Tom Reynolds and Tom Cole: Spamming & Scamming
My wife, who is probably more to the left than I am, got this message yesterday on our answering machine. Oddly enough I don’t know how to just give you the audio so you’ll have to watch our answering machine giving you this message.
Congressional Order of Merit Message from Robert Coats and Vimeo.
We heard it from the bedroom, and dismissed it as a telemarketer although we’re on the National Do Not Call Registry. I thought I heard the word award too, so I thought it merited a genuine listening given that my wife is entering the world of wildly successful entrepreneurs.
Ever vigilant of scams, she Googled Congressman Tom Cole and Congressional Order of Merit, and we found out quickly from Blogger Mike in Little Axe, Oklahoma that this is a fundraising venture for Congressman Cole and the National Republican Congressional Committee.
As it turns out, a LOT of people get these calls and a lot of people are offered different types of honors and rewards, all in exchange for a $300 - $500 donation, although some have heard that $200 will do. Many people that have somehow ended up in the database have done nothing noteworthy and can’t figure out why they got pegged, or are democrats and don’t want to be associated with anything noteworthy related to the Republican Party. There’s no real connection to Oklahoma, since people from throughout the country have been called by Congressman Cole.
The rewards are such items as membership, nay, honorary chairmanship of the Business Advisory Council! As if the coveted Congressional Order of Merit, or National Leadership Award weren’t enough already. Plus, there are invitations to dine with Mr. Cole, Veep Cheney and yes…. W himself.
As I continued Googling, someone mentioned they’d received a similar call from Congressman Tom Reynolds (R-NY) who represents the 26th Congressional District, which is right next to the Fighting 29th! It turns out that Congressman Reynolds does the same thing! Worse yet, he, Cole and Tom DeLay have been doing it for a few years now!
This is rotten, rotten, rotten, ROTTEN for any number of reasons.
First of all, I suspect that if some good-for-nothing telemarketer or e-mail spammer (did I mention they use e-mail also?) did the same thing, the FCC and/or the FTC would be all over them. Because it’s a political organization, the National Republican Congressional Committee can get away with this. What’s more, they get around the Do Not Call registry for the same reason. Their use of deceptive practices of this sort is simply condoning criminal behavior. That’s nothing new to Tom Reynolds though.
Second, aren’t the Republicans already busy enough invading our privacy in other more subtle ways than calling us on our phone when we’re spooning in bed? The Democratic-controlled Congress did the unthinkable on Saturday night: They gave President Bush and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales more unchecked power to wiretap Americans without a warrant. You can read about that here.
Finally… and this is kinda personal, in order to press flesh with the Veep in the 29th Congressional District, you have to go to a $1000 a plate dinner with Congressman Randy Kuhl. How come people in New York’s 26th District and in Oklahoma’s 4th district get Dicked for between $200 - $500 and we have to pay $1000? Plus, we don’t get prizes, awards or honorary chairmanships! Sheesh.
As if not listening to the people that elected them wasn’t enough, these Congressmen continue to get away with this fraud. It’s important that we call them on this, and write to them and our own representatives and let them know we don’t condone these practices. Cole and Reynolds deserve to be censured for this kind of deceit.
COMMENT!
Have you received any calls like this one? Share your story and help stop the scam.
Technorati Tags: Tom Cole, Congressional Order of Merit, National Republican Congressional Committee, Republican Party, Business Advisory Council, National Leadership Award, Googling, Congressman Tom Reynolds, 26th Congressional District, Fighting 29th, Tom DeLay, Alberto Gonzales, wiretap, 29th Congressional District, Randy Kuhl
Filed under: General Observations on August 8th, 2007
I just found this after doing a big of research. I feel bad for the people who actually buy into this crap.
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” … League member awarded Congressional Order of Merit: ARRL member Arthur Greenberg, K1GBX, of Georgetown, Massachusetts, has been awarded the Congressional Order of Merit. In a letter to Greenberg, Rep Tom Reynolds (R-NY), the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, described the award as “our Party’s highest and most coveted civilian honor.” Reynolds’ letter said Greenberg was among those who have “unselfishly given time and again in support of President Bush and all our candidates.” Greenberg reportedly has given generously to both political parties over the years, most recently to the GOP. He’s also attended meetings in Washington to offer advice on using Amateur Radio during national emergencies. Greenberg has been an Amateur Radio operator since he was in high school. Today, he’s involved in the Citizen Corps, an initiative within the Department of Homeland Security with which ARRL is a partner, that’s aimed at enhancing public preparation and safety.”
