Queens Couple Makes Questionable $61,600 Donation to McCain, RNC
By Logan Murphy Tuesday Aug 05, 2008 8:10pm
WASHINGTON — Alice Rocchio is an office manager at the New York headquarters of the Hess Corp., drives a 1993 Chevy Cavalier and lives in an apartment in Queens, N.Y., with her husband, Pasquale, an Amtrak foreman.
Despite what appears to be a middle-class lifestyle, the couple has written $61,600 in checks to John McCain's presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee, most of it within days of McCain's decision to endorse offshore oil drilling.
A former FEC official said that it's possible that the Rocchios had the means to make those hefty contributions — their first reported donations to a federal campaign. But the official, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that their donations also could trigger a complaint or otherwise catch the eyes of the agency's enforcement staff, tasked to ensure that companies or wealthy individuals don't illegally circumvent contribution limits by using employees or other third parties as "conduits'' for cash. Read on...
TPM has been all over this story and it now appears that the Rocchios aren't the only ones who are under the microscope for questionable donations to McCain and the RNC. And is it a coincidence that only a week after donations from a major American oil company low level employee, Flip Flop McCain changes his attitude on off-shore drilling? On top of that, in a TPM update, the Rocchios are renters and that their donations exceed the median household income for the area they live in.
Late Update: There's a bit of dispute over whether Flushing, Queens, should be described as "middle class" or "lower middle class." It turns out that the median household income in the Rocchios' zip code is $58,069. Read on...
When the Norman Hsu story broke, Hillary Clinton was pounded day after day by the media, so we should expect them to be all over this story -- right? Perhaps Keith Olbermann will run with this story and give it the national scrutiny it deserves.
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Big Oil using middle income people as fronts for their illegal donations?
If it lies on the beach and looks like a fish and stinks in the sun .....
It's probably pretty fishy.
Cindy! for Vice President!
... she's gonna be there anyway...
The whole thing just stinks. McCain acts like he's approaching full blown alzheimers.
please tell me after an investigation it's HESS money
If this really happened, it would have been on the nightly news with Katie Couric, no?
Beef Jerky @ 5:
LOL ... thanks, now that is full blown snark.
Well done.
i hope they get to the bottom of that.
I would call any donation to the McCain campaign questionable.
oil, money, despicable! F 'em.
Oil $$$ mules?
I bet there's some money in that.
Congress should subpoena them and question the donors
Ya know, I'm glad that C&L posts stories like this, but honestly, if anyone would try to use this against McCain, it would probably come back to hurt Obama, too.
Not that I'm saying Obama is guilty of this, but I think that if your typical, non-reading voter reads this, s/he simply assumes that, well, Obama must be doing it too. MOTR voters don't give a flying fuck about who's putting money in the pockets of politicians, but who's putting monet into the pockets of the MOTR voters.
Obama should take a page from the Clinton campaign of '92 and make this about the economy, the economy and the economy.
Andy K Jong Il @ 12:
FIFM
Andy K Jong Il @ 12:
Damn, I thought he was doing that. I'll have to call his campaign tomorrow to let him know that he has to make this about the economy.
Can we say "paid in cash" boys and girls? Typical criminals in the Bush crime family. Wouldn't you love to review their tax returns.
Something is rotten in
DenmarkQueens.So why is mccain flip flopping on this issue but Obama is just "shifting" only difference i see is mccain is actively endorsing it and obama is just reluctant about it but still willing.
Old Man McCain has that creepy air about him that Joe Lieberman had, knowing he would be "elected" as an independent.
Well, at least they weren't Palestinians, like Obama's donations.
LOL
Mary @ 19:
Terrorists donate money to Barack Hussein Osama!
the national news corporations that still refuse
to scrutinize mcfuckhead the same way they have
obama, need to be shut down and now. it's time
we contact all their sponsors and boycott them all.
lies are lies whether you tell them or lie by omission.
Nothing, and I mean ABSOLUTELY nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to how corrupt and slimy the republican party has become.
Can't steal an election?
Then lets circumvent the rules of campaign finance instead.
Don't have any REAL policies?
Then lets attack someones character.
I won't even make a comment about how people are fooled by this shit...... they're not. They WILLFULLY accept these tactics as surely as they would kick someone in the balls to get the upper hand in a fight.
Time to start fighting dirty. I cannot survive another term (or god forbid TWO) of lying psychopaths pretending to run this country.
Andy K Jong Il @ 12:
Beef Jerky @ 5:
please take your head out of the sand.
she is as biased for mcfuckhead as can be.
