AFP- H. Cain travel," one reads -- and an AFP spokesman this week confirmed the group was reviewing what it called "financial dealings" between the groups.
Asked about the FEC complaint filed by CREW, Cain campaign spokesman, JD Gordon, emailed Friday: "As with any suggestions of this type, we have asked outside counsel to investigate The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's suggestions and may comment, if appropriate, when that review is completed."
The campaign finance allegations have added to Cain's problems this week. The candidate has found himself under siege this week for his acknowledgement of settlements that existed between two women and the National Restaurant Association related to allegations of sexual harassment brought against Cain during his time as the restaurant lobby's chairman. Cain did not address that controversy in his Friday speech.
The event was Cain's last in D.C., where he's spent most of the week. He's set to travel next to Houston, where he'll debate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a fellow Republican presidential hopeful.
GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain defends his ties to the Koch brothers, at the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, an organization funded by the Koch's.
NBC's Andrew Rafferty and msnbc.com's Michael O'Brien contributed.
Updated at 3:14 p.m.
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Another Uncle Tom for the far right. Hell, the Krotch Brothers wouldn't let Cain in the front door! Cain and Clarence Thomas need to get married. They're both a couple of Toms. The far right latches on to one of these clowns every now and then to show they like black folks. According to the intellectual giants of the right, the drug addled Limbaugh and the anorexic shrew, Ann Coulter, the sexual harassment charges against Uncles Thomas and Cain are left wing liberal smear campaigns against their black stooges. It seems to me that they're both a couple of misogynist pigs who hate women. Herman likes the Krotch brothers, huh? Why does that not surprise me? Herman and Clarence remind me of Devon Little in "Blazing Saddles" when he hollers, "Where all the white women at"?
So that leaves good old Mitt to take on Obama. He must be so thrilled.
Cain flames out, crashes, and burns. Nothing left but a dollar and a half in change that was apparently in his pocket. Romney throws a kegger that lasts three days.
lame
this guy is starting to self destruct like Ross Perot did so many years ago - if he starts singing the song Crazy that will seal the deal
Why are all the GOP candidates seemingly trying to lose? Even Mitt is making a fool of himself lately. What gives?
The quick answer is: it's in their blood to do stupid things.
But in the long run, I seriuosly think that none of the GOP'ers were serious about being President. Their party hired them to look bad, talk allot, and eventually to make Mitt baby the nominee. Secretely, he's been whinning...'It's MY turn, IT'S MY TURN'. And then over the next few years the other clowns will have face time on faux and write their books. think about it...it's easier to be on the outside and complain, than to be in charge with responsibility.
They are just being themselves. Just because they are acting like fools doesn not preclude them from being fools!
Herman cain is a banker. He ran the Federal Reserve in Kansas in the 1990s.
It seems the rich bankers are no longer interested in manipulating politicians behind the scenes, now they want to put in one of their own in the White House.
They have all been exposed. Karl Rove and Crossroads, Americans for Prosperity and Koch brothers, Liz Cheney has one, Dick Armey has one. They are trying to hide who they are but it is coming out
It had to be a joke due to his past cast of characters Im assuming. More clowns under the bigtop!
What is the Federal Elections Commision doing about capaign financing violations? I guess the Supreme Court scared them into doing nothing. At least Cain was honest in connnecting himself to the Koch brothers. Ooooops! Was that such a good idea!
Glad to hear it because the Koch brothers are 2 of the biggest ass holes in this country. They were responsible for Gov. Walker in Wisconsin. They are anti labor and anti environment. They are part of the 1% that sucks our country dry. One of em used to come to our city because they owned an oil refinery. The refinery was always being fined for environmental violations. They eventually discovered a gasoline seep directily into the Mississippi River. Cost em millions. If Cain is a brother I don't want any part of him.
Cain is dead in the water. His harassment of women has killed his campaign. Good riddance. He is just one in a long line of ignoramuses amongst an embarrassing Republican group. His 999 plan is an embarrassing attack on poor and middle class people who will pay more while the rich pay less. His knowledge in foreign affairs is paltry, recently having admitted to being ignorant that China has nuclear weapons. The last thing this country needs is someone who is totally ignorant who will then be led by a ring in his nose by the Plutocrats who will control home. He has no political experience and led a Pizza chain, not exactly a ringing endorsement for the Pres. of the U.S. In a few months, he will back home, having to explain to his wife, no doubt, about his multiple attempts to seduce women. He will, however, make a fortune giving speeches to extreme right wing groups about his sausage. We can expect more women to step forward and embarrass this pathetic excuse for a man. Obama gonna be big winna in November 2012. Republicans gonna be crying like the sissified wussies they are. Oh my!
Yeah they are all brothers, same father different mothers.
One such brother is Scott Walker, the other brother is Herman Cain.
For Koch the brothers come and go; an ongoing phenomenon.
Its time now to select different brothers for Koch.
Can anyone help create some excitement for Koch?
Koch needs some new and talented brothers.
Also find a sister for Michelle Bachman. She looks tired and exhausted.