New RNC Chairman Bashed Stimulus, but Helped Clients Get Stimulus Funds

Wingnuts • 1/15/11 10:11:10 am • Views: 27,917

The new head of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, is famous (or infamous, depending where you stand) for throwing this chunk of red meat to the angry right:

if you’re pro-abortion, pro-stimulus, pro-G.M. bailout, pro-AIG, well you know guess what, you might not be a Republican.

Blatant right wing hypocrisy has become so commonplace that it’s no surprise at all to discover that Priebus himself worked at a law firm that helps clients secure federal stimulus funds.

Priebus is a partner for the law firm Michael Best & Friedrich LLP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In February 2009, his firm announced the creation of a ‘Stimulus Legislation Team’, of which Priebus was listed as a member.

One of the client alerts co-authored by Priebus describes the team’s role as such:

“…The Michael Best Stimulus and Economic Recovery Team is prepared to assist you in understanding the implications and in developing and implementing a strategy to secure the benefits of this unprecedented legislation. Specifically, we will assist you to identify opportunities, prepare appropriate proposals and make targeted contacts to secure funds.”

Typical.

82 comments

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Decatur Deb Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:13:27am

Let me be unkind and predict a lesbian bondage club in this guy's future.

Sol Berdinowitz Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:13:37am

I just work there, I have no idea what they do for a living!

Sol Berdinowitz Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:14:22am

re: #1 Decatur Deb

He worked with Steele, he could well've been the one who booked the club in the first place...

Transfromnation Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:14:51am

Not really surprising, since the whole party is full of, or rather built on, contradictions.

Sol Berdinowitz Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:15:35am

The purity of their Conservative Ideology is a Higher Truth

bratwurst Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:17:02am

The large pro-AIG lobby must be in panic mode.

Decatur Deb Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:18:06am

re: #3 ralphieboy

He worked with Steele, he could well've been the one who booked the club in the first place...

Nah. They traced that to an intern with a credit card. Always give the interns cash, dammit.

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:18:26am

The stimulus: I was for it before I was against it. -- Reince Preibus

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:20:06am

He's attempting to deny it, too. Not taking a single bit of responsibility.

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:20:51am

“The errors are being rectified by the law firm right now,” says Priebus.

Cover up.

Sol Berdinowitz Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:24:28am

re: #7 Decatur Deb

Nah. They traced that to an intern with a credit card. Always give the interns cash, dammit.

Who gave the intern the credit card and told him/her to organize a pleasant night out?

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:24:34am

re: #10 Gus 802

And he didn't notice this, apparently, until now.

Immediately, his defense is that he's incompetent and out of it. Nice.

nines09 Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:25:06am

Sooner or later they will have "Purity Tests". More than a few already think only property owners should have the right to vote, child labor laws are anti constitutional, segregation isn't all bad, slavery was misjudged, social security is a commie plot, affordable health care is a bad thing, gays should be shot, blacks are 2/3rd of real people, Democrats are evil, social justice is alien to American values, corporations know whats best and should be left alone to dump wherever they choose, whatever they chose to dump, and the American worker is over payed and expects too much. All from people who have no problem killing America from within to achieve their goals. Guess you can count me out, asshole.

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:26:24am

re: #13 nines09

Pawlenty is already starting to set the purity test standards for this election. He came strong out of the gate.

jaunte Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:26:41am

co-authored by Priebus

This term has apparently been redefined when we weren't looking.

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:26:59am

re: #12 Obdicut

And he didn't notice this, apparently, until now.

Immediately, his defense is that he's incompetent and out of it. Nice.

Add to this we'd have to deal with attorney-client privilege. There is no FOIA in that regard.

wrenchwench Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:27:21am

re: #14 Obdicut

Pawlenty is already starting to set the purity test standards for this election. He came strong out of the gate.

You are referring to the aroma, I hope.

Decatur Deb Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:28:11am

re: #11 ralphieboy

Who gave the intern the credit card and told him/her to organize a pleasant night out?

That got a little weird--seems to have been an authorized borrow from a donor, who did not appreciate the publicity IIRC. Can't you keep your lesbian bondage scandals up-to-date?

nines09 Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:28:11am

re: #14 Obdicut
These people have no problem lying. It works.

