Chip Flowers and the Unraveling Details
Dan Gaffney had Chip Flowers on his program yesterday to talk about the press release that Chip sent out trumpting how much money the Treasury has made for the state. The conversation rapidly gets to other subjects, but it occurs to me that even Chip can no longer keep track of his own spin. You can listen to the interview here, it’s about 10 minutes long.
First, Dan Gaffney asks Chip what is the basis he’s calculated the $43M he says the investments have made — which is a damned good question. Chip tells him that $1B is liquid, $200M is in a Rainy Day Fund and $800M is invested. And apparently he says that it is the $800M is making the money for the State. But then what’s this about, then? This graphic from the Treasury’s 2013 report says that the basis of the investment pool is $1.8B.
So if it is a $2B basis, the $43M is a 2.15% return. Which is a decent return given the policy constraints that govern the investment of the state’s funds here. If you look at Section IV of that policy document, you can see that the range of investments even allowed for state funds are pretty conservative. (And which is why the drama over investment managers was such a sham.) But then again, if you look at this same document, Section II, you’ll find investment guidelines for all three of the state’s cash reserves — not just for one account, which indicates to me that there is more than $800M being invested. Which was always the problem with these puffed up reports and press releases — you never get anything that you can actually check.
Second, Gaffney asks Chip about this transparency he’s been advocating suddenly. Specifically, Gaffney asks Chip why he won’t disclose who he met with in Alaska if he’s so interested in transparency. Chip tells Gaffney that *his* secret meetings are justified — mainly because he says so. But in saying so, he says to Gaffney that he was meeting with lawyers — even though his representative told the NJ that it was bankers:
Callahan said Flowers “spent the days following the conference including the Monday prior to his departure meeting with other state treasurers, investment banks and other financial experts. The Treasurer’s travel records have been thoroughly vetted and are available to the public at any time.” Callahan declined to provide details about any of those meetings, or evidence that they were held.
Third — and here we go to a WDEL report — where Flowers takes credit for an investment strategy that is actually dictated by the Cash Management Board itself:
Flowers says his conservative investment strategy, which rewards managers based on performance and merit, has paid off. Going forward, he hopes the Cash Management Policy Board, which now has full control over the portfolio by legislative mandate, will follow his lead.
Conservative is the name of the Cash Management Board game and again Flowers just presumes that you’ll never know any differently. Even though he tells this reporter later that this Board repeatedly outvotes him. But while is is being outvoted on strategy, he is nonetheless taking credit for it AND being mad that his strategy isn’t the prevailing one. Someone explain that for me? But this is an odd bit of belligerence:
“As Colin Powell once said dealing with the war in Iraq, ‘If you break it, you own it,’ so that’s my advice to the Board, but we wish them well,'” Flowers told WDEL.
The man who is widely expected to primary Chip is a wounded Iraq War veteran. You’d think that bypassing the Iraq metaphors might be the Communications Directive of the Day.
h/t to multiple anon tipsters
Tags: Chip Flowers, Featured
If he was less ambitious, he’d been in a much stronger position now. 2,400 years later and we still can’t escape the glare of Aristotle.
Or the Hammer of Thor.
When it comes to Flowers, Cassandra is the Hannity of DelawareLiberal. Those are good questions that deserve answers. Hannity has “good” questions about Benghazi too. But he doesn’t care about the answers, he just likes asking the questions.
With a little more effort reporters could look up the answers and include them in their report, but Gaffney isn’t the guy to do that. It’s much more fun to ask provocative questions and never follow up on the answers.
Last but not least: Are you saying that Flowers was only following Board investment strategy and therefore wasn’t responsible for making $43 million (or whatever)? I thought the whole DL meme was that Flowers was somehow flouting Board policy and putting state money “at risk.” Did he alter investments or not? Which story are you peddling? I don’t know the answer myself, but then I don’t need to, because I’m not the one making insinuations and accusations.
Translation of puck’s post: really, people stop asking the tough questions of this guy because you know he can’t handle the scrutiny.
