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Charlie Neibergall / AP file
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., speaks at a rally by home-school advocates in March 2011 at the Statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa.
Eight months after Michele Bachmann's 2012 presidential bid ground to a halt in Iowa, her campaign manager there signed a sworn affidavit, pointing his finger at another top staffer in a still-simmering dispute over the misuse of a contact list of home-school family names.
The Sept. 4 affidavit – first reported by the Iowa Republican and obtained Friday by NBC News – was written by Bachmann's Iowa adviser Eric Woolson, and accuses former State Sen. Kent Sorenson of stealing the list from another Bachmann staffer. Sorenson was the campaign’s state chairman at the time.
"We took it," Woolson says Sorenson told him.
The list was the at the center of a flap late in Bachmann's presidential run, when a powerful Iowa home-school network called “NICHE” complained that its collection of contacts for thousands of home-school families had been mined by the campaign and used to expand its fundraising.
At the time, the campaign called the emails a "mistake." The campaign agreed to pay NICHE, a 501c3 nonprofit, several thousand dollars in order to keep the group compliant with federal elections law.
But in his affidavit, Woolson says he approached Sorenson on the same day the fundraising emails were sent, and was told the list had been stolen.
"Kent smiled at me and said, 'Do you want to know how it happened?'" Woolson writes, adding:
I said, "No," and tried to back out of his office.
Kent said, "We took it." Kent said they weren't getting anything from Barb (Heki), so when she stepped out of the office they took it.
Kent said, "We stood watch."
Woolson appears to corroborate the account of the alleged victim, Barb Heki, who last summer filed a lawsuit against Bachmann and other high-ranking staff, including Sorenson and Woolson.
Heki, who was the campaign's Homeschool Coalitions Director and a NICHE member, says she was unjustly blamed for leaking the list and that she and her husband later lost their seats on the group's board. Heki alleged senior staff was aware of what Sorenson had done but allowed her reputation to suffer.
Sorenson has long denied taking the list, saying he helped negotiate the solution with NICHE.
"Nothing new here," he said over text message Friday. "Same story being recycled."
Sorenson later bolted Bachmann's campaign for the Ron Paul team – a high-profile defection that helped cripple her campaign days before the caucuses.
Lawyers for the Bachmann campaign have also disputed Heki's claims.
A court filing this summer called the case a “broad brush, shotgun approach” that “fails to inform Michele Bachmann… and the other named defendants (other than perhaps Kent Sorenson) what they did wrong.”
A Polk County Judge on Jan. 30 denied the defendants' motion to dismiss the suit.
In his affidavit, Woolson says Heki ultimately learned details of the alleged theft from Bachmann herself, during a staff party the day after Bachmann quit the presidential race.
"Barb approached me and said Michele Bachmann told her Kent Sorenson had taken the NICHE list and asked me if it was true," Woolson says. "I nodded yes."
Bachmann's campaign lawyer and congressional office did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.
Woolson's name was dropped from Heki's lawsuit sometime after he signed the affidavit. He declined to comment for this story.
Bachmann dropped out of the presidential race one day after finishing last among the candidates competing in the Jan. 3, 2012, caucuses.
Follow Jamie Novogrod on Twitter at @JamieNBCNews.
Leave a Comment:
What's the story????A list???
The country is in debt 17 Trillion dollars, we are killing Americans with Drones, Obama plans to put more people on foodstamps, My taxes went up along with my medical costs, I can't afford my bills anymore. the US Military is underpaid and now a 2nd rate combat force and you're worried about a list???? Go to hell!
You forgot to add.. AND NEVER COME BACK
rmorrowga - things are really bad in the right wings alternate reality. Maybe it's time to join the real world?
rmorrowga.............as the repubs would say "get a job".
hahaha good...Jackson..now this so called Christian slut
Is some G-d d--n list the highest priority for the GOP? Damn, this slide we are slipping down doesn't really have ANY hand holds, does it.
