A New York Congressman threatens to throw a reporter "off this f—ing balcony" immediately after the State of the Union and explains that he was enforcing professionalism and respect. What does this fracas have to do with South Dakota?
The Congressman in question, Michael Grimm of New York, may have arranged to swap political campaign donations in 2010 with then Congressional candidate and current State Senator R. Blake Curd:
On March 31, 2010, Grimm and [girlfriend Diana] Durand each gave $2,400 to Blake Curb, [sic] a Republican making a longshot bid for Congress in South Dakota. And on the same day, Allison Bolger, an accountant in a Sioux Falls, S.D. firm headed by Curb, donated $4,800 to Grimm.
“Why would someone in South Dakota be interested in Grimm?" said former federal prosecutor Melanie Sloan, who heads Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics and examined the transactions at the request of The News. “They certainly are suspicious” [Dan Friedman, "Rep. Michael Grimm May Have Used 'Donor Swapping' to Skirt Fundraising Limits," New York Daily News, 2014.01.20].
Friedman reports that Durand was arrested last month on charges of violating federal campaign finance rules. She appears to be the big money mover; the Curd donation is the one contribution that draws Grimm toward Durand's finance mud.
Senator Curd says he has no knowledge of any donor swapping deal. Sioux Falls pol and prof Kermit Staggers says the practice is legal but questionable. Donor swapping becomes illegal if one of the parties receives reimbursement from another maxed-out donor.
If you could only tie State Senator Curd in with the milk scandal,that would be close to perfection.
Well, Sen. Curd is a co-sponsor of SB 126, the raw milk bill.