Thread: Chrysler Dealers who give to Rep. more likely to be shuttere

OBAMANOMICS

Chrysler's 'hit list' targets GOP donors

Dealers who give to Republicans much more likely to be shuttered

Posted: May 27, 2009
7:54 pm Eastern

By Chelsea Schilling
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

As part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Chrysler is terminating one-fourth of its franchises – but some say its catalog of doomed dealerships looks more like a hit list that specifically seeks to put Republican donors out of business.

Chrysler will now be eligible for up to $8 billion in taxpayer-funded federal aid. The federal government has already provided $8.58 billion to Chrysler and Chrysler Holding between the months of January and May of this year. The Treasury also loaned $1.5 billion to the automaker's lending arm in January.

President Obama has said the bankruptcy will give the company "a new lease on life," after his administration spearheaded a plan requiring the company sell to Italian automaker Fiat. Chrysler's stronger operations will be owned by Fiat, labor and the U.S. and Canadian governments. The sale could close as early as this Friday.

Obama said the bankruptcy would be a "quick" and "efficient" step toward Chrysler's "survival."

"The necessary steps have been taken to give one of America's most storied automakers, Chrysler, a new lease on life," Obama said. "This is not a sign of weakness."

But WND reviewed the list of 789 closing franchises and databases of political donors and found that of dealership majority owners making contributions in the November 2008 election, less than 10 percent gifted to Democrats while 90 percent gave substantial sums to Republican candidates.

The listed franchise owners contributed at least $450,000 to Republican presidential candidates and the GOP, while only $7,970 was donated to Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign and $2,200 was given to Sen. John Edwards' campaign.

Obama received a combined total of only $450 in donations – $250 from dealer Jane Baldock in Wenatchee, Wash., and $200 from Waco, Texas, dealer Jeffrey Hunter.

Why does Obama think he's "the One"? Find out by reading the special Whistleblower issue: "Narcissist in chief"!

Many of the majority owners who donated to Republican campaigns last year also contributed additional thousands to George W. Bush's presidential campaign in 2004 and to help elect GOP representatives.

Find out which GOP donors are getting Chrysler's ax. A list is available here.


Rep. Vernon Buchanan, R-Fla.

The first dealership on Chrysler's list of facilities marked for termination by June 9 is located in Venice, Fla., and belongs to Republican Rep. Vernon G. Buchanan.

Buchanan gave $2,300 to John McCain in 2008 and has contributed nearly $150,000 to GOP candidates and organizations since 2007. He discovered that his location was scheduled for closure when he crossed paths with Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich.

According to the Associated Press, Miller told Buchanan, "I heard you're going to lose your Dodge franchise."

"Oh, really?" Buchanan said in a state of surprise.

The dealership's operating partner, Shelby Curtsinger, said he was astonished by Chrysler's decision because the location has been profitable – selling more than twice the stock of an average Chrysler dealership every year.

Houston dealer Robert Archer is one of 330 people contesting Chrysler's decision to close their locations. He donated $1,000 to National Republican Congressional Committee and $500 to Americans for a Republican Majority.

Archer told the New York Times he ordered 700 new vehicles
and $1.7 million in new parts after Chrysler told him he could survive unless he stocked more cars. He sacrificed his profits to help the company survive.

Now he is set to lose his franchise.

Other GOP contributors include Michael Maroone, a dealer in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. He gave $20,000 to the Florida Republican Party, $12,700 to the Republican National Committee and $2,300 to presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Likewise, Menomonee Falls, Wis., dealer Russ Darrow and his family gave $19,000 to the Republican National Committee, $6,029 to the Wisconsin Republican Party, $2,300 to John McCain and $1,000 to Rudy Giuliani. Bedford, Texas, dealer Eric Grubbs gifted $11,500 to Mike Huckabee, $4,600 to Rudy Giuliani, $6,500 to Texas Republican Congressional Committee, $1,085 to the RNC and $500 to National Republican Congressional Committee. Midlothian, Va., dealer Max Pearson donated $18,000 to National Republican Senatorial Committee, $6,900 to the RNC, $6,900 to John McCain, $3,600 to Virginia Republican Party and $1,000 to National Republican Congressional Committee.

The list continues with more than 60 political donors who are scheduled to lose their franchises – many of whom gave thousands of dollars to Republican candidates – and only seven dealers who contributed a total of less than $12,000 to the Democratic Party and its candidates.