Saying “Benghazi” enough times does not amount to scrutiny.
In which case, you’ve demonstrated that you don’t even know what the word scrutiny is.
I thought the whole DL meme was that Flowers was somehow flouting Board policy and putting state money “at risk.”
The whole DL meme, from my perspective, is that Flowers was trying to pretend that state money was “at risk” in the hands of the Board when it wasn’t. At risk of under performance and at risk of something never really explained. Remember Erika Benner “saved” us from a financial catastrophe if financial catastrophe had occurred? Or something to that effect.
Speaking of provocative questions that go unanswered, still trying to find out which story Cassandra is peddling. Did Flowers move money against Board policy, or not?
And if he didn’t, then what did SB 151 “save” us from, and why was it “necessary”?
So why don’t you look into that?
SB 151 saved us from Flowers claiming that he had the authority to invest the money as he pleased. Which was clearly wrong any which way you read the Cash Management Board law. It was meant to make the law completely clear — in light of the fact that Flowers rejected all of the other authoritative interpretations of that law.
So you’re here complaining about my coverage and you aren’t even conversant with the issues at hand, have I got that right?
@puck: I’m starting to think you’re not just playing stupid.
It’s Chip, not Cassandra, who is peddling both stories. It’s his responsibility to
“I thought the whole DL meme was that Flowers was somehow flouting Board policy and putting state money “at risk.”
No, he would like that authority but doesn’t have it. Do try to keep up.
“With a little more effort reporters could look up the answers and include them in their report, but Gaffney isn’t the guy to do that. It’s much more fun to ask provocative questions and never follow up on the answers.”
With a little more effort YOU could look up the answers, too, but you don’t because you wouldn’t like them. If Chip Flowers wants to dig his hole deeper, that’s just fine. If you’re a reporter, you report what he says and let his numerous and growing crowd of enemies do the rest.
By the way, beyond what’s in public, he’s a bully to boot, implying legal action at every turn. Check Allan Loudell’s blog for details. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s how he shut everybody up about what happened with his girlfriend at the Columbus Inn that night.
If you have any cause to support him beyond your contrarianism, please produce it. Otherwise you simply reduce your credibility with every post.
Chip’s manifesto in today’s NJ is stirring.
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20140207/OPINION07/302070016/There-price-paid-standing-up-change
Oy vey.
He certainly did propose change, and the thing he has never done is prove that he knows how to implement that change within the political and bureaucratic box that he has to play in. Unfortunately for us, we already know he hasn’t the skills to be a Change Agent, but does have the skills to be a Bureaucratic Victim.
Trying to do two things at once. Second graf should read,
It’s Chip, not Cassandra, who is peddling both stories. It’s his responsibility to make clear his role. Instead he obfuscates it.
I couldn’t even read the NJ’s editorial this morning. Mr. Pandora kept reading it to me and I hadn’t even had my coffee! Getting ready to read it now.
Jason,
Thanks for alerting me to Chip’s “manifesto” in the NJ. Did you catch the part about Chip claiming that he self-funded his campaign for $200,000. A few months ago, he was telling PDD and NCC Dems that he self-funded $300,000 in 2010. Chip also claims in today’s NJ letter that he paid “interns” with his “after-tax salary”. He promised during the 2010 campaign that he would give his salary to charity and has repeatedly made claims over the past 3 years that he did so. Very disingenuous for him to claim that he gave $110,000 to a charity when he likely used the money to pay for a couple of employees for his law firm. More lies.
Does he come from money? Spending $300k or even $200k isn’t something many people (even lawyers) could do.
At this point nearly everyone realizes the man has mental health problems. He is delusional at minimum, and shows every sign of paranoid narcissism.
Something is real smelly here. It appears that Chip made a $100,000 accounting error on his 2010 campaign finance report, but what’s $100,000 among friends? Someone call Stormin’ Norman Veasey.
BTW, I meant to address this some time ago, but term limits for members of the Cash Management Board is stupid. Highly experienced financial professionals, willing to volunteer their time to this task just don’t grow on trees. I can’t believe the Chipster got Doverdom to go along with that.
