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| Ann Romney and Christine O'Donnell |
Even his harshest critics seem to acknowledge that Mitt Romney is a devout Mormon and a strong family man. So it's curious that the Romney presidential campaign would accept major financial support from a family that has spent years providing cover for a child abuser.
We are talking about the Rollins family, which long has supported GOP causes from its primary bases in Georgia and Delaware. The Atlanta prong of the Rollins clan, led by R. Randall and Gary Rollins, has made billions off Orkin Pest Control and its umbrella company, Rollins Inc. The Delaware branch is led by Michele Rollins, who heads Rollins Jamaica Ltd and its famed Rose Hall Development in Montego Bay.
This comes after a report Sunday in The Washington Post that the Romney campaign has powerful ties to the Marriott family, of hotel-chain fame. In fact, the ties are bound so tightly that campaign staffers pretty much are required to stay in Marriott facilities when on the road. And get this: The Marriotts also are tight with the Rollinses. Like the Romneys, the Marriotts don't seem to mind the ugliness in the Rollins family tree--as long as big bucks keep flowing.
Said ugliness is not a secret; it's a matter of public record if the Rollinses' wealthy friends care to look. And it comes from one of the most public figures in the Rollins clan, a man who makes substantial sums from a publicly traded company that builds student housing at taxpayer-funded universities around the country.
Ted Rollins, the CEO of Charlotte-based Campus Crest Communities, has one foot planted in each of the family branches. As we have reported here in a series of posts about the Rollins v. Rollins divorce case in Shelby County, Alabama, Ted Rollins has a documented record as a child abuser. He was convicted for the brutal 1995 assault of his 16-year-old stepson in Franklin County, North Carolina. The beating was so severe that it left the child with a broken nose, multiple lacerations, and substantial blood loss that required treatment to prevent shock.
By definition, under North Carolina law, such an attack by an adult on a child under his care is child abuse. And the assault came roughly two years after North Carolina social-services personnel investigated Ted Rollins for possible sexual abuse of the same stepson, based on a complaint from an unknown citizen. Records from such investigations generally are kept under wraps, so the full results of the Rollins probe are unknown. But we know that a family maid was cleaning a closet and discovered roughly 100 towels, soiled with feces and other debris from apparent anal sex. We also know that Ted Rollins was known to keep curious items--a spatula, a bungee cord, neckties--in the vehicle that he used to drive his stepson to and from school.
Mitt Romney seems to be the rare Republican who does more than just talk about "family values," so you might think he would distance himself from the Rollins crowd. But you would be wrong. Remember that Marc J. Leder, the host of Romney's famed "47 Percent" fundraiser in Boca Raton, Florida, is known for hosting "debauched parties" that include "nude frolics" and swimming pools.
Despite his wholesome image, Romney has developed a habit of cozying up to sleaze--if campaign funds can be extracted. That's what happened with the Rollins family.
Back in July, Michele Rollins hosted a fundraiser at her Greenville, Delaware, home that featured Ann Romney as guest of honor. Also on hand was Tea Party darling Christine O'Donnell, and the hostess was jazzed about the whole affair. From a report at delawareonline.com:
Michele Rollins, who hosted Mrs. Romney for a $1,000 per couple reception at her Greenville home, said her house was “so packed” with people coming and going.
“It was wonderful. Ann Romney was wonderful,” said Rollins, a prominent Republican here who failed in a 2010 Congressional primary. “We had a lot of people. I don’t know the number. It was very successful. There was just a lot of excitement around.”
Rollins said fewer people attended a later $10,000 per couple dinner in Greenville, also attended by Ann Romney, but said attendance was still “substantial.”
Attendance was down at the $10,000 per couple affair? Are Republicans having to watch their wallets in the Great Bush Recession? Golly, times are hard.