Ron @ 14:
He's getting off of it when he gets into energy policy. Not that his energy policy is bad...It's not. But people don't want to even think about buying an electric car, or a hybrid, when they're having a hard time making their note on the car they own NOW.(Speaking locally, electric & hybrid cars might sell her in MI, but only because we expect that we will be building 'em. Whether that turns out to be the case is a different story.)
And as much as Obama's base gets behind him on Iraq, it isn't the mover that lots of good jobs are. Shifting the tax burden off of Joe Sixpack by repealing Bushco's tax cuts to the most wealty sells these days.
The national media failing to scrutinize mccain? why because its makes for boring tv covering his gaffes, thats more up the daily shows ally, i doubt it has to do with some great conspiracy.
On the other hand whats with all the hosts fawning all over barack obama like he is the 2nd coming of jesus.
Also when talking about how dirty the republicans are (which your 100% right) lets not forget that the democrats aren't exactly innocent either. Lets take a look at obama's relationship with slumlord rezko for a small example.
Andy K Jong Il @ 25:
did you hear about obama's energy rebate? there is no quick fix if you've got it share it. windfall tax isn't a bad idea for now.....
constituent @ 23:
Put this in front of the FEC, and I'm down with it. But the FEC, iirc, is lacking enough commisioners to be able to rule on it.
But, and I assure you of this, put this issue in front of a Democratic controlled House committee, and McCain screams partisanship...and the MSM will scream it along with him.
What's wrong with this? I grew up in Queens. Everyone knows that the middle class families in this area all have an extra $61K laying around for political contributions.
It's all legit. What's the problem?
Ohh...looook...over there!!! A terrorist!!!
gallery @ 22:
My first reaction would be: "hell, yeah, fight the bastards, F 'em, no quarter given" but are "we" really want to get as low as them feckers? Don't we need the truth insted of being dirty? leave the dirt to the repubes. OK! I understand your feeling tho. *sad*
Liberal AND Proud @ 29:
Thanks for the first good laugh I've had all day!
dadams @ 24:
That was a joke. Humor.
doogie @ 26:
after that "small example" let's look at delay,frist,lott,cheney,bush,abramoff some bigger examples.
whatever came of that rezko guy and obama i heard nothing
It's possible that the donations were from their own funds. They haven't donated before and it's possible they're big savers...
It's also possible that the Hess Office Manager has stock options than can only be exercised if the stock price goes up/maintains value. She could also hold stock and realize she's only going to see appreciation if Hess gets to drill offshore. It might be in her interest to see a man elected who wants to expand US Offshore drilling (and inland) as well as not promoting demand killing energy alternatives (which would really hurt).
Hess has fairly limited domestic production and produces in the Gulf (w/partners), a little in Kansas, Europe,Asia, and Africa. They do a lot of offshore drilling. Hess is well placed to benefit from US offshore drilling expansion.
It's also possible that she got the donations from elsewhere. Or that she was told that she'd get a promotion etc. If I were in the oil and gas sector I'd donate to McCain, though.
bayonet @ 30:
Yes, goddammit! We do! Fight dirty and win. Kick the bastards when they fall. Attack them again and again. The truth? They don't air the truth on the TV. And making "nice" with the fuckers, well, just ask Gore or Kerry.
constituent @ 27:
I work with a lot of folks who normally didn't vote in the past, or let their religion choose their candidates (which was nearly 100% GOP)...But now I'm hearing a lot, from both of those camps, about how tough it is to make their house payment or rent, how their hours are being cut, and how you can bet that the board members of the corporation that owns our medical facility sure as hell aren't feeling the crunch. So, yeah, that winfall profits tax sells...economic class sells right now, plain and simple. It might not have four years ago, and it might not four years from now, but right now...
if the American people, a large number of them, feel they dont have enough news about McCain, by all means start with this sort of news. the MSM should be doing their jobs anyway, but if folks are getting Obama Overload then for sure get on McCain and all the news about him thats fit to print. and boyo is there a loto. if its seen as negative news well then thats just too bad. perhaps he shouldnt have generated it. hey he wants the job of Prez, and all this sort of stuff goes with it. it is that simple.
Just another day for republican thieves and liars.
I love how the trolls come in force when a juicy tidbit like this rises to the surface. Guilt by association.
dadams @ 24:
snark alert dude or dudette
It's not just a 58,000 dollar median income. It's 58k in NYC. 58k doesn't go as far in NYC as it does elsewhere.
isn't mccain-feingold suppose to work that way?
Gorobei @ 41:
Not in Los Angeles either. That's why this story reeks of foul play for me, but especially because they have NO HISTORY of campaign donations in prior elections. I'm going to chill a nice year for when these frauds get exposed.
