Republicans to Specter: We want our money back

When he announced the other day that he was switching to the Democratic Party, Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter offered to return campaign donations from any contributors who might take offense.

Turns out that includes a lot of his Senate Republican colleagues who lent money to the cause.

Georgia Republican Johnny Isakson was first in line -- asking Specter to return his $5,000 leadership political action committee contribution. Other Republicans requesting refunds on behalf of their PACs: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky ($10,000), Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander ($5,000), Texas Sen. John Cornyn ($5,000) and Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker ($5,000).

"They gave that money to elect a Republican. They did not give that money to strengthen [Democratic Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid's majority," National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Brian Walsh told the Washington Times. "I expect a lot of people will be looking to have their money returned."

No question Republicans are peeved. One Republican official in Hamilton County, Ohio, Alex Triantafilou, was criticized for crossing the line into tastelessness when he posted an image of Specter, then bald from his chemotherapy treatments for a brain tumor, next to one of the hairless Dr. Evil from the “Austin Powers” movies. He's since replaced it with a photo of a frowning child.

Now, Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman Robert A. Gleason Jr. is demanding that Specter return all campaign contributions, no questions asked. On CNN, Gleason said Specter should "do the right thing and proactively return any and all campaign contributions he has received in recent months to run as a Republican in the upcoming election."

Oh, and Gleason thinks Specter should apologize to the state's Republicans for misleading them.

Even if he returned every penny now in his campaign coffers, this is one of those "don't cry for me, Argentina" moments for Specter.

President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have promised to campaign for him. Democrats have promised to back him. And, if history is any guide, Democratic donors will soon be filling his campaign funds with cold, green cash.

As the Philadelphia Inquirer reported, after Vermont Sen. Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party to become an independent in 2001, he refunded about $21,000 to 64 Vermont residents -- and collected $58,000 in donations after the switch, mostly from out of state.

-- Johanna Neuman

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Photo: President Obama, Sen. Arlen Specter and Vice President Joe Biden. Credit: Kevin Dietsch, United Press International

Comments

[Harry Bocher]

The Republican party should be the party of 'no'. Who wants to be the socialist party of 'bend over'. If any Republican can't handle being called the party of no by these immature, uneducated, slothly liberals, then they are not Republicans.

[Hilary Smith]

What a bunch of whiners. Ha Ha!

[Michael]

I want all my tax money back that was wasted in Iraq, can you guys send me that?

[Pom Pom Girl]

karma will pay specter a visit at the ballot box.
His pollsters told him that he could not win the Republican primary so he is running as a Democrat because his pollster also told him he cannot win as an Independent.

[Pat Gorman]

I really fine the GOP a bunch of people who do not love this country With Words like we want Obama to fail for ugly Rus. to We want our money back. I think
Senator Spector got tired of the what has happen to the GOP Spector did not leave the GOP the GOP left Spector a long time ago.

If you look at what is needed to day the GOP would be
standing by our President trying to get the Country back in shape instead the just care about winning and as long as they stay this course they are going to lose in the end.

[JRinBellingham]

I am an independent voter who would take a Republican any day who voted on what they believed was best for their state and constituents before they voted for the ideals of the party. The labels Republican and Democrat should be incidental classifiers as to what a person believes, not a mantra or jacket that protects them from thinking. As such, I find myself much more in line with the Democrats these days as well. Thanks for sticking to your guns, Mr. Specter.

[Matthew Bright]

I would hope Specter does the right thing and donate that money either to Planned Parenthood or Greenpeace.

Giving money to Republicans when it's not a legal requirement is a sin.

[Doug H.]

Just Curious, are the Republicans also asking their great last hope, Norm Coleman to apologize to the St. Paul Democrats, for leaving his lifelong party, so he could pursue higher office... If thay are looking to blame someone for where they find themselves Today, perhaps they should find a mirror.

[mrpitchfork]

"They gave that money to elect a Republican. They did not give that money to strengthen [Democratic Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid's majority,"

Yeah, yeah, sure they did.. We all know its just one big party up there in Washington. Stop lying to us..

[Dave in Colorado]

I never got a penny back from Ben Nighthorse Campbell when he changed from Democrat to Republican two years into his six year Senate term. I suppose I should have gotten 33% back!

[nic]

Hahahaha...is the GOP really that broke?

Losers.

[Fletch F. Fletcher]

If they ask for it specifically, give it back. Otherwise I think it's safe to assume the voters voted for the man, not the party. Straight party voters are becoming rather passe these days.

[ray]

I think it's sad that campaign money is given solely based on the "Party" rather than the actual individual.

[Ken Silva]

American People to Republicans: We want our money back!

[One Mans Opinion]

As a Georgia resident all I can say is that once again Georgia Republican Senator Johnny Isakson has embarrassed me.

[Gill Bates]

Republicans did not complain when Specter left the Democratic party and joined them more than 20 years ago.

So its come full circle, get over it.