Smoky Mountains Sunrise

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Nikki Haley Receives $25,000 at New Jersey Fundraiser


Governor Nikki Haley received a check for $25,000 at a New Jersey fundraiser on Wednesday, September 28 in Bridgewater, New Jersey.  The event, sponsored for Haley's benefit, was hosted by the New Jersey Republican Indian Committee and Mayor Anna Little, a Tea Party candidate for Congress in New Jersey's 6th Congressional District.  Event organizers had expressed the hope that any proceeds left over after the contribution to Haley would benefit their own organizations.

Nikki Haley with Mayor Anna Little
Little, the Mayor of Highlands, New Jersey, stated that the sponsors did not pay for Haley's transportation to and from New Jersey and when asked if Haley's check was paid to Haley or a campaign committee, refused any additional comment.  She would also not indicate whether Haley flew to New Jersey on the state plane and/or was accompanied by state provided security officers.  

Yesterday we called the Governor's press secretary, Rob Godfrey, to ask about her out-of-state travel, but our call has not been returned. Sunlit Uplands will be submitting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests pertaining to the Governor's trip to New Jersey.

We'd like to hear from our readers about this story.    Mayor Little lectured us on the wonderful job Governor Haley is doing for us here in South Carolina.  Do you think it is appropriate for our salaried Governor to be spending her time traveling about the country double-dipping and raising personal and/or campaign funds, even if expenses for transportation and security are reimbursed?

Update:  The above photographs of the Nikki Haley fundraiser in New Jersey were pulled from among many on this FaceBook page.



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Do you think it is appropriate for our salaried Governor to be spending her time traveling about the country double-dipping and raising personal and/or campaign funds even if expenses for transportation and security are reimbursed?"

Yes, and why not?

Dean Allen said...

The Governor represents our state in every thing she does, in state or out. She is also a national leader in the tea party movement and of the conservative wing of our party. It is indeed very appropriate for her to be supporting a conservative candidate for Congress. There are probably plusses for South Carolina economic development as well.

As for her travel, security, and financial reporting requirements, I have not looked at any of these but certainly have no reason to suspect any irregularity based on the facts you report.

If your ongoing investigation was to turn up any actual violations of the law, then report those to us. Unless you turn up something, which is doubtful, it looks to me like our Governor is doing a great job and I am very proud of her.

Daniel J. Cassidy said...

The event sponsored by the New Jersey Republican Indian Committee and Mayor Anna Little was not for the benefit of any local New Jersey candidate; the Tea Party movement has not yet even determined who they will be supporting in that Congressional District. The event was a fundraiser for Nikki Haley. She did not include the event on her official calendar, and neither she nor the sponsors in New Jersey would indicate whether the $25,000 paid to Haley was a personal honorarium or a contribution to a political campaign committee.

The issue here is whether the state plane and SLED protection was involved, and thus taxpayer funding for what was clearly a political event.

Neither the sponsors nor Governor Haley's staff would answers questions about her transportation and security.