NEIGHBORGATE
Yesterday I posted public documents showing Betty McCollum's chief of staff Bill Harper owns the condo (unit) next-door to McCollum.
The proximaty raises serious questions.
I think McCollum needs to explain why she lives next-door to her chief of staff.
The proximaty raises serious questions.
I think McCollum needs to explain why she lives next-door to her chief of staff.
33 Comments:
""I think McCollum needs to explain why she lives next-door to her chief of staff.""
Why!?
Come on...
You're right, this is the next Watergate! Clearly this goes all the way to the top! If this is the best thing you have to "expose" about DFLers, then I must say that my party is in pretty good shape after all.
Again I ask, what could possibly be wrong with this? That they could be sleeping together, or in a relationship? Ooh, forbidden love! Or they are good friends and live near each other.
What do they need to explain?
#1 The press reported on the relationship between Rod Grams and Chris Gunhus. I am not saying their is a relationship, but they should investigate like they did with Grams.
#2 McCollum and Harper are both public employess, paid by me, the taxpayer. Harper should not be working for McCollum if there is relationship.
Don't play dumb with me Micah. The DFL would be all over this if it was a Republican.
For months, democrats have been circulating rumors about California Congressman David Dreier -- a Republican -- allegedly sharing an apartment in D.C. with his Chief of Staff. They have been screaming across the internet demanding to know whether or not they are in a "gay relationship."
So, I ask you, exactly why is MDE's question about McCollum and her Chief of Staff so out of line?
What's good for the goose....
I do not speak for all Democrats nor the DFL, and I personally see nothing wrong with two single people having a relationship or not, regardless of their party. I personally see nothing wrong with Dreier having a relationship with his Chief of Staff, even though it probably isn't true. Just because some partisan liberals make these unfounded accusations does not mean you should stoop to the same level and use the "it's OK, they did it first" justification.
MDE, I do not see why you think that "Harper should not be working for McCollum if there is relationship." I would agree that if Harper was an intern or a low-level staffer that a potential relationship would inappropriate. But he's the Chief of Staff. As long as they both do their jobs and there is nothing illegal or unethical going on here, then what's the problem?
The only thing illegal or unethical between Grams and Gunhus was that she broke the law during the campaign. I have no problem with their relationship, which was much more substantiated than public records showing that they live next door to each other.
You give this legitimacy by trying to explain why it would be ok if it happens to be true. Who knows and who cares about this? Don't take the bait. This is the kind of nonsense that MDE lives for and all of you who flipped out about it are just feeding into it.
Nice try "anonymous"
But, Micah, there is a very serious problem if they are in a relationship and Harper works for her, no matter what his level.
He is the highest ranking staffer in her office. She is his boss; he reports to noone but her. Consequently, she is in a position to provide him pay raises, bonuses, approve official travel (we know where THAT can lead), and make certain that his management of the office staff and operations is appropriate and legal. McCollum's ability to be fair and impartial (and make the difficult choices, if necessary) will be seriously compromised if they have something going on. The same holds true for Dreir, or any other government official.
Hillary, that is a valid point. However, Members of Congress cannot give bonuses to their staff, raises are usually standard. Then again, this is making a huge stretch. If all of the those things were to be true -- that McCollum is in a relationship with her CoS, that the relationship causes him to get perks that other CoSs do not get, and that there are clearly illegal or unethical things going on there -- then I would say that it should be investigated. However, the ONLY proof comes from some documents that say that they live next to each other.
Trust me, there are better scandals to be found.
And we're aiming to find each and every one. Hang on, lefty ladies, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
Maybe this will put this stupid potential scandal to rest:
Bill Harper is her Chief of Staff in Washington DC! That's right, while he may have a condo next to hers in Minnesota, he'd be living in DC most of the year anyway!
"Potential scandal" -- an interesting choice of words, which tells me that you, yourself, see the unfolding of a, shall we say, situation.
I can hear you biting your naaay-ills...
