Busted
ILLEGAL ROBO-CALLS, CAMPAIGN COORDINATION REVEALED
FITSNews – May 29, 2008 – After publishing our story below about political consultant Warren Tompkins’ firm placing thousands of illegal automated phone calls, FITSNews has now obtained recordings of the fake calls. These recordings (above ) document that the South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus has been coordinating with a third-party on behalf of incumbent GOP politicians.
In the first automated call, Tompkins’ employee Becky Fleming poses as a caller named “Susan” on behalf of a group called “South Carolinians for Truth and Disclosure.” In the next call – which comes from the same number – Fleming gives her name as “Amanda” and says she’s calling from the “South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus.” Although the video above states that the calls were made by “different” Tompkins employees, FITSNews has confirmed that Fleming in fact provided the vocals for both calls.
We’ve also obtained a complete transcript of one of the calls …
Hello. This is Susan from South Carolinians for Truth and Disclosure.
Over the past few weeks, you’ve received numerous mailings from out of state special interest groups promoting Katrina Shealy and attacking Senator Jake Knotts.
These mailers by lobbying groups are funded by out of state millionaires who are pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into campaigns across the state. They’re trying to buy the state legislature and implement programs that will implode our state budget, waste your tax dollars and ruin our public schools.
Please don’t let the out of state lobbying groups buy our state. Stand up to the out of state special interest groups.
Visit takebacksc.com and learn more about who’s doing all this mail for Katrina Shealy.
That’s www.takebacksc.com. Thank you.
Although both calls reference specific groups, they do not disclose who paid for the calls, nor do they disconnect upon reaching a live caller – both violations of state law.
Additionally, the fact that the “Truth and Disclosure” calls originated from the same phone number (and were produced by the same consulting firm) as the “Senate Republican Caucus” calls is compelling evidence that the effort is clearly being coordinated – another violation of state law.
Comments
By Roger Nutt on May 29th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Amazing….Truth & Disclosure? That’s funny. I got one of these in my race and my first thought was “ruin our public schools”? What are they gonna do, make us 51st? Pathetic.
By palmetto pwn'd on May 29th, 2008 at 11:30 am
These guys are so sleazy – what sort of power-hungry politicians would keep them on the payroll?
By You Have To Be Kidding Me? on May 29th, 2008 at 11:50 am
If it took somebody longer than 90 seconds to write this phone script I’d be stunned.
“implode”? boy that’s some class A copyrighting right there… the budget is going to violently collapse inwardly, so there is no need to seek cover…
and the conspiracy of out of state millionaires who are spending hundreds of thousands to… ruin our schools? yes, that makes perfect sense. The Legion of Doom, tired of having their evil plans thwarted by the SuperFriends, has given up on their quest for world domination and settled for driving SC public schools from 49th place to 50th, a much more achievable goal.
oh, and a robocall to ask you to visit a website? yeahright.
so badly written its laughable. no committment to craft here whatsoever.
this is fitting for one of those “Fleecing of America” bits on NBC News.
By Marianne on May 29th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
We received the same calls in Aiken County defending liberal trial lawyer, son of an insurance man, and donor to Democrat Steve Benjamin and former employee of Tommy Morre, Tommy Young, Jr. who is running for House 81 to replace RINO Perry.
By Toyota Kawesaki on May 29th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Hey is that you Marianne Peckarillo I made those Fone Calls to all the Yankee Rinos of the Aiken City Republican Club
By Marianne on May 29th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Toyota Kawesaki,
If you made the illegal phone calls you should be ashamed of yourself. In addition, you should know that have wasted your time as the membership of the Aiken Republican Club, as opposed to the redneck Aiken County Republican Party, is supporting the only candidate who is free of ethical entanglements, has a proven conservative record in political office, is a proven Aiken County leader who is a voice for positive change in the RINO do nothing South Carolina General Assembly. And as you know, that man is Aiken County Councilman Scott Snger. We need many more proven leaders such as Mr. Singer to reform the South Carolina General Assembly and drastically reform the ignorant and redneck Constitution that was authored by the racist Ben “Pitchfork” Tillman. Tommy Young Jr. represents the status quo and in many respects is a regression in leadership due to his friendship with the chief trial lawyer in South Carolina. Also, perhaps Mr. Young, Jr., can call Speaker Bobby Harrell, an opponent of common sense reform and avowed opponent of the visionary Governor Sanford, and re-call the Pay Day Lending Reform and have the House act on it instead of attempting to bury it at the request of Mr. young, Jr.’s former employer, Tommy Moore.
By Jane on May 30th, 2008 at 6:44 am
You say these calls are illegal because they were played to live callers. So how do you have them recorded?
