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March 12, 2007

Jon Scott's Statement on the Special Operations Fund

Carroll Andrew Morse

2006 Republican First-District Congressional Candidate Jon Scott has issued a statement on the recent revelations about Dave Rogers’ Special Operations Fund Political Action Committee. Here is Mr. Scott's literal bottom line…

I call upon the Special Operations Fund to return donations and to cease further use of Mr. Rogers’ name in their efforts. It appears that what they have done is not illegal but, given the large number of elderly donors and the small percentage of disbursements to candidates, it is certainly immoral. I have always had the utmost respect for Dave Rogers and support him in any efforts to make this right, but it must be made right.
The complete statement is available in the extended entry.

2006 RI First District Congressional Candidate Jonathan Scott, who ran against Patrick Kennedy as the Republican nominee in the last election cycle, has issued the following statement on the “Special Operations fund”, Dave Rogers, and Christian Winthrop.

“Because I have been fielding questions from the public about my predecessor and the recent story by Mark Arsenault in the Sunday Journal which revealed questionable practices at the Special Operations Fund, I thought that it would be appropriate to issue a formal statement.

As the Republican Party’s choice to challenge Patrick Kennedy in 2006, I was disappointed to learn that solicitations had been made on Mr. Rogers’ behalf though his Political Action Committee, implying that he was in fact still a candidate for the First District seat. The perception that Rogers was still in the race and that he had plans moving forward to 2008 may have been a factor in our nationwide fundraising struggles. Mr. Rogers was a strong candidate with a storied background and wide name recognition throughout the country. If he furthered the perception that he was still in the race, I have no doubt that it had an impact on those who might have donated to our campaign otherwise.

We had very little interaction with the Rogers 2004 team during the 2006 cycle. I met with both the candidate and Mr. Winthrop as it was my custom to speak with each of my predecessors, including Kevin Vigilante, who ran the closest of any Republican to Representative Kennedy.

Mr. Winthrop never worked for our campaign and was never offered a position with our campaign. This includes the timeframe after he severed ties with the Spencer campaign in New York.

I am concerned by the situation at the Special Operations Fund and believe that the story is symbolic of why working folks are turned off by the political process and why we need serious campaign finance reform. I am quite certain that Mr. Winthrop and his partner in Florida were not the first to segue from a serious and well-run Congressional campaign into a questionable Political Action Committee. I do not believe that one Party has a monopoly on the methodology. It is regrettable that the general public will shy away from political involvement because of a perception that special interests and insiders control the process. In a world of 100-million-dollar Presidential campaigns, our neighbors feel disconnected from their government.

I had plans to start a PAC with the expressed purpose of recruiting and supporting working class Rhode Islanders for Republican General Assembly and City/Town Council seats. I hope that the allegations against the Special Operations Fund do not impede those efforts, as I believe that the political process must be made available to everyone, regardless of their occupation or financial status.

Finally, I call upon the Special Operations Fund to return donations and to cease further use of Mr. Rogers’ name in their efforts. It appears that what they have done is not illegal but, given the large number of elderly donors and the small percentage of disbursements to candidates, it is certainly immoral. I have always had the utmost respect for Dave Rogers and support him in any efforts to make this right, but it must be made right.


Comments

Winthrop is a sleaze plain and simple. Rogers should be ashamed of himself for allowing this to happen and if he took part in anyway he himself dishonors the country he once served in the Navy. McCain fired Winthrop over this scam which was the right move. Look at the actual report of finances and you will also see that Winthrop used the funds as his personal drinking money at Newport bars. Something needs to be done about this duping of Republicans all over this country. Winthrop has always been a bit off and unstable now the truth comes out for all to see.

Posted by: pete at March 12, 2007 5:11 PM

Winthrop told people he was involved with the Scott campaign that is one of the main reasons many of the RI Republican leaders didn't do as much for Scott as they should have. Winthrop came across like he was running the show from behind the scenes. To bad we learn this now. Sorry Mr Scott, Winthrop's lies hurt your campaign greatly.

Posted by: lou at March 12, 2007 5:26 PM

Pete and Lou- the Republican sleaze machine is broken. You were willing riders when it was working. It is not all about the winning and losing. Sometimes truth pops up it's ugly head. Get used to it.

Posted by: The Misfit at March 12, 2007 6:43 PM

This is a powerful statement from Mr. Scott. Where are the other voices of outrage in the top Republican ranks? Does Steve Laffey, fellow bay-swimmer with Mr. Rogers if memory serves me right, have anything to say about this?

Posted by: Kiersten at March 13, 2007 10:22 AM

Scott should offer a resolution Thurs nite at the Republican State metting condemning the actions of Rogers and Winthrop.

Posted by: lou at March 13, 2007 1:33 PM

hollister,
probably that is the reason. everyone thought winthrop was involved because he was acting like that to people. none of the state republicans wanted anything to do with him from his past strange and wacky behavior. sorry this happened scott seemed to be a very nice guy but he was sandbagged by a outright lie and misassociation with a freak. scott should move to denounce this special operation fund at the meeting thurs night it is giving all republicans a bad name. today it went into the national press and now good luck to any ri republican trying to raise cash outside ri in the future. these pigs ruined it for all of us.

Posted by: ken at March 14, 2007 7:33 PM