MDE- This is stupid and you know it. Since when where two peole lived qualified them as having a "relationship?" So they're neighbors, big deal.
As I've said since you first published this post, unless you have a second shoe to drop, this is "profoundly stupid" as the governor likes to say. It only undermines your credibility to go around alleging relationships if you have no proof.
#1 The activities of McCollum's office are open to the public. From what kind of water her office orders to staffing decisions.
#2 It's the right of the public to determine what is oppropriate conduct in McCollum's office. It is not McCollum's private office.
I think this may be bigger than the Mark Dayton Diet Coke scandal.
Only McCollum or Harper can end this story.
Don't play dumb with me Micah. The DFL would be all over this if it was a Republican.
That is a true statement.
You know, there's just so much you can be upset with when it comes to Betty "I choked on 'Under God'" McCollum.
I say leave her alone on this. It's because of personal attacks like this that qualified people don't run and we get people like Betty running in the first place. Everyone's got skeletons for crying out loud. Get her on her public record.
I live in her voting district and continue to vote against her but whether or not she has a fling or even a legitimate relationship with this person to me doesn't change anything in my mind as far as voting for or against her. She can do far more damage to me with a single vote than by playing footsie with a co-worker.
Basie, you raise an excellent, reasonable point and I agree.
But, until the leftwing nutjobs show they can practice what they preach -- starting by ending their malicious gossip and rumor-mongering campaign against Norm Coleman -- many of us see little choice but to force the left's own arbitrary standards back on them, and highlight their hypocrisy.
Thank you for exposing the right's determination to sink to the level of the enemy. Example: Guantanamo Bay. "They'd be torturing us and they're bad guys, so it's okay to go against our own principles and laws to follow suit."
Minnesota Democrat Exposer, I think you need to explain the following:
A) Why the burden of proof is on Rep. McCollum,
B) Why this "issue" is any of your business, and
C) Why you continue to lower the level of debate in Minnesota politics.
NSP is right, no one in America has to explain and defend why they live where they live. If MDE is going to point this out, he needs to tell us why he did it or get off his high horse and stop being an arrogant Republican. I hope this never makes it out of his website because it will give all of us a bad name.
All I did was post public documents. The number of comments raises my level of interest even more.
Based on the number of hits from mainstream media outlets, I think there is a good chance it will make it out of my blog.
yeah, I'm sure a "mainstream" outlet like Newsmax or the Washington Times will run with it.
yeah, or even perhaps a "mainstream" outlet like the New York Times or the Star Tribune?
Give me a break.
"All I did was post public documents."
That's absolutely not true. You said above "I think McCollum needs to explain why she lives next-door to her chief of staff." That's a demand for comment. You brought up her divorce, implying that Harper was somehow the cause of it. That's not just posting documents. Finally, you imply that there is a continuing, somehow improper relationship. Again, that's not just posting documents.
I have posted about this non-issue on NSP.
Watch and learn, children:
Washington Times: 103,017
Newsmax: N/A
Minneapolis Star-Tribune: 375,000 (weekday)
New York Times: 1,124,700 (weekday)
Your post tells me nothing except a sorry bunch of people misspent their money buying newspapers, I think (?).
Try again, loser. You and your people need to get a better racket.
The facts clearly show that, while NYT and the Strib are mainstream publications, Newsmax and the Washington Times are not.
I don't think MDE was talking about Newsmax or the Washington Times, but why don't we get back to the issue NSP? Are you afraid what the truth is?
Republican Minnesota, I assume you know what the truth is then in this situation.
I was the one that brought up the Washington Times and Newsmax. Those are "mainstream" news sources that would cover junk like this and call it news.
While MDE can wish all he wants, this isn't news, and it isn't going anywhere outside of this blog. Just wait and see.
How about the "issue"? Since the noise in the right-wing echo chamber has ceased and MDE has posted nothing further, one can only assume that there's no evidence for his implication and that he's dropping it to avoid futher embarrassment.
Post a Comment
<< Home