PARTY LUMINARIES ACCUSED OF MISLEADING THEIR FINANCIAL BACKERS
By FITSNEWS || A pair of prominent Democratic donors in South Carolina say they were lied to about their party’s electoral prospects just days before Democratic candidates were shellacked at the polls – part of an alleged effort to squeeze additional financial resources out of them.
The donors – granted anonymity to speak freely – pointed the finger of blame at several icons within the Palmetto State’s perpetual minority party (which, let’s face it, isn’t all that much different than its “majority” party).
Among those blamed for spreading the electoral “disinformation?” Former party chairman Dick Harpootlian and former S.C. House Minority Leader James Smith – although one donor told us two-time Democratic gubernatorial nominee Vincent Sheheen also misrepresented polling information in an effort to loosen up the donors’ purse strings.
“We were lied to,” one of the donors told FITS bluntly. “Up and down the ballot, we were told (Democrats’ positioning) was better than what the polls were showing (when) the truth is it was much, much worse.”
According to the donors Harpootlian, Smith and Sheheen confirmed seeing internal polling that showed the government’s race within the margin of error (Sheheen ultimately lost by more than 14 points).
They also say Democratic operatives showed them sophisticated looking turnout models that predicted disproportionately high black participation in the election – along with surprisingly low white turnout (with the exceptions of Greenville and Lexington counties, where controversial tax hikes were on the ballot).
“They told us the polls were wrong,” one of the donors said.
Democrats lost every single statewide race by double digits. They also lost several local races they could (should?) have picked up – including a State House race in Georgetown County against a “Republican” who was recently under federal indictment.
By far the most controversial race, though – at least as far as the alleged “bogus polling” is concerned – involved efforts by a group of trial lawyers to oust S.C. Rep. Kirkman Finlay, one of the State House’s leading ethics reform advocates.
According to the donors we spoke with, Democratic leaders informed them about a week before Election Day that Finlay’s rival – ethically challenged shyster Joe McCulloch – had pulled even with the incumbent Republican.
“They said one more push and Finlay was done,” one of the donors said, referring to the barrage of negative attacks launched by McCulloch against Finlay.
They were wrong …
FITS spoke with one Democratic pollster who maintains McCulloch never got within five points of Finlay – who was ultimately reelected by a 7.2 percent spread (three times his 2012 margin). This same pollster added that Sheheen was “never within ten points of Haley.”
Interesting …
If key Democratic leaders misrepresented their candidates’ polling strength to high level donors – knowingly or otherwise – it compounds the party’s problems moving forward. In fact, a scandal like that could dry up existing financial support – which is the very last thing Democrats need as they seek to pick up the pieces from a disastrous 2014 cycle.
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22 comments
The Dems ran the state from 1876 to about 1976. They are in extinction phase now. However, if they could get blacks to vote and restyle their brand as the party of working men and women and families, then I would not count them out. They have to dump the black agenda. They need an agenda that lifts people up economically.
The Black community has accepted the farce that single member districts and black drawn districts are in their interest. Nothing could be further from the truth. Black drawn districts are nothing more than collusion drawn districts to protect the purity of conservative white Republican incumbents and Black issue only incumbents.
Until districts are redrawn in a manner in which real coalitions can make real power stemming from commonality of interests, change is simply not possible. The Black community and the Conservative Republicans have painted themselves into this corner.
We can’t have schools, we can’t have roads, and we can’t have functional government until the situation is changed. It will be a long time coming, too.
If we cared about democracy and majority rule as much as we claim to, we would want every city, county, state and federal district to be drawn as competitively as possible; no more safe seats.
It might actually motivate voters to vote
That would make absolutely to much sense Nitrat.
Yep.
January 21, 1975 Edwards was one of the few bright spots in what was otherwise dismal year for Republicans because of Watergate (and lingering opposition to the Vietnam War, a factor that may have contributed to the primary defeat of Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces during the late 1960s).
Edward’s stand on nuclear power has brought him opposition from
environmental groups. Also while Governor, he visited South
Africa and issued the statement that “the black influence in
American politics prevented the white South African government
from getting its share of sympathy and understanding.” He also
defended the racist slurs of Earl Butz in 1976.
Sounds like those “donors” are a bunch of idiots!
After all – why fight the good fight, unless you’re absolutely sure you’re going to win?
It’s not like we have principles that move us to put our shoulder behind the wheel.
I suspect the real reason the donors want to remain anonymous is that they look like idiots.
Anyone would look like an idiot if they talked to Will Folks using their real name.
Anonymous, you won’t give your real name, will you?
Sorry they took your money, bro.
The Democrats have no message. They need a good message in order to have a chance.
People who believe Harpootlian have only themselves to blame.
Are these inside polls the same ones FITS was using in his articles?
In what has to be the biggest “no shit” headline of Will Folk’s entire career he wrote,
SC Dem Donors: “We Were Lied To””
Gee folks, what gave it away?
“Among those blamed for spreading the electoral “disinformation?” Former party chairman Dick Harpootlian
And this is news because? Dick Harpootlian is the best thing that’s ever happened to Republicans in the state of South Carolina
“…Four days before former Republican Gov. Mark Sanford and Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch face off in a race to become the next U.S. representative from South Carolina’s First District, state Democratic Party Chairman Dick Harpootlian promised to send Sanford “back to the plantation.”
“…At a Democrat party dinner tonight attended by Vice President Joe Biden, Harpootlian rallied his troops to send Haley “back to wherever the hell she came from.” That wouldn’t be far, for the record….
“…Harpootlian struck out against his chief opponent, Phil Noble, with the charge that he had contributed to Phil Crane, a Republican candidate in 2002. To support his charge, Harpootlian produced a document naming Noble as a contributor to Crane.
Phil Noble immediately denied categorically all substance in Harpootlian’s charges. To make matters worse for Harpootlian, Former FEC Commissioner Scott Thomas swiftly issued a statement pointing out that the document Harpootlian put forward as evidence to frame Noble was a forgery by a self-confessed felon…”
“…Democrats were fuming over lack of money from the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Governor’s Association in support of Sen. Vincent Sheheen in his race against Nikki Haley. “They’re walking away from us and it just pisses me off,” said former state Democratic Party chairman Dick Harpootlian…”
Lies, and the lying liars who tell them…
OMG! Politicians Lie? Who knew…
Sounds just like what u Dems do ah Fits?
As crooked a bunch as you will find anywhere in the country.
The Dem party in SC is a cruel joke.
So what is new about a Democrat lying? Obama is the King of Liars!
Curious has a question – Is Joe McCullough the lawyer who ran against Kirkman Finlay any relation to Joe McCullough the pharmacist from Hartsville?????
This may be hereditary problems.
They were reading the posts of many posters on this board. They should know better.
Hey Dims. News Flash. You have been lied to since 1964. The Great Society that was to end poverty and make everything sunshine and roses has now cost $18 trillion dollars and counting. We have more poverty, more crime, more abortions, more single parent families, more corruption, more of everything bad and less of everything good than ever.