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The continuing saga of the deadbeat defaulting Dem

By Michelle Malkin  •  July 7, 2008 01:41 PM

The ever-unfolding saga of Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Deadbeat defaulter) continues to provoke outrage and snickers in California. But will her constituents actually do anything about their national embarrassment?

The latest? Via the Long Beach Press Telegram, it turns out the serial home loan ditcher actually held a real estate license. Terrific:

U.S. Rep. Laura Richardson’s housing woes - defaults in Long Beach and San Pedro, a foreclosure and unpaid property taxes in Sacramento - are well-documented.

What is less known is that the Long Beach Democrat once held a real estate license.

The congresswoman was permitted to sell property in California from Dec. 16, 1998, to Dec. 15, 2002, state Department of Real Estate records show.

In the late 1990s, Richardson worked for short periods of time at Action Century 21, 3626 E. Pacific Coast Highway, and Prudential California Realty (now Coldwell Banker), 1650 Ximeno Ave., agents at both offices say.

A spokesman for Richardson says she never took part in any real estate transactions.

The Dem leadership continues to support her:

As of last week, Richardson had $330,000 in campaign debt.

Likely reducing some of the burden, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer staged a fund-raiser June 25 to help pay down her debts.

How much was raised? A spokeswoman for Hoyer says her boss doesn’t know. Richardson’s spokesman would not comment. The donations should eventually become public record.

Stay tuned. There are two possible challengers, but their prospects are slim:

Richardson is running for re-election unopposed in November.

That could change if Long Beach resident Nick Dibs, 50, gets his name on the Nov. 4 ballot as an independent. Dibs, a substitute teacher with the Norwalk-La Mirada and Garden Grove School districts, on Monday announced his run for the 37th District. He has until Aug. 8. to gather 7,759 voter signatures.

…Cypress College Professor Peter Mathews says he will decide by next week whether to mount a write-in campaign against Richardson.

“I am very strongly considering it,” the Long Beach resident says.

As a registered Democrat - he lost to Richardson by a wide margin in the primary - Mathews cannot earn a ballot position.

If Richardson’s constituents won’t hold her accountable, you can.

Ask Laura Richardson.

***

Previous Laura Richardson coverage.

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  1. #1
    On July 7th, 2008 at 1:49 pm, BlameAmericaLast said:

    She still has a job?

  2. #2
    On July 7th, 2008 at 1:50 pm, Barry F. said:

    This woman is the story that keeps on giving. *sigh*

  3. #3
    On July 7th, 2008 at 1:51 pm, Barry F. said:

    On July 7th, 2008 at 1:49 pm, BlameAmericaLast said:

    She still has a job?

    As bad as she is, a majority of the people in her CA district keep electing her. What does that say for them? :roll:

  4. #4
    On July 7th, 2008 at 1:57 pm, abstractmind said:

    A spokesman for Richardson says she never took part in any real estate transactions.

    Why does this just sound REALLY wrong? She has a license to sell real estate, but never *actually* sold any? Does that mean she was so well off she didn’t have to, or she was so pathetic at her job that she couldn’t? I mean seriously. That just doesn’t really make alot of sense to me. Seems like the rest of her political career follows the same lack of logic.

  5. #5
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:03 pm, Papa Louie said:

    As of last week, Richardson had $330,000 in campaign debt.

    That’s quite a debt for someone who’s running unopposed. Have any of the previous donations she has received actually gone toward her campaign debt?

    She isn’t paying her mortgage, her property taxes, her car rental, or her campaign debt. Where is her money going?

    Congress mandates drug tests for professional athletes. Maybe it’s time to mandate drug tests for Congress.

  6. #6
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:05 pm, Regulus said:

    Of course she’ll get re-elected.

    This is the party, after all, that re-elects crooks like Marion Barry, William Jefferson and William Jefferson Clinton, as well as a killer like Ted Kennedy, an incompetent and racist nitwit like Ray Nagin, and a man like Barney Frank who runs a homosexual brothel out of his home … and which gives a standing ovation to a pedophile in its congressional ranks right after his censure.

    What’s a little fun-n-games with some mortgage defaults to such a crowd? She’ll get re-elected in a landslide.

    To be troubled by ethical or moral questions, one must have ethics or morals to begin with. Donkeys have a built-in immunity to such trivial qualms.

    There was a quote from movie “Heavy Metal” that sums the present situation quite well:

    “She’s the queen a donkey, she can do whatever she wants!”

    ‘Nuff said.

  7. #7
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:06 pm, Die Hippie, Die said:

    Let’s ask the reallllly important question: Did she attend Nelson Mandela’s address to Congress? :lol:

  8. #8
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:07 pm, BlameAmericaLast said:

    Congress mandates drug tests for professional athletes. Maybe it’s time to mandate drug tests for Congress.

    Many companies these days also conduct criminal background checks, as well as credit checks before anyone is hired.

    How about Congress doing that for a change? Oh yeah, that’s right, the Ethics committee only applies to Republicans. Dems get a pass.

  9. #9
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:08 pm, josetheguerilla said:

    But will her constituents actually do anything about their national embarrassment?

    No, because these people don’t have any shame.