How is Michele Rollins tied to the Marriotts? Well, it started with her late husband, John W. Rollins Sr., who launched the family's enterprises in Jamaica. He developed an alliance with the Marriott chain, and Rose Hall now includes the Ritz-Carlton Golf and Spa Resort. Marriott now owns Ritz-Carlton, although relations with the Rollins family might be strained over a lawsuit based on allegations of mismanagement at the Jamaica facility. One report says the dispute involves roughly $145 million.
Where does Ted Rollins fit into the picture? He is one of John W. Rollins Sr.'s 10 children (by three wives), the last four with Michele Rollins. That means Michele Rollins is Ted Rollins' stepmother.
It's interesting that Michele Rollins happily gushed to the press about her fundraiser with Ann Romney. Ms. Rollins was decidedly less forthcoming about court documents showing she played an active role in ensuring that her Alabama grandchildren, Sarah and Emma Rollins of Birmingham, were cheated so badly in their mother's divorce from Ted Rollins that they wound up on food stamps.
We've sent multiple e-mails to Michele Rollins, seeking her responses to questions about these events in Alabama. She has yet to respond.
Does Mitt Romney look favorably on the Rollins version of "family values"? If so, voters should be deeply concerned.
11 comments:
I like to go to the site where one can send an Email. Type in the four digit zip via getting the zip of the primary office where the 'Congress' person is represented, and send a message. Using their own address, but my actual name and of course tele plus Email and request to be on the newsletters.. as I did today, to the ticket of Romney - Ryan:
Dear Vice President Candidate Paul Ryan:
There is a man here in this state, Oregon, a person who lived in the state where Mitt Romney was governor.
Massachusetts, as you also must know suffered unemployment under President Candidate Mitt Romney, in double digit reality.
The fraud Barry-Obama brings to shame America is bad yes indeed, however, the same bad looks like MA, during the years of 2003-2007. My heavens sake, Mr. Romney number 70 Gov and it wasn't the collapse of Lehman Bros. until 2008, officially that is. Perhaps Mr. Romney was under the Bush doctrine of terror, and herein lies the rub.
Your radio announcement I heard yesterday, Oct. 15, 2012, on voting early .. I have this to say:
Get out the vote alright early is best to a degree ~
Stick our fingers down our throats, all the people early and
vomit together citizens of the once United States, no more is there an America, the Republican George W. Bush, and all his cowboys riding their laurels as though a Project for a New American Century, decided to destroy their 'party.'
The idea of a Republican that was in charge in a once incredibly powerful state, Massachusetts, to once again stand in front of the people of America and not fully disclose such as the lawsuit involving class actions against him, well Obama-Barry or ? does not matter.
The U.S.A. has become the greatest fraud in earth and the people have been for the majority, here, made intentionally as stupid as any sub-human specie could get to be manufactured by criminally insane 'human beings' of the same specie. Now that is truly beyond a ton of stupid.
Look at what the 'leaders' supposedly 'lead,' and also look at what is alleged to be 'leading' as 'leaders' in the U.S.
Are we really as dark ages as we are. In a word, yes.
Thus, stick our fingers down our throats and all at the same time vote, vomit is what we get no matter what name stands before the next wave of blubbering piles of protoplasm BLOBS, not the ones that make certain organic food vs. Monsanto.
And that law suit, wherein the companies were intentionally downgraded for the auction block, AND there was a SECRET HOLD for only the top court to see, well it got outed and so Mr. Romney's Bain Capital again, the dog still don't hunt.
Better with the new Republican Bush puke.
Say you'll arrest the war criminal Mr. Bush who was not voted in by the people in reality, not even once.
I didn't vote for Barry the first time either.
"... The billionaire Koch brothers this month threatened to fire many of their more than 50,000 employees if they dare to vote for President Obama or any other Democrats in the 2012 elections ....
