More insensitive repukelican behavior

[proud2BlibKansan]

Mix-up on report heats up campaign
By MATT STEARNS
The Star’s Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON | - A late fundraising report and the work of a recently deceased staffer led to a day of unusually harsh accusations and recriminations Tuesday in Missouri’s U.S. Senate race.

Democrat Claire McCaskill has demanded apologies from the Missouri Republican Party and Republican Sen. Jim Talent. Both say they aren’t coming.

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McCaskill spokeswoman Adrianne Marsh called the attack “incredibly insensitive” because campaign compliance director Melissa Berridge, who was in charge of FEC filings, had died in a skydiving plane crash July 29 near Sullivan, Mo.

And as it turned out, the campaign found a receipt and postal stamp in Berridge’s files — which it shared with reporters — that showed Berridge had sent the report to the correct office at the correct address on July 24 via priority mail.

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Sloca emphasized that the report did not reach the FEC on time and that it is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that it does.

He then blasted McCaskill’s campaign for “hiding behind the unfortunate death of a staffer to hide (McCaskill’s) incompetence. It’s very disturbing they would use this, the death of one of their staffers. It boggles the mind. It’s despicable.”

more . . .

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/15174969.htm
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EDIT: COPYRIGHT. PLEASE POST ONLY 4 OR 5
PARAGRAPHS FROM THE COPYRIGHTED NEWS SOURCE
PER DU RULES.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. response from family member:

his is Melissa Berridge's brother, James. As her sole relative in the St. Louis area, the past few days have been an utter nightmare. Waiting for my mother and oldest sister to arrive from Pennsylvania, our other sister to arrive from Texas and Missy's long-time boyfriend to fly in from California...meeting with the folks at the Quantum Leap Jump School (Mark, Larry, Jim, etc., etc.)...learning about the work Missy did for the McCaskill campaign from her fellow staffers and Claire all taught me that my sister had touched more lives than I could ever have known while she was living. Missy did all the things I never had the courage to do...from doing something substantive about her beliefs to skydiving for the pure joy of it.

I always knew Missy was incredibly meticulous and dedicated to the work she did beyond limit. I was not at all surprised tp see FIRST HAND that she filed the "disputed" report (which in fact the FEC never ACTUALLY did dispute...only asked for follow-up information on) THREE DAYS BEFORE the due date and just days before her death. In fact, my sister was so organized that other staffers were able to QUICKLY find ALL supporting documentation of the filing three days before it was due along with a copy of the report iself..in her office...three days after her death. No one could ever do that in MY office...how about you. I have copies in hand as I write this of all of her documentation.

So...now...imagine this. Today, we FINALLY were able to view Missy's body and say goodbye to her. This has been the hardest day of my life and I am not alone in that. Others are hurting far worse than I am...namely our mother. The first thing I learned after leaving the funeral home along with my mother and surviving sisters were the preliminary details of the MOGOP's baseless attack on my dead sister's impeccable work.

I am a private citizen who is not overly active politically. I would never have imagined a member of my own family would be "swift-boated" as we are very private people. To do so to someone who's remains have not yet been cremated constitute the actions of people who simply have no moral compass. These are the not actions of "spiritual" people...be they Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Agnostic, any other religion or God forbid even Atheist.

I assure you, my sister will be defended. They have chosen the wrong person and indeed the wrong family to defame!

This is LOW!!

James Berridge, Edwardsville, IL

http://kcbuzzblog.typepad.com/kcbuzzblog/2006/08/and_then_really_1.html#comment-20556887

[doodadem]

2. My condolences James........

So sorry for the loss of your sister. I have now lost two siblings, and it is very, very difficult to deal with. You miss them every single day of your life. But I can tell you, it does eventually get a little easier, and you can remember the good times together.

Take care,
Doodadem

[tanyev]

3. They have no shame and no decency.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. I would agree with that

Makes me more determined than ever to help Claire get elected.