While Republicans are busy pointing fingers at each other over abuse of party credit cards, you hear barely a peep out of the Democrats.
Why is that?
Youd think the Dems big boisterous PR machine would be cranking out all kinds of political palaver to take full advantage. GOP leaders with luxurious tastes are out there living the lifestyle of the rich and famous: the upscale resorts, the private jets, and the latest effrontery? Seven thousand dollar portraits commissioned by and for the big spenders themselves.
So, how come the Dems are virtually giving the GOP a pass in an election year?
Ill tell you why. Its because the Democats aren't without a few guilty sins of their own. They just keep their credit card statements -- well, you know -- separate. Oh, all right, hidden.
Sunshine State News discovered this firsthand. In early March, when some of the most offensive AmEx expenditures of former RPOF boss Jim Greer came to light, two Sunshine State News staffers approached Eric Jotkoff, communications director of the Democratic Party of Florida. They wanted to see how the Democratic Party compared. Publisher John Wark and reporter Lane Wright specifically asked to see individual requests for reimbursement filed by party members.
They were denied.
Jotkoff told them the documents they wanted to see don't exist, but the information does -- on the secretary of state's Web site. "But where are the documents stored to create that 'information'?" Wark and Lane asked. "Tell us when we can see it. We'll come back at your convenience."
Jotkoff accused the two of trying to do "a smear job" on the Democrats. Then he chased them out of his office.
Why do I believe Sunshine State News' version of the story? Because Lane Wright had his video camera running and captured the exchange until Jotkoff told him to turn the camera off.
When all is said and done, there's not a whole lot of difference between the RPOF and the DPOF. Look at the two parties nationally. A story in the Washington Post last week pointed out that the national Democratic and Republican party committees both spend about two-thirds of the money they take in on the care and comfort of committee staffs and on efforts to raise more funds, with lavish spending on limousines, expensive hotels, meals and tips. Never mind that the rule of thumb on those expenditures is 20-25 percent -- not 66 percent.
In both cases, for both parties, it's all about vast sums of money expended with little accountability.
It just seems as if media attack dogs are trained to smell out the flamboyant Republicans who can't stop spending. But more often than not they overlook the financial misdeeds of the liberty-taking left. Especially in Tallahassee.
