Another RNC Spendthrift

By EVAN GAHR

Everyone has heard quite a bit about Republican Party chairman Michael Steele's private jets, expensive hotels, the $1946.25 that his charges plunked down at West Hollywood Voyeur and liquor store purchases they called "office expenses."

But an exhaustive review of all the RNC 2009 disbursement reports finds some stuff charged to the RNC that sound even less work-related than the West Hollywood Voyeur tab. 

Meet Republican National Committee worker bee Nancy Hibbs, whose job title is classified. Hibbs last year received $761.00 for what the RNC disbursement report calls "automotive maintenance" at "CS Dealer Services" in Arlington, VA.

Except that CS Dealer Services does not repair cars. They just sell all kinds of electronic goodies for your auto, such as CD systems, DVD players and iPods and other nifty stuff that would be really cool to buy with money that belongs to somebody else.

And just what does Hibbs do with her car? Well, the RNC last July gave her $350 for "traffic violations." Maybe the charges were incurred on a business trip?

Uh, no. The money was paid to the DC Department of Motor Vehicles.

Asked why she charges the RNC for what look like personal expenses Hibbs pleaded (feigned?) ignorance. "I don't know what you're talking about,"she huffed before hanging up.

Who is Nancy Hibbs? Google her name and Republican and almost nothing comes up.

And just what does Hibbs do for the RNC, anyway? The goober who answered Michael Steele's phone said, "We don't release that information."  It was tempting to ask, "Do you think you're the CIA?" 

But the point would have gone right  over the head of the goober, who seemed bereft of any sense of irony.

Another mystery: The RNC last year paid somebody’s rent at Hill House Apartments near Congress. But there are no offices located in the building. Was the pad rented for official RNC business?

It could be for somebody's monkey business. For all we know it could be Michael Steele's love nest. Although the ultimate love nest for Steele, a walking argument against affirmative action, is a TV studio.

Yes. There could be innocent explanations for these expenses. Still, given the GOP spending exposed thus far the RNC doen't deserve a presumption of innocence. They should be presumed guilty until proven innocent.

And nobody should be ashamed of experiencing major Schadenfreude as they watch Michael Steele send the party down the toilet. The GOP deserves all the headaches they got from Steel because they believed a black chairman would get them black votes or praise from the mainstream media.

Blacks are not androids easily programmed to vote Republican candidates because the party chairman is black.  Like everyone else they'll vote for candidates on the basis of how his or her policy stances and personality resonates with them.

Instead of playing diversity-fetish politics like liberals Republicans should have stood tall for color blind hiring. But they didn't.

If you sleep with animal companions--to use the politically correct term-- you wake up with fleas.  

  

Evan Gahr has written for almost every major conservative publication.