Bondage-gate and Donor Money

For a political party that presents itself as the party of morality and family-values, should spending $1,946 at a topless, West Hollywood bondage club be interpreted as family bonding? While both parties occasionally fail to spend political donations most efficiently, the Republican National Committee (RNC) faces questions as major newspapers reported last week on the RNC's expenditure at Voyeur, a topless bondage club in West Hollywood.The expenditure was listed on RNC's monthly financial disclosure report to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). The entire situation is filled with irony as the Republican Party purports to be the party of morals. How moral is it to spend political donors' money at a club with topless dancers? 

More importantly, this latest development adds to the list of growing criticisms against RNC Chairman Michael Steele. Fellow Republicans have already criticized Steele for falling behind in fundraising efforts. Now, he is answering questions regarding "Bondage-gate." Some critics have called for Steele's resignation, but Steele has shrugged these off and played the race card. Confronting criticism of the committee for picking up a $2,000 tab for donors and staff at a West Hollywood strip and bondage club, Mr. Steele said in response to a question on Good Morning America on ABC that he and President Obama were being "held to tougher standards because they were black." To make matters worse, Steele faces competition for campaign dollars from an independent GOP group, American Crossroads, which is spearheaded by Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie. As a [[527 committees| organization], American Crossroads can raise unlimited funds from corporations and individuals to influence upcoming elections. 

Whether Steele will last as RNC Chairman remains to be seen. The race card is not a factor in Steele's criticism, and I'm inclined to agree with the words of White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, "I think Michael Steele's problem is not the race card, it's the credit card."