When I was in college, the word “intern” was synonymous with “NOT GETTING PAID”. Was the Treasurer’s office so understaffed and so overworked when Chip took office that Chip was compelled to dig deep into his deep pockets to pay two “interns” to pick up the slack? What was the hiring process? Were the positions posted? Were interviews conducted? Were the proper background checks performed? If the “interns” were doing work for the People’s Treasury, shouldn’t We The People have the right to know what they were working on? Every state worker’s name and salary is open to the public to see. Why would this situation be any different? Who are these interns? Are they still working for Chip? Did Chip deduct the salaries as a business expense to his law firm? Did Chip claim it as a charitable deduction? The People have a right to know. It’s all about transparency!
This post is such a joke. Since I am friends with one of the interns who flowers gave his salary, the money was given to united way (a charity) who paid the interns under a fellowship started by flowers benefiting the treasury. With all the lies told on this guy, I think the mental cases are the people who talk without knowing the details. Heard flowers clip on gaffney and read his article today, both sounded fine. What’s mental is people spending months telling us he was risky and passing a bill without requiring some Markell appointees to manage a billion dollars to have financial disclosure. This isn’t delaware liberal its the delaware way.
Awesome! And here is one of the usual suspects providing the punchline to the joke. Someone else spinning up more bullshit, as if this Treasurer needed any help in that arena.
I remember Chip saying that he gave his first year salary to charity but yet that money really went to hiring two employees for him. Did he receive a tax benefit for giving it to a charity even though he received the benefit of employees? That would not be good!
Now he says he “met” with lawyers?
“spent the days following the conference including the Monday prior to his departure meeting with other state treasurers, investment banks and other financial experts.
If Chip or his lawfirm received a charitable deduction and the interns hired in his office were individuals that previously worked on his campaign that needs to be known.
Oops…more chances for yet endless dissembling.
In other words, anon, he didn’t donate to charity at all, except for the charity that is the People’s Treasury.
Chip Flowers should resign and get the mental-health help he so desperately needs.
Lol. So the thinking is because he gave up his salary and he got a benefit. That’s just too stupid to comment and makes no sense. Under law, officials have to take the salary and can’t reject it. So it was the only way he could probably do it. Markell is worth more than flowers and kept his entire salary and during a recession while cutting the pay of state workers. Even Levin gave up his salary. So geezer Markell should stay in office because he violated campaign finance laws and made thousands and beat Carney unfairly but flowers should resign over 400 bucks in alaska or because you think he has mental issues. What a joke. On gaffney he said he met with law firms and banks about the portfolio and I think he has said that every time I heard him speak. This issue has been overplayed and the public is just tired of it. I’m sure he had food but that wasn’t in his spokespersons statement. It’s clear the people on this blog hate him, Carper and Coons and just make up shit about these people to try to get things going and distract people from Markell. 10 fucking cents gas hike, seriously, that’s fucking mental.
Thanks, Chip, for giving us a preview of the endless dissembling.
Flowers said the expenses for the extended stay in Anchorage were intended to save the state money because it allowed him to meet with bankers and other experts seeking state business without making another trip. He said Benner, who recently resigned her position as his deputy over misuse of her state credit card for private expenses, also held meetings after the conference.
But Flowers has declined to provide evidence that meetings were held or the names of those with whom they met, saying identifying banks interested in business from his office would jeopardize the state’s investment strategy.
Callahan said Flowers “spent the days following the conference including the Monday prior to his departure meeting with other state treasurers, investment banks and other financial experts. The Treasurer’s travel records have been thoroughly vetted and are available to the public at any time.” Callahan declined to provide details about any of those meetings, or evidence that they were held.
“To be clear, the investment knowledge obtained by Treasury staff has resulted in strategies developed to assist the state in making millions in its portfolio,” Callahan said.
Nice, but if you listen to Gaffney’s program (linked above) Flowers pretty clearly says he was meeting with lawyers while in Alaska. And whoever it was, he hypocritically won’t disclose who they were.