    Rep William “Dollar Bill” Jefferson, and his constituents were unavailable for comment.

  10. #10
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:12 pm, englishqueen01 said:

    House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer staged a fund-raiser June 25 to help pay down her debts.

    Well, I was going to wait until the formal invitations came back from the printer, but I guess I should announce now that you’re all cordially invited to the

    2008 EQ Debt Relief Charity Ball

    Proceeds will help pay down the debt we’ve incurred, since it’s pretty clear we are not responsible or at fault for our student loans, credit cards, and other payments. I’ve realized just how silly it’s been for us to work, save, and sacrifice to pay it off when I could just throw a party fundraiser and wipe it all away.

    Watch for formal invitations. A good time will be had by me, at the expense of your wallets.

    ;)

  11. #11
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:19 pm, Barry F. said:

    EQ, when is yours, so I can make sure the Barry F. Benefit is conducted earlier and doesn’t conflict with yours. I can’t have suckers donors at yours giving money first, when I need them at mine. ;-)

  12. #12
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:28 pm, latinconservative said:

    Democrats huh they are so pathetic..

  13. #13
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:36 pm, englishqueen01 said:

    EQ, when is yours, so I can make sure the Barry F. Benefit is conducted earlier and doesn’t conflict with yours. I can’t have suckers donors at yours giving money first, when I need them at mine.

    Snort.

    No, we wouldn’t want a conflict, would we? ;)

  14. #14
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:47 pm, graysonret said:

    They will re-elect her again, because of the “entitlements” she offers. They could care less about ethics, values or morality. What they don’t understand is that they have to pay for it (taxes), unless, of course, they don’t pay taxes.

  15. #15
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:54 pm, ohioTom said:

    I think many democrats would vote for a ham sandwich rather than switch parties. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see her win an election in CA with ease.

    Unfortunately, a ham sandwich would do a lot less damage than she apparently is doing.

    Unbelievable what people will accept from their representatives.

  16. #16
    On July 7th, 2008 at 2:57 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    “Free” stuff for all is hard to campaign against.

  17. #17
    On July 7th, 2008 at 3:10 pm, Misscheryl said:

    Why does this just sound REALLY wrong? She has a license to sell real estate, but never *actually* sold any? Does that mean she was so well off she didn’t have to, or she was so pathetic at her job that she couldn’t? I mean seriously. That just doesn’t really make alot of sense to me. Seems like the rest of her political career follows the same lack of logic.

    No, that means she wasn’t successful at anything so she ran for congress.

  18. #18
    On July 7th, 2008 at 3:26 pm, Boomer said:

    It looks like we are beginning to go the way of a Democracy instead of the Republic this nation was founded on now that some of our fellow citizens have figured out how to get free stuff by just reelecting the irresponsible idiots bribing you with you own stolen income. Although considering the demographic of part of this district in the People’s Republic of California they probably get more back then most actually pay. It appears ethics is only for losers when it comes to many of our drunk with power Congress critters.

  19. #19
    On July 7th, 2008 at 3:31 pm, loob said:

    Laura Richardson is a waste of skin, but electing one of these two potential challengers would be like robbing Peter to pay Paul. I attended Cypress college for two years and remember Peter Matthews well. He is an avowed socialist/communist by his own admission. All you need to know is here: http://www.mathewsforcongress.org.

    As for Nick Dibs, the other challenger, interestingly he contributed to Peter Matthews congressional campaign three times last year. He was a co-signer of a letter from “progressive Christians” begging Barbara Boxer to “Please Reject Islamophobia and Restore the Good Name of CAIR“.

    Damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.

  20. #20
    On July 7th, 2008 at 3:40 pm, rambler said:

    Members of congress need to take an intellegence test. I suspect there are no mensa members in the group.

  21. #21
    On July 7th, 2008 at 3:47 pm, meatpieandtatters said:

    Ahem…what politicians isn’t a deadbeat? Can you name an exception list rather than the deadbeats? It will be a lot more efficient.

  22. #22
    On July 7th, 2008 at 4:20 pm, Misscheryl said:

    Seriously, I like James Inhoff from Oklahoma.

  23. #23
    On July 7th, 2008 at 5:50 pm, zorro said:

    Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Deadbeat defaulter), the quintessential democrap. Completely useless, borderline criminal.

  24. #24
    On July 7th, 2008 at 8:57 pm, karenhasfreedom said:

    When I lived in the LA area again from 1999 to 2003, I was in this district. This disctrict doesn’t even have a R on the PRIMARY ballot, it is so heavily Domocratic. The pols in California have gerrymandered the whole state for each elected office in such a way, the seats will RARELY turnover to the other party. The political climate is part of the reason I left to move to Texas in 2003. Family responsibilities brought me back home to Michigan for the first time in 35 years. I much prefer living in Red States. Sigh.

  25. #25
    On July 7th, 2008 at 10:03 pm, CO2 Producer said:

    The continuing saga of the deadbeat defaulting Dem

    The congresswoman was permitted to sell property in California from Dec. 16, 1998, to Dec. 15, 2002

    Steny Hoyer staged a fund-raiser June 25 to help pay down her debts

    Richardson could have her own category heading here. What’s next?

    Y’know, I’d like to own my own house. