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Did Marcus Bachmann Drive 412 Miles A Day For 34 Days For Michele’s Campaign?

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Did Marcus Bachmann drive 412 miles a day for 34 days, in service to the congressional re-election campaign of his wife, now-presidential candidate Michele Bachmann? That’s what one might presume if they looked at the Bachmann For Congress Federal Election Commission filing form for the period of November 28, 2006 – December 31, 2008 — after Michele Bachmann was re-elected.

Matt Lewis at The Daily Caller reports:

But while recent controversies have kept reporters busy, irregularities in Bachmann’s financial reports date back to her first bid for Congress in 2006. And interestingly, her husband Marcus Bachmann is at the center of the controversy.

According to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (see page 16 of this PDF), covering the period between November 28 and December 31 of 2006, Marcus was reimbursed $6,230 for mileage.

(Bachmann treasurer Joe Droogsma — who was also reimbursed for car insurance — was also paid $4,450 for mileage incurred during the same time period.)

Granted, $6,230 hardly seems like a shockingly large amount of money for a spouse to be reimbursed for campaign expenses. But considering that the IRS’s standard mileage rate was 44.5 cents per mile, and that the farthest opposing corners of Minnesota’s sixth district stretch about 120 miles, Marcus Bachmann would have had to have driven 14,000 miles (58 round trips) in the span of 1 month to warrant the money.

This, of course, seems physically impossible and highly unlikely (especially considering the mileage was accrued after Bachmann had already won). As such, my guess is that the mileage probably accrued throughout the campaign, but was never reported until after election day — a violation of FEC law.

This raises other questions, including: Would the money have been reported and reimbursed at all had Bachmann lost the campaign (or had the campaign ended in debt to other vendors)?

Failing to reimburse a spouse for something may seem harmless. But spouses are limited to the same contribution levels as any other citizen — and $6,230 would have certainly exceeded the legal maximum limit.

Additionally, it is unclear whether or not Michele Bachmann was a co-owner of the car — or if Bachmann & Associates might have actually owned it (which might have constituted as an illegal corporate contribution). Bachmann’s campaign and congressional offices failed to return repeated phone calls and emails requesting comment and clarification.

Doing some legwork, I found that the type of reinbursement (002) Marcus Bachmann claimed, “002  Travel Expenses—including travel reimbursement expenses (e.g., costs of commercial carrier tickets; reimbursements for use of private vehicles, advance payments for use of corporate aircraft; lodging and meal expenses incurred during travel).”

So, Matt Lewis, “mileage” is just one small part of the category. But it brings up a good question, as do some other items on the form. Like, the ones in category 001…

Are you guys sure The Daily Caller is right wing?

 

(Hat tip to tNCRM reader Ned Flaherty.)

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Trump Indicted by Grand Jury: Reports

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June 8, 2023

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Donald Trump’s attorneys have been notified a grand jury has voted to indict the ex-president on numerous federal charges and ordered to appear in a Miami court next Tuesday, according to ABC News, CNN, and NBC News. Trump on his Truth Social account made a similar claim..

“Former President Donald Trump has been indicted in the special counsel’s classified documents probe, sources familiar with the matter tells CNN,” the network reports. “Trump has been charged with seven counts in the indictment, according to another source familiar with the matter.”

“We’re learning from our sources that there appears to be at least seven counts here,” ABC News’ Katherine Faulders reported on-air, ABC News online reports.. “This ranges from everything from the willful retention of national defense information to conspiracy to a scheme to conceal to false statements and representations.”

MSNBC on-air reports NBC News has confirmed the Trump indictment, and NBC News online reports the indictment is “in connection with his mishandling of more than 100 classified documents that were discovered last year at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, making the twice-impeached former commander-in-chief the first former president to face federal criminal charges.”

Watch this currently ongoing ABC News live streaming video:

In three separate entries on his Truth Social platform, Trump writes: “The corrupt Biden Administration has informed my attorneys that I have been Indicted,” along with several false allegations NCRM will not publish.

“I have been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 PM,” he adds.

He also declares he is “innocent.”

This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change.