When you call, you get directed to this page, where you can start the process of forking over $500 by giving them some very basic information.
http://www.businessadvisorycouncil.org/info/
The “Congressional Order of Merit” has no relation to Congress; the NRCC made it up.
[…] After I posted an article about the questionable fundraising tactics of Representatives Tom Reynolds (R-NY) and Tom Cole (R-OK). To make a long story short they’re giving away phony but impressive sounding awards to anyone who will donate a certain amount of money to the Republican National Congressional Committee. […]
I find it amazing that this is considered acceptable conduct by a Congressman. I am also a recipient of an urgent voice-mail from Tom Cole’s office, and find it completely amazing that this has been going on for months, and not a word about it in the mainstream Media!
ABC covered it a few years ago, and it led to as brief congressional investigation, but Tom Reynolds has so much seniority that the Ethics Committee dropped it out of courtesy. Beyond that, I hardly see it anywhere, except on blogposts. Viva la Blogosphere!
And here I thought I was something special to be given such a high honor….no excuse me…the HIGHEST honor.
thanks to all of you for posting so I didn’t waste my time. You just saved me the $300 and the value of the hour of my time i would have spent on a phony “award”
Now, how do I get off the list!
My husband just received a call. While at first I thought perhaps his military service, his tour in Iraq or just for being him garnered an award, it’s a scam. I can only imagine what happens to someone out there who didn’t take the time to Google the award and get the facts. They will never, I repeat never receive a dime from my family.
I got the call for the award today and I am in Idaho.. I have been a looser in about everything I have done so I figured it was my friend Tom Cole (no relationship to the congressman) pulling a stunt. which is not beyond him!
Thanks you guys for giving me a heads up!
Another sucker - found on Political Insider
2007 Congressional Order of Merit
On This 14.th Day of July, 2007, Washington, D.C., it gives me great pleasure to Announce that:
Mr. Mark Behar of Delray Beach, Florida has been Officially Nominated to Receive the 2007 Congressional Order of Merit, by the Executive Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee-NRCC.
This Citation: Is in Recognition of his Outstanding service as an Honorary Chairman of the Business Advisory Council Representing Delray Beach, Florida and for his ideas, commitments, loyalty, and dedication of his time, efforts, and services in trying to Reform & create Tax Relief for Start-Up, Small Business, Small Business Owners, and Sole Proprietors like himself, and for others, throughout the United States.
Mark is a Property Owner/Investor of several Rental & Investment Properties in both Delray & Boynton Beach, Florida as well as in “The Pocono’s”, located in Tobyhanna, PA., and is currently trying to Update & Revise the “Landlord-Tenant Laws” in his Hometown State of Florida.
I just got off the phone with their well rehearsed Telemarketer. I was so pleased to hear that I was awarded this distinctive honor, although I could not understand how I was chosen. Then I listened to the recorded message from Tom Cole, what a dissapointment. First I was asked for a $500 donation, then $300, then $200. After declining all offers, I was still given the opportunity to join this so-called counsel. The Telemarketer quickly rambled off the website and thanked me for my time. WHAT A JOKE.
Oh my god, my stay at home husband just got this voice mail, too. (Stay at home dad x 2 years, worked as nondescript IT guy for schools before that - did some reserve work in the Army, but nothing overseas).
We never got these calls when he was a registered Democrat. Now that he’s registered as a libretarian (how do you spell that? I am so pathetic.), we get weird things like this more often.
(oops last one sent by accident) Anyhow ,I did call back and the woman said “I have a recording for you to listen to from Congressman Cole.” (Hmmm–I’ve received this big honor and I can’t even get the real deal?) Anyhow, I said, “NO. I don’t want to hear it. We have kids coming back from Iraq dead or missing arms and legs and minds. And I am disgusted with the entire congress but especially the sycophant Republicans who keep supporting a lying, thieving, greedy, murderous White House.” (They didn’t decline their offer, but “thanked” me for calling.)
Yes, I got the phone message too! I thought WOW, all this free work I’ve been doing to start a community water district has caught someone’s attention…oh yeah..until the staffer said “Your donation of $500 will ensure you receive this award, would you like to put that on VISA or MasterCard?” Of course the fact I am not a resgistered Republican came to mind at about the same time!
Yeah I will definitely be writing letters of complaint.
Can anyone tell me where to sign up to get this unethical stopped???? Guess who won’t be getting my vote next election………….
Boy did I have fun with this one!