$2300 per person !!
By exposing such sham donations, Obama will not be hurt. I've been wondering if anyone would notice this, so thanks.
Trolls are paid to follow such stories and plant seeds in our brains to question the obvious facts. Think, speak, act. And don't read their crap--it only gives you a headache.
Figures it was Queens, nobody in Manhattan would donate to McCain.....except the stuffy rich folks on the upper east side.
if this is illegal it would certainly hurt mcBush....especially since he became so into off-shore drilling after the contribution. oil and dirty money not a good receipe....
If the Frost family of Baltimore was attacked for being "rich," what's the reponse to this couple going to be?
Jo @ 35:
i feel sorry for you that you are willing to get that low. I'm all for attacking, beat the bastards but don't be a nazi like faux.
Remember during the S-CHIP "battles", how the wingnuts went crazy over the family that was supposed to be eligible (and was), digging into their personal financial records, etc.....
Thank you Lord for allowing me to witness the downfall of the Republican Party. Sweet.
It does look very suspicious for this couple to have the means to make these large contributions. The Dems should file a complaint because I will bet cash, which is just as good as money, that the oil companies are spreading their billions in profits to make sure their "Man" wins in November and keeps the good times rolling. Big Oil wants to stay Big.
OHhhhhhhh!
They're gonna get sooooooooo busted!
Mmmmm, I can taste the popcorn already. yum.
This has been going on for years. When I worked for an aerospace contractor in Southern California, my boss, a department manager was FORCED to "donate" to the Republican PAC for Bush SR or LOOSE HIS JOB. He had a wife and 2 kids and he felt like he was being shaken down.
He was.
This has been going on for years. You ante up to the party or loose any hope of a raise, a promotion, or staying off the layoff list.
How long will Americans allow this to continue?
This is right out of the Keating Five scandal, the alleged catalyst for the BS that was the "Straight Talk Maverick" (tm). This guy is the same sleaze bag he's always been. Makes you long for Bob Dole.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz the sound of media sleeping through this story. Hum what would ever make the media spring to action? Oh yeah if this was a Obama supporter donating this crazy odd amount of money. SHHHHHHH dont want to wake the media they are exhausted from a jam packed day of coverng Mcain's ass
WaPo had another great story on this. Check out this Taco Bell supervisor who is not even registered to vote:
Hey McCain, why don't we start "Drill Here, Drill Now," by drilling on your ranch in Sedona, Arizona and see what we find? That would be the American Hero thing to do wouldn't it? I hope Cindy doesn't mind.
OH, PLEASE! Get off the worn and haggard Tucker Carlson/Bill O'Reilly/Rush Limbaugh Repub "talking points" and that old Hillary/PUMA Rezko B.S. Peeps are simply excited that there is a strong chance we'll have a president who is not beholden to the corporate world - as Hillary or any Repub candidate would be.
doogie @ 26:
Rezko was already tried. Both the Hillary camp and the McCain camp sat in the peanut gallery of the courtroom every single day, taking down every word uttered. Neither group (covering both Repubs and Democrats) could find a thing to hang on Obama. And, trust me, they tried. Look up the facts. Do your own research, rather than rely on Repub talking points and Hillary attack lines.
Be interesting to see if the Rocchios feel harrassed, get fed up, move into their own, brand new home somewhere.Wouldn't be surprised...And where would that money come from?
How deep does the filth have to get, in the ENTIRE system, before anything other than talking about it well be done?
Writing books about it accomplishes nothing.
Talking about it accomplishes nothing.
Reporting it on some news channels for 20 sec's, just once, accomplishes nothing.
Telling N. Pelosi about it, when available, makes it worse. She'll guarantee nothing will be done about it.
It's the "system" that binds us.
MSM say:
*cricket*
...
...
*cricket cricket*
Lived in the neighborhood five miles east for twenty years. Will visit family there tomorrow.
For the most part, this is a middle-class neighborhood, with many struggling to make ends meet. Other than a few entrepreneurs who own their own businesses, and the odd lawyer or doctor who hasn't moved to the burbs, nobody in that area has that much money to throw around recklessly.
It doesn't matter if McSame gets a TRILLION dolllars in donations.
he has NO message, inspires NO ONE, has NO enthusiasm, his own party hates him, he understands NOTHING about government eventho he's been part of the problem for almost 30 years and he's endorsed by BUSH !!!
There's not enough money on the planet to overcome those hurdles.
I understand that one of the contributors owns, of all things, a hookah lounge.
A hookah lounge? So, is Big Tobacco climbing in bed with Big Oil? Given this Administration, its' been 7 years of 'cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria!'