Aceofwhat? Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:28:54am

re: #1 Decatur Deb

Let me be unkind and predict a lesbian bondage club in this guy's future.

you say that like it's a bad thing/

Reginald Perrin Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:29:43am

re: #9 Obdicut

He's attempting to deny it, too. Not taking a single bit of responsibility.

Personal responsibility is for thee...not me.

moderatelyradicalliberal Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:29:51am

GOP to Stimulus: "I don't know how to quit you."

These people are fiscal frauds and always have been.

Sol Berdinowitz Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:29:59am

re: #19 nines09

These people have no problem lying. It works.

As a rule, it works more often than it gets caught...

Kronocide Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:30:38am

re: #4 Transfromnation

Not really surprising, since the whole party is full of, or rather built on, contradictions.

War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Contradictions are Consistency

nines09 Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:33:16am

re: #23 ralphieboy
"No stain cannot be explained away" should be the mantra. "I was for it before I was told to be against it by folks who were against it before being for it. I stand by what I said."
////

blueraven Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:36:59am

Will Fox news cover this, I wonder?

Killgore Trout Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:37:09am

Obstructionist!

Sol Berdinowitz Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:37:12am

The current schism in the Republican party is going to play out between people who preach conservative principles and then act pragmatically like Preibus, and those who truly insist on clinging to their Conservative Principles and Values come hell or high water.

moderatelyradicalliberal Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:39:08am

re: #14 Obdicut

The GOP race for the nomination will be an exercise in seeing which one is the least equipped for life in the 21st century.

moderatelyradicalliberal Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:42:39am

re: #28 ralphieboy

The current schism in the Republican party is going to play out between people who preach conservative principles and then act pragmatically like Preibus, and those who truly insist on clinging to their Conservative Principles and Values come hell or high water.

If Preibus us having to deny his practicality, than I think the latter group has already won. I'm so confident that the latter has already won that I'm willing to predict now that Mitt Romney will be denying his own health care reform by mid spring.

Sol Berdinowitz Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:43:44am

re: #30 moderatelyradicalliberal

Mitt would have to renounce his Mormonism to stand a chance in the modern Republican party...

Randall Gross Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:44:00am

Madison Ave has nothing on the modern GOP as far as slimy sales techniques go. Selling Reince wasn't even artful, it's the basic and brutal bait and switch.

Renaissance_Man Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:44:06am

I'm actually to the point where political hypocrisy on the part of Republicans is of a secondary concern to me, because calling politicians out on hypocrisy is what you do to actual political parties and politicians. The current Republican party is not a political party - to be that, it would have to demonstrate that it represented something other than hating liberals and 'things liberals like'.

And it can't do that, because that's the only principle that its current core voters espouse. I don't blame the Republican party per se for this ugly cult of hate, nor do I see any easy way out of this bind for them, but they're the only ones who can realistically do something about it.

charlz Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:47:13am

re: #30 moderatelyradicalliberal

I'm willing to predict now that Mitt Romney will be denying his own health care reform by mid spring.

He could always claim to have been brainwashed... oops, didn't work so well for his dad.

moderatelyradicalliberal Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:51:30am

re: #31 ralphieboy

Mitt would have to renounce his Mormonism to stand a chance in the modern Republican party...

Everytime I look at him I think "used car salesman". I don't know why anybody thinks he would be a strong candidate.

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:52:16am

re: #30 moderatelyradicalliberal

If Preibus us having to deny his practicality, than I think the latter group has already won. I'm so confident that the latter has already won that I'm willing to predict now that Mitt Romney will be denying his own health care reform by mid spring.

I thought the RNC PR BS Machine™ already won that battle. The standard line now is that Mitt Romney had nothing to do with RomneyCare™.

Sol Berdinowitz Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:52:27am

He could be in a modern Republican party, but this one has turned its back on 50 years of political and social progress.

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:54:31am

Charles, check the spelling on the first instance of "Preibus".

moderatelyradicalliberal Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:55:34am

re: #36 Gus 802

Well, except for the video footage of him vigorously defending RomneyCare back in 2008, I'm sure they will pull off such a denial.