Cassandra, you wish I was him. But I am a supporter. Thank you for giving us markells attempt to discredit another Democrat who has done a great job. Notice how the campaign finance questions always spin back towards chip and alaska. What about the 60k trip to Isreal. Didn’t Markell have meetings? Where are the jobs? Guess they are at the wailing wall with his brother that taxpayers funded. I’m not buying your spin to today. I guess we are to believe you had all this info on chip at your fingertips for this post. Bullshit. Answer pucks questions and stop trying to spin bullshit.
More dissembling from the usual suspects. Dissembling that you wouldn’t need to do, if your guy could manage some honesty and competence. Deflecting this off to Markell doesn’t help your case — it just adds to the desperation surrounding this guy. Which, seriously, I can’t believe that his handlers think could possibly be useful to his campaign.
Answer the questions cassandra. Nobody asked for your campaign advice. If you can’t, STFU.
The person who needs to answer questions is Chip. You can stop deflecting here or STFU.
Not deflecting, flowers should of and did pay back the 400 dollars, so the public should expect Markell to pay back 60 fucking thousand dollars to visit Isreal and not disclose all his meetings plus his tourist stops to the wailing wall with his brother. If he pays it back like flowers, I don’t give a damn who he met with. Screw this double standard shit. I’d propose a 10 cent gas tax if my brother and entire staff get vacations with the money and then distract everyone with flowers. Explain cassandra or STFU.
It is deflecting — no one here is talking about the $400, or Markell’s visit to Israel or the proposed gas tax. What we *are* talking about is how Chip can’t even keep his own story straight anymore. He’s the one who needs to explain here.
If you can’t get with the topic here, then STFU. If you just want to talk about your own bullshit, then get your own blog.
Someone needs to make a chart of all the different stories told by Mr. Flowers and keep track of how they evolve and change. I can’t wait to see how the new story emerges with the attorneys.
Hey moron, you can’t cite his spokesperson and then say flowers can’t keep his facts straight. You would need to find a quote from him, but if you ever showed up to a speech you would realize the guy said the same thing he has been saying all along. Your logic is about as bad as your finance arguments in your post. Good grief. STFU because if this is your logic, he should plan his reelection party.
Someone should make a chart about how many times Markell deflected and lied about flowers and how much illegal money he took to beat Carney. That would be great! Lying on flowers while taking the power for himself with a board not required to disclose their interest. Is our money still in a bank where people are on the front page being indicted. STFU!
I was exposing his bullshit.
FLOWERS SAID the expenses for the extended stay in Anchorage were intended to save the state money because it allowed him to meet with bankers and other experts seeking state business without making another trip.
He did say that he met with banks as well. Listen to your own clip. So sad, Markell is looking real desperate trying to make this shit up. Go back to your boss and tell him to pay us back for Israel and apologize to Carney.
Wow! I am new to this site, but one of those anon bloggers sure seems to have some anger issues.
You are not new, just turfing. Not buying the bullshit. All regular people are watching the Olympics and not surfing for cites bashing flowers.
You are not new, just turfing.
Recognition from an expert at turfing. And its called astroturfing.
And an expert at deflecting from the topic at hand. Wonder why this anon is here bitching about off-topic stuff instead of watching the Olympics like regular people.
GTFOH, fool.
Actually, I have only posted one time on this website about a month or so ago and seeing how angry you are on this site, I don’t think I will be back anytime soon. You don’t have to worry about me posting again. Whoever you are you are not helping Mr. Flowers by trying to spin everything and attacking people. It also comes across as if you are Mr. Flowers.
I wouldn’t worry so much about the angry anon. He is only angry because no one is buying the dissembling, deflection and general bullshit coming from his direction.
ABetterDelaware, that anon blogger with anger issues is surely the narcissist Chip Flowers himself.
