LF: Former pro-Trump super PAC director calls candidacy a ‘charade’ in scathing open letter

Title: Former pro-Trump super PAC director calls candidacy a ‘charade’ in scathing open letter
Source: Washington Times
URL Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news ... x-trump-strategist-calls-cand/
Published: Mar 30, 2016
Author: Jessica Chasmar
Post Date: 2016-03-30 09:21:19 by cranky
Keywords: None
Views: 3432
Comments: 17

In this March 12, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump speaks in Vandalia, Ohio. Trump wants to win the White House in November. House Speaker Paul Ryan wants to save the Republican Party for the future. Those goals put Trump and Ryan increasingly at odds over both tone and substance as the billionaire businessman barrels toward the GOP presidential nomination.

A former director for a pro-Donald Trump super PAC penned a blistering column on Monday calling the GOP front-runner a “self-preservationist” who “would stab any one of his supporters in the back if it earned him a cent more in his pocket.”

Stephanie Cegielski, the former communications director for Mr. Trump’s short-lived “Make America Great Again” super PAC, claimed in an open letter for XOJane that Mr. Trump aimed to position himself as a “protest” candidate and never expected to do so well in the Republican primary.

“What was once Trump’s desire to rank second place to send a message to America and to increase his power as a businessman has nightmarishly morphed into a charade that is poised to do irreparable damage to this country if we do not stop this campaign in its tracks,” she wrote.

“And I am now taking full responsibility for helping create this monster — and reaching out directly to those voters who, like me, wanted Trump to be the real deal,” Ms. Cegielski wrote. “I don’t think even Trump thought he would get this far. And I don’t even know that he wanted to, which is perhaps the scariest prospect of all.

“He certainly was never prepared or equipped to go all the way to the White House, but his ego has now taken over the driver’s seat, and nothing else matters. The Donald does not fail. The Donald does not have any weakness. The Donald is his own biggest enemy.”

“I’ll say it again: Trump never intended to be the candidate. But his pride is too out of control to stop him now,” she continued. “He doesn’t want the White House. He just wants to be able to say that he could have run the White House. He’s achieved that already and then some. If there is any question, take it from someone who was recruited to help the candidate succeed, and initially very much wanted him to do so.”

Ms. Cegielski went on to call Mr. Trump a “self-preservationist” who only cares about himself.

“The man does not know policy, nor does he have the humility to admit what he does not know — the most frightening position of all,” she wrote. “And he has no problem abusing your support the same way he cheated hard-working men and women out of millions of dollars, for which he is now being sued.”

“No matter how many times he repeats it, Trump would not be the ‘best’ at being a president, being in shape, fighting terrorism, selling steaks, and whatever other ‘best’ claim he has made in the last 15 minutes,” she wrote. “He would be the best at something, though. He is the best at looking out for Donald Trump — at all costs. Don’t let our country pay that price.”

Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for the Trump campaign, dismissed Ms. Cegielski’s assertions.

“This person was never employed by the Trump campaign. Evidently she worked for a Super PAC which Mr. Trump disavowed and requested the closure of via the FEC,” she said. “She knows nothing about Mr. Trump or the campaign, and her disingenuous and factually inaccurate statements in no way resemble any shred of truth. This is yet another desperate person looking for their fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump is running for President because he is the only one who will Make America Great Again.” (1 image)

Wait a minute. Is this the same Stephanie Cegielski who described herself as the top strategist in the Trump campaign?

He complained to the FEC, I think. But I don't think he got them shut down. At least, I did see an ad from them just last night, luring viewers to call their 800 number.

Anyone can actually start a PAC for anything, whether a candidate or party likes it or not. And then funnel the money raised anonymously to anything they want, including their own pockets.

According to the above article, "Evidently she worked for a Super PAC which Mr. Trump disavowed and requested the closure of via the FEC ..."

"Anyone can actually start a PAC for anything, whether a candidate or party likes it or not. And then funnel the money raised anonymously to anything they want, including their own pockets."

Yep. Apparently, the problem here was that there were too many tenuous links between the PAC and people in the Trump campaign. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, Trump asked the FEC to intervene.