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Hess Employee Who Gave $28,500 To McCain Effort Is A Renter
Here's a bit more on Alice and Pasquale Rocchio, the couple who each gave $28,500 to the RNC-McCain fund on the same day that eight Hess Corporation execs and/or Hess family members gave the same.
As reported below, Alice is a Hess "office manager," and Pasquale is an Amtrak "track foreman." The two live in a middle class neighborhood in Flushing, Queens.
Martin Bernstein, a city assessor at the New York Department of Finance
Queens Assessment Office, has just confirmed to us by phone that the Rocchios rent their home.
Late Update: There's a bit of dispute over whether Flushing, Queens, should be described as "middle class" or "lower middle class." It turns out that the median household income in the Rocchios' zip code is $58,069.
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Guys, how are you going to get this story out to the wider outlets? This stuff is hot off the presses!
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August 4, 2008 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't worry. The MSM types watch this place like a hawk. Not as important as the always-reliable Matt Drudge, mind you, but watched nonetheless.
The quesition is whether anyone in the MSM will view this as being important. After all, its not like these people were donating to Democrats.
August 4, 2008 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Looks like the Washington Post picked up the story.
August 4, 2008 4:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
You guys are having a good day.
August 4, 2008 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope the Rocchio's are on the phone with their lawyer.
August 4, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
My thoughts exactly, josephcast.
Wonder what the odds are that they're represented by a member of Hess' legal team?
August 4, 2008 3:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's a bit sad: I'm pretty sure the Rocchios weren't sitting around asking themselves, "How can I help my big-oil bosses circumvent federal law to give tens of thousands of dollars to John McCain?"
But how's that campaign finance reform working out for Jimmy Mac, anyway?
August 4, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's why they invented testimonial immunity.
But it does make one feel kind of bad that these folks, who were probably assured by her bosses that this was all perfectly legal (but if anyone asks, its all your money, okay?), are about to have their lives turned upside down and inside out.
August 4, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
...worst case scenerio for McCain...he says he had no idea and gives the money to charity...at least it wasn't from the Chinese Government...Thank God.
August 4, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, worst case scenario for your boy goes something like this:
"Illegal Oil Co. Contributions Pour into McCain's, GOP's Tank After Pro-Drilling Stance"
Hess Oil Company executives are under investigation for alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy to funnel illegal campaign contributions into the warchests of Republican presidential hopeful John McCain and the Republican National Committee. The allegedly illegal contributions came almost immediately after McCain and the Republicans came out strongly in favor of loosening restrictions of drilling on the OCS. The scandal comes as a particular embarrassment to McCain because campaign finance has been one of his signature issues and because of his harsh criticism of Barack Obama for opting out of the public financing system. Additionally, McCain and the RNC recently boasted of their stronger fundraising success in June and July after suffering months of lackluster performance that left McCain no option but to participate in public financing. Today's revelations are sure to result in increased, and possibly unwelcome, scrutiny of the sources behind the Republicans' recent burst of fundraising success."
Probably won't happen, because someone in the MSM would have to stand up, pull off the kneepads and look Mav the Mac in the eye, and, anyway, its not like these were contributions to Democrats, but as long as we're talking "worst case scenarios" and all . . .
August 4, 2008 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't feel too bad.
Trust me. You never know the extent of someone's willingness to go along with something.
August 4, 2008 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
So let's see... you're saying that people won't improve their mileage by doing so?
"You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure..." www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/maintain.shtml
Which is a hell of a lot more good than a "gas tax holiday" as promoted by McCain...
ROFL
August 4, 2008 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ha! Why save for a home when you can blow that loot on one big fat campaign donation to McMaverick? Something ain't adding up.
Great work, Greg.
August 4, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly! They don't need no stinking home as long as McCorpse is elected president!!
August 4, 2008 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, if they are renting, the chances of them being independently wealthy just went WAY down. Excellent story.
August 4, 2008 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
From your initial report when you spoke to Mrs. Rucchio did her defense seem canned?
