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NC Republican Party outsources its attacks on DNC to New Jersey

Jeremy Sprinkle
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This lesson in hypocrisy brought to you by the letters "G-O-P"

Yesterday, the Republican-controlled General Assembly adopted an error-filled, non-binding resolution lambasting the DNC for not doing more to hire in-state, non-union companies to work the 2012 Convention in Charlotte. It falsely claims that the Democratic National Convention is actively trying not to hire North Carolina workers.

"This is such an unnecessary resolution," objected Rep. Paul Luebke because, in fact, "the DNC has an agreement to hire local people as much as possible." To say otherwise is "simply not true," he added.

Charlotte-area Rep. Becky Carney blasted Speaker Thom Tillis for wasting time and taxpayer dollars for a special session on a resolution having "nothing to do with the critical issues in this state right now."

"We need to be up here talking about jobs for every North Carolinian that's unemployed," said Carney. "And what have we done here for three days? We have not talked about jobs."

Unfortunately for North Carolina workers, state Republicans can't be bothered to put their money where their mouth is. According to filings with the Federal Elections Commission, the NCGOP has outsourced its video production, logo design, and web services to a company in New Jersey.

Specifically, the NCGOP has paid one Mr. Riccardo Diaz, the Director of Media Affairs for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, $5,589.90 to produce web videos attacking the DNC and President Obama, to design the logo for its 2012 campaign, and to create the website for itself and for its own state convention!

How's that for chutzpah?

While the Democratic National Convention is busy bringing millions of dollars to the state and local economy for its 2012 convention - including tens of thousands of convention guests, millions of dollars in investments to build up Charlotte infrastructure, and a worldwide media spotlight - the North Carolina Republican Party is paying a firm in New Jersey to attack the DNC.

Maybe Thom Tillis and Phil Berger need a resolution to remind Republicans that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Sources

Below are links to two PDFs from FEC reports with payments to Ricky Diaz in NJ.  Also below is an image of an original invoice from Diaz for the first video attacking the DNC, sent while he was still at Vanderbilt (but paid to him in NJ).

Payments for all of the outsourced work are listed below.  Also below is a link to Mr. Diaz LinkedIn profile and a link to an unlisted YouTube proof copy of the first attack ad on the DNC.

Invoice to NC GOP for outsourced DNC attack ad.

11930522852.pdf Page 28/48 02/03/2011  $499.95  Mr. Riccardo Diaz Union NJ 07083 Web Video-DNC Convention 11931669817.pdf Page 104/126 05/13/2011 $354.95 Mr. Riccardo Diaz Union NJ 07083 Web Video Stop Obama in NC Page 105/126 05/24/2011 $460.00 Mr. Riccardo Diaz Union NJ 07083 Website for State Convention Page 105/126 Mr. Riccardo Diaz Union NJ 07083 05/24/2011  $4,150.00 Website for NCGOP Page 105/126 Mr. Riccardo Diaz Union NJ 07083 05/24/2011  $125.00 Take Back NC Logo   Ricky Diaz profile on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ricky-diaz/1b/7a1/875 NCGOP Convention Video [proof copy of video on NCGOP site]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfncdRLlLwU NCGOP YouTube site with video attacking Obama which was produced by Mr. Diaz: http://www.youtube.com/user/NorthCarolinaGOP