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sharedvalues

(6,916 posts)
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 08:06 AM Sep 2019

If you donated to Tulsi Gabbard, she's funneled much of your money to her cult

Big investigative piece on Gabbard in a Hawaiian newspaper


https://www.civilbeat.org/2019/09/why-is-tulsi-gabbard-paying-this-obscure-consultant-big-bucks/

Why Is Tulsi Gabbard Paying This Obscure Consultant Big Bucks?

Kris Robinson grew up in the same controversial religious sect as Gabbard. Now, he’s one of the top-paid vendors on her 2020 presidential campaign.



As you read this article it just gets more shocking.
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
If you donated to Tulsi Gabbard, she's funneled much of your money to her cult (Original Post) sharedvalues Sep 2019 OP
I appreciate they're investigating. Cha Sep 2019 #1
As I read the article, the answer is obvious... CincyDem Sep 2019 #2
maybe except well qazplm135 Sep 2019 #7
Agreed CincyDem Sep 2019 #9
oh Pence is definitely part of a cult... qazplm135 Sep 2019 #11
Am I off base for thinking of these words: "Money laundering" or something like that? madaboutharry Sep 2019 #3
I think most here at DU have her number. There is and dewsgirl Sep 2019 #4
Kick dalton99a Sep 2019 #5
I am surprised Gabbard PatSeg Sep 2019 #6
Article is interesting, but your headline is misrepresentative. thesquanderer Sep 2019 #8
This message was self-deleted by its author Rainbow Droid Sep 2019 #10
+1 sharedvalues Sep 2019 #12
Why Would a Progressive Donate to Gabbard as Opposed to Any Other Democrat? TomCADem Sep 2019 #13
Tulsi Gabbard sabbat hunter Sep 2019 #14
She is in a sect with a "guru" -- a personality cult sharedvalues Sep 2019 #15
++++++ still_one Oct 2019 #17
Time to share and update my Tulsi bookmarks again. Links for those who wish to know more Hekate Sep 2019 #16
 

Cha

(295,929 posts)
1. I appreciate they're investigating.
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 08:21 AM
Sep 2019

Never be any of my money.

Mahalo, sharedvalues.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

CincyDem

(6,284 posts)
2. As I read the article, the answer is obvious...
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 08:34 AM
Sep 2019

...because he helped her win in the past.

Much is made in the article about how this guy is some nobody from the backwoods of Washington State and his common non-mainstream religious beliefs (just by others as a "cult&quot . It appears that he's worked for her in previous campaigns; you know, the one's she won (state rep, city council, US house). She's a third tier candidate running a shoestring campaign with an organization likely best suited to support candidates running for Fish and Wildlife Commissioner.

To be clear - one of my few morning rituals is to wake up and pray I don't have to decide between her and Trump next November. I'm pretty sure we don't risk that fate. If she makes it to the Ohio primary, I would rank her somewhere below my favorite chair and above a root canal.

But...

Feels like this story starts and ends with "she's part of a whackadoodle cult that's not a real religion". The fact that everyone comes from a small circle of friends, family, and religious affiliates doesn't feel nefarious - it just feels normal when you take the religious vector out of the story.

Like I said, she'd be my fifth choice in a three horse race but everyone's entitled to their own religion and everyone builds personal/professional bonds within that religion. Not for us to judge if that's how she (poorly) runs her campaign.

Time for breakfast.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

qazplm135

(7,447 posts)
7. maybe except well
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 10:00 AM
Sep 2019

at one point, her whole family had some pretty extreme beliefs on gays.
Almost cult-like you might say.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

CincyDem

(6,284 posts)
9. Agreed
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 10:55 AM
Sep 2019


I agree with you that the whole family had some pretty extreme beliefs regarding homosexuality.

But I wouldn't consider that criteria to call them a cult. Their wrongheaded ideas on the topic are extreme and in line with those of Mike Pence but we don't talk about him being a member of a "cult"...we just appropriately call him and his ilk "asshats". lol.

My point was that for many people, religious affiliation and similarity creates business relationships (for better or worse) and it just doesn't feel like news that this incompetent candidate hired a guy from her church that has no other qualifications for the job other than he helped her get elected to three positions already.




If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

qazplm135

(7,447 posts)
11. oh Pence is definitely part of a cult...
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 11:15 AM
Sep 2019

"The Family."

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

madaboutharry

(40,153 posts)
3. Am I off base for thinking of these words: "Money laundering" or something like that?
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 08:35 AM
Sep 2019

The story at the link gets pretty weird.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

dewsgirl

(14,961 posts)
4. I think most here at DU have her number. There is and
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 08:59 AM
Sep 2019

has been something shady about her since before the campaign events began.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

PatSeg

(46,807 posts)
6. I am surprised Gabbard
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 09:40 AM
Sep 2019

got as far as she did. She was always a bit of an oddball, but she kept winning elections.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

thesquanderer

(11,955 posts)
8. Article is interesting, but your headline is misrepresentative.
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 10:41 AM
Sep 2019

Let's say ANY candidate hires someone from the same religious background that he or she has, or is even part of the same congregation. Would you say that that candidate is funneling their campaign contributions to their church (or equivalent)?

p.s. - the article has been discussed here before.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden

Response to sharedvalues (Original post)

 

TomCADem

(17,378 posts)
13. Why Would a Progressive Donate to Gabbard as Opposed to Any Other Democrat?
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 09:12 PM
Sep 2019

On the environment, she is not too far off from other candidates, but her positions on LGBT issues and Russia are really problematic. On top of that, her main schtick appears to be to attack Democrats from the "left" on Fox News. Then again, there are folks who supported Nader and Jill Stein, so perhaps there is an audience.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

sabbat hunter

(6,825 posts)
14. Tulsi Gabbard
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 09:16 PM
Sep 2019

Is a practicing Hindu. Is that a cult now?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

sharedvalues

(6,916 posts)
15. She is in a sect with a "guru" -- a personality cult
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 09:32 PM
Sep 2019

Saying Gabbard is a Hindu is like saying David Koresh was a Christian. Both true, and both totally uninformative about the craziness of their sect.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

Hekate

(90,202 posts)
16. Time to share and update my Tulsi bookmarks again. Links for those who wish to know more
Mon Sep 16, 2019, 11:56 PM
Sep 2019


https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211695834

In addition, there is a Hawaiian journalist who has been doing some deep digging on Tulsi's background, and one of our Hawaii DUers has posted those links.

That young lady is not all that she seems, by a long shot. She was groomed from childhood to be the public face of a very undemocratic philosophy.

Here it is, from Mahina, with many additional links

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211667912

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This new one from the OP, so it's in my files
https://www.civilbeat.org/2019/09/why-is-tulsi-gabbard-paying-this-obscure-consultant-big-bucks/
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
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