August 4, 2008 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
They rent?
Yet they can afford a total donation of over fifty thousand dollars to a candidate?
I find this, um, implausible to say the least.
August 4, 2008 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
that fifty or should we say sixty thousand is post tax income. It is more like donating all your income from an 80,000 a year job.
August 4, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where did you read that was post-tax (aka 'net') income? I didn't see 'post-tax' anywhere. Wouldn't you like to see these people's tax returns?
August 4, 2008 4:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's easy, Steaming Pie. In order to have $57K left after paying income taxes, one has to earn about $80K. These contributions aren't tax-deductible, you know. :-)
August 4, 2008 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, and y'all are outdoing yourselves today!
August 4, 2008 3:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is a really, really great story. Exactly the sort of story that should resonate with the average American. Great work. I would be shocked if this doesn't become a significant find.
August 4, 2008 3:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know. It's going to have to compete with the big, big story about Obama's comical, ridiculous suggestion that people will get significantly better milage if they their tires inflated and engines tuned up.
August 4, 2008 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
...which wouldn't be near as funny if he had anything else in his plan...well there's "Hope we invent something" and the tires...
August 4, 2008 3:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd link to his energy policy, but I know that Republicans can't read Democrat.
August 4, 2008 4:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
**LOL!
August 5, 2008 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, like we'll pay you $300,000 to invent a new car battery! What a joke! Er, wait a minnit...
August 4, 2008 5:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent point! Surely we don't want to rely on good ol' American ingenuity--nothing good ever comes of that.
August 4, 2008 5:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
**They gave the piddling $2300 limit (each) in the first quarter. These people have been at this for a while. Shades of Tom Noe, eh?
August 5, 2008 2:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg, you're moving like lightning on this -- I haven't seen TPM bulldog a story like this since the attorney firings. Do you have any outstanding calls to the FEC, Hess or the McCain campaign on this?
August 4, 2008 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg mentioned in his first post that neither Hess nor McCain's campaign had any comment.
Caught dead to rights and trying to think up a good excuse, I'm thinking.
And Greg - let me add to the chorus praising your work on this. Nice job.
August 4, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
O god, Greg - this is just awesome. Great fucking work!!!!!!
I am truly in awe - I wasn't just flinging that word around.
August 4, 2008 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
G-bomb and the F-bomb in the same post is just as bad as J-Bomb and F-Bomb...maybe with a small "g" it's acceptable...I'll need to go to the judges for a ruling...
August 4, 2008 3:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
You do that - I'm all a-tiptoe until I hear back.
It's just shocking how many Church Ladies hang around TPM.
August 4, 2008 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
What's annoying is someone supposedly of the military pretending that goddamn and fuck and such shocks his virgin ears.
August 4, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Frankly, that either word or any word still shocks anyone - hell, I'm delighted. Why do think people indulge in the first place?
;)
August 4, 2008 4:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Say what you will about him, no one with SFC in front of his name (who isn't a poseur) is going to be shocked by your language. Impressed by your command of the idiom, maybe.
August 4, 2008 4:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your douchebagginess knows NO bounds, "SFC" Wallace. Too bad you don't spend as much energy on something productive as you do shilling for criminals who no doubt could GIVE a sh*t about you and your "service" to the country. What a waste.
August 6, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent work, Greg. Please - PLEASE - follow this story to the Gates of Hell.
August 4, 2008 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
...but not if it leads to Pakistan!
August 4, 2008 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
In their defense, it is NYC, where more people than average rent. Still this whole thing stinks. But isn't it a problem for Hess and not McCain? Worst case scenario is he gives the money back.
August 4, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
It can only remove some of the sheen from McCain's aura of Mavericky Goodness.
That ain't a bad thing.
August 4, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fine with me.
That will be almost $60,000 McLame won't have to smear Obama with and if this story really becomes what it should, this should be Gigantic Trouble for Mr. Mavericky Campaign Finance Reform. It is also Gigantic Trouble for Mr. Mavericky "I'm not Beholden to Big Oil or Lobbyists - and yes I am lying through my teeth" McLame.
August 4, 2008 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup. It also puts into question every one of those $28k gifts. To "save face", he may have to give all of the Hess money back.
August 4, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, but they live in a very middle-class part of Flushing. Plus her husband makes somewhere around $20/hr -- I think $19 and change was the last negotiated rate for track foremen on Amtrak -- so we know at least one of their incomes wouldn't support this kind of donation.
As for McCain, well, the optics are really, really bad. He flip-flops on offshore drilling, and then Big Oil starts breaking campaign finance laws (which JM made his "reformer" bones on) to give him tens of thousands of dollars. McCain has a history of cozy relationships with lobbyists and donors, so there's a connection waiting to be made here.
August 4, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
He flip-flops on offshore drilling, and then Big Oil starts breaking campaign finance laws (which JM made his "reformer" bones on) to give him tens of thousands of dollars.
AND THIS IS THE STORY THAT SHOULD BE NEWS TOMORROW!
Sorry for shouting. This isn't about the individual couple, it's about McCain and Hess Oil potentially breaking campaign finance laws right after McCain reverses his position on off shore drilling.
August 4, 2008 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd love to believe it's so. But I'd be willing to bet $56k that the MSM will ignore it completely, or at best brush it off. Remember, association, no matter how tenuous, only matter if one party is black.
August 4, 2008 3:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jonathan Martin has it posted.
And says "The optics don't look good, at first blush".
Paraphrased.
August 4, 2008 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
CT - I think this one will have some legs. It's too juicy for the MSM to pass it up.
It's not always about bias, you know. It's about filling time, mostly, and the MSM are lazy.
:)
August 4, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd love to believe it's so. But I'd be willing to bet $56k that the MSM will ignore it completely, or at best brush it off. Remember, association, no matter how tenuous, only matter if one party is black.
August 4, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
yeah, JZ, but that is always your attitude, so - around and around we go.
;)
August 4, 2008 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
You guys are on fire today!!
I'm thinking these Hess people aren't too bright... I mean, *everyone* knows you're supposed to parcel out shady money moves - $5K here, then maybe $6K next month, etc., etc.
August 4, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anybody writing this up should mention that our Third Amendment came as a result of the abuses by the King's Hessians.
August 4, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wish there were a way to dump leaflets about this story all over the rally in Sturgis this evening!
August 4, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where it becomes a problem for McStrange is the timing between his reversal on offshore drilling and the donations. If a substantive line can be drawn connecting those dots he's in a world of hurt!
August 4, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I absolutely agree, all this needs to be tied back into the timing of McCain's sudden complete backing of off-shore drilling. That's where the national story will be.
August 4, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder how much other oil-connected interests also donated too.
August 4, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, that would be $2mil.
August 4, 2008 9:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just for reference I checked some internet salary calculators for Amtrak Track Foreman: http://www.simplyhired.com/a/salary/search/q-Amtrak/l-flushing/q_1-track+foreman/l_1-new+york
Looks like about $45,000 / year, so this donation is probably like 80% of his after tax salary.
August 4, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's a Foreman III.
A General Foreman makes about $61,000-$70,000 a year.
However, even assuming Pasquale Rocchio makes that much pre-tax, $28,500 would still be like 40% of his pre-tax income. That's a massive contribution for someone who rents his home.
August 4, 2008 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Only if it makes it to the Corporate Media. Of course, somehow this will be spun as an attack on an ordinary citizen's right to support the candidate of their choice. It's OK for Obama to have Joe Sixpack support him, but not McStain? Why are you questioning McStain's military record on this?
August 4, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. This is incredible. Great story.
August 4, 2008 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm no McCain fan but suggesting a current investment in real estate is superior to other ways of spending your money is a bit dodgy.
August 4, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
However if you are independently wealthy, you'd own a house. If you are working class and renting, it's completely understandable, but then you wouldn't be making $60K donations to political campaigns the same day as the bigwigs in your office decided to do so.
August 4, 2008 3:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, here's a good question - why would an Amtrak employee give 28K to McCain, considering McCain's obvious attempts to kill amtrak?
more
August 4, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
The poor guy's going to have some explaining to do to his buddies down at the union hall after they hear about this.
August 4, 2008 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
A quick search of Pasquale Rocchio on lexis/nexis found around 10-15 properties (25 hits with some duplicates) in the New York area with his name on the deed. Might be a different guy, might not. The address listed in Flushing is deeded to them and has a value of about $450K.
Carry on.
August 4, 2008 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think it's really a common name. If your facts are correct, this could fizzle rather quickly.
August 4, 2008 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mr. Campaign Finance Reform is in the middle of some obivious violations! I've already started emailing this story to every news outlet and beat reporter, whose email address I can get hold of.
Let's just see if this makes the news this evening!
August 4, 2008 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
How much is the monthly rent?
August 4, 2008 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
considering how the hess family ran the ny jets (can you say rich kotite?) this blundering is hardly surprising
August 4, 2008 3:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg,
You are doing a great job. This needs to be reported to the FEC ASAP. Also, good luck with this story buddy. Watch how far you go though, don't want to see you get any backlash for a privacy violation.
No community, I am not saying stop. I am just raising a concern here. Nothing more.
August 4, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
In fairness to the Rocchio family, we shouldn't jump to conclusions. For all we know, she may have cashed in stock options, or received an inheritance or just shot their entire life savings donating to McCain.
Yes, the above sound implausible, but one never knows. Certainly, this is something that should be further investigated.
It should also be noted that even if the contribution is ultimately found to be illegal, McCain would probably not incur direct blame for it, so I am not sure how much any revelation would hurt the campaign.
August 4, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Pangaea,
I agree with you. What has been raised here deserves further review/investigation. We are not at the point of drawing definitive conclusions. A lot of speculation is flying around though which I feel only an investigation will resolve.
August 4, 2008 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Campaign finance laws are broken after a sudden surge in donations from Hess Oil. Conveniently after John McCain switches his position on off-shore drilling.
It has nothing to do with the individual couple.
August 4, 2008 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hear you. But even if finance laws were broken (and that is all that occurred), isn't Hess hurt more than McCain? Unless there was collaboration or explicit quid pro quo for the donation(s), how is this nothing more than extremely embarrassing to the Reps?
August 4, 2008 3:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
They own it and lots of other properties. Here's the deed records:
Owner Information
Name: ROCCHIO PASQUALE A & ALICE M (HUSBAND AND WIFE)
Address: 4622 197TH ST
FLUSHING, NY 11358-3925
QUEENS COUNTY
Property Information
Property Address: 6972 ROSEBURY CT SW
OCEAN ISL BCH, NC 28469-3652
BRUNSWICK COUNTY
Land Use: SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL
Legal Information
Assessor's Parcel Number: 211NC050
Recording Date: 09/2006
Book/Page: 2477/921
Brief Description: L-50 S-IV PH-1 SEDGEFIELD @ ORP PL-19/272
Legal Description: LOT NUMBER: 50; SECTION: IV; PHASE: 1; MAP MAP 211NC
Sale Information
Recording Date: 09/2006
Sale Price: $525,000 - FULL AMOUNT
Assessment Information
Market Value Year: 2008
Market Land Value: $213,750
Market Improvement Value: $271,970
Total Market Value: $485,720
Assessment Year: 2008
Property Characteristics
Year Built: 2004
Stories: 1
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2
Fireplace: YES
Building Area: 2,271 E HEATED
Air Conditioning: CENTRAL
Heating: HEAT PUMP
Exterior Walls: BRICK VENEER
Important: The Public Records and commercially available data sources used on reports have errors. Data is sometimes entered poorly, processed incorrectly and is generally not free from defect. This system should not be relied upon as definitively accurate. Before relying on any data this system supplies, it should be independently verified. For Secretary of State documents, the following data is for information purposes only and is not an official record. Certified copies may be obtained from that individual state's Department of State.