McCain will get away with it you know. Worst case scenario, this is how it will go down:
The allegations will be proven true. McCain will be shocked "shocked!" to find out money was raised illegally for him. He'll donate all the ill gotten booty to charity. And then we'll continue on later that same week as though nothing happened.
Politicians are made of Teflon, that's kinda a requirement nowadays.
The interesting bit is that 'wage slave' people connected with the Hess corp each maxed out their candidate donation quota at $2,300
and theres ten identical $28,500 donations to the RNC by Hess connected people.
Thats the fishy part, its money laundering at the very basic, breaks FEC rules in the process and prob IRS ones too,
it also counts as taxable income to the donors etc.
James in Colorado @ 66:
How wlll McCain explain away his double dipping of private AND public (TAXYPAYER) campaign monies in September.
This will break FEC rules on campaign finance, and be a big kick in the face to the taxpayer.
I find the story about the Queens couple so terribly romantic. There is nothing sweeter or more heart warming than a married couple prostituting themselves together for a big, oil company. Lifetime should make a movie about it.
Oh please you'd have to have your head up your ass not to know these people are just funneling cash from their bosses to mcstain.
But as usual it's not a problem when a reslug commits a crime. It's not a crime at all. It's just business as usual.
ferrofluid @ 68:
Don't know, but who's going to hold him accountable? You? Me? The Media? Let's be real, nothing is going to stick to this guy. He could go Scott Peterson on Cindy and get away with it. (Not that I wish her any harm, mind you. She just seems more human compared to her husband).
this is all a bunch of nonsense!!
we all know that the oil companies are just pouring money off there asses to support his crazy decisions
and frankley mccain is an ass that dont know how to convince the american people...
if it were me i'll question everything he does...
obama all the way...
vote obama08:D
i think that those donations coming from large oil companies are going to expect something back in return...
McCain is making nonsense decisions that is convincing the oil companies and they are getting carried away by his "lovely words"...lol
*Vote for ObAMa!!.(^_^)....
man all ya got to get off obamas nutts...!!GO McCAIN!! u got my vote....
This is all a bunch of nonsense!!
we all know that as soon as Mcain said lets drill, the oil companies started pouring money of their asses to support his crazy decisions
and frankley Mcain is an ass that don't know to convince the American people...
if it was me i'd question everything he does...
it doesn't take a genius to know there going to want something in return!!
he does not know what he's getting himself into.
i think that those donations coming in from the oil companies are goinG to expect something back in return WHO KNOS IF THEY WILL GET SOMETHING BACK IN RETURN
McCain is making nonsense decisions and the oil companies are getting carried away by his "lovely words"..LOL
vOtE foR oBaMa!!.(^_^)..
Prantha @ 59:
"Peeps are simply excited that there is a strong chance we’ll have a president who is not beholden to the corporate world".
And just who would that be?
Its waaaay too late for a candidate the not "beholden".
Not gonna happen.
I think government should fund campaigns through tax dollars. That way, corporations would not be allowed to influence elections.
.....P.u.b.l.i.c.a.l.l.y F.i.n.a.n.c.e.d thru taxation campaigns for public office...
It's the ONLY way to end this SHIT now!!!! Well, that and repeal of that 19th century scam that gave personhood to corporations.... We can do these things, make our legislators do these two things and put an end, finally, to this stupid farce... And then the scheming shit like Diebold won't matter... Or we can keep putting up with this shit and it's only going to get worse in the future... JD
Well i feel that they shouldn't be giving money to a candidate who is not gonna be president, it's just a waist of time and money
jayjay @ 74:
ma forget McCain......................................Go Obama.....Whhoo
{Deleted, Please Do Not post in all caps or in all Bold lettering. It's yelling. Thank You. SiteMonitor}
I think that this whole thing is Bologna, cause how can someone live in a apartment paying rent and have that much money to donate,......there is a lot of explaining to do about this whole situation
The fact that oil companie's are donating money to John McCains campaigm is simply ridiculous. If they don't really have enough money to be donating why do they do it. The reason why i think that they give money is to get something in return for the money they gave. I just hope that by taking that money John McCain uses it for good causes and doesn't screw us over. The economy is bad as it is.
Why isn't Michelle Malkin on top of this, checking their countertops?
Olbermann better not cover it. Bob Somerby over at the Daily Howler will find an angle to accuse him of sexism. He is hammering Keith for his Cindy McCain Miss Buffalo Chip story even though CBS and ABC still have links up to this story and MSNBC and Countdown have moved on. He ahs also given ABC a pass on the Race Card Flap.
Is he standing next to Jan Croutch?
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