Blogger Doug Ross reviewed patterns on the closure list and noticed the unmistakable trend.

"I took all dealer owners whose names appeared more than once on the list," he wrote. "And, of those who contributed to political campaigns, every single one had donated almost exclusively to GOP candidates."

With 2,392 Chrysler dealerships remaining, some bloggers claim to have already begun the exhaustive process of checking each majority owner to determine whether Chrysler has been more merciful toward those who donate to Democrats while simultaneously giving walking papers to Republican contributors.

Chrysler has not responded to WND's requests for comment. The company claims it evaluated the dealerships based on raw sales volume, location, market, history of experience and market share. According to the company's bankruptcy court filing, the 789 dealerships listed for closure "lack the operational, market, facility and linemaker characteristics necessary to best contribute to the ongoing dealer network under current or future ownership."

see the video at the link http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php? ... geId=99325

Dealer Jim Anderer told Fox News' Neil Cavuto he doesn't understand why Chrysler is shutting down his Long Island dealership because he claims his dealership is quite profitable – with sales volume ranking in the top 2 percent.

Asked why he believes the company targeted him, Anderer said, "They won't tell us. They seem to be running for cover right now because they won't give us a solid explanation. They come up with all these reasons, but none of them seem to make sense."

He continued, "This is insanity. The government is stealing my business. And they're telling me there's nothing I can do about it."

Anderer said Chrysler claims it wants to combine its stores or that dealers cost the manufacturer money to stay in business.

"In the dealers that they cut, there seems to be no cohesive way that they did it," he said. "There was no process that you could put your finger on and say, 'Hey, we cut 25 percent of the lowest performing dealers.' They didn't do that. Nobody will give us a real clear explanation of the formula that they came up with."

An anonymous employee affected by the dealership closings blogged at Cars.com:


Obama visits Chrysler plant in Michigan one year before bankruptcy (photo: Barack Obama campaign)

"This isn't about business. It's about politics and control. My dealership is in the top 125 out of the 3,500-plus dealerships nationwide ... yet we are on the list. We are not small nor are we rural. We are in a large major metropolitan area. Our new vehicle inventory alone is well over $4.0 million. Is that small?"

The employee continued, "This is so much more than 'just business.' This is about control and power by our present administration in Washington. An administration that will stop at nothing to bring complete socialism to this once great country. Wake up people or get in line now to 'drink the Kool-Aid.'"

Chrysler's bankruptcy court review process began May 14 and is scheduled to end by June 9. According to a May 14 Chrysler memo, dealers learned of their fate via UPS letters arriving earlier this month. A Senate committee is conducting hearings this week as dealers file their requests to block their termination.

George C. Joseph, owner of Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu in Melbourne Fla., has sent out his plea to several online media organizations, including WND.

Joseph said his family paid for his franchise 35 years ago and employs more than 50 people. The company is active in the community and the local chamber of commerce, and he claims it is financially profitable.

"On Thursday, May 14, 2009 I was notified that my Dodge franchise, that we purchased, will be taken away from my family on June 9, 2009 without compensation and given to another dealer at no cost to them," Joseph wrote. "My new vehicle inventory consists of 125 vehicles with a financed balance of 3 million dollars. This inventory becomes impossible to sell with no factory incentives beyond June 9, 2009."

He said that without the franchise his family can no longer sell Dodge inventory as "new" or conduct any service warranty work. Joseph wrote that his parts inventory – worth $300,000 – is now practically worthless because Chrysler will not be required to buy vehicles, tools or parts from terminated dealers under bankruptcy rules.

To make matters worse, Joseph said Chrysler recently required his facility to be renovated, requiring a multi-million dollar debt in the form of a mortgage.

"This is a private business, not a government entity," he wrote. "This is beyond imagination! My business is being stolen from me through no fault of our own. We did nothing wrong."

Joseph continued, "This atrocity will most likely force my family into bankruptcy. This will cause our 50+ employees to be unemployed. How will they provide for their families? … How in the United States of America can this happen?"

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php? ... geId=99325

OBAMANOMICS
Find out which GOP donors getting Chrysler's ax
Obama receives only $450 in entire inventory of political contributions
Posted: May 27, 2009
7:57 pm Eastern

By Chelsea Schilling
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

WND reviewed the list of Chrysler's 789 closing franchises and databases of political donors and found that of dealership owners making contributions in the recent election, less than 10 percent gifted to Democrats while 90 percent gave substantial sums to Republican candidates.