LexisNexis
About LexisNexis | Terms & Conditions
Copyrightยฉ 2008 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Running search... Please wait.
August 4, 2008 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
So they're independently wealthy multiple property owners. Seems like they'd have the money to donate afterall.
August 4, 2008 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Riiiight. And she just works as an office manager and he works as a track inspector because they're eccentrics.
August 4, 2008 4:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL - Excellent! I guess they're just looking for something to help kill their afternoons.
August 4, 2008 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Are they the seller or the buyer in that transaction? Where are the other listings? One $525,000 house doesn't necessarily add up to $57,000 for McCain.
You can probably get in trouble for posting LexisNexis stuff like that.
August 4, 2008 5:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
By calling the New York Department of Finance
Queens Assessment Office, for instance?
August 4, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
So, they own the house but the Queens Tax Assessor thinks they rent?
Geez, they may have even more problems before this is over.
August 4, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you think this stuff should be posted in public?
August 4, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whatever it takes!!!
August 4, 2008 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dude - it's all a matter of public record anyway.
Jeez people - you have a very inflated sense of privacy.
Very inflated.
August 4, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
damn fogu, you just killed all the fun. i was taking bets if (a) someone would actually go there to investigate in person and (b) if these Queens people are on the phone to both the lawyers and the McCains and (c)if privacy laws and libel laws would be their only defense..
just imagine the drama if somebody did go there...and what would they find..
now there's no point betting anymore.
i hate you.
August 4, 2008 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually according to Nexis that's the only property they own. They don't own their property in Queens.
August 4, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
A simple search of phone numbers reveals 7 Pasquale Rocchio's in the NY area. What makes you think you have the right one?
August 4, 2008 5:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Guys, we shouldn't be talking about this. We'll look a bit hypocritical. Conservative blogs are abuzz about Obama accepting money from Palestinians because they lied on the donor sheet.
August 4, 2008 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I actually checked myself, check fec.gov and location Rafah, GA. Apparently they lied and stated Georgia instead of Gaza.
August 4, 2008 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think that is an attempt to embarrass. I mean unless Ga is the address short for Gaza, if these donors were trying to hide their location, wouldn't they change their city name as well?
August 4, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did Obama flip on some position extremely favorable to Palestenians and then get a huge amount of money from them? NO.
The McCain story is about quid pro quo--he takes a position favorable to the oil industry and they give him big bucks!
August 4, 2008 3:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
So Obama is in trouble because someone that donated to him lied about who they were. How is Obama accountable for this action at all? Also, how is that similar to the allegation raised here of a quid pro quo in relation to offshore drilling and campaign donations.
August 4, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Are you joking? Fraudulently giving, and receiving, campaign money is a major problem. It's completely separate from whatever supposed issue Obama has.
August 4, 2008 3:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, the amount was a little high. It was 29K for Obama.
August 4, 2008 3:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Having said that though, this oil case is far worse.
August 4, 2008 3:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
arent foreigners prohibited from contributions to the candidates?
August 4, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes.
August 4, 2008 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. Great job, TPM! This is obviously a problem and looks like, at minimum, McCain will be giving the money to charity soon.
August 4, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it might be better to take a step back and let the investigating go on and see where it leads them. If fogu2 is correct with his information, then this is a non-story and these are two private citizens.
The Hess donations mere days after his 180 degree change of heart is still a story with some legs.
August 4, 2008 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fishy....but a wild goose chase? And that's nice Fogu, I am glad you have so much respect for these folks to post this info. You're a real pal.
August 4, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
They are public records.
August 4, 2008 3:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I understand that.
Not my point at all.
August 4, 2008 3:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Save the armchair reporting, and leave it to our boy Greg. He knows what he is doing.
August 4, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
And he's wrong. Not exactly what an ivestigative reporter want to be known for.
