From The North Carolina Conservative, 9/15/07:
http://www.northcarolinaconservative.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1189462662&archive=&start_from=&ucat
November 15, 2007
JUDGED BY THE COMPANY YOU KEEP?
The North Carolina Conservative first reported last week that
Congressman Patrick McHenry had ties to persons involved in a double
murder/suicide in Florida.
Sources told us that one of the men killed was Ralph Gonzalez, a gay
Republican political consultant, an associate of McHenry who “helped
on his campaign.”
The same source told us that the shooter, Robert Drake who is
reportedly connected with a gay escort service and another murder in
Virginia, was “tight with McHenry and ran elections for him.”
McHenry’s office has reportedly admitted that the congressman had an
unspecified relationship with Drake.
According to reporter/blogger/pundit: Howie Klein:
“As we mentioned yesterday, Drake, a former marine, also is alleged to
have a strong relationship-- both intimate and business/political--
with right-wing Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC).
When I spoke to McHenry's office about this they at first insisted
they never heard of Drake then, confronted with specifics, admitted
they know him.
They refused to put Congressman McHenry on the phone.
There is every indication that McHenry may have been one of the
Republican elected officials who was using the services of the gay
prostitution agency connected to Drake.
Our pals over at the BradBlog points out the connections between
Florida's ultra-corrupt, vote-tampering congressman, Tom Feeney, and
Gonzalez and reports the threat to expose the list of Republican
elected officials who were using the gay escort service.”
http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2007/09/dont-think-larry-craigs-resignation-is.html
Early last Sunday the Deputy Field Director for McHenry, Brett Keeter,
was arrested for drunk driving in Gastonia, NC.
http://www.gastongazette.com/news/McHenry_9640___article.html/DWI_Gaston.html
Keeter apparently blew a .13 on the breathalyzer, which means he had
between 5 and 7 drinks before getting behind the wheel.
Keeter’s bizarre behavior has been related to the NCC by two of his
former roommates;
evidence of his questionable judgment may be traced as far back as
1989 when a Brett Keeter from Mt. Holly, NC (apparently the same guy),
reported seeing a UFO
http://www.book-of-thoth.com/contentsources/ufotxt/ufobulletin/1000/1398.txt
McHenry’s office has suspended Keeter without pay for two weeks.
However, given recent revelations regarding (McHenry’s former Chief of
Staff and current Campaign Chairman) Jason Deans’ extensive drunk
driving related arrest record, McHenry really should consider firing
Keeter out of precedent.
The NCC published Deans’ North Carolina record, which included nearly
a dozen arrests, but sources tell us that his arrests in neighboring
states raise the total to more than twenty arrests including vehicular
homicide.
Deans also worked for former Congressman Frank Ballance, an NC
Democrat, who was convicted on corruption charges. See:
http://www.legistorm.com/member/Rep_Frank_Ballance/575/24.html
Then, there was McHenry’s former housemate and campaign aide, Michael
Aaron Lay, who pled guilty to voter fraud last month.
As Adam Linhardt of the Gaston Gazette points out, “Keeter is the
second person with ties to McHenry to be charged with a crime in the
last four months.
Michael Aaron Lay, 26, accepted deferred prosecution on Aug. 8 and
will be on unsupervised probation for six months in connection with a
voter fraud charge.
Lay worked on McHenry’s 2004 campaign for Congress.
A Gaston County grand jury indicted Lay in May on two counts of
election fraud related to his votes in Gaston County during the 2004
primary election.”
Meanwhile, Sam Currin, a long-time friend and contributor to McHenry’s
campaign, who was also the former law partner of Thom Goolsby (who
represented Michael Aaron Lay, and was a client of McHenry’s political
consultant, Dee Stewart) was sentenced last week.
According to Associated Press Writer, Steve Hartsoe:
“Samuel T. Currin — a former U.S. attorney, state judge and state
Republican chairman — was sentenced to almost six years in federal
prison on charges related to a tax fraud conspiracy, prosecutors said
Wednesday.
Currin, 58, of Raleigh, pleaded guilty in November to conspiring to
launder $1.45 million through his law firm's client trust account, in
addition to lying on his taxes by failing to report an offshore debit
card account, prosecutors said.
Three others also have been charged in the scheme.
Currin also pleaded guilty in a related case to obstructing a grand
jury investigation into securities fraud, in which he conspired to
withhold documents and provide false testimony, U.S. Attorney Gretchen
Shappert said.
He faced 43 years in prison if convicted.”
All of the controversy surrounding McHenry in recent days has reminded
bloggers and political writers of his relationship with Dan Gurley.
Gurley, formerly National Field Director of the RNC, was “outed” by
gay activist Mike Rogers (who also “outed” Foley and Craig before the
news media picked up on their gay scandals).
Gurley was forced out of Republican politics when his homosexuality
became a scandal.
Sources tell us that McHenry “owes his seat to Dan Gurley” and that
Gurley worked with Robert Drake on McHenry’s behalf.
The attention being drawn to McHenry’s relationship with Gurley has
renewed interest in Mike Rogers writings on McHenry, including this
quote:
“I've received tons of tips from across the state, including one from
an elected official who told me, ‘I can tell you Patrick McHenry is
gay. I've known him long enough to know.’"
http://www.blogactive.com/2007/05/not-just-one-voter-in-question-at-rep.html
Rogers is also quoted in this interesting article regarding McHenry,
“Four More Top GOP Outings Could Be in the Offing”:
http://www.pensitoreview.com/2007/09/04/four-more-gop-outings-could-be-in-the-offing/
The Raleigh News and Observer ran an interesting profile on Mike
Rogers on the front page last week (Sept 5):
http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/692694.html One wonders if
they may be laying the groundwork for a future article.
If all of that were not bad enough, former NC Christian Coalition
Chairman Donnie Young has uncovered another scandal.
It seems that McHenry’s chief fundraisers are being investigated by
the feds, and that McHenry himself may be under federal investigation.
See: http://www.donnieyoung2008.com/
Recently, Mr. Young also revealed that McHenry was investigated by the
NC ALE for providing alcohol to minors during his 2004 campaign.
The NCC spoke with one of the college students who signed an affidavit
with the ALE, who verified the story.
The investigation was quickly and quietly dropped after McHenry was
elected to congress.
However, photographic evidence has recently surfaced of McHenry
celebrating with young-looking, beer holding college students at the
event in question.
Additionally, the former National Young Republican Chairman, Glenn
Murphy, was recently arrested for attempting to force oral sex on a
sleeping man.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070827/LOCAL/708270410
Reportedly, this was not the first charge of such behavior against
Murphy.
Murphy is a close friend of McHenry, and McHenry supported him for the
National Young Republican Chairmanship in ways that went above and
beyond what may be considered proper for a sitting congressman.
As the old saying goes, “you are judged by the company you keep.”
Patrick McHenry has been keeping some very strange company indeed.
Perhaps it is time that he come home before a major scandal develops
that could embarrass the 10th District of North Carolina and damage
the Republican Party.
_________________________________________________
Whew
Harry
.
|
