Republicans in Breach of Contract? A new political standard?

I heard this listening to Fox and found the following link on the Virginia Post:

A retired attorney in Virginia Beach is so incensed that Republicans couldn’t repeal the Affordable Care Act that he’s suing to get political donations back, accusing the GOP of fraud and racketeering.

Bob Heghmann, 70, filed a lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court, saying the national and Virginia Republican parties and some GOP leaders raised millions of dollars in campaign funds while knowing they weren’t going to be able to overturn the law also known as Obamacare.

The GOP “has been engaged in a pattern of Racketeering which involves massive fraud perpetrated on Republican voters and contributors as well as some Independents and Democrats,” the suit said. Racketeering, perhaps better known for use in prosecuting organized crime, involves a pattern of illegal behavior by a specific group.

My first thought was, sure, he just wants to make a statement. No way in Hades this is gonna actually go anywhere. But then...

A legal contract does not have to be drawn up by an attorney and signed. Any promise that can e proven in court is a legal contract; written contracts are simply there to be that proof. But in this case, I do believe there is plenty of proof of that contract to go around. The Republican party did, indeed, promise over and over again to repeal Obamacare, and then, when they had the ultimate opportunity... control of both houses of Congress, the Presidency, and the majority in the Supreme Court... they refused. Even more damning, they refused to pass the exact same repeal they already passed before under Obama, obviously because they knew it wouldn't be signed then, but it would be signed into law this time.

That is actually approaching the level of fraud.

This is going to be one interesting case...

TheRedneck

a reply to: TheRedneck

There is one fundamental concept missing from the US Constitution.

TRUTH

Perhaps this case will start a trend, a trend that is absolute.

Just imagine a world ... where politicians who lie to the people ... are jailed for 10 to life for crimes against the very fabric of democracy.

I would love to be in that world.

P

a reply to: TheRedneck

I wasn't stupid enough to donate money to any political party, but I think this guy is on to something. I don't blame Trump for this, but the Republican party who has essentially give a big screw you to their supporters.

It is still the fault of Democrats that we are in the is mess to begin with, but now Republicans have put themselves in an awkward position where they have let down the voters.

a reply to: TheRedneck

This is going to be one interesting case...

Until it gets quietly swept under the carpet like everything else.

If that law suit is not dismissed I can imagine the big can of worms it will open ! There really should be a way of holding political parties and individuals responsible .... All the political pandering about doing away with the POS ACA yet when it came time.. Nothing but bought and paid politicians.. what a joke on all of us and the well being of our citizens.

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: TheRedneck

This is going to be one interesting case...

Until it gets quietly swept under the carpet like everything else.

Right?

Let's see: options are a) sweep it under the rug and business as usual or b) play it out and create a political landscape where parties and politicians can be taken to court for not doing every last thing they say they're going to do?

Yea. That's gonna be option A, all day long.

a reply to: CranialSponge

Politics: Default

If I were to bet, that's where I'd place my wager. Time and time again history shows exactly that.

a reply to: Metallicus

I wasn't stupid enough to donate money to any political party, but I think this guy is on to something. I don't blame Trump for this, but the Republican party who has essentially give a big screw you to their supporters.

It is still the fault of Democrats that we are in the is mess to begin with, but now Republicans have put themselves in an awkward position where they have let down the voters.

^^^ THIS! ^^^

You just summed up my opinion on the whole political climate EXACTLY.

Trump may have run on the Republican ticket, but when I cast that vote I wasn't voting for a Republican... I was voting for an egomaniacal go-getter with a bad spray tan who wanted to fix things, as opposed to another suave, lying, stuffed shirt politician that just wanted to pad his pockets from lobbyists at my expense. If this lawsuit manages to oust a few of those politicians, I will have a celebration with a bottle of that 1980s vintage bubbly I've been saving for a special occasion.

(Yes, rednecks like good champagne too.)

TheRedneck

a reply to: TheRedneck

A retired attorney in Virginia Beach is so incensed that Republicans couldn’t repeal the Affordable Care Act that he’s suing to get political donations back, accusing the GOP of fraud and racketeering.