That’s right. Try not to answer the questions about Markell and respond to your lies by claiming I’m chip. that’s some funny shit. Everyone who sticks up for him are called chip. Guess you guys are out of lies and now bottom feeding. Cassandra, don’t get mad that some of us are tired of your cronyism to markell and the constant double standards. You still didn’t answer for campaign finance, Israel and the 60k, the gas tax hike. If I was chip I would call you fucking shady. LOL. Dueces you fuckin tool. STFU and stop spinning shit you liar.
You still didn’t answer for campaign finance, Israel and the 60k, the gas tax hike.
I don’t have to, moron. I’m here asking questions about Chip’s inability to keep his own spin in check — he needs to provide some answers here other than Oh Look At Jack Markell over there! Jack Markell isn’t up for re-election, Chip is. And if you and Chip think you can run a statewide campaign on Jack Markell is Keepin’ Me Down!, then I’m thinking you guys should hang it up right now.
So either you can answer the questions (for the last time) or you can GTFOH.
“Dueces you f***** tool”
Interesting slang choice. I wonder if he was channeling Chris Brown?
This thread has been hijacked by a serious supporter of Chip or Chip himself. That’s a lot of anger sir. There are some simple truths here. First, Chip has brought all of this on himself. Ego, power and narcissism bring out the worst in people, and that is not exclusive to Chip. Second, all roads lead through his deputy and Alaska. Had he addressed the issue of the deputy when he became aware (which was well before the public knew undoubtedly) perhaps that part of the story may not have blown up as much as it did. For all of his claims that nothing was going on between them, you have to ask yourself why did he allow this to go on for so long (i.e., keeping her on the payroll) and why is he defending her like she is the victim? Something is seriously wrong with that picture. As for Alaska, the story makes no sense. I personally don’t believe he spent the extra three days or whatever meeting with anyone but his deputy, the polar bears and nature. His “the information is privileged” shtick is tired and unbelievable. Chip really should give that excuse up. Lastly, he needs to stop blaming everyone else and their families and man up for his mistakes. It’s not any one else’s fault he is in this position. You can’t do things with reckless abandon and think hiding behind the”Treasurer” title is your get out of jail free card. No one cares what Markell did and you know why? Because he doesn’t rock the boat and tell everyone to kiss his ass. I guess it doesn’t help that he is the Governor either. The democratic party didn’t want Chip in office to begin with so why on earth he would think he could go into that office run his mouth, act like he had unlimited authority and no one would push back indicates that he really is on planet mars. I am wondering what that Harvard Kennedy School education really provided him, maybe their curriculum is more based on theory than practice. Sounds like a wasted investment.
What advice could you possibly get from a secret meeting in Alaska that would “make the People’s Treasury millions?” Short sell Twitter?
Nope, I got it.
The advice was “only you can prevent forest fires.”
And only Chip can compare his disagreement with the board to the war in Iraq
And only Anon can keep attacking Israel when talking about this Governor.
It’s so nice to see a calm, professional woman like cassandra_m jump down into the gutter & deal w/ the gutter rats!
To my shame, I voted for Chip.
I won’t make the same mistake twice. The man is a delusional jackass.
If it’s Chip posting his own defense in here, I would be surprised.
The ” dirty work” is generally done by one of his ChipMounts
Oh my, did I say that? Tututututututututut….
So! Flowers sets up this ONE YEAR FELLOWSHIP, WITH two fellows, in Wilmington,to pull, statewide satay to better improve the Economic picture
http://www.cecildaily.com/business/article_3aa16cbc-24c7-11e0-b68b-001cc4c002e0.html
The fellowship, announced in 2011 was to:
“To effectively serve the residents of our state, United Way of Delaware and its nonprofit partner agencies require sound, relevant and current economic data and analysis,” said Treasurer Flowers. “This data is critical to helping nonprofit and businesses make more informed and more effective decisions about where and how to invest their limited resources for maximum impact. Additionally, this is an ideal way to engage young Delawareans in the important work of our state government in a time of fiscal austerity.”