The following dealers are scheduled to lose their Chrysler franchise designation. Based on available records and databases, each of them contributed to political campaigns during the 2008 election.

Many of the dealers who donated to Republican campaigns last year also contributed additional thousands to George W. Bush's presidential 2004 campaign and to campaigns to elect GOP representatives. Those donations are not included in this list.

The listed franchise owners contributed at least $450,000 to Republican presidential candidates and the GOP in the recent election while only $7,970 was donated to Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign and $2,200 was given to Sen. John Edwards' campaign.

Of all political contributions from dealers on the list of closing facilities, President Obama received a combined total of only $450 toward his election.

Dealers who contributed to GOP and candidates in recent election

Rep. Vernon G Buchanan, dealership in Venice, Fla. – contributed $2,300 to John McCain in 2008 and $147,450 to GOP candidates and organizations since 2007.



Michael Maroone, dealership in FT. Lauderdale, Fla. – contributed $20,000 to Florida Republican Party, $12,700 to the RNC, $2,300 to Mitt Romney

Stephen Fay and family, dealership in Charlottesville, Va. – contributed $6,000 to RNC, $2,000 to John McCain

Robert Rohrman, dealership in Lafayette, Ind. – contributed $2,300 to John McCain and $740 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Charles Nash, dealership in San Marcos, Texas – contributed $2,300 to Rudy Giuliani

Larry Crain, dealership in Little Rock, Ark. – contributed $4,600 to John McCain, $4,600 to Mike Huckabee and $207 to the Arkansas
Democratic Party

Jay Park, dealership in Beachwood, Ohio – contributed $2,300 to Mike Huckabee

Charles Gabus, dealership in Des Moines, Iowa – contributed $9,000 to Republican Party of Iowa, $6,000 to the Republican National Committee and $2,000 to Mitt Romney

John D. Stewart, dealership in Minot, N.D. – contributed $1,000 to North Dakota Republican Party and $2,300 to John McCain

William and Amy Ruth Churchill, dealership in Fort Worth, Texas – contributed $2,000 to Republican Party of Texas

Thomas Ganley, dealership in Lakewood, Ohio – contributed $250 to John McCain

Harry Green, dealership in Clarksburg, W.Va. – contributed $1,000 to John McCain and $225 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Franklin Jarrett, dealership in Hatboro, Pa., – contributed $2,850 to John McCain and $200 to the RNC

Frank Pearson, dealership in Midlothian, Va. – contributed $2,100 to Rudy Giuliani

Richard Kempthorn, dealership in Canton, Ohio – contributed $1,000 to Stark County Republican Party

Richard Kern, dealership in Winchester, Va., – contributed $2,701 to John McCain and $5,700 to RNC

Gerald Leglue, dealership in Alexandria, La. – contributed $3,055 to John McCain and $7,320 to the RNC

William Timmermeister, dealership in Lima, Ohio – contributed $3,000 to Ohio Republican Party, $2,400 to John McCain, $1,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee and $1,000 to the RNC

Dennis Petrisak, dealership in Rochester, N.Y. – contributed $500 to John McCain and $400 to Rudy Giuliani

William M. Martin, dealership in Saginaw, Mich., – contributed $250 to Republican National Committee

Herbert Yardley, dealership in Plantation, Fla. – contributed $2,000 to Fred Thompson

Wendell Miller, dealership in Vestal, N.Y. – contributed $1,270 to the RNC

Charles Obaugh, dealership in Staunton, Va. – contributed $1,500 to John McCain, $500 to National Republican Senatorial Committee and $500 to the RNC

Paul Obaugh, dealership in Staunton, Va. – contributed $1,500 to John McCain, $250 to RNC and $250 to Virginia GOP

John Soares, dealership in Billings, Mt. – contributed $500 to Mitt Romney

Bruce Rothrock, dealership in Allentown, Pa. – contributed $300 to John McCain

Frank Stinson, dealership in Shreveport, La. – contributed $2,300 to John McCain

William J. Pratt, dealership in Nashville, Tenn. – contributed $1,000 to Mike Huckabee

Carlos Planas, dealership in Miami, Fla. – contributed $500 to Mike Huckabee

Roger Penske, dealership in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – contributed $2,300 to Rudy Giuliani and $15,000 to the RNC

Christine Van Burkleo, dealership in McAllen, Texas – contributed $1,000 to John McCain