August 4, 2008 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
So send him email. It's wrong to post so much personal information here. Yes it's publicly accessible, but that doesn't make it right -- you know that there are plenty of lazy yahoos who wouldn't ferret that out themselves but who would be happy to pick up the phone to give this couple a piece of their mind.
August 4, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please stop acting like a frightened school girl. There's no privacy interest at stake here and y'all are being unbelievably boringly silly about it.
August 4, 2008 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry for being such a frightened schoolgirl. Please post your home address and phone number in this space.
August 4, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Look as far as I'm concerned, the beauty of the internet is that it is interactive. The tools are there for anyone - why do you want to set up some sort of "internet professional class"?
August 4, 2008 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
A wild goose chase, which is why investigations are probably not reported in real time. If you sat on this story to investigate and it lead to a dead end - no harm done. However reporting on it as you go and having it lead nowhere could probably open you up to litigation, especially given the implications.
Of course Greg and Eric are pros and know what they are doing. I'm just a sucker with an opinion.
August 4, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Besides being shady, what this story does is to discourage the next set of oil execs who want to give a nice little "bonus" to their employees with the understanding that a corresponding contribution be made to McCain. I wonder if the FBI will be crawling up the Hess's ass like they did to some Edwards' donors four years ago, when the same type of allegations were made.
August 4, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hopefully that "bonus" covers taxes, lawyer fees, fines, and lost work as well. It's almost enough to feel sorry for this family.
August 4, 2008 3:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perhaps Greg and Eric want to eat a little crow now and make a mea culpa.
Change the headline dudes.
August 4, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Amateur hour at TPM.
August 4, 2008 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Only in the comments section. There are 7 Pasquale Rocchio's in NY what makes you think you have the correct one?
August 4, 2008 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Am I reading that wrong? It seems to say that they live in Flushing (where they could easily rent), but own a $500k beach house in North Carolina.
August 4, 2008 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Assuming this was all a sham, can't the McCain campaign just say they had no idea the money wasn't from the Rocchios and end the whole controversy? Or is the burden on the campaign to verify the source of the funds?
August 4, 2008 4:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fogu did a search using a search engine that posts a warning about the accuracy of the results. Sargent actually calls the appropriate NY office in question.
Who's doing the actual legwork on this?
August 4, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll take Lexis over a public official any day of the week, I'm afraid.
August 4, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK, post your home address, I'll do a lexis/nexis search and let you decide if it's accurate.
Lexis/nexis is the accepted disseminator of records worldwide.
It is responses like these and Greg and Erics's failure to simply do proper research that makes the entire Obamite cult a joke in the eyes of adults.
I'm not suggesting there isn't funny business here. Just that TPM has done shoddy investigation which makes you wonder how often this kind of thing happens with them. This was one instance where in 5 minutes I could prove that their investigation is crap.
August 4, 2008 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or pull the Rocchio portion of the story for time being.
There was smoke and that deserved further investigation, but there wasn't fire. Pull it and focus back on the original story about the flood of donations right after McCain's 180 degree change. And as has been mentioned, even there unless you can prove there was some sort of understanding, rewarding a campaign with donations for adopting a friendly policy is not exactly news.
August 4, 2008 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excuse me?
Where do you get that there is no fire?
August 4, 2008 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
On the basis of Fogu2's Lexis research, it seems that the Rocchios are practically real estate barons.
August 4, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really doubt that.
I think those property holdings maybe merit futher research, too.
August 4, 2008 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Go ahead former esquire, do a lexis/nexis search yourself. Or have those privledges been "suspended" too.
August 4, 2008 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK, I take that back. It was uncalled for. Apologies.
August 4, 2008 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. I need a screenshot of that.
August 4, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
You know -it's very easy to find out about that, too. It's public information. Just call the State Bar and ask. They'll tell you. I wasn't suspended. I purposefully went on inactive so that I didn't have to keep up with the 15 hours of CLE and the $450 in Bar dues if I wasn't going to be working.
