Stephen Colbert Treasurer Goes to Rick Perry (with an E)

The treasurer behind "Rick Parry with an 'A' for America" has left to work with Rick Perry

Amusing story from Politico (“Stephen Colbert loses treasurer to Rick Perry“):

No joke: Presidential candidate Rick Perry and comedian Stephen Colbert, who last week barraged Iowa voters with advertisements urging voters to support “Rick Parry,” shared the same political committee treasurer – until they didn’t.

Salvatore Purpura, who has represented numerous political committees as treasurer over the years, told POLITICO that he resigned on Thursday as treasurer of Colbert’s super PAC, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow.

Then, on Monday, Perry – not Parry – formally filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission listing Purpura has his campaign treasurer.

“Obviously, there was a potential conflict of interest,” Purpura said. “I told [Colbert lawyer] Trevor [Potter] on Thursday I would not be able to be treasurer anymore.”

Colbert, in an email to POLITICO, praised Purpura’s service.

“We’re not surprised. Sal is the best in the business. That’s why we went with him,” Colbert wrote. “We’re happy for Sal and we are even happier that Governor Parry has sent the clear signal of which super PAC he trusts to receive all that unlimited money waiting to pour in on his behalf. Loud and clear, sir. Unofficially, loud and clear.”

It’s actually somewhat interesting that Colbert, who’s obviously sympathetic to the Democratic cause, had Purpura on the payroll given his long tradition of work with Republican candidates:

Purpura’s online LinkedIn resume indicates he’s served as treasurer or “director of treasury” for George W. Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign, John McCain 2008 presidential campaign, the U.S. Senate campaign of Carly Fiorina in California and the campaign of Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), among others.

But it would be, to say the least, awkward for him to simultaneously work for Perry and for a comedic device ostensibly out to wreck Perry’s campaign with ads like this:

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. PJ says:

    Colbert obviously picked him because of his work on the campaign for the Booze-man….

  2. mantis says:

    Colbert picked him because he’s good, just like Potter.

    And Colbert’s goal is not to wreck Perry’s campaign, but to poke fun at the entire campaign financing process, and show how easy it is for someone with means to monkey around with elections.