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March 17, 2008

Greg "Rubberstamp" Walden: betrayed by own rubberstamp

The "O" explains how Walden says trust 'betrayed' in theft. At issue is a financial scandal involving Greg "rubberstamp" Walden's chairmanship of the RCCC's audit committee.

But now, amid allegations that Ward embezzled money while Walden chaired the organization's audit committee, the Oregon Republican is being drawn into a saga that is getting more worrisome for Republicans by the day.

Among the questions: How thoroughly did Walden and other committee managers monitor the finances of a sprawling -- and vaunted -- operation that raised $49 million last year and, according to The Washington Post, more than $400 million during the past five years?

Even more important: How much money is missing?

Congressman Walden has a shiny 99% pro-Bush voting record but his dogged determination to impersonate a human automaton is coming back to bite him.

Walden said he studied the audits, and they appeared authentic.

"I read through each audit. There were no red flags; no issues to be dealt with," he said.

Yet, drawing on his experience in private business, Walden said he asked Ward repeatedly to set up a meeting with outside auditors to discuss the reports.

"There was always a reason they couldn't meet -- timing, scheduling. It was one thing after another," Walden said.

But given Ward's reputation, Walden said he believed the problem was with the auditors, not his trusted treasurer. He continued to believe that when he left the audit committee at the end of 2006.

Post-Walden audits revealed that no completed external audit had been done since 2001. Which means that, "drawing on his experience in private business," Rep. Walden apparently wasn't overly concerned at the utter lack of an external audit for 2006 or the repeated delays in actually meeting with the external auditors. Sounds like he went to the George W. "my daddy will fix it" Bush school of business management.

I wonder how long Oregonians in Walden's district will continue to overlook such gross incompetence?

Posted by Kevin at March 17, 2008 10:15 AM