Spam scam costs taxpayers $1.7 million
From Sunshine Review
27 July 2008
The Pennsylvania Democrats have been involved in the "Bonus-gate" scandal which has over 12 officials and staffers facing indictments. Amongst these indictments is the Leader's Communication Office Effort (LCOMM EFFORT) which spent $1.7 million dollars of taxpayers money campaigning for the Democratic Party.
[edit] LCOMM EFFORT
The prosecution alleges that the LCOMM EFFORT was started by Rep. Mike Veon and Michael Manzo, the former chief of staff to Democratic Leader Bill DeWeese. The programs was designed to expand the caucus constituent outreach program through the internet.
Eric Buxton, the son of Rep. Ron Buxton, was placed in charge of running the effort. After failed attempts of people signing up on the Democratic site, the party began to buy e-mails for $.10 cents an e-mail from vendors. The company bought $1.2 million dollars worth of e-mails with taxpayer money that was then used to campaign for democrats. Buxton, who has been granted immunity, told authorities, "it was very clear from the beginning" that the effort was all about campaigns, not government.[1]
The following are incidents cited by Buxton:
- A server was rented in Michigan to hide that campaign e-mails were being sent from the taxpayer owned caucus computer system
- E-mails were designed to insinuate that they were being paid for by the Democratic Campaign Committee, not taxpayer sources
- Buxton arranged to stop working in a the public sector, instead working the same job as a private consultant. This arranged for his salary to increase from $51,000 annually to $16,875 monthly.
- Over 26 months the public paid Buxton $420,000
- Even though Buxton was running the system another private consultant was hired for $82,550 to run more taxpayer funded e-mail campaigns
