The negative ads are swirling everywhere you look, and nobody is immune from criticism. But we have officially reached the point of no return in negative attacks – the point where we go from negative to, well, silly. The latest, from the campaign of Republican Marilyn Musgrave (CD-4).
“That’s irresponsible. Paccione’s pattern of irresponsibility when it comes to managing money just gets worse and worse.”
What’s this scandal that sounds so horrible? Musgrave is after Democrat Angie Paccione for using campaign funds…to get her hair cut.
Frankly, it’s not a bad attack because it does make Paccione look pretty ridiculous – especially considering Paccione’s hair is, well, less than fantastic. If Paccione was really expensing hair cuts to the campaign, that’s a pretty goofy expense.
But the Musgrave camp looks equally silly for making such a big deal out of this, particularly with their over-the-top rhetoric.
Click below for the full press release…
Johnstown, Colo. (Oct. 16) – 4th Congressional Candidate Angie Paccione apparently can’t manage her campaign finances any better than her personal checkbook.
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave’s campaign announced today that is filing an official complaint and requesting an investigation of Democrat Angie Paccione’s campaign with the Federal Election Committee.
“Angie’s personal finances are one matter. But breaking FEC regulations by using campaign funds to pay for nearly $425 worth of haircuts?” asked Musgrave Campaign Manager Shaun Kenney.
“That’s irresponsible. Paccione’s pattern of irresponsibility when it comes to managing money just gets worse and worse.”
Federal Election Campaign Laws (section 439(b)1) say that political contributions cannot be converted for personal use. The Campaign Guide for Congressional Candidates and Committees defines the “Irrespective Test” for determining whether or not an expense is personal. “Personal use is any use of funds in a campaign account of a candidate (or former candidate) to fulfill a commitment, obligation, or expense of any person that would exist irrespective of the candidate’s campaign or responsibilities as a federal office-holder,” it reads.
This rule means that Paccione’s campaign cannot pay for her haircuts – unless she claims she would not cut her hair if she were not a Congressional candidate.
“Leaving aside whether it is in good taste to honor the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by getting a $180 haircut, it is clear having her campaign pay for that service is completely illegal,” Kenney said.
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She’ll be starring in $720K worth of TV ads in the next few weeks. I think the first Jackass movie cost less to make.
And here’s the AP report. . .
http://cbs4denver.co…
23 days. It makes one wonder — with Musgraves warchest a good $1mm ahead of Paccione (even with the Stryker money) and Musgraves claim they have a solid 10 point lead — why don’t they focus on what the Congresswoman is going to accomplish over the next two years in a Democratic-controlled House?
I mean she’s really grasping at straws here. Most pols if they were ten points up and had a million dollar cash advantage might run a few positives, but since she hasn’t it makes me think Musgrave knows this race is a lot closer then people think.
Perhaps Musgrave is just that slimey of a candidate. We are talking about the 13th most corrupt member of congress. Are people just not paying attention or what? Who in the world would knowingly re-elect a corrupt politician? I regret that I’m not in her district to vote against her.
It is a thin joy. I had it once when Elbert County was briefly redistricted into the 4rd. Now I get to vote against Tancredo in the 6th again, again, and again. Eh.
They sure aren’t matching the NRCC, but they’re dropping lots of mail while the 527 goes up on TV. Don’t know about that water ad though. It’s probably just got a lot of people going to the bathroom.
It’s not like she can point to anything useful she did or any positions that will get her votes…
She’s not in a position to discuss her’s or the GOP’s virtues. But I don’t see desperation, I see her playing out the script. They knew her’s would be a tight race, so they started early. Now I don’t think they can create another plan or change the one they have.
Talk about a stretch.
Quite frankly, I’m all for Congressmen and Congresswomen with good haircuts. We have to see them on TV, in print media, and even on the Internet over and over again. It is a public service which makes us shallow members of the public more likely to vote.
We already had to endure Ben Nighthorse Campbell, the least well dressed member of Congress, year after year.
Musgrave could certainly use a gay eye for the straight gal session herself.
Angie would still boot ass in a barfight with Marilyn. She’s got my vote, if I lived in the flatlands which I don’t.
This reminds me of the scene from Total Recall when Arnold had to choose between blonde and wholesome or “athletic and sleazy.” I’ve always been down with the ladies who know a few tricks.
Then again, if you mixed Sharon Stone with Marilyn Musgrave, would you get Anna Nicole Smith? And would it be the voluptuous 18 year old Anna or the 200-pound goldigger?
