Peter Schorsch
In complaining about Patrick Murphy’s fundraising, Alan Grayson reveals he is nothing less than a total hypocrite.
A new email from Murphy Communications Director Joshua Karp calls Grayson a “hedge fund manager” who loves attacking his fellow Democrat for receiving Wall Street contributions during his U.S. Senate campaign.
Nevertheless, Karp says the brash Orlando liberal has no qualms about throwing himself a high-profile Wall Street fundraiser – something he did just last week.
“Grayson loves to mug for the cameras and rail against Wall Street,” Karp says. “But when the crowds aren’t watching he is organizing hedge funds in the Cayman Islands and raising Wall Street campaign cash.
“For Hedge Fund Manager Grayson to attack Patrick Murphy the same day he held a Wall Street fundraiser is the height of hypocrisy.”
Proving Karp’s point, the email includes the invitation for Grayson’s Aug. 27 reception – hosted by rocker Joan Jett – which listed three Wall Street investment bigwigs as co-hosts.
Ironically, the event was the same day Grayson sent his own email blast bragging that Wall Street bankers hate him.
“Stop the Wall Street cabal from buying Florida’s U.S. Senate seat,” Grayson’s email said, “with your $3 contribution to our campaign — it’s too important to wait!”
Another email money pitch hits a similar note: “Don’t let Goldman Sachs and the Wall Street bankers buy another election — join our campaign to elect a bold, progressive Senator with Guts.”
Karp isn’t the only one wondering about such a blatant double standard. The Tampa Bay Times also reported on Grayson’s apparent hypocrisy.
“At least three of the listed co-hosts – Avery Byrd, Lawrence Hui, and Mary Namorato – are in the investment business,” Adam Smith wrote in the Times last week. “Grayson, himself a hedge fund operator, has been hammering Democratic U.S. Senate rival Patrick Murphy for receiving money from Wall Street, especially Goldman Sachs.”
Because Grayson originally grew up in New York, there is always the possibility he thought no one in Florida would notice an event tied to Wall Street. Besides, NYC is more than 1,000 miles away!
In the heat of a political campaign, hypocrisy is nothing new. And with Grayson, stranger things have happened – but not by much.