Michelle A. Taylor, United Way of Delaware President and Chief Executive Officer agrees. “Timely and accurate data that is specific to Delaware and to each of our three counties will help the struggling nonprofit sector to mitigate the current challenges of the recession and provide an enhanced level of service to Delawareans.”
The fellowship was started in January 2011, ok….it’s now three years later….so much for ” current , sound and relevant economic data…..Can someone please tell me where all that data is? I looked on Wikipedia, but that piece of fluff is written like a Flowers political ad, it smells so strong!……..it’s a myoptic Autobiography of Chip, not a true unbiased biography……really, check it out, take nausea pills first tho.
I searched Bing, Google, Yahoo…..nada…..I searched united way delaware, nada……one would think after funding two fellows to do all this great research it would be trumpeted on it’s birth and arrival!, or was is really all smoke and mirrors, kinda like keeping a resigned state official on the payroll for months AFTER she resigned? I doubt she had that much sick leave stored up…..
Give it up flowers,the water in your vase has dried up and your lower leaves are curling under and turning brittle.
Aoine, I disagree with you. It is likely that it is Chip posting here in his own defense. His inner-circle is crumbling, and the same two clowns who used to do his dirty work on DL are the very same “fellows” who were put on the United Way payroll in exchange for a healthy tax deduction. Chip would have you believe that it was two exemplary college “interns” who worked hard to earn a “fellowship”. Nope. More like two grown-ass political cronies getting a payoff for helping him get elected.
In my neighborhood, we call that “shady”.
In my neighborhood, we call that conspiracy to commit tax fraud.
Ok Anon, I believe it, I just said I would have been surprised……
But, you sound like you know way more and if his inner- circle wasn’t collapsing I would be surprised……..
Usually the rats leave a sinking ship.
“how much illegal money he took to beat Carney.”
Except it wasn’t illegal. That’s the problem.
As for you, bullshit yourself. Jack Markell has nothing to do with any of this. Anyone with two brain cells knew that Chip Flowers was full of shit from the get-go — that his “plan” for wresting power away from the governor’s office to the treasurer’s office was nothing but wishful thinking. It would take someone of uncommonly acute political skill to get anything done in that regard, and Chip Flowers is uncommonly lacking in such skill. Indeed, can you name a single supportive politician in any public office who is on Chip’s side? Can you even find a single commenter here over the years who was willing to use his/her real name? Those are rhetoric questions, because the answer to both is an emphatic and resounding “No.”
Further, there is no reason at all for Chip Flowers to be meeting with bankers, lawyers or anyone else. These are the most mundane of investments. This office is so lacking in responsibilities that Velda Jones-Potter was capable of handling its duties.
Chip Flowers, in additional to his other mental issues, has delusions of grandeur. Your conspiracy theories are delusions, too. Nobody has had to lift a finger to destroy Chip Flowers. He’s a self-destroyed man.
Also, given his credibility issues on this, I see no reason to any longer believe his story about what happened with that woman at the Columbus Inn, either.
I am in agreement that “anon” is likely Chip as well. Things have gotten so bad that he has likely had to resort to making commentary on this board because no one else will defend him. As I have heard, the two interns that are being discussed do not really associate with him either. Though he tries to deny, people are aware of his penchant for deceit.
@Geezer – remember there were two women who filed complaints. I think you are right, where there is smoke, there is fire.
Now anon is being called chip. According to DL, giving money to charity is bad and tax fraud, but being a rich gov and cutting state salaries is fine. So, your strategy is to go out and say that chip has such a big ego that he gave his salary to charity, he was so risky that he made money for the state, he wants so much power that markell passed a bill to give himself all the state’s money to manage and chip spent 400 bucks in alaska and paid it back while the gov and team spent 60k in Israel (probably barney was there). Certainly another 4 years for him with the logic on this blog.
And the dissembling is back!
Hopefully Chip ends each of his debates with “Deuces, you tools!”
