Consider the Source

Dummycrat Polk County Auditor/Commissioner of Elections Michael Mauro was really reaching when he chose the Editorial Board of the Ragister to defend his reputation from his Republican opponent for Secretary of State, Mary Ann Hanusa.

Here's what Hanusa said..."I have a record of public service. ... My record of public service is marked by honesty, integrity and credibility. Yes, Mr. Mauro has experience as Polk County auditor, but I also think his experience has been marred by a series of investigations and ethical questions, which should trouble any Iowans, especially for someone who is trying to secure the top position for shepherding Iowa's elections."

Ms. Hanusa was referring to a 1998 investigation the U.S. Attorneys Office opened regarding voter fraud in Michael's brother John's primary defeat of Gene Phillips. Phillips then ran as an Independent and defeated the incumbent, John Mauro, in the general election for County Supervisor.

Michael Mauro's rebuttal to Hanusa was..."While I was running what The Des Moines Register Editorial Board referred to as a 'pristine office,' my opponent was working for an administration mired in scandals."

HA! There's the CHUCKLE! The Ragister likes me. They really, really like me! Find me a Dummycrat they don't love.

Mauro, pictured small because he comes across as small & petty, mentioned that everyone involved in the voting fraud investigation was cleared in the probe.

Just because a Grand Jury declined to indict anyone doesn't mean you were cleared, or you're innocent O.J.!

Oh, The administration mired in scandals? Ms. Hanusa was Director of President Bush's personal correspondence and resigned to run against Mauro.

Still not sure what "scandals" he's citing, but if anyone knows scandalous behavior it's Mauro....

Mauro's brother John was on the Board of Director's of CIETC.

Ramona Cunningham, former CIETC Head Skank, contributed $300 to Michael Mauro's campaign for Secretary of State.

Cunningham's daughter, Ruth Shepard, is employed in Michael Mauro's Polk County Election Office.

Michael Mauro's son, Steve, works for CIETC and received a $10,000 bonus.

Victor Scaglione used to work in Michael Mauro's Polk County Election office, but left to work for CIETC where he received a $5,000 bonus.

Talk about Muck & Mire for hire!

That's a guy I want running elections in Iowa! Tom Vilsack and the Dummycrats do.

They have three political action committees, one of which is Vilsack's Heartland Pac, spotlighting secretary of state candidates in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and Ohio.

Secretaries of State control most voting regulations and influence state purchases of voting machines and the Dummycrats want the White House in 2008.

To Mauro, To Mauro

Iowa Secretary of State Michael Mauro, pictured with some other Secretary of State, received press for launching his first TV spot in his re-election effort.

It's the first TV spot paid for by his campaign anyway and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Michael Mauro! Michael Mauro!
We'll re-elect ya Michael Mauro!
That's La Macchina way!

Dig a little deeper in the well boys

Another Dummycrat was indicted in the long going Central Iowa Employment and Training (CIETC) fiasco.

Victor Scaglione is alleged to have lied to a grand jury about drinking and gambling by CIETC employees while on the clock, usually Friday afternoons at Prairie Meadows.

Scaglione received nearly $30,000 in bonuses from his employer.

With all the insidious episodes of incest you'd think we were in Arkansas.

Scaglione used to work in Michael Mauro's Polk County Election office.

Mauro is now Iowa Secretary of State.

Mauro's son Steve worked for CIETC and also received bonuses.

Ramona Cunningham, former CIETC Head Skank and pictured with CommieTommie Harkin who said he never met Cunningham, contributed $300 to Michael Mauro's campaign for Secretary of State.

Cunningham's daughter, Ruth Shepard, was employed in Michael Mauro's Polk County Election Office.

Mauro's brother John was on the Board of Director's for CIETC.

I feel dirty, yet ripping off the taxpayer is standard operating procedure for the Dummycrats and the scientific community is united in that fact.

I saw on TV that CIETC wants Scaglione to come back to work.

I guess that makes sense, today is Friday.

See you at the Meadows, I'll drink to that.

Coincidence?

Within hours of the release of poll, at the Iowa Republican, that showed him trailing Matt Schultz, Secretary of State Michael Mauro put out a press release claiming spending is down and revenue is up in his office.

Oddly, it took over a month to issue this Fiscal Year 2010 report and in his archived press releases, Mauro has never issued this report before.

For this report Mauro noted -- "We've dug in and done more than our share while handling hundreds of thousands of transactions for Iowans."

And

"We have fought – and continue to fight – to create real savings for Iowa taxpayers while generating increased revenue for the state treasury."

It would have been over $10,000 more if Mauro would have taken the 10% cut in his $103,212 tax payer paid salary that was mandated on other state employees

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Beautiful Sunday?

I'm surprised the Ragister is trickling out its endorsements this early, I thought that was a statewide Sunday paper sort of thing.

I haven't caught any comments on blogs about their endorsements.

It seems to me they'll have less effect, than the little they currently have, this way and the scientific community is united in that fact.

So far the Ragister's true to form as they've endorsed CONgressmen Bruce Braley and Dave No Sack...err Loebsack.

I expect they'll continue their endorsement of incumbents with Leonard BOZO-well and Tom Latham, but will support Matt Campbell over Steve King.

I'm torn, but I believe they'll pick Rozanne, err Taxanne Conlin over Chuck Grassley.

