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Douglas C. Pizac / AP
Mitt Romney is shown in October 2001, when he was president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. On Saturday evening, Romney spoke at a celebration honoring the 10-year anniversary of the games.
Mitt Romney oversaw a wide-ranging lobbying campaign to snare tens of millions of dollars in federal earmarks for the Salt Lake City Olympic Games at a time critics were charging the games had become a prime example of out-of-control “pork barrel” spending, according to Senate lobbying records.
Romney’s role in overseeing the 2002 Olympics, long seen as a major political asset, is providing new fodder for political adversaries. The Democratic National Committee released an attack video Friday assailing him for running “the most expensive games in U.S. history.”
GOP rival Rick Santorum also accused Romney Saturday of "hypocrisy" for raising the issue of earmarks given his record at the Olympics. The Romney campaign responded that Santorum was "shooting himself in the foot" over the issue.
In recent weeks, Romney has portrayed himself as an uncompromising fiscal conservative and criticized Santorum for being a “strong defender” of federal earmarks. “Look, I’m in favor of a ban on earmarks,” Romney said during a recent interview on Sean Hannity’s television show. “I think spending in Washington is out of control.”
But Senate lobbying records show that the Salt Lake City Olympics Committee under Romney spent $3.5 million employing five lobbying firms in addition to its own in-house lobbying shop. Among their goals: winning federal earmarks that included $60 million for "perimeter" security; $15.8 million for "international sporting competitions"; $3 million for an extension of a Salt Lake City light rail project; as well as millions more for communications equipment, sewer projects and other programs aimed at supporting the Olympics.
The overall federal cost of the 2002 Olympics has been estimated at about $1.5 billion, although Romney defenders say much of this was put in place before he took over the Olympics Committee in 1999. But Romney later touted his efforts in his book about the Winter Olympics, “Turnaround,” writing that he directed his chief Washington lobbyist “to bring in more federal funding than had ever been appropriated for any Olympics, summer or winter.”
And he made his success in doing so a selling point when he ran for governor of Massachusetts in 2002. “I was successful in organizing the Olympics, got record funds from the federal government," he said then.
Santorum seized on Romney’s aggressive pursuit of the federal earmarks at a campaign appearance Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.
"He heroically bailed out the Salt Lake City Olympic Games by heroically going to Congress and asking them for tens of millions of dollars to bail out the Salt Lake Games -- in an earmark, in an earmark for the Salt Lake Olympic Games," he said. “Does the word hypocrisy come to mind?”
Andrea Saul, a spokeswoman for the Romney campaign, responded: “Sometimes when you shoot from the hip, you end up shooting yourself in the foot. There is a pretty wide gulf between seeking money for post 9/11 security at the Olympics and seeking earmarks for polar bear exhibits at the Pittsburgh Zoo. Mitt Romney wants to ban earmarks. Senator Santorum wants more ‘Bridges to Nowhere’” — referring to a proposed bridge in Alaska that was canceled after it became a symbol of pork barrel spending.
Saul also said that “the majority of federal funds for the Salt Lake Games was for security purposes," and noted they took place "just months after months after 9/11," when "security was heightened.” She added: “Taxpayer support of the games was only 18 percent, enabled by Mitt Romney's ability to secure new corporate sponsorships to bring the taxpayer tab down."
Romney’s stewardship of the 2002 Winter Olympics is getting fresh scrutiny this weekend amid conflicting claims about his record. Romney flew back to Salt Lake City Friday for a campaign fundraiser -- co-hosted by his former chief Olympics deputy and attracting many leaders of the city’s business community. He also was participating Saturday evening in a gala civic celebration commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Games.
His campaign — and financial supporters — see Romney’s Olympics stewardship as a prime example of his leadership and management skills under fire. And they are hoping to make more of it: A media firm hired by Restore Our Future, the pro-Romney super PAC, also is in Salt Lake City this weekend to film footage about Romney and the Olympics for use in upcoming television ads.
Then the head of Bain Capital, Romney was recruited in 1999 to become president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, or SLOC, which ran the games, after it was engulfed in a bribery scandal that resulted in the loss of sponsors and a huge projected deficit.
“Mitt described it as stepping into an empty elevator shaft,” said Fraser Bullock, a former Bain Capital colleague who served as Romney’s No. 2 at the Salt Lake Olympics committee. “We were in deep trouble financially, operationally, morale-wise. It was about as difficult as you can imagine.” (Bullock co-hosted the Romney campaign fundraiser in Salt Lake City and has contributed $100,000 to the Romney Super PAC.)
