Vander Plaats paid for endorsement?

[kejonn]

It seems that some money might have changed hands in the coveted Bob Vander Plaats endorsement of Rick Santorum this week. Sadly there are some "unnamed sources" but that is not all.


Less than 48-hours after receiving the backing of Bob Vander Plaats, the head of the prominent evangelical group The Family Leader, Santorum disclosed that the prominent Iowan told him he needed money to make the most out of the endorsement.
..........
But even Santorum acknowledged in an interview with CNN that money was among the topics he and Vander Plaats discussed last weekend ahead of Tuesday’s endorsement press conference.
...........
Though Santorum did not specify the dollar amount he and Vander Plaats discussed, multiple sources said he was soliciting as much as $1 million from Santorum and other candidates.
............
ABC News has learned that Vander Plaats tried to solicit money for his endorsement during the last presidential cycle too. A former staffer for Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential bid who is currently unaffiliated with a campaign said Vander Plaats came to them seeking money for his backing if he supported the former Massachusetts governor.

If this is true, I wonder if The Family Leader will come out with a statement specifying that Vander Plaats endorsement is in no way indicative of the views of their organization? Will there be repercussions from them?

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/iowa-conservative-leader-mired-in-controversy-after-rick-santorum-endorsement

[Bruno]

Drudge this. :)

[sailingaway]

I was just about to post it.

I wouldn't make a project out of drudging it though. It isn't our fault and we don't want to be tied to it.

[vechorik]

I submitted it to the Blaze. They do their own investigation and story-writing. Can't hurt, coming from me.

[Cleaner44]

Drudged

[hells_unicorn]

Insofar as the political wing of the so-called Christian Right establishment, it usually breaks down to money changing hands. I think it's pretty safe to say that religion is often mocked because of stuff like this, it's basically a secularized version of simony, and reflects very poorly on the Christian faith. For cynical schismatics like myself this doesn't phase me, but I wonder what it's like for the true believers that follow Vander Plaats' movement.

[PauliticsPolitics]

Here's another article about it.
Bachmann claims that Plaast was trying to get her to drop out.
http://iowacaucus.com/2011/12/22/vander-plaats-disputes-claims-about-his-endorsement/

[Aratus]

okaaaaaaaaaay. the unspoken truths of our politics? was even poor CEO herman cain hit on by this merrie gentleman?

[timster24]

This type of behavior is expected in Iowa, and has happened for many years. Iowa has a corrupt system, I am happy to say that the pay to play game has a holy war underway in Iowa, which makes it even more interesting

[robertwerden]

So why didnt we pay him to endorse Ron? We could have easily raised that money with out ron paul even being aware of it. Fuck lets just bribe our way to the nomination like everyone else is doing and getting away with. This shit just pisses me off.

[Kords21]

So, Santorum likes to engage in a form of prostitution?

[Aratus]

i wonder... did mr. vanderplaats get what he wanted from rickyboy?