this is cross-posted on Left of the Hill
Keith Fimian is on the board of the group Legatus which was founded by Tom Monaghan. One of the major reasons behind the formation of this group was that Monaghan had just sold his business for $1 billion (yes, that's billion with a 'b') and was frustrated with the fact that many Catholic organizations were drifting away from the orthodox views he thought they should promote. Realizing that many people are getting sick of talking about the extreme social views, Fimian claims this organization has nothing to do with politics and didn't promote a certain social agenda. If that were the truth, then it might have been the end of the discussion.
Unfortunately for Fimian, his claims don't seem to fit with the facts. Tom Monaghan, the guy who started Legatus, and his wife have donated tens of thousands of dollars to various extremely conservative candidates - including Keith Fimian.
In fact, according to the Naples News, Fimian's campaign is one of three biggest recipients of donations from the Monaghan family.
Monaghan's support for these candidates, all Catholic and anti-abortion, began nearly a year ago.I might disagree with some of Monaghan's politics, but there's no denying the fact that he has a right to take part in our country's political discussion. Keith Fimian, on the other hand, still insists that that the organization isn't involved with politics. The public shouldn't have to listen to these false statements anymore and Fimian simply needs to be honest about the political involvement of Monaghan and many of the other Legatus leaders. That's all the voters are asking for, after all, the truth. I wonder if Fimian will ever give that to them.This strategy shows that Monaghan is less interested in currying favor with established party leaders than providing political seed money for those who support his views, experts said.
"This guy seems really, predictably, interested in changing the ideology of the Republican Party and ultimately the ideology of Congress," said Clyde Wilcox, an expert in campaign finance and political science professor at Georgetown University in Washington D.C.In other words, the founder of the Legatus is actually donating a lot of time, money, and energy to his political causes.
But of course they do! I'm an 11th CD voter and I care, so why wouldn't others?
He also hasn't shown that he has a grasp of other issues, as you also pointed out in your coverage of his first debate with Gerry Connolly.
Fimian has cloaked himself in the now discredited rhetoric of free market, anti-choice politics that have defined the Republican party for most of this decade. This is not the year to give him a chance for Congress.