Romney, Bullock says, engineered an “extraordinary turnaround” of the Olympics -- restoring confidence, tapping his business connections to bring in new corporate sponsors and slashing costs. In one of his more memorable moves, he put an end to the committee’s habit of catering lavish boardroom lunches, replacing them with Dominos’s pizzas.
“He bought a pizza for $5, cut it into eight slices, charged $1 dollar a slice,” said Bullock. “So we could make $8 for a pizza that cost $5 and have a profit of $3. That sent a great message throughout the entire organization that we would watch every penny.”
In the end, Romney is credited by supporters like Bullock with turning a projected $479 million deficit into a $100 million profit. But detractors charge he also used the games for self-promotion, even sanctioning official Olympic pins bearing his image with such captions as "We Love You, Mitt."
In turning around the 2002 games, Romney got a big helping hand from U.S. taxpayers. The federal government poured $1.5 billion into the Salt Lake games – more than twice the amount spent on any previous U.S. Olympics.
Republican Sen. John McCain called it a “fleecing” of the U.S. Treasury.
Santorum accuses Romney of hypocrisy on earmarks
“The Olympic Games supposedly hosted and funded by Salt Lake City, which began in corruption and bribery, has now turned into is an incredible pork-barrel project for Salt Lake City and its environs.” McCain said in a Sept. 19, 2000, speech on the Senate floor.
Although Romney spokeswoman Saul asserted that a majority of federal funding for the Olympics was for security, McCain, in leveling his charges, relied on a General Accounting Office report that documented a litany of direct and indirect federal earmarks for the Salt Lake Olympics that had little if anything to do with security. Among them: $645 million for new highways and roads, including a repaved mountain road to the Snow Basin ski resort, owned by a wealthy local oilman. There was also hundreds of millions more for light rail, parking lots, bus rentals, sewer construction, housing for the news media and weather forecasting — in addition to $161 million for security (a figure that climbed even higher after 9/11.)
“I do not understand how we Republicans call ourselves conservatives and then treat the taxpayer dollars in this fashion,” McCain said in his 2000 speech. “This has to stop.”
Bullock, Romney’s chief deputy at the Olympics, disputed suggestions that there was any “federal bailout” of the Olympics and noted that most of the funding that critics objected to was planned “years before Mitt got there.” Former GOP Sen. Robert Bennett of Utah served on the Senate Appropriations Committee and is credited with inserting many of the Olympics earmarks.
But, as president of the Salt Lakes Organizing Committee, Romney fully embraced – and aggressively defended – the earmarks. In an Aug. 18, 2000, letter to the GAO, Romney called the Olympics “a massive undertaking” and added: “Recognizing that our government spends billions of dollars to maintain wartime capability, it is entirely appropriate to invest several hundred million dollars to promote peace.”
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It's amazing how this country votes. Republican, Democrat... doesn't matter. Be a big douche bag and get votes!
I see all of the liberal/progressive/socialists that lurk in this particular blog are locked in to the mind set that ANYTHING any republican candidate has done is wrong no matter how stupid it makes the l/p/s commenters look. Their champion in the White House has done nothing except blame president Bush for everything and then they pivot around and produce a feeble attempt to attack Mitt Romney for taking over the "lemon" 2002 Olympics and making "lemonade". No comments from Romney about his predecessor he just got the job done. All the community organizer has done is blame others and make the situation worse. It was NO surprise when Beverly in Chicago did a neat little pivot herself on page 1 of this blog. When asked about the fiscal situation of the people's republic of Illinois, she immediately answered with a comment about the national economy. All of the "First Read" liberal/progressive/socialists are the same; blame others and deflect comments about their own State of "insanity". It has been five years since I moved from the second worst state in the union and I remain glad that I did.
That is because all blacks including the President blame whites for everything. None of them ever accepts responsibility for anything the do. That is why you have so many black children without fathers because the fathers do not have the moral compass that is needed to sacrifice and raise a child into adulthood.
Really Ryan,,,can you show us just ONE time when Obama blamed when whites ,,just one!
Love mitt romney!!!
Let's face it. Mitt Romney is hot and would make a great President, while the one that is in office now makes my stomach churn.
