Sunday, February 23, 2014

EPJ Exclusive: Washington D.C. Grand Jury Investigating Activities Surrounding Ron Paul Inc.

EconomicPolicyJournal.com has learned that a grand jury is investigating events surrounding the alleged secret payoff of Iowa political operative Kent Sorenson, who was allegedly given a check by Ron Paul 2012 deputy campaign manager Dimitri Kesari, to induce Sorenson to leave the Michelle Bachmann campaign and to join the Ron Paul campaign. (It is not clear if the check was cashed by Sorenson.)

Sorenson did leave the Bachmann campaign for Ron Paul 2012 and, at the time, Bachmann charged that he was paid by the Ron Paul campaign to do so. His Iowa house was subsequently raided by the FBI. (See: CONFIRMED FBI Raid at Kent Sorenson's House)

It is not clear how broad the grand jury investigation is but there have to be a number of people at Ron Paul Inc. who will not be getting a restful sleep on news of the investigation. That the grand jury investigation is occurring in Washington D.C. and not Iowa suggests that the DOJ is putting top people on it.

Kesari is thought of, by some in Ron Paul Inc, as a  fixer. In other words, he knows where the bodies are buried. If he is facing an indictment, it is possible he could flip. Indeed, EPJ has learned that  Kesari has retained legal counsel. Also, of note, Kesari was Rand Paul's driver during Rand's initial Senate campaign run.

Please keep in mind that there is a big difference between Ron Paul and Ron Paul Inc. This could get very, very ugly and may include indictments relative to other payoffs. MSM is going to have a field day. One major MSM television investigative show is already putting together a feature based on what they know, and they don't know half of it.

In a August 2013 report, TheIowaRepublican.com identified key players surrounding the alleged payoff. It is believed some of these individuals have been called before the Washington D.C. grand jury to testify as witnesses and that others may be targets of the grand jury:
 The Sorenson Circle
Kent Sorenson  – Iowa State Senator, Campaign Chairman for Bachmann for President, eventual Ron Paul endorser Role: A central figure in FEC and Iowa Senate ethics investigation, he was included in email conversation regarding his proposed compensation package to be presented to the Paul campaign representatives. 
Chris Dorr – Bachmann for President Field Staff, legislative clerk for State Senator Kent Sorenson, brother of Aaron Dorr, and son of Paul Dorr.  Role: Chris Dorr was a key Sorenson accomplice and was included in email conversations regarding the Sorenson compensation package to be presented to the Paul campaign representatives.  Dorr also provided an affidavit to the Iowa Senate Ethics Committee supporting Sorenson’s denial of any wrongdoing, and admitting that he made a copy of the homeschoolers’ list from a Bachmann staffer’s computer.
Aaron Dorr – Executive Director of Iowa Gun Owners Association, founder of Iowa Pro-Life Action Role: Chief negotiator between Sorenson and Paul campaign.
Paul Dorr – Iowa advisor, Ron Paul for President 2008, longtime political consultant.  Role: Paul Dorr was included in email conversation regarding the Sorenson compensation package to be presented to the Paul campaign representatives. 
Dennis Fusaro – Former Executive Director, Iowans for Right to Work Committee; Former Executive Director, National Right to Work Committee; National Field Director, Ron Paul for President 2008. Through his involvement with Right to Work, Fusaro had a close relationship with Sorenson, radio host Steve Deace, and the Dorrs.  Role: Fusaro is the sole source of the information that was provided to TheIowaRepublican.com for this article.
Wes Enos – Current Deputy Chief of Staff, Iowa Senate Minority Leader Bill Dix; Current State Central Committee Member, Republican Party of Iowa; Political Director, Michele Bachmann for President 2012.  Role: Enos is the Treasurer for the Iowa Conservatives Fund PAC, a state PAC that was created to receive a $100,000 payment from the Paul campaign in exchange for Sorenson’s endorsement.  The PAC was created in the fall of 2011, which coincides with the timing of the Dorr memo.  However, it never received any financial contributions.   Enos also provided an affidavit to the Iowa Senate Ethics Committee supporting Sorenson’s denial of any wrongdoing. 
Kevin Wolfswinkel – Farmers for Ron Paul National Advisory Board Member, Ron Paul for President 2012; longtime Ron Paul donor; Coordinator for Iowa’s 5th Congressional District, Ron Paul for President 2008. Role: Wolfswinkel is the Chairperson for the Iowa Conservatives Fund PAC, a state PAC that was created to receive a $100,000 payment from the Paul campaign in exchange for Sorenson’s endorsement.
Paul Campaign Officials
Jesse Benton – Campaign Manager, Mitch McConnell for U.S. Senate 2014; Campaign Chairman, Ron Paul for President 2012; Campaign Manager, Rand Paul for U.S. Senate 2010; Senior Vice President, Campaign for Liberty; Campaign Manager, Ron Paul for President 2008; Advisor, Liberty PAC (Paul’s leadership PAC). Benton is also married to Congressman Paul’s granddaughter Valori Pyeatt.  Opensecrets.org, a nonpartisan guide to money’s influence on U.S. elections, has reported that Benton has been “paid about $1.1 million by the various Paul entities — although more than $450,000 of it was described as reimbursement for expenses he incurred, most of them unidentified.” Role: Benton was the chief negotiator for the Paul campaign in dealings with Aaron Dorr, who was Sorenson’s conduit to the Paul campaign. Benton initiated contact with Sorenson through Aaron Dorr in November of 2011.
John Tate – Campaign Manager, Ron Paul for President 2012; President, Campaign for Liberty; National Political Director, Ron Paul for President 2008; Vice President of Membership, Leadership Institute; Vice President, National Right to Work Committee; Candidate for Congress in 1996. Role: Tate was included in email conversations regarding the Sorenson compensation package presented by Dorr to the Paul campaign.  Tate’s email address begins with “tfc02.”  The Dorr memo was addressed to Tate.
Dimitri Kesari – Deputy Campaign Manager, Ron Paul for President 2012; Director of Government Affairs, National Right to Work Committee. Role: Kesari had dinner with Sorenson and his wife at their home in mid to late November of 2011.  He allegedly presented Sorenson or his wife a check for $30,000, which one of them accepted.
Jedd Coburn – National Communications Director, Ron Paul for President 2012; consultant, Campaign for Liberty; consultant, Young Americans for Liberty; consultant, National Association for Gun Rights. Coburn is currently an instructor for Applied Conservative Leadership, or FACLRole: Coburn received the memo from Aaron Dorr that included the financial demands Sorenson required to leave the Bachmann campaign and join the Paul campaign.
Drew Ivers – Iowa Campaign chairman, Ron Paul for President 2012; Current Finance Chairman, Republican Party of Iowa; Former State Central Committee Member, Republican Party of Iowa; Campaign Advisor, Ron Paul for President 2008. Role:  The Dorr memo included an entire section of things that Ivers would have to agree to in order for Sorenson to make the switch from Bachmann to Paul. 

5 comments:

  1. I am confused, why is hiring a guy from another campaign considered to be bribery?

    Sorenson was not a government official so why can't he change campaigns?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is against the law to use election campaign funds without disclosing their use.

      Delete
    2. Anon 1:11, I don't think it was campaign funds.

      Delete
  2. So if this thing is about non-disclosure, why is the guy demanding the payoff potentially in trouble. That's a problem for the campaign and it's treasurer. Does this also have something to do with his being an elected official at the time?

    ReplyDelete
  3. RW saying wik this hot series?: confront issues first, win them. ie; national homeshooling re0-r-rre-re discourse, any dirt, out it. 8 mile, redux. Hot. Hot.

    ReplyDelete