just like things are run in Illinois

[ilbob]

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2009/05/red-alert-did-campaign-contributions.html

Monday, May 25, 2009
RED ALERT: Did anti-Obama campaign contributions dictate which Chrysler dealers were shuttered?

A tipster alerted me to an interesting assertion. A cursory review by that person showed that many of the Chrysler dealers on the closing list were heavy Republican donors.

To quickly review the situation, I took all dealer owners whose names appeared more than once in the list. And, of those who contributed to political campaigns, every single one had donated almost exclusively to GOP candidates. While this isn't an exhaustive review, it does have some ominous implications if it can be verified.

However, I also found additional research online at Scribd (author unknown), which also appears to point to a highly partisan decision-making process.

Consider the partial list of Chrysler dealership owners, listed below. You'll notice that all were opponents of Barack Obama, most through sponsorship of GOP candidates and organizations, but a handful through Barack's Democrat rivals (Hillary Clinton and John Edwards in 2008, for example).

• Vernon G. Buchanan: $147,450 to GOP candidates and organizations
• Wallace D. Alley and Family: $4,500 to GOP.
• Robert Archer: $4,600 to GOP and conservative causes.
• Homer S. Higginbotham and Family: $2950 to GOP.
• James Auffenberg and Family: $28,000 to GOP; $6,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Michael Maroone and Family: $60,000 to GOP; $8,500 to two Democrat candidates.
• Jerome Fader: $6,500 to Democrats; $2,500 to Independent Joe Lieberman.
• Stephen Fay and Family: $13,500 to GOP.
• William Numrich: $20,000 to GOP.
• Robert Carver: $10,000 to Democrats including $1,950 to Hillary Clinton, nothing to Barack Obama.

• Robert and Linda Rohrman: $24,000 to GOP.
• Frank Boucher, Jr. and Family: $18,000 to GOP, $1,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Scott Bossier: $4,300 to GOP.
• Todd Reardon: $17,000 to GOP; $2,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Russ Darrow and Family: $78,000 to GOP.
• Bradford Deery and Family: $24,700 to GOP.
• Charles Gabus and Family: $30,000 to GOP.
• Brian Smith: $15,500 to GOP.
• Michael Schlossman: $14,000 to GOP; $14,000 to three Democrats ($12,500 to Sen. Russ Feingold).
• Don Hill: $11,000 to GOP; $12,800 to conservative incumbent Rep. Heath Shuler.

• Don Miller: $2,000 to GOP; $1,000 to Feingold.
• Eddie Cordes: $2,150 to GOP.
• Robert Edwards: $1,100 to GOP.
• James Crowley: $19,100 to GOP.
• Stanley Graff: $2,200 to John Edwards (2008 Presidential Run); $500 to GOP.
• John Stewart: $10,500 to GOP.
• John Fitzgerald and Family: $4,600 to John McCain (2008); $2,000 to Hillary Clinton (2008); nothing to Barack Obama.
• William Churchill and Family: $3,500 to GOP.
• Thomas Ganley: $9.450 to GOP.
• Gary Miller: $20,000 to GOP.

• Kevin and Gene Beltz: $18,500 to GOP.
• Arthur Grayson: $14,000 to GOP.
• Eric Grubbs and Family: $26,000 to GOP.
• Michael Leep and Family: $19,500 to GOP; $4,800 to three Democrats including Sen. Evan Bayh.
• Harry Green, Jr.: $10,000 to GOP.
• Ronald Hoover: $5,250 to GOP.
• Ray Huffines and Family: $18,500 to GOP.
• John O. Stevenson: $1,500 to GOP.
• James Marsh: $8,200 to GOP.
• Max Pearson and Family: $112,000 to GOP.

I have thus far found only a single Obama donor (and a minor one at that: $200 from Jeffrey Hunter of Waco, Texas) on the closing list.

Chrysler claimed that its formula for determining whether a dealership should close or not included "sales volume, customer service scores, local market share and average household income in the immediate area."

In fact, there may have been other criteria involved: politics may have played a part. If this data can be validated, it would appear to be further proof that the Obama administration is willing to step over any line to advance its agenda.

It bodes poorly for America and the rule of law.

[Desertdog]

Now, with the Dems in control, try to somebody to investigate it, and try to correct it. 
Maybe some smart lawyer could pull a class action lawsuit, but I doubt that you will find a lawyer that wants to buck the Obama machine.

[makattak]

Hmmm...

Quick pick of random names off the closing list (that I did) showed none with confirmed gifts to Obama, though there were a few gifts to low level democrats.

I don't have time right now, but I'd like to know if a random sampling of those not being closed shows an inordinate proportion of those who gave to Obama being left open. (It's very likely that few of the car dealers gave to Obama, thus if a random choice of those to be closed were made, it would show few gifts to Obama.) I'd need to see an analysis of both lists to make a judgement.

[AZRedhawk44]

My gut feeling is that the independent dealerships tend to be Republican.

American cars are "trucks" for "truck people."  Some liberals are truck people, but mostly they are conservative.  I'm willing to bet that that list is largely GOP dominated anyways.

[red headed stranger]

My gut feeling is that the independent dealerships tend to be Republican.

American cars are "trucks" for "truck people."  Some liberals are truck people, but mostly they are conservative.  I'm willing to bet that that list is largely GOP dominated anyways.

I was thinking similarly.  Additionally, there were a lot of the smaller dealers that got the letter.  These would more often be in rural/suburban areas which skew more Republican.  It would also be fairly consistent with the claim that:

Chrysler claimed that its formula for determining whether a dealership should close or not included "sales volume, customer service scores, local market share and average household income in the immediate area."

[CNYCacher]

Without data showing that Obama supporters are less likely to get their dealerships closed, this data is worthless.

[Jamisjockey]

Without data showing that Obama supporters are less likely to get their dealerships closed, this data is worthless.

Agreed.