It is sad that the liberal left wing media conjures up such garbage when their own President has corrupt ties while being a senator in Illinois. I wonder who gave him the money to buy the Million Dollar home in Illinois. It surely wasn't his illegal aunt from Kenya. Or his worthless runaway dad. Could it possibly have been either the corrupt real estate developer ?
obama didn't drop his corrupt ties when he left Chicago he increased their numbers;
First has anyone questioned who "frank" in "Dreams from My Father" was???
Google frank marshall davis and obama!
Then google his white house appointees, valarie jarrett, andy stern and cass sunstein.
For even more enjoyable reading google george soros, anthony van jones, then refresh your memory on the terrorist bill ayres, bernadine dorhn, tony rezco and oh yes ole ref wright, obama's old Chicago buddies!!!!
Of course all these associations are only coincidences????
His earning's from his book writings,,,anything else you want to know Ryan?
To the numbskull that stated a derogatory comment about The President costly vacations, man are you in denial. Good old "W", holds the record for vacation days. I mean, he was always clearing brush down there in the comfort of his 1800 acre spread, working like a true cowboy! That man went to bed at 9:30 in the early evening and this was done to obviously refresh his fragile intelligence. The rich, the elitists rarely work very hard. Once the money is made, making more money becomes habitual and they do it quickly. Its their dependency on wealth, corporate power, Cuban Cigars, fine cuisine, women and all the rest. This President actually works, yeah, he works. In the face of brutalizing opposition from the Die Hard GOPers and their sworn advocates for a one term black man, he has to work hard simply to keep his perspective, his sense of balance and most of all, his dignity which is constantly attacked by the weak kneed GOPers and their TPers. I don't Remember Reagan getting blistered in this manner, and HS Truman would have punched some one in the chops. To the wannabees, hey keep on with you rat dance because I know who leaves the ship first.
Yeah I am sure your President would be in a life boat all to himself while he left his wife and children on the sinking ship. Hmm can you say Concordia!
The election process has turned into a silly beauty pageant, and the Macihavellian Alinski-ite democrats love it.
Wow Ron Paul looks better each day after these three Republicans Mitt. Rick, and Newt carry on a bull@!$%# campaign of lies, corruption, religious fanatics, war mongering, and moral improprieties. If the Republicans want a change these three candidates do not have a chance of beating Obama.
Want to be an effective "Community Organizer" Study saul alinsky!
Unable get your head around alinski's teachings or methods???
obama could have tutored you but he is busy(?)!!!
Do the next best thing google: Mike J. Miller Organize (OTC)
The way I see it Salt Lake City And the Olympics owes the People of the USA 1.5 Billion Dollars So When will it be paid Back? Rick you keep the pressure on Mitt. !!!
So these are the people that want to run things in the future, seems they are all under qualified to run a garbage dump.
Romney was doing his job. The fact that he wa able to secure so much from support from the Feds, even through earmarks, shows that he knows how to get things done! In no way should he back down from this story. He should defend his lobbying efforts to the fullest. I want a guy running this country who know how to use the system to his (Our) advantage. When he was at Bain, he did his JOB, when he was with the Olympics, he did his JOB, as President, he will his JOB.
He will never get to be President. Because we will do out job and elect a person who works for all of the people and not just the top 1%.
I just have to wonder who that person would be. Surely you can't be speaking about the current President.
This is ridiculous criticism. Romney was given the task of organizing the Winter Olympics and trying to keep from losing money. Let's see how he did, shall we?
Romney was widely praised for his successful efforts with the 2002 Winter Olympics including by President George W. Bush, and it solidified his reputation as a turnaround artist. Harvard Business School taught a case study based around Romney's successful actions.Romney wrote a book about his experience titled Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games, published in 2004.
Well now we all know that George W. Bush only praised him because he was a fellow Republican and Harvard didn't know what a $hitty job he really did, right?
Truth is, these left wing loons are grabbing at any straw. Comparing Obama's business acumen to Mitt Romney's is like comparing Pee Wee Herman's basketball skills to Michael Jordan's.
We need a business person that understands the capitalist system and our economy. That sure as hell is not Obama.
if Romney did such a great job with the Olympics How the Olympic committee has refused to return to America since Becuase they are still disputing money and revenue sharing becuase of a principles Romney set up
Take your criticism up with Harvard, Mike. They think he did a good job. Let's see, Harvard or some guy named Mike. I think I'll go with Harvard. No offense, Mike, but they have serious creds and I haven't seen yours.
