BillHobbs.com is a frequently updated blog of original reporting and commentary by Bill Hobbs, a longtime Nashville journalist and media relations adviser. I am currently serving as communications director for the Tennessee Republican Party, a job I began on Oct. 29, 2007.
The Tennessee Republican Party has issued a press release regarding the widening scandal involving the Tennessee Democratic Party, national Democrats and convicted-felon fund-raiser Norman Hsu - and the attempts by the Tennessee Democratic Party and allied bloggers to deflect attention from the scandal.
It's a pretty effective response...
TENNESSEE DEMOCRATS DEFLECT ACCOUNTABILITY WHILE HSU FLEES (Nashville) - Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Robin Smith called upon democrats to clean up their own act when it comes to campaign finance rather than attack Republicans donors. Tennessee Democrats continue to receive criticism for refusing to return campaign cash received from Norman Hsu a Democrat Party contributor and fundraiser recently released on $2 million bail after being a fugitive for the past 15 years. Hsu is reportedly a fugitive again after failing to appear in a California federal court today.
Norman Hsu pled guilty 15 years ago to grand theft, a federal crime, involving a financial scam of over $1million stolen from individual investors. Mr. Hsu fled before his prison sentence and has been a fugitive hiding in California. His recent celebrity status as a six-figure donor among national and Tennessee Democrat Party exposed his identity and whereabouts and he was removed from court in handcuffs.
Tennessee democrats are currently turning their backs on accountability and voter trust and instead rehashing old attacks on GOP donors. One democrat blogger has renewed questions about contributions made by the Gregory family, former owners of King Pharmaceuticals. Republicans point out that the matter was resolved in 2005.
After a review of King pricing of one of their medicines to the Medicaid Rebate Program and the Department of Veterans Affairs, a settlement was reached with the company and the U.S. Government.
In a statement issued on November 1, 2005 by the Department of Justice, the Gregory family is acknowledged to have acted swiftly and "cooperated extensively with the United States' investigation." They cooperated to the point that King "conducted an extensive investigation of its pricing practices" and made full restitution in paying a financial settlement and implemented compliance measures as specified.
"The comparison of Norman Hsu, a criminal fleeing justice for 15 years, to a family-owned business that cooperated fully and corrected its mistakes with the Department of Justice is absolutely outrageous!" stated Robin Smith, Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party. "We completely reject such a comparison to a family that has devoted its life to public service, public health, charity, faith and family."
"Whether a donor gives $5 or $5000 to our Tennessee Republican Party, a personal attack is vacant and unacceptable when attempting to deflect criticism and deny responsibility," Smith continued. "I am personally thankful for individual donors who work hard, live within the law, and make our state great. To have democrats focus on a situation that has been resolved under the approval and supervision of the Department of Justice while refusing to accept the truth of this recent revelation is very sadly characteristic of the politics of personal destruction and a betrayal of public trust."
To recap, the Tennessee Democratic Party is insistent on holding on to dirty money from a convicted felon whose "businesses" appear to be nothing more than scams, while at the same time casting aspersions upon the Tennessee Republicans for receiving perfectly legal donations from a contributor whose business interests are, A) legitimate, and, B) worked diligently to comply with the law.
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