I call the lady back and told her that I was so excited that I won this award that I called my local TV station and that they were se3nding over a reporter and crew to get this on the evening news. I also told her that I was sending a journalist to DC to meet with the Congressman and to get a picture and statement. She tried to stop me but I just said “I know isn’t it great!” - I told her that my uncle won the purple heart and that maybe that is why I was choosen for the award and that he is notifiying his retired commanding officer to see if he can arrange a picture with the all of us and the congressman at the V-wall. She said, would you like to help sponsor the ad in the Wall Street journal, I said no - I have one better. My buddy is in charge of advertising with Dow Jones and that I’m sure he would run my picture and the story from the journalist I was sending down to DC for free. She said it doesn’t work that way, I said I know but I get to save the Congressman advertising dollars and that in fact I could contact MSNBC for them sine my other buddy is in charge of producing the political segments and that he could get me on TV and how this is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. That I can’t believe a Democrat from NJ would be receiving a NRCC award and that I would be contacting Governor Corzine to draft a Legislative Resolution for the day to acknowledge the award at the State level - she hung up. Best fun I ever had, thanks Cole
Thanks for the information. My son just received a call from Pat Rohrbaugh on behalf of Congressman Tom Cole at 1888 269-4863. A buiness award for all the outstanding work he has done. Right, I don’t think so he just moved back to NY in July and within the past month set up his D/B/A.
Yeah, I’m not sure what the criteria are for the mailing list they use to fleece people. It doesn’t seem to have a rhyme or reason.
I got the same call as everyone else. Smelled bad to me, so I looked it up. A big thanks to this blog and others for their investigative work.
In the same spirit of that Dem from NJ post — who wrote that hilarious response about calling the media, and getting a spot on MSNBC– my suggestion is that we all call Mr. Cole’s congressional line at 202.225.6165 and award him an equally irritating honor - say the Congressional Order of Bull-hocky.
He only needs to pay us $500 to support our cause (The Anti-spam Association) and we will send him an official piece of paper. We’ll see if he likes being spammed as much as he likes spamming.
My mother just recieved a phone call saying that she recieved the “highest honor.” I had actually never heard of the NRCC so I did some research and came upon many blogs warning that this call was a scam.
Do people actually fall for this? How does the congressman benefit from this anyways.
This is harassment of the worst kind. What a dirty fraud! I have asked them repeatedly to ttake my name off the list but they still call.
I SAY WE ALL CALL Mr. Cole’s congressional line at 202.225.6165 and tell him to get it straight with his NRCC cronies!
BTW–the next time they call me I will say something so vile, so vulgar and horrifically obscene it will make Mrs. Witless Goodbody or whoever is calling wish she had never been born.
well, I’m a political consultant, so this was particularly rich. The first clue is the toll free number you have to call back. who the hell in congress uses a toll free number for something like this? also, the boiler room conversation going on in the background when the “staffer” left her message. sounded a little too much like that call i got from sprint last week. this seriously makes me sick. using political office for a gain such as this is unethical and borderline illegal.
I got the call today, and was so outraged, I called my congressman’s (Rush Holt, D-NJ) office to complain. They were totally unaware of this, (I had to explain it about 5 times before they understood that any congressman would do something THIS sleazy) and went so far as to contact their ethics lawyers to see if there was anything illegal about it. Of course, it’s not; in the end, there’s nothing they can do about it. He did say that at their next cocktail party (or whatever staff thing they would be at) he was going to tweak the Cole staffers about how sleazy it was. Democracy in action. Though he did note that it was out there in the blogosphere, and that might embarrass them enough to stop. Hmm. I’m not so sure that these guys understand the concept of shame.
Could you let us know if the two of them actually get together? My guess is that Randy Kuhl, my Congressman is green with envy that he doesn’t have a high enough spot on the RNCC to get away with this sleazy fundraising or else he would. I’m glad you have a democrat who’ll actually do something about it.
The issue has been on the radar of the press for a few months several years ago, but to my knowledge hasn’t popped up again since.
They called our home business five times, looking to give my Husband the “highest honor”. Look my husband is a voter, but only on the big years and isn’t involved with any party. Our call was from Tom Cole MC NRCC Chairman’s office. They said they needed to fax us information right away. Looking to include my husband name on the list congressional order of merit and represent our state on our business advisory council…. oooohhhh. I looked up the BAC and found your web site, thanks for everyone who is share information on this.
You’re very welcome. I still find it very hard to believe how many people these guys try to scam. I also find it hard to believe that none of the major networks or other forms of news media haven’y exposed this to a greater extent. But then again…
This is so funny!! Just got the call today, and I know haven’t done nothing big enough to gain a REPUBLICAN award ha ha..
Ralph