This story is not news. As a liberal, I would prefer more coverage of the White House and our emperor’s new clothes. Are they not absolutely divine?
yeah were you the same guy on the Jackson page the other day
keep the ball moving on corruption..Jackson..is guilty....now this so called christian is also
IF, we're going there, I know another "SUPPOSED" Christian that is GUILTY as well...Need some clues..He's Black, lives in a Whitehouse, and goes by the name of ObamaGod..
no remember he is Muslim and born in Africa???!!!???and no values..remember
she is a politician, what would you expect from her???? cheating,thievery,lying, typical todays politicians, they all are crooked! ! ! ! ! ! and of course will do anything to further their cause! ! ! ! just like the moron illegal alien muslim anti-american living in our whitehouse! ! ! !! and by the way, put there by the morons that sign their checks on the back! ! ! ! !
no they are different they are the tea party christian people..values
Elvis..OBAMA is "supposed' to be a Cristian as well..Where are HIS VALUES..I guess he lost them between "MASHEELS" big fat a$$ cheeks..but thats ok ...right..He's on YOUR side
Blade, as usual, childish and incoherent.
A lot of sergeants "retired" when they raised the IQ requirement for military service. Food service has been farmed out to privatization and the Motor Pool requires computer skills. Just no place to put you ~ and if you had been returned to the line, your own men would have fragged your ass.
Right on cue all the trailer parks come running to this loon's rescue. Red states just love all that free wifi and food stamps so they can sit home all day complaining about SOCIALISM!
hahaha yep they are dumb azzezz
This is somehow news, after all the corruption with the media, ACORN, Black Panthers, tax cheats, fraudulent vote counts, etc... associated with Obamass! Hell the Benghazi Murder and his cronies only know backdoor tactics to success, IMPEACH OBAMA!
A Fox viewer who takes really good notes. I'm impressed.
BTW - ACORN closed in 2010. You people may not be educated but you are entertaining.
JimS
ACORN didn't go away. They just changed their name.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/15/acorn-getting-a-makeover_n_499522.html
Seems to have worked out fairly well for them. Maybe that was the inspiration for the Republican Party to try a new coat of paint in hopes of covering up their lifeless and aging brand. The problem for the GOP is that no matter how well one disguises a pile of crap, the smell always gives it away.
Come on people, let the bat manure crazy woman alone. While you D's and R's argue about her, the rest of us are laughing and eating popcorn.
I can't believe how that 'uppity' black person in the White House has the GOP tearing it's self apart. After having TWICE LOST, plus the LIE they told the American people, (one term only) and nothing has worked out for them. It must be real fustrating for them to keep drinking that horrible kool-aid they have. No wonder most of them are low informed.
Just hope there is enough popcorn to go around as they finish tearing themselves to shreds. Weeeeeeeeee
spread the word..Republicans are hoarding all there money in gold...executive order..needs to take place...Obama do it..they are slowing growth in America............................so they can win in 2014
Just so you KNOW the TRUTH Elvis....75% of ALL the rich people in America are DEMOCRATS..Now if all it takes if for 25% of the people to "hoard" gold to derail the Economy, then we're F U C K E D in the first place..ObamaGod rocks!! I mean, THROW rocks at ObamaGod!!
so we do work make your minds up
You can get rich, and not have to work Elvis..You just have to have a great idea..Well it Used to be that way in this country ..NOW, when you make it Big, the government is there to make sure you share with the have nots and do nots..You know, like yourself
Here come da boogie man from the sky!!! I'm gonna teach ya right at home!! Boogie, boogie, boogieman! If home schooling increases significantly, imagine how ignorant this counry will become. The boogieman will saves usns all! Dems, GOPs, TeaPrts have become (TP started this way) of narrow sight, limited thought, and little use to a Democracy.
The scary thing is that as crazy and ignorant Bachman is,her supporters are even more crazy and ignorant. Bachman supporters=the mentally challenged.
all they have to say is I'm a christian and people vote for them..
If it walks like a skank and talks like a skank and looks like a skank; it must be Michele Bachmann.
sorry but your photo looks much more like a skank then MB
She is actually hot --- you look like a socially weight challenged person that hates people who look good.
She is hot ~ and probably a fantastic lay. Back in my single days, I learned that Trolling For Twat was a lot more successful at church events than in any bar or club. I doubt much has changed over the past 50 years. In fact, that may be the secret of evangelical popularity today. But admittedly, that's only a guess on my part.
@SW & JIm, I wasn't talking about the outside of Michele. It is her morals and ethics that are just plain skanky. Her holy high ground is built on a mound of lies and hypocrisy. Obviously you two fine specimens of mouth breathers can't see beyond the end of your gonads. Please do humanity a favor and don't breed.
spread the word..Republicans are hoarding all there money in gold...executive order..needs to take place...Obama do it..they are slowing growth in America............................so they can win in 2014
From the comments made I do believe that a whole bunch of you right wingnuts where on her list of the home schooled
Your monicker is quite appropriate......