Pretty amusing stuff. $180 haircut? Maybe the DCCC gave Angie the hairstylist for Clinton and Kerry in exchange for them pulling their ad buy out.
Joking aside, and I will wait in delight for the responses but it is a small sign of how the campaigns are operated, Musgrave is always on the attack, while Paccione spends her time defending herself.
Musgrave actually had me there – it seems to me like you shouldn’t use campaign funds for haircuts – until that ridiculous last paragraph gratuitously throwing in 9-11. I mean, C’MON!
I want to know EXACTLY what Marilyn Musgrave did on 9-11. Did she dishonor the memory of that day by using the toilet?
Pales in comparison anyway when Condoleeza Rice was buying shoes in a Manhattan boutique during Katrina.
Poor Marilyn! She looked flat-out awful at the candidates forum in Longmont. Her voice was even duller than usual, she kept her head down, obviously reading from a (badly) prepared speech and generally looked like death warmed over on a low flame.
The ten point lead is bull – the internal numbers from both campaigns show them in a dead heat.
For the first time in her ‘career’ tha Muskrat’s having to really campaign and the stress is crushing her like an empty Coors can. (ask Pete how ugly -that- is!)
The public isn’t falling for the usual round of smear ads and that *has* to have Short, Guy running up huge stain-removal bills at the dry cleaners.
The big question is, what will the Pink Lady *do* once she’s out of orfice? I understand JCPenneys might be hiring… either that or Dunkin Donuts – I hear she’s hell with sugar-frosting.
I think if I were Angie I could justify putting a $180 haircut on my campaign expenditures list. I certainly wouldn’t be spending $180 for a haircut if I wasn’t campaigning…
http://cbs4denver.co…
Write a press release, and they shall follow. . .
Musgrave camp to file complaint in Paccione’s use of funds for salon trips
http://coloradoan.co…
Image is everything in election season, but Angie Paccione’s trips to the hair salon before two campaign appearances have prompted a complaint by her opponent. U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave’s campaign said Monday it would file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission because Paccione paid for the appointments, which totaled $424.02, with campaign contributions. Paccione’s campaign said she did nothing wrong.
RELATED: Musgrave takes issue with Paccione’s hair salon visits
http://hosted.ap.org…
Marilyn is just pissed off becuase she would have used $10K for liposuction if she would have known she could use campaign funds for it….
Given how the Congresswoman looks in her photo on the CBS4 page I bet the constituents in the 4th would be OK with the Congresswoman taking a stroll into the local salon and using some of her $1 million warchest to spruce things up a bit. Is it just me or does she look exhausted with a bit of a hunch in her back that’s indicative of stress?
Too bad folks like Shaun Kenney don’t spend their time telling us what the Congresswoman is going to accomplish for the 4th CD over the next two years — this is second-grade material. (Ditto for Tancredo’s guy).
I’m sure Marilyn had her tongue-in-her-cheek all day when she had her assistant Shaun do research and due-diligence on getting the salon information. So what’s better to have, a hairbill or a hairball? And do Muskrats spit up hairballs? apparantly so… ok, ok, I won’t stoop that low. . . You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that Angie would never go to a salon and get her hair did (yes, hair did) for anything over $75. Anyone whom knows a thing or two about salaries could figure that out. It should be obvious that Angie treated herself to what she would think was going to get herself WELL RECEIVED by the fickle voting public. Now, lets talk Marilyn. . . here is someone that i’m sure regularly treats herself to EXPENSIVE HAIR TREATMENTS, CUTS, TIPS, WEAVES, SILKWRAPS, FRENCH NAILS and lest I forget, LIPO. Don’t believe me? Ask some well kept women, and they’ll tell you. NOW, Marilyn is the type that would be in the position to use campaign funding for her REGULAR trips to the salon… keyword REGULAR as in SHE REGULARLY GOES, because she has the money to. Men go to the barber and spend $10 to get a haircut from the age of 3 to the age of 70, same haircut for 65+ years. Women go to the hairdresser and pay upwards of $30-100 for anything from haircuts, haircoloring, relaxing, etc. Most men don’t fully understand this, but that is the nature of men. So, to sum it up, Angie got a special “haircut” for a special event, any regular person would recognize this. Actually Shaun (from Marilyn’s camp) actually outlines this himself when he says that she got a haircut before the Washington DC visit and once again before the Forum.