He's "Retired", huh? Sorry dude, bribes-- I mean "Campaign contributions" aren't refundable.

a reply to: TheRedneck

I wish they made it a class-action suit.

I'd like to join!

a reply to: pheonix358

Just imagine a world ... where politicians who lie to the people ... are jailed for 10 to life for crimes against the very fabric of democracy.

How about if politicians are required to wear a shock collar once they take office and the people hold the zapper! Lie or don't keep their promises, hit the zap button. Hit the vibration button as a warning if they're supporting bad legislation. What a sight that would be! .

a reply to: intrptr

IANAL, but, the suit will fail before it gets to any hearings on merit.

There is no harm caused that is specific to the complainant, rather than to the population at large. There is no damage for which a court, any court, can provide relief. Those are the two MINIMUM standards the suit must pass before a court will consider the merits and this suit fails on both counts.

Even if the suit does somehow work its way into court it will fail on the merits. Representatives are elected by the electorate to represent them and an individual representative doesn't have control over other representatives. Even if you argue that a particular candidate has a 'contract' with the electorate to vote a certain way, that doesn't control other representatives in other electorates. And who is that 'contract' with? Is it with the voters who voted against him too? Might those people have a different idea about how their representatives should vote? Any so-called 'contract' is about the representative 'representing' his entire electorate according to his own conscience to the best of his ability.

Last but not least, this guy is suing the PARTY? WTF does the party have to do with it? Congress is the entity that didn't do what this individual wanted done. This is like suing the NFL because your team lost on Sunday. Sheesh.

This is just another one of those stupid waste of time and money things like the over 200 'lawsuits' during the birther anti-Obama propaganda campaign.

I swear, some people get their knickers in a knot over the stupidest things.

a reply to: rnaa

Finally, even if the suit does somehow work its way into court it will fail on the merits.

Laws are for little people.

The system is designed to protect itself from too much scrutiny.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Funny enough, the news is talking about that very thing. Several of the personalities have said the same thing you did.

I'd consider joining too, but I didn't give any money to either side. No sense throwing money at hot air.

TheRedneck

a reply to: Metallicus
If I remember over the last 7-8 years the repubs have beaten their grey haired chests about repeal and repeal and replace.
Not doing either tells me 3 things.

1. They do not fear the voter, at all.

2. They fear something far more other than the voter.
The fear forced them to give us voters a full 2 cheek moon with middle finger and do absolutely nothing to plan (7-8 years for replace) to repeal and/or repeal and replace.

3. Essentially Hillary was supposed to win.
This could keep the medical monopoly rolling SMOOOOTH. The repubs could call her socialist and that she eats deep fired baby faces and she could say the repubs hate trans people and stomp little minority puppies heads. Mean while the medical cabal rakes in the $$$ by the ton because the left and right are at each others throats. Very profitable.


There is little difference between the repubs and dems. The game has been exposed for those who did not get a big tat of red R or blue D on their neck.

a reply to: TheRedneck

I didn't give any money either, but it is a breach of contract and I did vote for Trump so he could repeal it.

originally posted by: 727Sky
There really should be a way of holding political parties and individuals responsible.

I looked into this hard just last week. There's no accountability in Politics. There's no way to control what goes on ... or what doesn't go on. The only thing, it seems, that matters is that status: Elected Official.

What's unfortunate is there's no way to eliminate them (the positions) from the government. I don't really blame the political process so much either. It's the legal framework we let them get away with establishing. They never _get rid_ of any laws.

I think it's time for a Constitutional Amendment that sunsets every single law in the land after 5 very short years. Yeah ... let 'em renew it ... I don't have a problem with Murder being something against the law ... But, make the damn lawmakers work for it.

The Republican Party has a big problem with "split" opinions and policies.

Those 3 (R)s that went renegade on the Obama.Care thing must have reasons for not going along with the "program".

What really upsets me is that you always hear republicans talking about "repeal and replace".

They were elected to repeal.

NOT replace.

I mean, why bother repealing if all you're going to do is put another program in it's place???

a reply to: Snarl

Would this not cause a constitutional convention every 5 years?