FBI searching Annapolis GOP fundraising firm

[EC]

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —

The FBI confirms agents are executing a search warrant at an office of a GOP fundraiser/consulting firm in Annapolis, the 11 News I-Team has learned.

The investigation is being run out of Washington, not locally, the I-Team has learned.

The FBI used trash bags to cover a window at the offices of Strategic Campaign Group at 191 Main St.

The firm is touted for pioneering the use of technology in political campaigns, and it represents GOP candidates nationwide.

http://www.wbaltv.com/article/fbi-searching-annapolis-fundraiserconsulting-firm/9639787

[driftdiver]

They'll be investigating the Clinton Foundation tomorrow, right?   right?

 

[Frank Cannon]

My unnamed sources tell me that this outfit was a Russian front because they ran anti-Hillary ads in the campaign.

[Sanguine]

They'll be investigating the Clinton Foundation tomorrow, right?   right?

 

You betcha!

[Cripplecreek]

If I recall correctly Strategic consulting group is connected to Paul Manafort and Roger stone.

[EC]

If I recall correctly Strategic consulting group is connected to Paul Manafort and Roger stone.

Manafort, certainly, through Dennis Whitfield.

[Cripplecreek]

Manafort, certainly, through Dennis Whitfield.

Ken Cuccinelli sued the company a few years ago. He paid them a bunch of money and they did little to help his campaign.

There seems to be a real problem with these "consulting firms".

In 2012 the firm Mitt Romney hired to help him GOTV oddly collapsed on election eve and didn't make the phone calls and contacts they were paid for. Just a few weeks ago it was disclosed that Steve Bannon was a major stockholder with the consulting firm hired by Ted Cruz and Bannon was running a campaign against Cruz via Breitbart before openly going to work for Trump.

A lot of people on the right seem to be cheering their guys getting away with things but the mills of God grind exceedingly small.

[Sanguine]

Ken Cuccinelli sued the company a few years ago. He paid them a bunch of money and they did little to help his campaign.

There seems to be a real problem with these "consulting firms".

In 2012 the firm Mitt Romney hired to help him GOTV oddly collapsed on election eve and didn't make the phone calls and contacts they were paid for. Just a few weeks ago it was disclosed that Steve Bannon was a major stockholder with the consulting firm hired by Ted Cruz and Bannon was running a campaign against Cruz via Breitbart before openly going to work for Trump.

A lot of people on the right seem to be cheering their guys getting away with things but the mills of God grind exceedingly small.

And, these companies seem to have an inordinate amount of power to affect election results. 

[Cripplecreek]

And, these companies seem to have an inordinate amount of power to affect election results.

Yes they do and unfortunately they're multinational and have too much power globally.

[Right_in_Virginia]

The FBI confirmed it served a search warrant in Annapolis, Maryland, but declined to elaborate. Kelley Rogers, president of Strategic Campaign Group, told reporters the investigation relates to work the consultant did for former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, the GOP's 2013 gubernatorial candidate.

Rogers told reporters that his firm settled a lawsuit brought by the Cuccinelli campaign after he lost the governor's race to Democrat Terry McAuliffe. Roger said the investigation appears to have stemmed from allegations in that lawsuit.

Cuccinelli sued Strategic Campaign Group in 2014, alleging that the company and a political action committee duped donors. Cuccinelli said the Conservative StrikeForce PAC raised $2.2 million in 2013, largely by promising donors the money would help Cuccinelli in his ultimately unsuccessful Virginia campaign against McAuliffe. The PAC only gave $10,000 to Cuccinelli's campaign, which was heavily outspent by McAuliffe.

Cuccinelli's lawsuit described the StrikeForce PAC as being "controlled by" Strategic Campaign Group. The company and the PAC settled with Cuccinelli in 2015, agreeing to pay his gubernatorial campaign $85,000.

Several political campaigns in recent years have complained of so-called "scam PACs" that purportedly raise money to help a political campaign, but instead enrich consultants and others with the bulk of the funds. Such groups have become more prevalent in recent years after a series of court rulings, including the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United decisions, reshaped the campaign finance landscape and boosted the prominence of groups not directly associated with a candidate.

Cuccinelli said Wednesday in a statement to The Associated Press that he'd not spoken to any federal law enforcement officials about Strategic Campaign Group but is "curious" to see where the case goes.

"It was my hope when we brought our lawsuit to cast light on the dark practices of scam PACs. I think we did that successfully," Cuccinelli said. "Any cleaning up of these practices would be good for our political system.


http://www.startribune.com/fbi-raids-maryland-republican-political-consultant-s-office/422037093/