Carson Suffers More Problems

On Thursday, Ben Carson's national finance chairman, Dean Parker, resigned after facing issues about how he was using campaign funds and was getting criticism from people who were donating money and people on the staff. "His operation has piled up unnecessary expenses and paid hefty consulting fees to an inexperienced staff. Parker recently began earning a $20,000 monthly salary, which veteran campaign operatives say is unusual for what is typically an unpaid, honorary role." He really has gone under the radar until now. "His bills were easy to overlook in the fall as the campaign raked in small donations, Carson soared in the polls and the campaign’s direct-mail operation generated tens of millions of dollars." He racked up at least $216,000 in expenses from July through September. Many of those expenses were paid through a network of limited liability companies set up for individual consultants on Parker’s finance team. Parker, who recently said he’d take a bullet for Carson, can’t seem to fathom the fury that’s suddenly coming his way.

“Everything I've done has been on Dr. Carson’s behalf. Everything I do was with his approval and his blessing,” he said. “It doesn't mean that everybody in leadership, like any company, would always agree.” "For every donor who might complain, he said, others would vouch for his integrity. One is Bill Millis, another North Carolina fundraiser who helped lead Carson’s campaign until he departed in November over strategic disagreements. Millis called Parker “a good man, who is committed to Dr. Carson.”" “If they think I’m getting a scrape on the money as a finance chairman, you lose all your credibility,” he said. “When you’re raising money $2,700 a person, someone making $20,000 a month — that’s eight to 10 maxed-out donors.” Washburne said the value of a finance chairman is the ability to make a “peer to peer sale” with fellow donors.Parker worked full time on this campaign and so most people on staff felt he deserved more reward for that. However, once people start accusing financial managers of things like this, especially when the campaign is under lots of pressure by going downhill.