If he has the stones to do the same thing in 2012, I'll take back some of the bad things I've said about him. But never the used car salesman comparison.

moderatelyradicalliberal Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:56:35am

re: #37 ralphieboy

He could be in a modern Republican party, but this one has turned its back on 50 years of political and social progress.

Yes We Can go back to the 1950s!

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 10:59:32am

re: #39 moderatelyradicalliberal

Well, except for the video footage of him vigorously defending RomneyCare back in 2008, I'm sure they will pull off such a denial.

If he has the stones to do the same thing in 2012, I'll take back some of the bad things I've said about him. But never the used car salesman comparison.

Yeah. And Orrin Hatch never had anything to do with the DREAM Act. If I remember correctly Romney was also a pro-choice candidate when he ran against Kennedy. Now, he's pro-life.

darthstar Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:00:17am

I don't get it...they go from someone named Steele to someone who rhymes with Rinsed Pubis?

Charles Johnson Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:00:24am

re: #38 Gus 802

Charles, check the spelling on the first instance of "Preibus".

He has a name that practically compels swapped-vowel typos.

Lidane Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:01:26am

re: #13 nines09

Sooner or later they will have "Purity Tests".

They've had purity tests of one form or another for decades. Hell, everything in the GOP since 9/11 has been a purity test. You either agree with all the batshit crazy warmongers who want to bomb Mecca and Medina, ban Sharia, and deport all Muslims, or you're with the terrorists. You either hate gays, or you want to destroy America and its moral fabric. You either want to shoot Mexicans on sight, or you're capitulating to the scary brown people who don't speak English.

This isn't new. It's just more blatant now since we elected a black man with an African name to be President.

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:01:46am

re: #43 Charles

He has a name that practically compels swapped-vowel typos.

I'm trying to figure out a way how to remember how to spell it. Steele was a lot easier although a lot of people would always drop the last "e".

Pri-E-Bus might work.

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:03:12am

Anagram for Reince Priebus: Rinse Beer Cup I

moderatelyradicalliberal Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:03:38am

re: #41 Gus 802

Orrin Hatch also never proposed an individual health insurance mandate either. And Sarah Palin never proposed that the government play a role in promoting health eating habits for kids while governor. The things these people never said or did is really amazing.

Kronocide Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:04:32am

re: #43 Charles

He has a name that practically compels swapped-vowel typos.

Does not bode well for me, an accomplished frantic typo magnet.

moderatelyradicalliberal Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:06:35am

re: #42 darthstar

I don't get it...they go from someone named Steele to someone who rhymes with Rinsed Pubis?

Damn you! I've got coffee on my laptop monitor now! LOL!

jaunte Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:06:43am

re: #46 Gus 802

Subeir Pecnier

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:07:35am

re: #50 jaunte

Subeir Pecnier

[Link: wordsmith.org...]

BryanS Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:09:35am

I don't see a problem there. It's kind of like rich people who happen to support higher tax rates on the rich still claiming every benefit they can under the tax code. I think that's a pretty weak critique that the right has against wealthy supporters of the left.

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:10:03am

re: #52 BryanS

I don't see a problem there. It's kind of like rich people who happen to support higher tax rates on the rich still claiming every benefit they can under the tax code. I think that's a pretty weak critique that the right has against wealthy supporters of the left.

But he's lying about it, now.

BryanS Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:16:40am

re: #53 Obdicut

But he's lying about it, now.

Is he? What was he lying about? I didn't see that accusation in Charles's post...can you fill me in?

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:17:42am

re: #54 BryanS

Is he? What was he lying about? I didn't see that accusation in Charles's post...can you fill me in?

Do you think this is true?

I have never worked on or been involved with that group or any group that involves stimulus money in any way. I’m not involved with any effort to secure any funds from the stimulus bill, period. I have discovered that the link on my bio page was put there in error. The link will also be removed as soon as possible

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:18:52am

re: #54 BryanS

Is he? What was he lying about? I didn't see that accusation in Charles's post...can you fill me in?

