Potential FEC Ethics Violations to be Reported

Mar 15, 2010 – Until today's tragic house fire ( see:  www.wardellforcongress.com for further information)

which claimed the lives of my employee’s three children, Alexis (7), Kelsey (5), and Devin (4), it was my intent to travel to Jefferson City, Mo. to register for the upcoming Republican primary for the 7th Congressional seat now held by Roy Blunt. Due to the tragedy that struck my business, I will remain in Springfield to attend the children’s funerals.

With that said, it’s now been two weeks since Republican Billy Long was accused of attempting to bribe the blogger who writes the Billy Long is Wrong Web site. Since that time, Long has avoided the issue and not answered questions of the allegations. I have confirmed with three sources that Long did attempt to offer a job to the blogger known as Bungalow Bill in exchange for removing the blog site critical of the Long campaign on March 2, 2010, at Pizza by Stout in Joplin, Missouri, following the Republican women’s meeting that evening.

It has also come to my attention that Mr. Long may also be in violation of corporate in-kind donations to his campaign, which violates the 1907 Tillman Act. It is for these reasons I am moving forward with filing a complaint against Long with the Federal Election Commission.

I have prepared a statement of what I have learned about the event, and I will have it notarized and sent FedEx to the Federal Election Commission within the next two days. Our party is in the process of rebuilding trust with voters, and Longs unethical behavior puts our party at risk of losing the 7th Congressional seat if these allegations wait for the Democratic challenger to use then against Long in the fall if he were to win the primary.

Since this story broke almost two weeks ago, I am in disbelief and dismayed that my other six Republican opponents have remained without comment towards the possible ethics violations Long is accused of, with so much on the line this year. If Republicans want to return to the party America can trust, they are going to have to do so by policing their own. With so much to lose, the other six candidates chose to remain quiet. Republicans cannot afford to send a man to Washington who will hurt the party through payoffs to avoid criticism or gain favor. Americans already have trust issues with our party, and we need to work every day to rebuild that trust. What Long did at a Joplin pizza parlor will not benefit the Republican party in the long run.

Speaking as a voter and for the voters in Southwest Missouri, Billy Long owes us an explanation why he feels the First Amendment is something he can silence with a bribe.