You all remember crazy — no strike that — Real American Patriot and Congresswoman Jean Schmidt don’t you? The woman who happily labeled every Democrat she could name a traitor for opposing endless wars in the Middle East (e.g., her speech where she said “Cowards cut and run. Marines never do.”) Who thinks abortion is a good topic to discuss with first graders?. Who supports the birthers who question President Obama’s citizenship and patriotism? Who pushes the idea that Obama was going to steal Americans’ guns?
Well guess who is subject to an ethics probe for playing footsie with the government of Turkey? Jean Schmidt, that’s who (from TPM)!
The Office of Congressional Ethics is looking into the legal assistance that Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) is allegedly receiving from a Turkish-American interest group, according to a report in Roll Call.
Bruce Fein, an attorney for Schmidt, told the Capitol Hill newspaper, that he is responding to an OCE request but would not say whether or how Schmidt is paying for his legal services.
Of course, her attorney Bruce Fein just happens to also represent (surprise!) the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund and he’s a “scholar” for the “Turkish Coalition of America.” Gosh, I wonder how a Republican lawyer who represents a lobbying group for a foreign country is Jean Schmidt’s attorney in the ethics probe? I smell a a mass of rotting fish heads, don’t you? It’s not even clear the Ms Patriotic American, Pro-birther “Mean Jean” Schmidt is even paying for her own attorney. Indeed the allegations against her suggest she’s been making free use of the assistance of the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund (TALDF) for some time:
(cont.)
Democrat David Krikorian, who has twice sought to challenge Schmidt for the 2nd district seat, has filed multiple complaints to the OCE, alleging that the Ohio lawmaker improperly received free legal services from the TCA and its legal defense fund in violation of House rules. It is not known whether the OCE investigation stems from Krikorian’s complaints.
In a statement Monday, Schmidt spokesman Brian Pfaff acknowledged the Ohio lawmaker had not received a bill from TALDF for its work to date but said Schmidt had followed House rules.
Gosh, I sure wish an organization that lobbies for a foreign government would do free legal work for me and not send me any legal bills for their efforts. I wish a lobbying group for a foreign government would help fund my election campaigns.
Schmidt doesn’t deny taking money from Turkish-American political action committees. Over the years, in fact, she has been one of the top recipients of such money, the Center for Responsive Politics has found.
Since 2007, Schmidt has accepted $12,650 from the Turkish Coalition USA PAC and another $5,800 from the Turkish American Heritage PAC. Overall, these two organizations have given federal candidates $187,555 since 2007, which means contributions to Schmidt account for roughly 10 percent of all their donations.
During the first six months of 2009, contributions from Turkish-American PACs further accounted for 10 percent of Schmidt’s $69,200 overall haul from all political action committees.
Luke Rosiak at the Sunlight Foundation has also noted that four individuals who gave to Turkish-American PACs also donated a combined $8,700 directly to Schmidt’s campaign. These individuals include Yalcin Ayasli, an entrepreneur who founded Hittite Microwave, which sells electronics to the U.S. and Turkish militaries, plus two of his children, and Kaya Boztepe, president of the Federation of Turkish American Associations. The Turkish Coalition USA PAC additionally held several fundraisers for Schmidt, raising thousands more.
Schmidt also took a $10,000 trip to Turkey earlier this year, sponsored by the Turkish Coalition of America. Moreover, the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund provided her legal counsel for the suit before the Ohio Election Commission.
Must be nice being a Republican Congresswoman who can challenge other citizen’s love of country or qualifications for office and have the support of organizations working to advance the interests of a foreign government. A government, I’m sure never asked Jean Schmidt for any favors in return.
Yes, must be nice. To be a Republican, that is. No one in the media questions Mean Jean’s Patriotism or citizenship, oh no, by golly. And why would they? IOKIYAR is standing operating procedure.