Common Repubs nominate someone I can vote for! Needs to be a brokered convention because as of right now the Repubs have nothing going for them.
There are many reasons not to want Romney to become President. This isn't one of them.
"Romney, Bullock says, engineered an “extraordinary turnaround” of the Olympics -- restoring confidence, tapping his business connections to bring in new corporate sponsors and slashing costs. In one of his more memorable moves, he put an end to the committee’s habit of catering lavish boardroom lunches, replacing them with Dominos’s pizzas.
“He bought a pizza for $5, cut it into eight slices, charged $1 dollar a slice,” said Bullock. “So we could make $8 for a pizza that cost $5 and have a profit of $3. That sent a great message throughout the entire organization that we would watch every penny.”
AND TO BUY DOMINOS!
WOW - didn't Bullock worked at Bain Capital with Romney and then Romney gave Bullock a nice position with the Olympics. And then to MAKE money they made folks eat Dominos.
Bain bought the 93 percent ownership stake in Domino's from its founder, Tom Monaghan, in December 1998:
Bain bought the 93 percent ownership stake in Domino's from its founder, Tom Monaghan, in December 1998:
This is the point Romney's opposition should be bringing up. Federal earmarks that rebuilt a great deal of Salt Lake City's infrastructure was probably a good thing. The Domino's Pizza thing was clearly a conflict of interest that should be examined in detail.
I've always liked Romney but these issues simply make him unelectable. I can't imagine what will come out as we get closer to the election. Gordon Gekko for President.
I have to say that today's comments are fairly civil, thank-you everyone. It makes me cringe when I hear the president referred to as 'Barry' or worse. And, the same for all the other belittling. We are better than that, aren't we?
When I was a kid growing up to be president was a common aspiration. Now I can't understand why anyone would be crazy enough to want the job.
As a life-long Democrat I can't see why Ron Paul hasn't made it to the top of the GOP list. He seems perfect to me (for the GOP) and would swing many independents too. He certainly is preferable to either Romney or Santorum. I frankly am sorry for our country that better GOP people are either not running or cannot gain traction.
And, I hope everyone reading this has a wonderful Sunday. We are, after-all, in this together.
Bill, you need to calm down just a little. You are offended by the name, Barry? Here's a little something you may not know. There is no evidence Barry Soetoro ever lawfully changed his name to Barrack Hussein Obama. Now I know that he probably did, but at one time he was Barry Soetoro. No big deal. But I don't think anyone in the Bush family was ever named "DUBYA" and you sure see that a lot on the vine. It's not particularly offensive. Just consider the source.
Bush was called thing a lot worse then that.
'Dubya's' friends called him that. It was a long-time nickname that he accepted and even liked.
Good morning Ron. No, the name isn't what is offensive, it is the lack of respect for the office that he holds. I feel the same about 'Dubya', this isn't partisan. We, as a country, need more civility and more respect for those with opinions that differ from our own.
By the way, I am ALWAYS 100% correct, and I bet you are too.
and just how much was it going too cost had the president won the rights to hold OLMPICS in CHICAGO! they are always a loser, ask any country that holds them. start with GREECE!
This whole story is a lie. Romney was merely a doorman for those Olympics. All the work - ALL of it - was done before he ever showed up. Scandals and earmarks - somebody else. 'Save the Olympics'? - Never happened. Romney was a face that the Mormon leaders in Utah wanted after they laid blame on the non-Mormons in the bribery scandal.
Romney lies (again) when he states he was a savior of the Olympics. And now he's paying for it because he inadvertently is taking credit for other stuff he never did - like the earmarks.
I find it funny that people on the thread blame everything on Bush, but then say that Obama can't be blamed because Congress controls the money. So which is it, blame the President or blame congress, or does it depend on what letter is after the name?
Party politics does not like logical analysis.
The only candidate that can honestly claim the title "fiscal conservative" is Ron Paul. All the rest just look stupid trying to pin the moniker on themselves.
I'll say it again, the GOP has become nothing but pro-life democrats. It's the only issue that separates the two parties anymore.
These people are Sociopaths obsessed with thier own self designed greatness and thier desire to become President that they lie, cheat and steal without regard to anyone else. The amount of negative campaigning and self agrandizing going on right now is proof positive. I dream this sh!t, it causes me to lose sleep. The person most qualified in my mind to hold any elected office is the person who wants it the least-sadly that person will not stand up. Arrgh!
The 2002 Olympics in SLC was AWESOME!!!