In Vanity Fair, describing an event in Independence, Missouri on May 1, 2010 where Sarah Palin (r – half term governor) was the featured speaker:
Sarah Palin the Sound and the Fury
….The Winning America Back conference was organized by a Missouri political-action committee called Preserving American Liberty (PAL-PAC). The group’s Web site states that “Members of Preserving American Liberty are from the Kansas City metropolitan area and are all unpaid volunteers who want to make a positive difference in the community.” Yet when I asked local politicians (including state representatives, a Senate candidate, and a congressional candidate) and local journalists about who had organized the event, I found that they knew nothing about the sponsors….
….PAL-PAC seems to have been created for a single purpose: to pay Sarah Palin to give a speech. PAL-PAC announced the Palin event at the same time that it announced its own formation. After the Palin event was over, most of the information on PAL-PAC’s Web site disappeared. In effect, PAL-PAC was a disposable entertainment company, set up to put on a one-day show that collected the contact information of thousands of people who came to see Palin in the flesh, and to give her their money. The organization has not been mentioned again anywhere online or in local newspapers. The group’s financial statements are curious….
[discussion of Missouri Ethics Commission reports]
[emphasis added]
Okay, we’ll take a look at what’s what at the Missouri Ethics Commission.
POLITICAL ACTION Date Established:11/12/2009
Date Terminated:
COMMITTEE: MECID:C091277
PRESERVING AMERICAN LIBERTY
PARKVILLE MO 64152
[emphasis added]
The Committee Quarterly Report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission on January 14, 2010:
Committe: PRESERVING AMERICAN LIBERTY
1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $0.00
2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $1,000.0015. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $0.00
28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $1,953.50
[emphasis added]
Not much there.
The Committee Quarterly Report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission on April 15, 2010:
Committe: PRESERVING AMERICAN LIBERTY
1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $1,953.50
2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $1,907.0015. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $2,273.00
28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $3,202.00
[emphasis added]
Not much there, either.
The Committee Quarterly Report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission on July 14, 2010:
Committe: PRESERVING AMERICAN LIBERTY
1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $0.00
2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $6,920.004. MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS THIS PERIOD $135,309.57
9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A – 8A) $142,229.57
15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $137,844.91
28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $7,586.66
[emphasis added]
Whoa, Nellie!
Okay, let’s look at the details which are bound to be very interesting:
Detailed Summary of Contributions And Loans Received
Committee: PRESERVING AMERICAN LIBERTY
Report Date: 7/14/2010David E Wilson Kansas City, MO Physician, MD 04/13/2010 $300.00
Elizabeth Anderson Parkville, MO Homemaker 04/19/2010 $1,500.00
C Phillip Pattison Weston,MO Westglen GI, Physician 04/30/2010 $5,000.00
Dennison Lightner 617 Avondale Lane Raymore, MO EMC Corp, auditor 05/09/2010 $120.00
That’s it. But, wait, there’s another document:
Detailed Summary of Fund-Raising Statement
Committe:
ReportDate: 05/01/20101. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CANDIDATE OR COMMITTEE FOR WHOM FUNDS WERE RAISED Preserving American Liberty c/o Elizabeth Anderson, Treasurer Parkville, MO
2. LOCATION OF ACTIVITY OR EVENT: NAME AND ADDRESS Independence Events Center 19100E Valley View Parkway Independence, MO 64055
3. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY OR EVENT AND FUND-RAISING METHODS USED Winning America Back–sold tickets, booths, and books
4. DATE OF ACTIVITY OR EVENT 05/01/2010
5. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS 4000
6. NAME AND ADDRESS OF PERSON CONDUCTING ACTIVITY OR EVENT Preserving American Liberty 6295 Edgewater Dr Parkville, MO 64152
RECEIPTS FROM ACTIVITY OR EVENT Total
8. TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS ($100 OR LESS PER PERSON) FROM PERSONS WHOSE NAMES AND ADDRESSES COULD NOT BE OBTAINED $144,186.57
9. TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PERSONS WHOSE NAME AND ADDRESSES ARE CONTAINED IN COMMITTEE RECORDS $0.00
10. GROSS RECEIPTS FROM ACTIVITY OR EVENT (SUM 8 AND 9) $144,186.57
11. EXPLAIN WHY NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF PERSONS CONTRIBUTING $25 OR LESS COULD NOT BE OBTAINED
Tickets were sold for the event to cover expenses of the event. Donations were not received. Booths were rented and that totaled $1,200 of the above amount. Also sold books and raffle tickets which amounted to $8800.10 of the above amount.
12. INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURES MADE FOR ACTIVITY OR EVENT 13. AMOUNT
Independence Events Center $10,080.00
(14. TOTAL EXPENDITURES MADE FOR ACTIVITY OR EVENT: $10,080.00 )
Okay, it cost them $10,080.00 to rent the space. An inquisitive person might ask, “Where did the rest of the money go?” It went here:
Detailed Summary of Expenditures And Contributions Made
Committe: PRESERVING AMERICAN LIBERTY
ReportDate: 7/14/2010A. EXPENDITURES OF $100 OR LESS BY CATEGORY
Occupation and sales taxes $136.07
Pocket Constitutions $22.50
Essay Contest Prizes $400.00
Reimburse meals $30.00
Booth Rental for Event $75.00B. ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES ALL OVER $100 AND ALL PAYMENTS TO CAMPAIGN WORKERS
Alphagraphics Kansas City MO 04/19/2010 Printed Materials $1,334.11
Bally Hoo Banners Overland Park, MO 05/01/2010 Event Banner $245.69
Alphagraphics Kansas City MO 64106 05/05/2010 Printed Materials $1,243.99
Elizabeth Anderson Parkville, MO 04/19/2010 Reimburse for Books $192.69
Elizabeth Anderson Parkville, MO 5/5/2010 Reimburse for Books $1,763.39
Lockton Companies Kansas City, MO 04/14/2010 Event Insurance $2,887.50
Kelsey Bohlender Overland Park, KS 04/28/2010 Reimburse Flag Rental $470.00
Shealah Craighead Photo Washington, DC 06/07/2010 Event Photography $2,002.05
Kelsey Bohlender Overland Park, KS 06/23/2010 Event meals for Volunteers $380.00
Wayne Graves Kansas City, MO 06/23/2010 Reimburse Speaker Travel $15,134.83
Wayne Graves Kansas City, MO 06/23/2010 Reimburse Web Marketing $7,715.51
Wayne Graves Kansas City, MO 06/23/2010 Reimburse Speaker Expense $103,149.66
Platte Valley Bank Platte City, MO 05/03/2010 Banking fees $440.38
Platte Valley Bank Platte City, MO 06/02/2010 Banking fees $221.54
[emphasis added]
Banners, books, flag rental! What, no t-shirts?
So, it appears that speaker travel ran to $15,134.83 and speaking fee(s) ran to $103,149.66.
Does anyone remember if there were other paid speakers at this teabagger festival?
From the event press release:
Liz Cheney, Fred Thompson to join Sarah Palin for ‘Winning America Back’ at Independence arena
For Immediate Release
Preserving American Liberty Announces Additional Speakers for
“Winning America Back” Featuring Sarah PalinINDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI (March 31, 2010) – Preserving American Liberty announced today Fred and Jeri Thompson and Liz Cheney will join Sarah Palin at the Independence Events Center, Saturday, May 1, 2010. Fred Thompson is a former Presidential Candidate, U.S. Senator and is a well-known Actor, Jeri Thompson is married to Fred Thompson and is a political commentator, and Liz Cheney is with Keep America Safe and the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney.
About “Winning America Back”
“Winning America Back” will be an action packed one-day event promoting conservative values with some of the biggest names in politics – including keynote remarks from Sarah Palin. This event will equip conservatives with resources to take action on the grassroots level to make a positive impact for our future. Like a lot of Americans, members of Preserving American Liberty are worried about the current state of our country and the lack of leadership from our state houses to Washington, D.C. Instead of standing on the sidelines, we ask that members of the community join us as we hear from conservatives from across the country on how to be apart of the solution and to see what we can do to make a positive difference.
Tickets for “Winning America Back” featuring Sarah Palin, Fred and Jeri Thompson, and Liz Cheney on May 1 are available at the Independence Events Center box office (open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m…..) There will be two separate tickets – general admission and priority seating. General admission tickets to the one-day 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. conference are $50 and priority seating tickets are $75. Both prices include ticket fees and taxes at the box office, additional service fees will apply to tickets bought online or over the phone. Parking is free!…
The usual right wingnut suspects. Do you think Fred and Jeri and Liz were in the neighborhood and just decided to drop by?
Free parking! Do you think anyone rode their bike?
From KCUR radio:
Sarah Palin To Missouri Conservatives: Keep It Up
INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI (kcur) – Former Vice Presidential candidate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin brought her rock-star status to Independence last night. She told some 3 thousand supporters at the Winning America Back convention…
Three thousand? I thought the report to the Missouri Ethics Commission stated that four thousand attended. Yep:
4. DATE OF ACTIVITY OR EVENT 05/01/2010
5. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS 4000
[emphasis added]
There’s an old saying in politics – real numbers never end with a zero.
“…In effect, PAL-PAC was a disposable entertainment company, set up to put on a one-day show that collected the contact information of thousands of people who came to see Palin in the flesh, and to give her their money…”
Like a grifter pulling a long con.