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MASON CITY, Iowa -- Iowa GOP Chairman Matt Strawn today resigned from his position with Strong America Now after the founder’s Super PAC sent campaign mailers to Iowans praising Newt Gingrich and attacking Mitt Romney.
Strawn announced he resigned immediately from any further involvement with Strong America Now after the Strong America Now Super PAC -- both founded by Michael George -- released two separate direct mail pieces calling Romney “the second-most dangerous man in America” and backing Gingrich for president, as NBC News reported late Tuesday.
The Super PAC appears to be tied to the prominent 501(c)(4) non-profit organization focused on eliminating the national debt, Strong America Now. The same address that is listed as paying for the Super PAC mailers is listed on Strong America Now’s website –- an address in Lewisville, TX.
Strawn has been receiving a paycheck from the 501(c)(4) since last February, when he agreed to serve as an Iowa state co-chair for the group. He even spoke on Strong America Now’s behalf at various events throughout the state this year.
As chairman of the Iowa Republican Party, Strawn is expected to remain neutral in the upcoming first-in-the-nation caucuses, which the Iowa GOP runs.
In his letter informing George of his resignation -- reported exclusively by The Iowa Republican this morning -- Strawn said he wanted to “remove any appearance of conflict with my neutrality and impartiality with the Republican presidential nomination contest.”
Despite legal separations between the Super PAC and the non-profit organization, Strawn left, claiming he was not made aware the group was going to move towards aliening itself with one candidate and attacking another.
“While the Strong America Now super PAC may be a separate legal entity, the reality is that the assurances I was once given are no longer true regarding candidate advocacy,” he said in the letter.
Even the 501(c)(4) -- which hasn’t publically endorsed a candidate -- has sent mailers to Iowans in recent weeks rating the candidates. The Strong America Now voter guide for Iowans last week gave Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Rick Perry all grades of “A,” while Romney got a “D” from the organization.
Many Iowa Republicans say it was a smart move for Chairman Strawn to finally cut ties with both of George’s organizations.
“It's extremely important for any party official to stay neutral from supporting or endorsing any candidate, Super PAC or advocacy group as it can appear to taint the process,” longtime Iowan Republican Becky Beach told NBC News. “It's just unfair to the other hard working folks in the race.”
"He had to walk a fine line," Dave Funk, who worked with Strawn at Strong America Now as a surrogate speaker, added about Strawn working at the organization.
"If the subject of the Super PAC came up, or any other state party issues, we removed ourselves from the conversation. There is no question Matt did the right thing and conducted himself appropriately," he said.
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A for Ass and D for Dumbass I guess.
Well, the got the "D" part right (and so did you, ideology).
Republicans eating their own again! Bombastic rhetoric like this has Gingrich's signature all over it. But Romney has been using bombastic rhetoric also. Are there any reasonable candidates left? Paul is a racist bigot. Gingrich is a womanizer with a God comlex. Perry does too much marijuana (or is in the early stages of alzheimer's) and hates women. Santorum . . . 'nough said. So the disingenuous Romney will be the nominee.
The Grand Poobah's have spoken Ana!
That pretty much sums them up, Ana!
Since you have never met any of these people! your comment makes you look stupid! How about this comment.... Based on Historical facts the person you would want to choose would be the smartest person that understands how the United State Government works, how the Constitution works and how the Government functions at it's best...
For Example, During WW2 the most Brilliant General that has ever existed was Field Marshall Erich von Manstein, All the German Generals told Hitler that this man should become Chief of the General Staff and that Manstein would change the war! If Hitler would have listened to these SMART men, the war would have turned out very differently then it did. But, due to Hitlers stupidity and arrogance he refused and then fired the man...And yet Manstein basically did one of the most amazing feats in Military History, He tactically retreated forcing the Russians to outrun their supply lines in the spring of 1943, when they came to a stop he then attacked and gained almost all the ground the Germans had lost creating the Kursk Salient; and if Hitler would have let him continue forward, Manstein would have destroyed 75% of the Russian army at that time!
You are no different then Hitler, you base your facts on something you have no understanding of! Out of all the people I have seen on the stand the best choice is the one who has been there the longest, worked in Congress, this man would understand how to work with with these people "to get the best results." This man must understand History, He must understand how a corporation works in this country!
What we have in office is a man who has never ran a corporation, has no understanding of military matters, has never ran a budget in his life; and yet he is about to bankrupt the United States. To date he has spent more money then every President before him. We are now at 100% of our GDP. Do you get what this means? At the current rate the United States will be BROKE WITHIN 5 YEARS FROM NOW... You think taxing the Rich will help? They will leave the country just like the people are doing in New York! The Taxes are so high there that people moved out of the state into the next state over.... WAKE UP and read your History books. When the taxes got to 35% in England people left and came to the NEW COUNTRY. Have you ever heard of the BOSTON TEA PARTY? Corporations will leave the country!
I own a Corporation that did 5 Million last year and I never went to Collage and I had a D minus in High School. Let me tell you how they work! WE NEVER TOUCH THE PROFIT MARGINS, if the cost of business goes up "THEN WE LAY PEOPLE OFF" if the taxes go up and we cannot change our prices "THEN WE LAY OFF MORE PEOPLE, OR WE MOVE" but we never touch the Profit Margins AT ALL. It will not matter in 5 yrs anyways "BECAUSE THE COUNTRY WILL BE BROKE"
Well, Mr. Strawn, when you play with the devil (Super PACs), you're bound to sprout some horns simply by association. Should have thought about that before joining forces with outside groups whose own interests may or may not be the same as that of the Iowa GOP Chair's.
The SUPER PACs have arrived to throw mountains of money into the political mix. And this is but a small fallout in Iowa.
Not one vote has been cast in any primary but as of Dec 27, 262 super pac groups have a total receipts if $31,872,713. and expenditures of $12,784,872 in the 2012 election cycle.
See: opensecrets.org , open tab under super pacs.
The faceless moneyed interests are just getting warmed up !
Looks like Mittens is officially the nominee.... at least in the minds of the establishment. Someone needs to tell the rest of the clown show to go home.
Don't be too hasty to see any of those clowns go. While they eat each other it is so much fun to watch. When they stop the cannibalism it will be boring. The more the Super PACs spend now the less there will be to spend later on. The GOPsupers spend like there is no tomorrow (for them there is no tomorrow) while Obama and the Democrats pile money higher and higher for the later push.
baldeagle11
Right on...Exactly my thoughts...