March 30, 2010

"This activity was not eligible for reimbursement" — this "Eyes Wide Shut"-themed sex show.

And the Republican National Committee has now fired the staffer who expensed it.
The late-night excursion followed an official RNC event in Los Angeles for donors in its “Young Eagles” program...
[Erik Brown,] the donor who was reimbursed for footing the bill... “has verbally agreed to repay the funds to the RNC.”
... Brown, a church-going mid-level political operative, “was not entirely thrilled with the venue that people ended up at,” but nonetheless agreed to foot the bill after the RNC staffer in question told him the committee would reimburse the cost.
Why is Brown's name in the article and the staffer's name isn't? Seems Brown got screwed. He didn't even want to go. Apparently, he paid only because he was going to be reimbursed. And now he's the one whose name has a sex-smear on it. And he's out $2,000.



ADDED NOTE: This post isn't meant to excuse Michael Steele or any other RNC fool. It's just a shred of sympathy for the devil Brown.

UPDATE: The staffer has been identified as Allison Meyers, the director of Young Eagles. 

29 comments:

Hoosier Daddy said...

Did that movie make any sense at all or am I just not hip enough to get it?

Scott said...

The article has a mistake, It was the Spread Eagle Forum.

Scott said...

Steele needs to go, but not just because of this. His spending habits are a bit loose.

Fred4Pres said...

Eyes Wide Shut is a clever title since that movie always puts me to sleep. Apparently it was based on some Viennese novel of a pre WWII Jew feeling he was on the out side of society. Okay. I am a Kubrick fan, but Hoosier Daddy I do not think it is you or me on that one.

Fred4Pres said...

Brown should not be thrown under the bus. They should have just come out and explained what occurred and not used donor money to pay for it. It was a mistake, and easily dealt with if they were honest and straight forward. Hell, they could have made it into a postive thing if done right. This shows the lack of rigor, common sense, and character of Steele on handling this matter. It is his responsibility to address something like this, not some underling's job to take the fall.

And Steele is flying around on private jets? He should be flying coach everywhere and bragging about how he does it and stays at regular hotels. Remember Pat Nixon's cloth coat? This is about perception. Trust me. I am not giving a cent to these jokers. I will give to campaigns who need it. Give Howard Dean credit--he did a good job when he took over the DNC.

Scott said...

"Give Howard Dean credit--he did a good job when he took over the DNC."

Give Mussolini credit--he made the trains run on time.

Hoosier Daddy said...

The RNC fired an as-yet unnamed staffer who planned the event with an outside fundraising firm (a sole person operation run by a man named Erik Brown) which actually took the donors to the lesbian bondage club.

Whereas if he was a Democrat this would have secured him a chairmanship on some committee at the very least.

themightypuck said...

So you can't take potential donors out on the town on the RNC dime? Or is it the location that was the problem? It was kind of unclear in the article which it was.

Also, no, EWS made no sense.

Unknown said...

everyone is frantically searching for M Steele livin it up i that sex club ! i know someone has got them on an iphone somewhere !

if the pics come out, they would just cap off steele's marvelous run at the RNC.

Unknown said...

...searching for PICS of M Steele ..

Calypso Facto said...

Now THAT is a funny link, Fred! Thanks for sharing.

Danielle: Steele wasn't anywhere near the strip club personally, (to the detriment of your fantasies, I'm sure).

themightypuck said...

Interesting bit on politico says that a major donor claims the young eagles are the only group pulling their weight financially. If that is the case, I say take them wherever they want to go.

Anonymous said...

Now, pray tell, what is so wrong with going to a sex show with campaign funds? It's not like they were public funds.

The RNC should find its backbone and stand up for the fact that there was nothing wrong with this event.

That's the problem with Republicans – they're all a bunch of wussies!

Unknown said...

Ann said...

Why is Brown's name in the article and the staffer's name isn't?

Perhaps because whomever it is might be a little too close to Mr. Steele. Another reason, among many, for him to take a hike.

Fred is right, both on "Eyes" and that Brown should not take the fall for this.

bagoh20 said...

I just don't get what the story is here. Nobody important is involved and it seems like the only thing powering it is the theme of this club. OOOwww sex, unknown people have an interest in other unknown people's style of it. The money issue was handled correctly when discovered. What's up.

Nobody really believes all those millions that political parties spend to get more millions are used for quiet luncheons do they?

If you don't like this, then donate directly to candidates, but it ain't news.

DADvocate said...

Did that movie make any sense at all or am I just not hip enough to get it?

I dunno. Like fred, I couldn't stay awake long enough to find out if it made any sense.

Anonymous said...

Give Mussolini credit--he made the trains run on time.

Except he didn't.

themightypuck said...

Commissioner Gordon lights the Snopes signal. BAM!!! POW!!!

Nice.

themightypuck said...

At least one source claims Kubrick himself thought Eyes Wide Shut was A piece of shit.

Beth said...

If Brown had any testicles he'd have said "no." So no sympathy for him.

garage mahal said...

Young Eagles. Republicans. Lesbian bondage. And only 22 comments? What the

traditionalguy said...

The high life of political power must be more of an aphrodisiac than I give it credit for. As a young attorney I remember the Chairman of the County Commission charged some Frederick's of Hollywood negligees on a county credit card while at a Conference out of town without his wife. The brain really must go dumb when a politician gets around some outrageous sex opportunity.

Palladian said...

"He described the film-maker as a "shy, timid" man who was effectively bullied by his stars, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman."

Umm, Kubrick timid and bullied by his stars? Bullshit.

themightypuck said...

The Shining was an awesome film.

Opus One Media said...

the more telling quote in the story was "RNC Chief of Staff Ken McKay on the dismissal of the staffer underlined that the bondage-club outing “was not an RNC-sanctioned event.”

since when is bondage outside the interests of the GOP? and when is bondage ever santioned by the GOP? practiced yes. but sanctioned?

Ann Althouse said...

"This post is factually incorrect, Ann, and you need to update it."

You need to reread it.

Unknown said...

I thought the movie was okay until the last scene. The "fuck" makes no sense whatsoever. But I hated Avatar too.

Methadras said...

Thank God I'm not a part of the Republican part anymore. It's stupid shit like this that sours me on the whole notion of party affiliation anymore.

Methadras said...

PatCA said...

I thought the movie was okay until the last scene. The "fuck" makes no sense whatsoever. But I hated Avatar too.


It makes perfect sense. After all of the nefarious secret sexual nonsense they went through, she wants to save her marriage, claim that she still loves her husband, that the dream like state they were in for a while is over and now it's time to stop fooling around like children and become adults and they should do something immediately to seal the deal. He asks her what that thing is and she says, "fuck" as in the act.