Breaking News:
Kooiker cries foul at Hamilton financial filing claiming Schumacher was paid to help him
The Rapid City Mayoral race is heating up tonight.
As I understand it, after Sam Kooiker openly refused to take money offered to him by Rapid City businessman Doug Hamilton, an amendment was filed to Hamilton's PAC report (6 months after the fact) claiming that Mike Schumacher was paid over $7,000 to help Sam campaign. Check out this release from the Kooiker campaign:
Click on either of them to enlarge:
The plot thickens. And I'm not sure what to think on this. Is it truth? Is it B.S.? I think I'd like to see some proof. When I first reviewed this financial report, it was my thought that this was for Schumacher's management of Judge Pete Fuller's campaign. Does this mean that the Fuller campaign was a freebie?
At the least, I'd like to see a copy of the check payment front and back. And maybe Mike's income tax return. (I know we can't ask for his sales tax reports, since from checking previously, Mike doesn't have a sales tax license.)
Stay tuned for more on this.
As I understand it, after Sam Kooiker openly refused to take money offered to him by Rapid City businessman Doug Hamilton, an amendment was filed to Hamilton's PAC report (6 months after the fact) claiming that Mike Schumacher was paid over $7,000 to help Sam campaign. Check out this release from the Kooiker campaign:
On March 22, 2007, Sam Kooiker was quoted in the Rapid City Weekly NewsI had to go check this out for myself.... Here's a copy of the documents in question from the Secretary of State's website.
declaring that he had no intention of taking any of Rapid City businessman Doug Hamilton’s money. On the same day, Mr. Hamilton filed with the Secretary of State an amendment to his 11/01/2006 Elect Better Government 2005 PAC financial report. The amendment states that Kooiker was the beneficiary of a $7,700 campaign contribution to Michael Schumacher in 2006.
(See Elect Better Government 2005.)
“This is a deliberate attempt to smear my good name,” Kooiker said. “The fact that the amendment was filed on the same day that my statement declaring I didn’t want Mr. Hamilton’s money appeared in the local press, demonstrates how utterly contrived and transparent this is.”
“I can only assume that this amendment was filed for the specific reason of revealing it at some key point in the upcoming election. Furthermore, I have already spoken with the Secretary of State’s office about this report and I will pursue this issue to its rightful conclusion.”
“I have freely acknowledged a past direct contribution of $2000 from the ‘Elect Better Government 2005’ PAC, which was reported in my 2006 campaign finance report (Check #5509). For the record, if indeed Mr. Hamilton was paying Mr. Schumacher to assist me in my 2006 Ward 2 council race, I did not become aware of any payment(s) until Thursday, April 12, 2007---and, as such I would have no way to know to include it on my own campaign finance report.”
“I have known Mike since our college days in Vermillion in the 1990’s. He indeed encouraged me to run for public office in 2002 and has assisted me in all three of my City Council elections. My payment to him consisted of a friendship and a bunch of free meals.”
“My campaign for Mayor is about open and honest government. I have no strings attached. It is unclear at this point what Mr. Schumacher and Mr. Hamilton are doing for any mayoral candidates in the upcoming election. Mr. Shaw has said repeatedly in recent weeks that he’s not interested in Mr. Hamilton or Mr. Schumacher’s help with his campaign. I’m taking him at his word and I sincerely hope he’s not involved in this attempt to call my integrity into question.”
Click on either of them to enlarge:
Click on either of them to enlarge:
The plot thickens. And I'm not sure what to think on this. Is it truth? Is it B.S.? I think I'd like to see some proof. When I first reviewed this financial report, it was my thought that this was for Schumacher's management of Judge Pete Fuller's campaign. Does this mean that the Fuller campaign was a freebie?At the least, I'd like to see a copy of the check payment front and back. And maybe Mike's income tax return. (I know we can't ask for his sales tax reports, since from checking previously, Mike doesn't have a sales tax license.)
Stay tuned for more on this.
Comments
I think we may have finally gotten to the bottom of this one.
I smell two rats.
It sounds to me that someone is posting anonymously to cover his tracks.
There are just too many things that don't add up.
The two big issues are first, what sort of tax does Mike Schumacher owe the state and/or federal government for these payments?
Second, the really BIG issue is all those free meals. Probably should have skipped a couple of those.
Fuller could only take $1,000 from Hamilton's PAC because of Judicial ethical rules. Therefore, this was done to cover Fuller's tracks . . . another campaign finance and judicial ethical violation by Fuller. Schumacher's attempt to smear Kookier in order to keep the judicial ethics committee away from Fuller is laughable.
An unethical judge, an unethical city councilman and an unethical businessman trying to smear Kookier with their radioactiveness. What is the benefit to Hamilton in the election of Judge Fuller? Is it just the fact that they both like strip clubs or has Hamilton's business interests benefitted from Fuller's rulings? How has and will Hamilton benefit from Shaw's reelection? I'm sure someone knows the answers to these questions.
I can buy a radio ad or a billboard with my money and report to no one, if I understand the law correctly. It is not neccessary to report what I spend to support a friend is it ?
What if Fuller knew Hamilton's PAC was paying for Schumacher's services for his campaign and did not report as an in-kind contribution on his report? Could it be because he could not take over $1000 from Hamilton's PAC?
It looks more like a cover up for Fuller than Kookier. Schumacher and Hamilton are just trying to pin themselves to Kookier in order to politically harm him and keep the judicial ethics committee away from their true friend and partner Fuller.
Obviously, even Schumacher and Hamilton knows how harmful their association with anyone is right now. And they just keep scheming away.
Man is there alot of nastiness and backbiting in Rapid City politics. And it's all in the GOP family. The repubs in RC are far more vicious to each other than Dems have ever been to them.
When the McCoys (GOP) finish shooting each other in the back the Hatfields (Democrats) will take over.
OK, I will assume you are right, but I would fell better if you had a reference to the law, or, the chapter and I will read for myself.