Outside the Beltway

Burying The Lede

Alex Knapp
23

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Over at Tucker Carlson’s Daily Caller site, the lead story has the following headline:

High flyer: RNC Chairman Steele suggested buying private jet with GOP funds

Buried in the sixth(!) paragraph is this tidbit:

Once on the ground, FEC filings suggest, Steele travels in style. A February RNC trip to California, for example, included a $9,099 stop at the Beverly Hills Hotel, $6,596 dropped at the nearby Four Seasons, and $1,620.71 spent [update: the amount is actually $1,946.25] at Voyeur West Hollywood, a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex. (emphasis added)

I am generally in favor of less sensationalist reporting. Nevertheless, as the great newspaper editor Perry White once said, “There are only three things that sell papers: tragedy, sex, and Superman.” The Daily Caller is a new site that’s still trying to build readership. One would think that the item highlighted above should be treated as something of a bigger story! (Seriously, how did he get away with using Party money for that?)

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23 responses to “Burying The Lede”

  1. Franklin Avatar
    Franklin

    Uh, if that’s true, I would have to assume that’s the end of Steele.

  2. Doug Mataconis Avatar
    Doug Mataconis

    Franklin,

    Yea.

    Although I would hope that someone would question why he would need to charge $ 10,000 at two of the poshest hotels in LA

  3. john personna Avatar
    john personna

    LOL. I almost didn’t read to the punch line, but I’m glad I did.

  4. Highlander Avatar
    Highlander

    Nothing terribly new here.

    Mr Steele is only proving a little less adept at hiding this kind of “Rich White Trash” behavior than the actual,”Rich White Trash” crowd that proceeded him.

    This story was probably just planted with Carlson,(a charter member of the “Bow Tie” GOP types)by the GOP establishment. Because Steele didn’t invite them to the “whips and chains” club.

    And because he hasn’t brought in masses of colored folk saying,”yesa masta, I’s wanta be one of them there GOPers”. Which is why this crowd of political geniuses imposed Steele on the GOP in the first place. At least Steele is smart enough to get out and enjoy himself a little. Before the GOP establishment types throw him out on the streets of DC. “Because he hasn’t broght in any significant “colored voters”.

    IDIOTS!! God help us all.Obama(the closet Muslim, and his cohort of Jewish ball busters have nothing to fear from the “pin stripped”GOP gang “who can’t shoot straight”.

    Is it 70BC or 370AD?

  5. Grewgills Avatar
    Grewgills

    Is it 70BC or 370AD?

    If I didn’t have the names to clue me in I would have guessed 1960.

  6. Steve Plunk Avatar
    Steve Plunk

    If true Steele must go.

  7. An Interested Party Avatar
    An Interested Party

    Obama(the closet Muslim, and his cohort of Jewish ball busters…

    Oh, so then are you ready for the North American Caliphate?

    If I didn’t have the names to clue me in I would have guessed 1960.

    Yes, with 2012 being, perhaps, a repeat of 1964…

  8. charles austin Avatar
    charles austin

    (Seriously, how did he get away with using Party money for that?)

    Who said he’s getting away with it?

    Oh, and Highlander has a serious racist projection problem. The only times I’ve ever heard anyone speak like that are in some movies made before I was born and by a few on the left trying to put words in the mouths of those on the right.

  9. Dave Anderson Avatar
    Dave Anderson

    I’m just trying to picture the filing of the receipt to the accounting department at the RNC —

    “Yes, this was a neccessary business expense as I was wooing donors….”

  10. yetanotherjohn Avatar
    yetanotherjohn

    I think a “expense report explanation” contest ala caption contest is in order. Some examples:

    Well you see, we were taking such a beating in the press, I thought I would investigates how the experts survive.

    I think the women’s vote is important and we need to look at every segment of that vote, including the topless, lesbian BDSM segment.

    Well you wouldn’t have wanted me to get the cheap champaign, for BDSM we needed real pain.

  11. michael reynolds Avatar
    michael reynolds

    Jeez, if I’d known Republicans had this much fun I’d have joined up.

    I’m partial to the Andaz when staying in Hollywood. Nothing against the BH Hilton or the Four Seasons, but the Andaz will give you 90% of the value for 50% of the price. And they have a great rooftop pool.

    But I’ll definitely have to check out the club.

  12. Rick Almeida Avatar
    Rick Almeida

    …and $1,620.71 spent [update: the amount is actually $1,946.25] at Voyeur West Hollywood, a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex.

    Dude. The lunch buffet there is awesome!

  13. steve Avatar
    steve

    He spent Party money at a topless club? Isnt that what Party money is for? (This is a story that cries out for an accompanying photo.)

    Steve

  14. Wayne Avatar
    Wayne

    Steele needs to go regardless of the merit of this story. He has been awful as a GOP leader so far. It strikes me as if he sold his soul for the job.

  15. Richard Gardner Avatar
    Richard Gardner

    Looks like it wasn’t Michael Steele, but someone else. Melissa Clouthier reports:

    We are investigating the expenditure in question. The story willfully and erroneously suggests that the expenditure in question was one belonging to the Chairman. This was a reimbursement made to a non-committee staffer. The Chairman was never at the location in question, he had no knowledge of the expenditure, nor does he find the use of committee funds at such a location at all acceptable.

    Looks like they need better review of expenditures, but then you can end up with the situation the DoD had 20 years ago where the review process added a significant overhead (like 25-50%)!

    h/t Doug Mataconis

  16. Wayne Avatar
    Wayne

    Also sounds like these types of expenditures are not that uncommon for Democrats but I’m sure it is ok for them to do so.

    I still would like to see Steele go but this is B.S. story. It is another example of smear machine hypocritical media.

  17. Matt Avatar
    Matt

    If it’s so common Wayne how about a few examples?

  18. anjin-san Avatar
    anjin-san

    If it’s so common Wayne how about a few examples?

    Wayne?

  19. john personna Avatar
    john personna

    Too bad it wasn’t the Libertarian Party. Then they could just say “So?”

  20. charles austin Avatar
    charles austin

    Alex, do you feel any obligation to post an update noting that it wasn’t Steele?

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