"... The Kansas-based Koch brothers, who run a multi-national group of companies called the Koch Industries, sent a voter information packet to 45,000 of its Georgia Pacific subsidiary this month, threatening that “many of our more than 50,000 US employees and contractors may suffer the consequences” if they vote for Democrats. The packet also included an op-ed by David Koch endorsing Mitt Romney and one by Charles Koch slamming Obama, reported the monthly magazine, In These Times. @RussiaToday10/16/12
You know Mitt does not give a damn about family values when he's using this felon:
Hey, now that I’m done with the electoral politics, I need to start humping in corporate accounts! I’m counting on you to help me with some contacts
to help organize the "christian grassroots shock troops" necessary to help push him to victory.
http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19950515,00.html
*
It's a shame that Americans have such a short memory.
"... To see how you can contribute to this development visit OUR Walmart at http://forrespect.org/ and Warehouse Workers for Justice at http://www.warehouseworker.org/ and be prepared to take action on Black Friday, November 23, 2012...
.. Mark Vorpahl is an union steward, social justice activist, and writer for Workers’ Action – www.workerscompass.org. He can be reached at Portland@workerscompass.
.. When a torrent hits an obstacle that refuses to give, it either flows around or over the obstruction. When workers’ needs for a living wage, fair treatment, and a voice are damned up by an oppressive employer, it is only a matter of time before they find a way of asserting their strength.
I suspect Ann Romney doesn't care about any garbage in the Rollins' past. She just wants the money and it sounds like she got it.
Politics as usual. If the GOP could cover up the Franklin Scandal, they certainly aren't going to be concerned about the Rollins Scandal.
Curious George, yes, this was the book written about Bush when he would be in Nikola Tesla's lab.
A child curious about power, electrical and how truly amazing the FREE 'energy' from nature, is.
George Bush was like a monkey, into everything as the parental and other controllers intended.
Cover up Franklin's Scandals, steal Nikola Tesla's gift to America via the public's taxes.
Add how much the public has paid the families that continue to parade as though a real something special, for stealing the U.S.A. and all the power of freedoms.
Ann Romney does not exactly have a face kind to the eyes.
The outfit she chooses is definitely a pick to be a style for those that are living in the past of America's real unreality.
How many more of these do we endure before we self govern.
I can't help but compare the Ted Rollins story to your story about Bonnie Wyatt in Chilton County. She was late making a payment on a handwritten divorce settlement that does not look official at all--and she's been in jail for, what, 11 weeks?
Ted Rollins beats up a 16-year-old boy and doesn't spend a day in jail.
Something doesn't add up.
I was interested in your information about the lawsuit involving Ritz-Carlton and Rose Hall. One of your links states the following:
"John Rollins, a wealthy Delaware businessman and Georgia native, launched the Ritz project, but died a few months before the hotel opened. The resort is still owned by members of the Rollins family. R. Randall Rollins, nephew of John Rollins, is listed with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office as chief executive officer of LOR Inc. identified in the lawsuit as a limited partner in the hotel."
Sounds like Randall Rollins has his fingers in a lot of pies. I thought he was just the bug-spraying guy, with Orkin. But this makes it look like he's in the hospitality bidness as well.
Anon at 12:00--
You make an interesting point, one that had slipped by me. This hints that Randal Rollins and Michele Rollins are business partners. Makes me wonder if they also are business partners with Ted Rollins, perhaps in Campus Crest Communities.
"... The contract, a binding agreement between the Obama for America and the Romney for President campaigns, outlines to a tee not only exactly how the two candidates are legally required to conduct themselves during the debate, but also outlines what is expected of the moderators during the three arguments....
,, Tuesday's debate between the two rivals has been advertised as a town hall meeting with members of the audience asking the contenders hard questions on behalf of the average American. In reality, however, not those in attendance nor even the debate’s moderator will be allowed to press the two presidential candidates on the issues of real importance. Everything from how to handle an unplanned remark from the audience to how each candidate will sit — precisely, to even the exact arrangement of their chairs and water glasses — has already been outlined in a document just unearthed by the press....
see, russiatoday
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