Doc Thompson, with Glenn Beck’s The Blaze radio, spent his morning show delving into the question, ‘who is Eric Cantor?’ According to Doc Thompson, many people might be disturbed by some of Eric Cantor’s actions if they were ‘exposed’ to the larger public.
Doc Thompson interviewed Eric Cantor’s Republican Primary opponent, Dave Brat, and they spent considerable time discussing the effort by Cantor, his consultant Ray Allen, and his Young Guns PAC, to get intimately involved in local GOP politics and remove the right of conservatives to attend and vote in upcoming Republican conventions – a practice known as slating. We have discussed this in detail on The Bull Elephant. You can go here and here and here to read about just a few examples of this deplorable tactic that Cantor’s folks are using to silence the conservative grassroots.
Doc Thompson then had Sara James on (founder of the Richmond Tea Party) to discuss her blog post on Eric Cantor’s involvement with the Stock Act. In short, a bipartisan effort in Congress was undertaken (which is extremely rare) to make it illegal for politicians to participate in insider trading. Sort of appalling to think it was ever allowed in the first place! At the last minute Cantor amended the Stock Act so that spouses and family members were excluded! It basically neutered the Stock Act bill, while politicians were able to return to their constituents and claim they had closed the insider trading loophole. It was quite a beautiful Kabuki Dance by Eric Cantor. This is the exact type of political gamesmanship that sickens voters. It is politics in its worse form.
Doc Thompson also discussed Eric Cantor’s connection with Main Street PAC, which has some interesting donor connections. Steve LaTourette, a former moderate Republican member of Congress and current Lobbyist with Main Street PAC, has stated that his goal is to take out the Tea Party and so-called ‘far-right Conservatives.’ This PAC has received donations from unions, Soros connected money, and money from Democrats. You can read all about this story at RedState.
Lastly, Doc Thompson brought up the apparent conflict of interest of Eric Cantor’s wife, Diana Cantor. I have seen other bloggers and many on Facebook express contempt at Doc Thompson for talking about Cantor’s wife – as if he crossed some insidious red line. Here is the problem though – the Washington Post reported that after Diana Cantor was appointed Chairman to the Virginia Retirement Systems Board, Bank of New York Mellon (which is the bank the Virginia Retirement System pays to hold all their pensions and funds) started maxing out each year to Cantor’s PAC. The post stated that:
Each year, the Virginia Retirement System pays Bank of New York Mellon $4.5 million to hold and protect its pension. Records show the bank — sued by the state late Thursday for allegedly defrauding state and local pension funds out of $40 million — began donating the maximum amount under federal law to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s PAC and reelection campaign beginning in May 2010. Cantor’s wife, Diana, joined the VRS board in April of that year, and was appointed board chairwoman June 2010.
I’m sorry, but when you are the Chairman of the VRS Board, dealing with the livelihood and pensions of government employees, and money is being donated to your husband’s PAC while the Bank is being sued for fraud– you are fair game!
Some Republicans have expressed concern, frustration and even anger over the recent blog and news reporting on Eric Cantor’s slating shenanigans and questionable actions as GOP Leader. They frequently quote Reagan’s 11th commandment – although Reagan never said any such thing. Anyone who has seen old footage of Reagan aggressively attacking GOP moderates in the Party knows better. Reagan was not a man of pastels in how he dealt with any issue, but rather a man of bold colors.
Many Republicans, including Eric Cantor, have contributed to our current financial and economic crisis with multiple debt ceiling increases, exorbitant spending, TARP, unfunded liabilities, special interest loopholes, crony capitalism favors and more. Our unwillingness to hold elected officials in our own Party accountable is what has led to an economy that continues to languish. I always find it amazing that Congress can have such low approval ratings, but everyone thinks their elected official is not part of the problem. Before you come to that conclusion, make sure you actually check their voting record and their actions.
Tonight at midnight is the financial deadline for all congressional campaigns. If you want to donate to Eric Cantor, you can go here. If you want to donate to Eric Cantor’s opponent, Dave Brat, you can go here.
Money talks folks, so stop complaining and put your money where your mouth is tonight!
(To hear Doc Thompson’s show from this morning, you can go here to retrieve the archive.)
Thanks to Larry Bethea for providing notes and perspective to The Bull Elephant from Doc’s morning show!!!