Bachmans district must be composed mainly of the mentally deficient,Biblethumpers,home schooled Jethros and Eliie Mays and white supremacists. Americas worst.
Most of Bachmann's district is old, white, retired right wing Wisconsin Synod Lutherans. The district has been gerrymandered to the nth degree in order to protect Bachmann. If the GOP were smart, they would gerrymander her out of existence, because she does their party more harm than good. Their churches tell them that they must vote for Bachmann because she hates homosexuals, which seems to be the biggest fear of these guys. I guess they think homosexuality is contagious, because they sure are scared of it.
Most of Minnesota is made up of reasonable, middle of the road voters. Minnesota dislikes extremism, and my Minnesota relatives keep telling me that Bachmann is an anomaly, not at all representative of their beloved state.
Bachman attracts the under 70 IQ dolts. Aka Rightwingers/Teabaggers.
Ah, another low information voter........ a graduate of our underachieving public school system I would guess......Vet,, that's laughable......
200 years ago liberal losers like you felt the same way --- lucky for you there was a real tea party and we won. Some day you will be glad again when non contributors like you can still function here in the US
Wow, this is all MSNBC could dredge up as "news'. You libs are too funny.......
no jackson ..then this
JH go get your fictional funny book and seed your hate. Brain washing at it's finest HOME SCHOOLING also creats the most antisocial and disfunctional kids I've had in my College classroom. So continue to spread your hate and fear and justify it with your little book written by men not God
Roy Wilson- Produce the lists. Were they illegally obtained? Probably not.
Jindel was right- The Republican Party is the "stupid" party.
Bachman is one nasty bitch.
JH Moore- You can bet it wasn't on Fox.
@ Roy Wilson... and just where did Obama "steal" any of his lists? Or are you just a whiney Tea loser? That would explain your asinine comment.
How sad is this. This is national news but the presidents complete failure in Bengazi is not national media worthy, the presidents blow up of the fast and the furious is not on national media - "dead americans mean nothing to our liberal media" --- and Michele Bachmanns use of a list trumps the national medias coverage of our budget that is on its way to a 5th straight year under Obama and group to be over 1-Trillion
This is crazy --- Does the media really care about America or not.
Benghazi was months ago. It was extensively cover when it was news. But Fox will still be covering it for at least a few more years. Fast & furious is a big deal in the right wings alternate reality which is not covered by the legitimate media. Once again, you will find it on Fox.
Predatory animals eat their own
Not even a story. I guess they're trying to shift the focus from a real scandal in Benghazi, or the treasonous drone attacks on United States citizens. Hilarious how all the Democratic chest thumping stops when Rubio takes your precious Latino vote and blacks don't bother coming out for the non-black guy. Game over.
hey dumb azz..Mexicans do not like Cubans...sorry to burst your bubble..that's why you republicans do not know anything about Mexicans..but think you do...
I guess you'll be proven wrong in 4 years. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Ever heard that one? It will be an ass whipping of Reagan proportions. Poor, poor Democrats.
oh that's right...4 more years...hahahahaha..but i thought the end was back then but later..hahahaha
Rubio is a crook and has serious personality problems. Three religions since birth, misuse of GOP credit card, grandfather illegal alien, lied on his autobiography about his parents being exiles, sister and bro in law drug dealers, close ties to some former Florida Republicon Congressman being investigated by FBI....incidentally he lost the election. Rubio and this guy bought a house together, then went into foreclosure...in other words, Cuban trash of the first magnitude.
Currently attends a Catholic and a Baptist Church either for political reasons or as a result of a personality problem regarding religion. Perhaps he was a victim of a pedophile priest?
Karl Rove and Bobby Jindal are going to get the republicans to stop being stupid over the next 4 years. And when they have accomplished this, they are going to get the inmates of our mental institutions to stop being crazy.
Got it wrong there, Treasonistcross0666; it is drone attacks against treasonist American citizens who would like nothing better than to blow you to bits. albeit their weapon of choice is a brainwashed guy in an explosive vest.
spread the word..Republicans are hoarding all there money in gold...executive order..needs to take place...Obama do it..they are slowing growth in America............................so they can win in 2014
What leftwingnut web-site did you get that from? LOL!!!