Welcome to your Wednesday open thread. What’s on your mind? What can you share with dozens of virtual friends?
I love this idea, I wish I could attend – a Kenyan tea party.
The Kenyan government is taking on the Tea Partiers head on — hosting a “Real Tea Party” in the Capitol next Tuesday to promote the country’s status as the world’s number one exporter of tea. And they are explicitly contrasting it with the other tea parties that have been held of late on the Hill.
“The Government of Kenya, the world’s #1 tea exporter, cordially invites you to a proper Kenyan Tea Party on Capitol Hill (one without a political agenda),” the invitation boasts. (Click link to see the invitation.) “Please join Kenyan Deputy Prime Minister, the Honorable Uhuru Kenyatta, at Kenya’s tea tasting event, complete with food pairings and tea leaf readings.”
Oopsie! Club for Growth and Tea Party poster boy Marco Rubio is in some trouble for using the state party’s credit card for personal expenses.
In a development that could change the dynamics in one of the most closely-watched races of the year, the Miami Herald reports that federal investigators have begun several probes into spending and tax records at the Florida Republican party — including an investigation into the finances of Senate candidate Marco Rubio.
That investigation, run by the IRS, stems from an existing scandal surrounding the use of Florida GOP-issued American Express cards by elected officials and members of the party organization. The list of officials under investigation includes Rubio, and is essentially a search for evidence that could lead to future charges.
Rubio charge the state party for car repair, groceries and music from the Apple iTunes store. He charged $14,000 in personal expenses to the state party card. Some fiscal watchdog.