I think it's a sister thing for the women of the editorial board, even though Conlin's shown no improvement from the June primary when the Ragister backhandedly endorsed one of her opponents stating none is an especially impressive choice for the job of U.S. senator and We have reservations about all three candidates.

I have no doubt they'll support the Big Lug Nut over Terry Branstad because their coverage has been so over the top for Governor Culver.

Expect endorsements for Attorney General Tom Miller over Brenna Findley, Dave Vaudt for State Auditor over Jon Murphy, Secretary of State Michael Mauro over Matt Schultz, Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald instead of Dave Jamison and Bill Northey rather than Francis Thicke for Agriculture Secretary.

Not being one of the Mathletes, I have the Ragister supporting 3 Republicans and 9 Democrats.

Ten Percent?

Showing up her boss, the Big Lug Nut, Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge never took a 10% cut in her $103,212 tax payer paid salary.

Some top Iowa officials didn't accept cut in salary

Secretary of State Michael Mauro also didn't take a cut in his $103,212 tax payer paid salary, but he expects people to feel sorry for him...

"I've been in this job going on for about four years, and there's been no increase." This isn't a case where we've been greedy. There's been no increase. Not a cent."

It's an office he sought and is seeking re-election for and it's a bump up from the position he held as auditor for Polk County.

It looks like Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald has been in office so long that he doesn't care, which explains why he didn't cut his $103,212 tax payer paid salary.

"...I don't work for the governor. I work for the people of Iowa."

Hopefully not much longer and the scientific community is united in that fact.

It must be a coincidence that all are Dummycrats.

It took a while to clear up the BLN's 10% pay cut, but I still think he's going to have some problems with the tax authorities.

La Macchina

These two small men are the Mauro brothers, John and Mike.

John is a Polk County Supervisor and is seeking re-election. He served on the CIETC board that allowed taxpayers money to be used for extravagant salaries and bonuses.

Mike is the Polk County Auditor and in that capacity he oversees county elections. Mike Mauro is also seeking to be the next Iowa Secretary of State, in that capacity he would oversee state elections. (See Sunday 8/20 post, Consider the Source).

They and their South Side ilk have been a machine like fixture in politics for years. The South Side also gave us CIETC Board Chair Archie Brooks.

The Mauro's have a love/hate relationship with the term "Machine".

Michael says, "There is no political machine. If that were the case, we'd win every election."

John was featured in a US News & World Report article about how he delivered "La Macchina's" support to John Kerry in the 2004 Iowa Caucus. The article also mentions the absentee ballot support they've ginned up for CommieTommie Harkin and "The Pickle" (Tom Vilsack).

People think John recently denied the machine.

However, he only denied the term, La Macchina, and said he didn't write the US News article.

WHO TV/13 recently aired a report from John Mauro's 2002 campaign win over Gene Phillips and John said to his supporters, on camera, the machine isn't dead.

While not totally accurate this quote from Billy Martin suffices, "One's a born liar, the other's convicted".

Billy was talking about Reggie Jackson and George Steinbrenner, but it's CLOSE!

Appel Blight

Iowa Republican Party Chair Matt Strawn seems to know how to get the Dummycrat's goat.

On the heels of his presser denouncing their scheme to award Iowa's Electoral College votes to whichever candidate receives the most popular votes nationwide, regardless of who carries the state, Secretary of State Michael Mauro and Governor Big Lug Nut have come out against it.

Dummycrats must believe the winner of a baseball game is the team with the most hits instead of the most runs and the scientific community is united in that fact.

I understand this hair brained scheme was introduced by the idiot who represents my district in the State Senate, Staci Appel.

Victim Of Life's Circumstances

The Audit-err of the People's Republic, Tom Slockett, will not face disciplinary action for routing his nominating petition through his office.

Board won't take action against Slockett for petition

Like a good politician, Slockett has already begun his spin on events, stating he feels like a victim because of the incident’s negative publicity.

Sounds like a Dummycrat and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Two things about Tom before we close --

Trim the nose hairs, click on the pic and you'll see what I mean, I can see why some employees felt threatened by a hostile work environment.

If he had white hair, he could pass for former County Auditor Michael Mauro.

Historic Victory

Overall, I would have to say I am quite pleased, but not satisfied.

The numbers were pretty spot on for Chuck Grassley.

I had hopes Harry Reid would be knocked out and remained optimistic of a Senate majority, but this is a good start.

It's pure pleasure not to have to put up with Pelosi in the third most powerful position anymore.

I was hoping for one or two more Republican Congressman and even a Congresswoman from the Hawkeye state.

The only one sweating the Governor's results was the Big Lug Nut, so much for his guarantees.

The teacher needs to learn what a concession speech is, it's not the place to continue with your regular stump(ed) speech and the scientific community is united in that fact.

I love that Matt Schultz took out consigliere Michael Mauro.

I am so happy that I won't have to receive anymore e-mails from Staci Appel-sauce for brains, my provider automatically put them in my junk file without any prodding from me.

I'm ecstatic that Scott Ourth lost out on his race for Representative and now with Republican's running the Warren County Supervisors he'll be looking for work.

It finally paid off to have voted NO all these years on the judges, it's nice to be a trendsetter.

I can't wait until we get to bid goodbye to Staci's husband, Brent.