Rep. Grayson gave a stemwinder of a speech the other day in which among other things he noted that by delaying the extension of unemployment insurance Republicans were “taking food from the mouths” of children. There's probably an element of truth to this, since not everyone losing benefits will be able to go on welfare immediately, but in any case it's not the sort of talk the GOP is used to receiving; it would rather dish it out.
The reaction was not slow: a GOP apparatchik at something called the Media Research Center offered a public call:
“I'll give $100 to first Rep. who punches smary idiot Alan Grayson in nose.”
Grayson's reaction is at least as good as his original speech.
Grayson is a character. I hear rumors that he is funneling money and material support to the tea party types in the hopes of splitting the right, thereby securing his own re-election.*
* Disclaimer: As far as I know, this is only rumor and speculation. I am only commenting that rumors have come to my attention. I do not claim to know whether those rumors are true.
That sounds like the sort of rumor a Republican being threatened by a Tea Party type might spread.
It’s true that there are cases of parties supporting their ideological enemies to cause trouble e.g. Republicans supporting Greens in (I think) Texas or lousy democratic candidates in S. Carolina primaries. So it’s not impossible. But usually the support even less viable candidates than TP types who after all do stand some remote chance of getting elected.
It’s more common to launder negative information from opposition research via extremist opponents than actually give them cash. For one thing, the cash has to be reported to the FEC, so it comes out; failing to report is far too serious a crime to suspect any sitting congressman would knowingly take the risk. But if “material support” means “information” then conceivably it might be so.
Isn’t offering money in return for an assault a criminal act?
If the person concerned is a Congressman, and the assault is solicited on account of his official actions, it would appear to be a federal case.
Why isn’t O’Reilly as concerned about this issue as he appears to be about the New Black Panthers?