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‘Where’s the Money?’: Biden Laughs Out Loud, Mocks GOP’s Allegations

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June 8, 2023

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Just as his press conference with the U.K. Prime Minister was coming to a close and reporters were asked to remain seated, a jovial President Joe Biden stayed and took several questions from reporters desperate to ask about Republicans’ baseless and unsubstantiated claims he accepted millions in bribe money when he was vice president.

Shouting “bribery allegations,” one reporter told the President, “Congresswoman Nancy Mace says there’s damning evidence in an FBI file that you sold out the country.”

As a smile worked its way across the President’s face, the reporter continued saying: “Do you have a response to congressional Republicans?”

The President did.

“Where’s the money?” he deadpanned.

“I’m joking,” he added.

READ MORE: Watch: Stunned Bill Barr Speechless After Fox Host Asks Why DOJ Is Pursuing Trump ‘In the Middle’ of an Election

“That’s a bunch of malarkey,” Biden ultimately responded, denying the claims which were fueled by FBI Director Chris Wray’s decision to allow the entire House Oversight Committee, in eluding far-right Republicans, access to an old FBI form documenting a second-hand tip alleging bribery.

NBC News Peter Alexander then threw a curious question at the President.

“Mr. President, what do you say to Americans to convince them that they should trust the independence and fairness of the Justice Department when your predecessor, Donald Trump, repeatedly attacks it?”

Biden quickly became less jovial.

READ MORE: SCOTUS ‘Surprise’ Voting Rights Decision Could – and Did – Have Big Implications for Democrats, Legal Experts Say

“Because you notice,” he said very seriously, pointing his finger at the reporter, “I have never once, not one single time, suggested to the Justice Department what they should do or not do relative bringing a charge or not bringing a charge.”

“I’m honest,” he stressed.

Foreign policy, national security, and political affairs analyst and commentator David Rothkopf responded to the video clip, stating: “Questions like these are not serious journalism.”

Watch below or at this link.

 

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Watch: Stunned Bill Barr Speechless After Fox Host Asks Why DOJ Is Pursuing Trump ‘In the Middle’ of an Election

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June 8, 2023

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Former Trump Attorney General Bill Barr, once one of the ex-president’s top defenders, appeared stunned and speechless Thursday afternoon when a Fox News host surprised him by asking why the U.S. Dept. of Justice is pursuing a criminal investigation against Trump over classified documents while he is running again for president.

“Why is this process happening so quickly in the middle of a presidential election?” Fox’s Martha MacCallum asked. She neglected to mention that Donald Trump reportedly announced his presidential campaign to avoid being charged.

Barr, who is on record stating he opposes Trump’s actions surrounding the hundreds of classified and top secret documents he likely unlawfully removed from the White House and refused to return, paused for several seconds before replying.

“Uh,” Barr finally replied, “This, this was a fairly simple case,” he said, appearing to defend DOJ.

READ MORE: SCOTUS ‘Surprise’ Voting Rights Decision Could – and Did – Have Big Implications for Democrats, Legal Experts Say

“The Mar-a-Lago case. This is a case that can be done relatively quickly, and that’s why I thought, it’s the main – because it’s a very limited question,” Barr explained, shifting gears. “It relates to, ah, one collection of documents and and why they weren’t given to the government once they were subpoenaed. And it’s a pretty simple case.”

Moving on, MacCallum asked, “And you believe that the charge will be obstruction, based on what you’ve said before?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Barr responded, seeming to not want to bet pinned down to an answer, “if I had to bet I think that that there’s going to be an indictment here on that basis, but it’s not going to be because he took the documents, or even had the documents for a while. I think it’s because they believe that he acted deceitfully once the government tried to get the documents back.”

On Tuesday, Barr spoke with CBS News to refute his ex-boss’s “witch hunt” claims, said the ex-president had “jerked” DOJ around over the hundreds of classified and top secret documents he refused to return, and added there was “no excuse” to do so.

READ MORE: Biden Launches Major Initiative to Protect LGBTQ Community Ahead of Massive White House Pride Celebration

Watch Barr below or at this link.

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