Larry Miles, dealership in Lajunta, Colo. – contributed $300 to RNC

Robert Dance, dealership in Sanford, Fla. – contributed $2,800 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Wallace D. Alley Jr. and Martin Alley, dealership in Kingsport, Tenn. – contributed $500 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Robert Archer and family, dealership in Houston, Texas – contributed $1,000 to National Republican Congressional Committee and $500 to Americans for a Republican Majority

Homer and Vinson Higginbotham, dealership in Abilene, Texas, – contributed $950 to National Republican Congressional Committee and $500 to the RNC

William Numrich, dealership in Pittsburgh, Pa. – contributed $1,400 to RNC

Ralph and Carolyn Bennett, dealership in Salina Kansas – contributed $300 to John McCain

Frank, Victoria and Gordia Boucher, dealership in Greenfield, Wis. – contributed $2,200 to Wisconsin Republican Party and $250 to the Republican National Committee

Scott Bossier, dealership in Waxahachie, Texas – contributed $500 to Mike Huckabee, $300 to RNC and $250 to John McCain

Russ Darrow and family, dealership in Menomonee Falls, Wis. – contributed $19,000 to RNC, $6,029 to Wisconsin Republican Party, $2,300 to John McCain and $1,000 to Rudy Giuliani

Don Hill and family, dealership in Kingsport, Tenn. – contributed $1,000 to RNC; $950 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Walter Downer Jr., dealership in Elmer, N.J. – contributed $300 to the RNC

Eddie Cordes, dealership in Lawton, Okla. – contributed $1,650 to RNC and $500 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Robert Edwards, dealership in Walhalla, S.C. – contributed $300 to South Carolina Republican Party

Arthur Grayson, dealership in Knoxville, Tenn. – contributed $3,200 to the RNC

Eric Grubbs and family, dealership in Bedford, Texas – contributed $11,500 to Mike Huckabee, $4,600 to Rudy Giuliani, $6,500 to Texas Republican Congressional Committee, $1,085 to the RNC and $500 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Ray Huffines and family, dealership in Denton, Texas, – contributed $4,600 to Mike Huckabee and $1,000 to John McCain

James Marsh, dealership in Las Vegas, Nev. – contributed $2,600 to Nevada Republican Central Committee, $500 to Mitt Romney and $500 to John McCain

John Hine, dealership in San Diego, Calif. – contributed $500 to Mitt Romney

Max Pearson and family, dealership in Midlothian, Va. – contributed $18,000 to National Republican Senatorial Committee, $6,900 to RNC, $6,900 to John McCain, $3,600 to Virginia Republican Party and $1,000 to National Republican Congressional Committee

John Medved, dealership in Wheat Ridge, Colo. – contributed $5,000 to the RNC

Robert Helphenstine, dealership in Gainesville, Fla. – contributed $500 to the RNC

Mark Heywood, LeMans, Iowa – contributed $1,000 to the RNC

Mark Hendren, dealership in Neosho, Mo. – contributed $500 to John McCain

Patrick Painter and family, dealership in Nephi, Utah – contributed $5,000 to Mitt Romney and $560 to Utah GOP

Dealers who contributed to Democratic Party and candidates in recent election

Robert Carver, dealership in Mena, Ariz. – contributed $1,950 to Hillary Clinton; $1,000 to Arkansas Democratic Party; $200 to Democrat Senate Committee



Ethel Cook, dealership in Little Rock, Ark. – contributed $1,720 to Hillary Clinton

Sidney Doboer, dealership in Colorado Springs, Colo. – contributed $2,300 to Hillary Clinton

J. Fitzgerald, dealership in Kensington, Md. – contributed $4,600 to John McCain and $2,000 to Hillary Clinton

Stanley Graff, dealership in McKinney, Texas – contributed $2,200 to John Edwards and $500 to Dallas County Republican Party

Jeffrey Hunter, dealership in Waco, Texas – contributed $200 to Barack Obama

Jane and Stephen Baldock, dealership in Wenatchee, Wash. – contributed $250 to Barack Obama

*Blogger Doug Ross also provides a partial list of Chrysler dealership owners and their contributions through the years – many extending beyond the recent election.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php? ... geId=99328

Both Traitors of Democrats and Republicans are involved in this mess. Both parties and corporate America are heartless, and don't care about "We the People".

They are paying each other with taxpayer money.

Assuming these dealers don't hire their employees based on politics, this should backfire on the Dems. 2010 here we come!