Riddle me this: How does a Colonel in the Marine Corps with 23 years of service and five combat deployments since 9/11 get passed over by some of the GOP’s biggest names for an unemployed Indian American woman who has never heard of Common Core? Unless you believe that running an inarticulate novice that’s been “on the dole” for two years is part of a grand new strategy of Republican diversity, something stinks in Illinois’ 8th Congressional district.
“Hey, Larry, we’ve been given $10,000 by Mr. Kumar to endorse Manju. We like you, we know you’re going to win, but we needed the money and we took it.” (State Representative Staff Member to Larry Kaifesh, Congressional candidate, IL-8) Kaifesh continued, “I will be surprised if someone doesn’t go to jail after the investigations have been finished.”
The story of Manju Goel is a rags to riches saga: her rags and a shady SuperPAC’s riches. Numerous fraudulent social media sites have been created by the Indian Americans for Freedom SuperPAC (IAFF). The sites pretend to be part of the Kaifesh campaign and they carry misleading, even slanderous information. The SuperPAC started by businessman Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar in August of 2012 shares an address with Goel’s campaign office yet she denies having any knowledge of the PAC or their tactics. They are currently “Not in Good Standing” with the Illinois Secretary of State’s office and have a complaint filed against them with the Federal Elections Commission.
The Illinois “business woman,” who claims to be a “healthcare consultant,” has been for the last two years, collecting unemployment. So how did a political nobody that’s got a learning curve the size of the Mega Ramp at the X-games get the endorsements of Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, and radio personality and former 8th district congressman, Joe Walsh? Many believe it was the old “Chicago way”: she paid for it.
Sources say that somewhere around three million dollars may have been spread around to secure these endorsements with some checks entering the seven digit plateau. Newt Gingrich has been mum on the issue, the Daily Herald backed out and will not endorse a candidate in the 8th, but Herman Cain denies having ever endorsed the candidate.
In a letter addressed to Arlington Heights Tea Party Chairman, Art Ellingsen, Cain’s Executive Assistant states:
I am writing to let you know that Mr. Cain did not, in fact, endorse Manju Goel for Congress. Furthermore, I have contacted Ms. Andrea Smith, Deputy Campaign Manager, for Ms. Goel’s campaign today and asked them to remove this inaccurate information from their website at Mr. Cain’s request. In other, more specific words, he has asked them, through my direct telephone contact, to “cease and desist” in these efforts to make it appear as though Mr. Cain has endorsed her candidacy. If they do not remove this information from their website, Mr. Cain may decide to contact his attorney. They were also not authorized to use his likeness or photo, which, by the way, is an old, out of date photo, which her campaign probably pulled from the Internet.
The Daily Herald has since, rescinded its endorsement but Joe Walsh has doubled down as recently as last week in an article defending his endorsement in Illinois Review.
When we [Uncommon Show] interviewed Walsh back in October of last year, I didn’t realize the irony: Joe came on to defend his endorsement on the 31st, Halloween; the perfect day to play trick or treat with an “Aw, shucks” conservative pose. It didn’t make sense then, it doesn’t make sense now. The difference is that back then most were only questioning Goel’s readiness; now it is her integrity that’s the main concern: and just why there appears to be a concerted campaign by big money flowing from an Indian businessman to seemingly “buy” a seat in the United States Congress.
“In recent days,” stated a press release by the Central Committee of the Kane County Republicans, “We have been deeply disturbed at the barrage of falsehoods against the 8th Congressional District Candidate Larry Kaifesh. …We unanimously condemn these tactics. …We ask all voters and the news media to consider or reconsider carefully the motivation and special interests of those who seek political gain from character assassination.”
Republican chairs from three different counties have now either censured Goel or asked her to withdraw from the campaign due to “conduct unbecoming a Republican candidate.” As of this date, she remains in the race and with the election being held this Tuesday; it looks as if she’s trying to “run out the clock.” Congressman Tammy Duckworth and her Democrat puppet masters must be enjoying the show.
Look, this is Chicago; Republicans and Democrats have their own wing in the Federal penitentiaries here. It’s not rocket science, so let me connect the dots: Some big Republican faces look at a map drawn by Democrats for Democrats and they figure the Republican has little chance to win. Democrat Tammy Duckworth beat Walsh by double digits after the Democrats gerrymandered the district to be a perennial Democrat seat. A candidate’s campaign starts throwing money around in what they deem is a losing proposition anyway so their endorsement goes to the highest bidder: in this case, the only bidder. Probably the only thing they have against Col. Kaifesh is that he doesn’t have the backing of “foreign money.” Without millions of Indian dollars to sweeten the tea, Kaifesh is persona non grata.
In this case, even in the “pro-military” GOP, it sucks to be a 23 year veteran of the Corps who has served five combat tours since 9/11. Kaifesh may be Red, White, and Blue, but Goel is green. Sadly, politicians go with the green. And apparently even among Tea Party “heroes,” – Money talks and Semper Fi walks.
A summary interview with Republican Congressional Candidate Larry Kaifesh, Cook County GOP Chairman Aaron Del Mar, Jim Slusher of the Daily Herald Editorial Board, and John Kirkwood, David Steiger and Carol Ann Parisi of the Uncommon Show, can be heard here: GOEL SCANDAL.
Although the Goel campaign was contacted several times by staff at The Uncommon Show and offered the opportunity to give their side of the story, they refused to come on the air.
<ahref=”http://uncommonshow.com/mp3/20140314/20140314_01.mp3″>http://uncommonshow.com/mp3/20140314/20140314_01.mp3
Image: Courtesy of: http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2014/02/goel-turns-up-campaign-hijinks-to-smear-kaifesh.html