Chip stop trying to shift blame on everyone else. Stop responding to posts! You need a good advisor(who you need to take his/her advise) if you even want to have a chance in this election. As much as you apparently don’t like Markell, bashing him is not going to help you. Whether you like it or not you are on team democrat and beating up a senior member of your team is not going to help you. It is no different than being on the Phillies and trying to blame or attack Ryan Howard or Chase Utley. The fans or voters don’t want you attacking another player on your team especially one they have supported. Get smart! Many D’s who supported you are watching to see if you are going to have an epiphany. Many are rooting for you but you have to change your ways. Be honest, admit your mistakes, and stop trying to shift the blame like a kid. Voters are smarter than you take them for. They know what you have done, but are willing to forgive if you are honest with them and stop trying to attack others.
“The other guy was going faster than me!” is not a defense against speeding.
This is not a contest between Chip Flowers and Jack Markell, and nothing you or Chip can say will make it one.
A man who wants control over billions of public dollars has used a small budget of public dollars to travel and spend extensively and expensively for no reason other than he can. That’s what this is about.
As anyone who handles other people’s investments for a living could tell you, the most important selling point is trust. Chip Flowers gives us a never-ending string of reasons not to trust him.
Chip paid the $400.00 back well after the fact and only after he was caught. I saw a travel expense on his state credit card for amtrak tickets for him and one of his lady friend’s in July 2013 to go sail on the Kennedy yacht. I heard the conference was about pensions. Something he doesn’t manage.
LOL… if you are hyperventilating over $400, you are losing the argument.
These comments make me think of a bunch of winguts making dark and smarmy insinuations about Vince Foster. Nobody cares.
The travel expenses were a minor transgression that appears to be remedied. The investment fund proposals were defeated and never implemented. So WTF is the problem?
“The other guy was going faster than me!” is not a defense against speeding.
True, but first you have to prove speeding – otherwise it’s just DWB. All you have so far is a guy thinking about speeding. Or rather, advocating that the speed limit should be legally increased.
And as Geezer constantly points out, this isn’t about legal defenses, it’s about politics. In politics it is always valid to point out the other guy’s hypocrisy.
The problem is the truthfulness of the situation. If Mr. Flowers had said from the beginning I made a mistake and been entirely truthful -One Day Story! Instead his story keeps changing and either him or supporters try to keep saying what is the big deal. If he would disclose the name of lawyers or people he was meeting with the story is over. Please do it and move on to your election. And don’t say the lawyers won’t let us. That is ridiculous!
” If he would disclose the name of lawyers or people he was meeting with the story is over. ”
Markell was busted for running a whole education task force in secret and it was a one day story, no hard feelings, no lingering vituperation. But something is different about Flowers; what could it be?
“The travel expenses were a minor transgression that appears to be remedied.”
Right. That’s why we let thiefs repay their victims and let them go on their merry way. Oh, wait…
The travel expenses — the legal ones, not the illegal ones — are an ongoing problem. He will never win another election because his opponents are going to demand explanations that will not be forthcoming.
“In politics it is always valid to point out the other guy’s hypocrisy.”
Except there is no other guy. Chip would like to think himself important enough to be a victim, but it’s just another of his delusions.
One good thing has come out of all of this, though: It has revealed you as hopelessly out of your depth in any discussion of real-world politics.
“But something is different about Flowers; what could it be?”
From first-hand experience, I can tell you: He’s an asshole, even for a politician.
If you want to play the race card, you might as well drag in Velda Jones-Potter, too. And you know what she has in common with Chip Flowers? Besides the man always trying to keep her down, that is: Sticky fingers. They’re both members of the “it’s our turn (to rip off the public)” contingent of black “leadership” that keeps blacks down more effectively than racists ever could.
Puck, the difference is no one tried to hide anything when confronted. No one tried to deny the meeting took place and no one tried to hide the identity of who was in the meeting. This goes to the point, if and when you make a mistake in politics don’t try to hide or be deceptive. Take responsibility, be truthful and do not leave out facts that you are being asked to provide.
Right. That’s why we let thiefs repay their victims and let them go on their merry way. Oh, wait…
Actually Markell returned many illegal campaign contributions after he was caught, and seems to be on his merry way.