He was part of the Michael Best Stimulus and Economic Recovery Team and also listed as a co-author on one document. Now Michael Best LLP is "scrubbing" all of that. Seems highly suspicious. Or as they say, "I question the timing."

Killgore Trout Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:20:15am

re: #55 Obdicut

I’m not involved with any effort to secure any funds from the stimulus bill, period. I have discovered that the link on my bio page was put there in error.

lol

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:21:09am

Heck. You know what happens if you took an "Intro to Karl Marx" class back in 1976 and you're a Democrat.

BryanS Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:21:37am

re: #55 Obdicut

Do you think this is true?

If that is what he is claiming now, then possibly. I happen to have run into the firm of Micheal Best, and they are a large firm where not every lawyer is going to be involved in all areas of practice. His statement is rather matter of fact, so it will be fairly easy to disprove.

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:22:20am

OT Image: COUCH-blog480.jpg

jaunte Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:22:59am

re: #55 Obdicut

How likely is it that he wouldn't have read his bio page before now?

lostlakehiker Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:23:10am

re: #13 nines09

Sooner or later they will have "Purity Tests". More than a few already think only property owners should have the right to vote, child labor laws are anti constitutional, segregation isn't all bad, slavery was misjudged, social security is a commie plot, affordable health care is a bad thing, gays should be shot, blacks are 2/3rd of real people, Democrats are evil, social justice is alien to American values, corporations know whats best and should be left alone to dump wherever they choose, whatever they chose to dump, and the American worker is over payed and expects too much. All from people who have no problem killing America from within to achieve their goals. Guess you can count me out, asshole.

Not so fast there. A very, very few think that only property owners should have the right to vote. Republicans, pro-family and all that, are totally in favor of child labor laws, laws that ensure that children have the chance to go to school. Segregation, a violation of the basic American principle of equal justice for all, is outside the tradition of Northern Republicans and again, very few even in the South see any advantage or justice in bringing it back.

Nobody will stand for murder, and shooting gays is murder.

Democrats are not evil. Just wrong on this or that point. Such as what makes for good health care reform.

Social security benefits are out of line with what can be collected in taxes. The system has, more or less by accident, become overly generous. They need to be tweaked downward, sparing those who have little else.

The "2/3" nonsense is entirely nonsense. Nobody on either side of the compromise which ended in an agreement to count slaves as 3/5 (not 2/3) of a person for purposes of the census thought along the lines of "what fraction of a person is a slave"? It was the northerners who wanted a smaller fraction in the rule, because why give the south representatives who represent not the people whose numbers gave them the seat, but instead, their owners?

Corporations know how to produce goods and services. But we don't let real people shit in the river, and we don't let corporations do so either. Both with good reason.

Randall Gross Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:23:49am

re: #58 Gus 802

Heck. You know what happens if you took an "Intro to Karl Marx" class back in 1976 and you're a Democrat.

I took a "Modern Revolution" class in 1972 from an avowed anarchist back in high school, does this mean I am also Frank Marshall's love child?

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:24:28am

re: #63 Thanos

I took a "Modern Revolution" class in 1972 from an avowed anarchist back in high school, does this mean I am also Frank Marshall's love child?

Yep. Can I see your birth certificate please?

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:25:02am

re: #59 BryanS

And being listed as a co-author on the papers-- that's just a 'mistake'? Or are law offices in the habit of fraudulently claiming work has been performed that hasn't been?

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:26:25am

re: #62 lostlakehiker

epublicans, pro-family and all that, are totally in favor of child labor laws, laws that ensure that children have the chance to go to school.

Except when they're not:

[Link: www.huffingtonpost.com...]

charlz Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:26:41am

re: #61 jaunte

How likely is it that he wouldn't have read his bio page before now?

About as likely as that he didn't supply the text for his bio himself.

Gus Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:26:59am

Priebus shouldn't be ashamed of having worked to bring stimulus funds to Wisconsin. Lot's of people did it.

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:27:45am

re: #62 lostlakehiker

Social security benefits are out of line with what can be collected in taxes. The system has, more or less by accident, become overly generous. They need to be tweaked downward, sparing those who have little else.