I also didn't want to face the possibility of being called into Fed Court and appointed to criminal casees - because it happens.
I didn't have the chops to try cases in fed ct. But fed. judges don't care.
August 4, 2008 4:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll bet $100 K that Joe Scarborough does not mention this story tomorrow.
August 4, 2008 4:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
When has Joe S mentioned any story favorable to Obama?
August 4, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Scarborough isn't a journalist.
Scarborough is a screaming head. What do you care what Scarborough mentions?
August 4, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't. I'm just making the point that the chattering classes will not pick this up. It will get no play.
August 4, 2008 4:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
...............
(biting of fingernails)
boomboomboomboomboomboomboom
(sound of heads banging against the wall)
Fogu: i hate you even more now.
August 4, 2008 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, my fan base!
August 4, 2008 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
"City assessor confirmed by phone that they rent their home"
DUH! or DUH?
August 4, 2008 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess I don't understand why this shows anything other than those two individuals reside in Queens and own property in North Carolina.
It doesn't say they reside in Queens and own property in both Queens and North Carolina, does it?
August 4, 2008 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
if the rocchios have that kind of money, you'd think they'd use the money to buy a house instead.
August 4, 2008 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
NEW THREAD!! The story continues.....
August 4, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wait, I may be wrong!
The record DOES show they reside in Flushing but OWN in NC.
Damn! Time for more investigation.
August 4, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is a purported public record (link?) from a beach house in North Carolina, not a residence in NY. TPM states they rent in NY, and this does not contradict that.
August 4, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are correct. See my post below.
August 4, 2008 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Like property records, voter records are also public. So I had a look. There are several Pascales listed, but I'll key off the one that matches up with the FEC donation address:
Pascale A. Rocchio
46-22 197 St
Flushing, NY
DOB: xx/xx/1953
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Registration Date: 06/09/98
His wife (mother?), Alice (there's only one Alice Rocchio registered in NY State), does not have the same address (but they could have always moved and forgotten to change her voter address) - or maybe they have more than one home. Anyway, here's alice (who happens to be 20 years older than Pascale):
Alice A Rocchio
165-01 Chapin Parkway
Jamaica, NY
DOB: xx/xx/1933
Party Affiliation: Other
Registration Date: 7/26/97
Last Date Voted: 11/6/07
So we've got a "Democrat" and an "other" maxing out to the GOP and to McCainin NY. That's suspicious.
There's also an Alice Rocchio registered to vote in North Carolina -- someone above found that the Rocchios appear to own property in the Tarheel State - and the property mailing address reflects their Flushing/Queens rental address. The Alice registered in North Carolina is Alice M -- she is also about 20 years older than Pascale/Pasquale.
No hits on Pascale/Pasquale as a voter in NC.
August 4, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK, now I'LL offer a mea culpa.
The Flushing address is in fact owned by someone else whose name I will not give here since they are not involved.
But, the Rocchio's do own a number of other properties beside the NC one. That still seems to be the case.
August 4, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Judging by my Nexis search, the property in NC is the only one that Pasquale and Alice actually own. Pasquale and "Lorraine" own some others.
August 4, 2008 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think that's right. I've come across at least four properties in his name in Queens and the Bronx. I think they are family property (not his solely). Pretty much all are owned free and clear (satisfied the mortgages). At least according to the Queens Assessor.
Of course, this assumes that he's the only Pasquale Rocchio in New York.
August 4, 2008 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
seven phone listings for that name.
August 4, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
And, again, these real estate tycoons are working as, respectively, an office manager and a track inspector, why, exactly? Just an eccentric little hobby?
August 4, 2008 4:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg and Eric, you guys really need to do some research so you know what the hell you are talking about.
Flushing is HUGE and there is a WIDE range of incomes there.
August 4, 2008 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm going to jump in on the topic Fogu2 started. I'm a tax attorney in NYC, and I get my NYC property records by going to ACRIS, the NYC Register database. The ACRIS database allows the user to view scanned copies of the deeds, mortgages, etc.
