Excuses for RNC Treasurer Randy Pullens $50K accounting error and $50K undeclared debt laughable, embarrassing

for AZ GOP

Some local Arizona Republicans have come out swinging and slinging in support of embattled RNC Treasurer and AZ GOP Chairman Randy Pullens sloppy fiscal management of federal campaign records. Pullen is a licensed CPA (license # 3371-E, active since 10/26/1981) but those pesky generally accepted accounting practices and US Federal regulations have slipped both his mind and journal entries. The buzz on the Phoenix streets is that Randy Pullen is innocent of any malfeasance and hes just spending some time in the Roger Clemens Club for Mis-remberers. Shane Wikfors, owner of the Sonoran Alliance conservative blog, approved a post today that claims Pullen is innocently under fire for a $50,000 donation from the RNC that has gone missing. Allegedly, Pullen has mis-remembered both a recent $50K donation from the RNC and a $50K debt owed to an out-of-state fundraising company that solicited donations for the AZ GOP via telephone. SWR respectfully offers these rebukes to the excuses Wikfors Sonoran Alliance makes for Pullens shell game: 1. Instead of depositing the funds into the federal account, AZGOP decided to deposit it in the non-federal account. If so, the transfer would not be reflected until AZGOP files its state report, due February 2nd. We will have to wait until then to find out. SWRs answer: Check the RNCs FEC filings for the entire year of 2009. Under the non-federal transfers designation, the RNC shows a fat $0. The RNC donated $50,000 to the Arizona Republican Party on November 24, 2009 under the Other Committee Contributions. As such, the AZ GOP is required by law to itemize this donation in its November 2009 filing.

2. The RNC wrote a check and reported it the same day. November 24th is right before the Thanksgiving holidays, the mail could have been slow, and AZGOP deposited the funds on the 1st of December. If so, we can wait until Decembers report to see that the transfer made it safely into the hands of the AZGOP. SWRs answer: The AZ GOP didnt file its FEC November 2009 report until December 17, 2009. If that check still hadnt arrive in Arizona by then, thats one helluva a slow mailman. Lets get rid of the USPS. The FEC report was filed online. No snail mail is allowed by FEC rules. The AZ GOP could, at any moment, file an online amended November 2009 report with the FEC yet they have chosen not to. The FEC doesnt allow you to wait until Decembers report is due to correct a $50,000 error. Offical party committees are supposed to use their own ethical convictions to correct errors when recognized. Why force the FEC to alert the AZ GOP and investigate Pullens problem? AZ GOPs treasurer, Timothy Lee, signed his name to the November 2009 FEC report right under this oath:

His signature also appeared just above this:

3. There really is glitch in the campaign finance reporting software and AZGOP Treasurer will do his best to amend the previous campaign finance report to correct the situation. SWRs answer: Uh, uhhh, hmmmm. OK. So, the FECs software is to blame. In that case, someone should alert them before the Democrats try to steal another victorious election away from our clutches of defeat. Well get right on the phone to the FECs Software Troubleshooting Hotline. As for the AZ GOP Treasurers problems the RNC donates $50,000 to AZ GOP on November 24, 2009. Today is January 8, 2010. All FEC reports are filed online. Tim Lees best effort to amend the report shouldve come around December 8, 2009 at the latest

As reported earlier this week by the subscription-only online newspaper, The Arizona Guardian, the nearly $50,000 of undeclared debt that the Arizona Republican Party owes to Strategic Fundraising of Minnesota doesnt show on any AZ GOP FEC filings. SWR has checked dozens of AZ GOP filings with the FEC and guess what. That $50,000 has gone missing too. Hey, Sonoran Alliance. Round up your bloggers from the Maricopa County Attorneys Office, PR flacks from Rose & Allyn and former Capitol Times reporters working in the family and regroup. Go back to the war room and come up with something an Arizona Republican under 65 years old will believe. http://sonoranalliance.com/2010/01/07/wheres-the-money/ http://www.arizonaguardian.com/azg/index.php http://azcapitoltimes.com/