What 'can' be collected in taxes?

Corporations know how to produce goods and services. But we don't let real people shit in the river, and we don't let corporations do so either. Both with good reason.

We do let corporations pollute, yes. Why do you think we don't?

BryanS Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:30:27am

re: #65 Obdicut

And being listed as a co-author on the papers-- that's just a 'mistake'? Or are law offices in the habit of fraudulently claiming work has been performed that hasn't been?

If he has a significant role in the firm, yes that is pretty standard practice among law firms. Lawyers will often slap the name of a senior member on their work to lend credibility to the work. It looks suspicious, I'll grant that. But his claim is not implausible. As I said, it will be pretty easy to disprove the kind of statement he made if he did in fact have a role.

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:32:28am

re: #70 BryanS

So the claim really is that his law firm committed fraud?

Isn't that, y'know, worse?

BryanS Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:35:48am

re: #71 Obdicut

So the claim really is that his law firm committed fraud?

Isn't that, y'know, worse?

It's not fraud if the guy is a partner--he is. Meaning it is part his firm. As a partner, it is natural to include his name on any work done. It would be hard to claim that was fraud.

jaunte Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:36:57am

re: #71 Obdicut

Being a partner apparently means you can claim credit when it's beneficial, and deny responsibility when that works for you.

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:40:13am

re: #72 BryanS

The word 'author' has no meaning?

BryanS Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:41:44am

re: #73 jaunte

Being a partner apparently means you can claim credit when it's beneficial, and deny responsibility when that works for you.

Yup :) Aren't lawyers clever folk ! If he did any work, some client, somewhere in Wisconsin will have an email from him about a stimulus matter. That's hard to cover up. Wisconsin ain't Illinois--that kind of corruption gets exposed here.

prairiefire Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:41:56am

re: #65 Obdicut

And being listed as a co-author on the papers-- that's just a 'mistake'? Or are law offices in the habit of fraudulently claiming work has been performed that hasn't been?

[Link: tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com...]
This sounds like Dan Maes all over again:

makeitstop Sat, Jan 15, 2011 11:54:49am

re: #47 moderatelyradicalliberal

Orrin Hatch also never proposed an individual health insurance mandate either. And Sarah Palin never proposed that the government play a role in promoting health eating habits for kids while governor. The things these people never said or did is really amazing.

And Palin never criticized Hilary Clinton for reacting badly to criticism, saying it hurt the cause of women in politics, either.

You can fit the entire universe into the memory hole these people have created.

ClaudeMonet Sat, Jan 15, 2011 12:02:11pm

re: #65 Obdicut

And being listed as a co-author on the papers-- that's just a 'mistake'? Or are law offices in the habit of fraudulently claiming work has been performed that hasn't been?

Are you familiar with the term "billable hours"? That's something even more fictional than some of the legal "arguments".

That said--This guy is talking out of both sides of his mouth. He's against a lot of things, except when they will make him money.

sagehen Sat, Jan 15, 2011 12:14:46pm

re: #65 Obdicut

And being listed as a co-author on the papers-- that's just a 'mistake'? Or are law offices in the habit of fraudulently claiming work has been performed that hasn't been?

It's called "billing fraud". It happens all the time, but it's very hard to prove.

It was also a major plot point in Grisham's first novel.

Obdicut Sat, Jan 15, 2011 12:19:09pm

re: #79 sagehen

I'd think it's relatively easy to prove in this case.

Either he was co-author, or he wasn't.

makeitstop Sat, Jan 15, 2011 12:36:19pm

My wife just sent me this link. Be sure your speakers are on.

Had to share.

ClaudeMonet Sat, Jan 15, 2011 1:02:45pm

re: #35 moderatelyradicalliberal

Everytime I look at him I think "used car salesman". I don't know why anybody thinks he would be a strong candidate.

He'd be strong compared to Palin, Pawlenty, Huckster, etc., etc., etc. He would probably get creamed in the general election, but he'd be stronger than those others.

The problem, as always, is that he is a long-shot to be nominated.

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