Key West Lou / HOW TRUMP STEERED SUPPORTERS INTO UNWITTING DONATIONS

The title to this blog is also the title of a 4/3 New York Times article authored by Shane Goldmacher.

Somehow, I missed it 2 days ago when it first appeared. I do not recall seeing it anywhere at the time.

The information about to be shared first came to my attention early today on Morning Joe. Thought it significant. Did some research. Again, the New York Times article the only one I came across.

The New York Times article lengthy. I suggest you read it for complete details.

Basically involved is a simple fraud scheme.

It began in September and October during the campaign. Biden’s operating funds were going thought the roof. People were contributing to him big time. Trump’s on the other hand went in the opposite direction. Contributions were down! Not enough was coming to to compete with Biden.

The same scenario about to be described was also utilized following Trump’s defeat to finance among other things Trump’s need for money to fight the fraudulent ballots.

The cry went out in each instance for more money. Trump’s supporters responded with small to large contributions. Credit cards were used. A one shot contribution situation.

One of the Republican/Trump groups requested the monies. The funds were handled/disbursed by a for profit group called Red Wing who processed the donations.

The sin involved is that the campaign organization and/or Red Wing processed the credit card contributions more than once. To be clear, a one time credit card contribution was put through several times over a period of one to two months.

An example is one contributor who donated a one time $500 contribution which in less than 30 days became $3,000. Or, a $5 one which after several transactions turned into multiples of the $5.

When people received their credit card statements, they noticed the improper charges and most contacted credit card fraud departments.

The amounts were outstanding! Big! The Republican entities involved moved as swiftly as possible to reimburse those who had been defrauded.

Numbers tell the story. In the last 2 months of 2020, Republican entities refunded $643 million to 530,000 contributors. There were other time frames and reimbursements. All in large numbers.

The Democrats had similar problems. The article did not suggest the Democrats repeated chargings were wrong in any fashion. Numbers appear to support the conclusion. In the same 2 month period at the end of 2020 when the Republicans were refunding $643 million to 530,000 contributors, the Democrats refunded $5.6 million to 37,000 donors.

Something stinks. Something is wrong. The Republican scenario should be investigated. Those determined to be guilty in any sense should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

The article suggests prominent persons include Trump and Kushner.

A special television night this evening. A doubleheader.

PBS has a 2 hour show beginning at 8 titled Conversations with Hemingway. The Championship Game of the Final Four beins at 9:20 on CBS when Gonzaga and Baylor face off.

I will be moving the remote control back and forth.

America loves the underdog. Also a person who once was great and then fell. America pulls for that individual to return to former glories.

Tiger Woods an example.

Another, Jordan Speith.

Speith began his career with a bang. Won 11 tournaments. Including 3 majors.

All of a sudden, he lost his talent in 2017. Never to win again till yesterday. Win #12. The Valero Texas Open. Speith previously went 82 consecutive tournaments without winning.

He seemed to be coming back 5 or 6 tournaments ago. Could not put it together to win on the final day, however.

He did yesterday. The purse $1.8 million.

The Masters is this weekend. Speith will be among the favorites. He’s back!

Numbers always reflective. A study was done comparing “working” Wall street persons (the people on the floor, staff help) and their hourlies to “minimum wage workers.”.

The study indicated that the minimum wage would be $44 an hour if it had grown at the same rate as Wall Street bonuses. Which, for example, averaged $184,000 in 2020. The number reflecting a 10 percent increase from 2019.

Since 1985, bonuses increased 1,217 percent. The $44 an hour figure appears again. If the federal minimum wage had grown at the same rate, it would be $44 an hour today.

The study also reflected an additional downside for minimum wage persons. The pay gap made the social and gender pay gap worse. White men dominated the Wall Street employee force.

I am in my last week of self-quarantine. In Willie Nelson’s words, I’ll be back “on the road again” sometime this weekend.

Hurrah!

Enjoy your day!

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]