Here's the answer according to NYC deed records: the Premises at 46-22 197th Street, Block 05553 Lot 0034 is owned by a person named Pessina. The deed may be found at Reel 535, Page 894.
Pasquale A. Rocchio, together with his siblings (I presume siblings from their names) Ann and Angela, hold title to real estate at 14-18 138th St, College Point, NY. This property is subject to the life estate of Cosmo & Antonia Rocchio (presumably, their parents). The life estate is an estate planning technique that passes property outside of probate. Thus, for practical purposes, this property is not his until his parents both die, and he shares it with his siblings.
There are other individuals named Pasquale Rocchio, but their addresses and wife's names are different (one of them died in or about 2001), so they are not the same individual. Out of respect for the privacy of these individuals, I am not citing their full addresses. I invite interested parties to log on to ACRIS to view the deeds themselves.
With respect to Fogu2, ACRIS is more accurate than a Lexis/Nexis search for NYC realty, since it allows the user to view the recorded documents. Hopefully this will be the definitive answer on this narrow issue.
--Dean L. Surkin
August 4, 2008 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
NYC tax attorney trumps internet troll.
August 4, 2008 5:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well that might be true except that I corrected myself and, I think it is improper for Mr. Surkin to expose the name of the actual owner unecessarily. Unless they have a material part in this tale I think that stepped over the line.
They still appear to own at least two properties and perhaps others.
August 4, 2008 5:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
You make a good point about revealing the owner's name, and it was something I considered carefully. I applied the dual criteria of newsworthiness and availability of public records (i.e., the right to privacy criteria often used by journalists). I think there is no doubt that Pasquale and Alice Rocchio have become newsworthy due to their their $57,000 political contribution. Regarding the owner of the property where they reside, it is a matter of public record. While the property owner has done nothing to become newsworthy (unlike Mr. & Mrs. Rocchio), part of the newsworthiness derives from the fact that they do not own the house in which they live. I was concerned that if I did not give the property owner's name, that I could be accused of incomplete research.
You mentioned that Mr. & Mrs. Rocchio appear to own two parcels of real estate. As I noted in explaining the remainder to the life estate Mr. Rocchio co-owns with his siblings, we should examine the deeds (check for accurate names, character of title-holding) before concluding that Mr. & Mrs. Rocchio are beneficial owners of the real estate.
As an aside, thanks for starting an interesting discussion regarding property ownership--I mean it sincerely.
--Dean L. Surkin
August 4, 2008 6:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry for the unnecessary italics.
--Dean L. Surkin
August 4, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
If fogu's research corresponds to the correct couple, it still should make you wonder a little bit about the source of their wealth, because we are STILL talking about an office assistant (not executive assistant) and a railroad track foreman. Even if McCain and Hess don't have anything more than a PR problem, I would think the authorities would want to snoop a little more into this couple's extra-curricular activities.
It is NYC after all.
August 4, 2008 5:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is getting to be such a Freeper investigation. Who is going to be the left's Michelle Malkin and peer in their front window to see how expensive their counter tops seem to be?
August 4, 2008 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's exactly what I was thinking...
Don't get me wrong...I'm all for turning up the heat on McCain's 180 on offshore drilling and the stench of a quid pro quo...but let's remember the disgust we felt at the other side for the "granite countertops".
August 4, 2008 6:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
NY Times, with props to TPM, reports
August 4, 2008 10:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, I guess I'm stupid on this issue. How can anyone legally give $28,500 to any campaign?
I thought the limit was 2,300.
Anyone have an answer?
August 4, 2008 10:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
The limit to the RNC (or DNC) is $28,500, which can be spent in support of the candidate. Though I think these contributions were to the RNC-McCain "McCain Victory 08" fund which combines different contribution means, so the maximum individual contribution can be as high as $70,000. One way around the piddling ;) $2300 individual limit that campaign-finance-reform-pusher McCain is exploiting to the hilt.
August 5, 2008 12:32 AM | Reply | Permalink