By Toyota Kawesaki on May 30th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Lets see Rino Ranger Singer proven leader: 1)Voted for Bill Clinton both times,Voted for Mike Dukakis,2)Claims to be the only one to stop the TIF when he only objected when the crowd showed up at the last meeting.3)Voted to increase property taxes see aiken standard 6/21/05.Voted to pass illegal immigration reform that can’t even be enforced great work there.4)Ran as indy for this seat before now claims to be a big time republican.Ms. Pecerrillo this are just a few reasons why the Rino Ranger should stay behind the gates.BTW the city rino club is an illegal club that never was reconized by the county party so wont be long before yall will have to operate as the aiken Rino club.Love the poped collar look last nite but the pants made your butt look fat
By Gene E. Nowak on May 30th, 2008 at 10:31 am
I have received three of those robo calls that attack Roger Nutt and they all failed to disconnect when I picked up the phone and played on to the very end. They made vague references to outstate groups attacking our illustrious lawyer/politician state representative Kelly. Non of the material with Kelly’s imprint on it accurately reflects his or the house’s accomplishments in the SC House in my opinion.
By Gene E. Nowak on May 30th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Jane:
I do not have a copy of any recording as we rarely allow the phone to ring long enough to go to recording mode. But the calls messages was extremely similar to the one quoted except it substituted Kelly’s name as the aggrieved picked on party.
By Gene E. Nowak on May 30th, 2008 at 10:50 am
An provable example of out state operatives trying to influence an election is the SPLC’s diatribe against the campaign manager of Lee Bright’s campaign against lawyer/Politian Scott Talley’s bid to replace retiring John Hawkins in a recent front page “news†article in the SHJ. Isn’t the SPLC a lawyer/tort driven group based in Alabama. Why were they attacking a candidate is SC senatorial race. Is it because he is not an incumbent and/or lawyer with a liberal track record?
By Marianne on May 30th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Toyota Kawesaki,
You should know about fat butt, since you have several. Also, we knew you were not from South Carolina but did not know you needed a passport to get in. Tell us oh ye of the illegal phone caller admission, why do you have to defend the liberal trial lawyer, son of an insurance man, former employee of Tommy Moore and contributor to the big government Steven Benjamin? We can set aside of course for the moment what role Mr. J.P. “Pete” Strom, Clinton appointee will have in informing Mr. Young, Jr., which way he will be allowed to vote on the crucial matters that are before this state, Of course, you people simply want to install another lackey who will actually represent a worse State Representative than that of the man this boy seeks to replace, Rep. Robert S. “Telephone Pole” Perry. You people in the Aiken County GOP have a real strong record of supporting losers and ineffective and corrupt leadership. It appears through your admission of illegal phone calls, that even you are desperately clinging to someone who can facilitate your narrow minded, backward and redneck ideology onto the rest of this state. And simply as a matter of fact, you people have lost so many local elections locally (with the notable exception of your Democrat friends) that you vastly overstate your own relevance and role in the reality of what Aiken is and has been for quite some time today. After this cycle is complete, our agenda will have become consolidated in nearly if not all Aiken area political offices. We will then export our success and dominance onto the rest of the region following up on the election of County Councilman Scott Singer, who will arrive in Columbia with a large broom and shovel for your droppings in particular, we will control or hold every seat of relevance locally. No number of your illegal calls and big checks from fat :) and phony testimonials speaking to the so called Republican leanings of your bought and paid for candidate, Mr. Young, Jr. Jr. needs some work. plan for Palmetto Progress? What a sad commentary on this backward state.
By Roger Nutt on May 30th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Gene, it’s good to hear from people in our district. I agree that it is a shame that we can’t get Mr. Kelly to actually talk about the issues. I was at our second forum in a row this morning with the Chamber downtown where he failed to actually take the heat. He came in for doughnuts, but failed to stick around to actually answer questions from the panel. Probably had to rest some from that bitter 3 veto defeat he suffered yesterday. He voted to override on all three vetoes and then voted to go home early….so much for his spending cap proposal I guess.
I also agree about the “Bright” headline article the other day. And I thought they put important things like the weather on page 2…
By Toyota Kawesaki on May 30th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Oh boy Ms.Peckarillo you sho nuff be smart wishn i could type llikes you.Keep dreaming on your total BS, employee of Tommy Moore that is funny.Stick to being a Rino.June 10 can’t get here fast enough.Enjoy your prune juice
By Marianne on May 30th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Toyota Kawesaki,
Do you recall what has often observed about mopeds and fat women? Big fat mouth goes with this one. You rednecks would not know what a conservative Republican was if you actually elected one as Governor. Maybe that is why you are so invested in the election of the liberal Democrat trial lawyer. Perhaps you, Jr., Pet Strom and Stevie Wonder will have much in common soon – not holding an elected office as a result of your repudiation of real Republican principles. Maybe their is a reason why you like big government after all. Lining up at the trough at feeding time appears to be your most frequent hobby. The real Republicans are now firmly in control in Aiken and you and the good old boys will simply have to get over it.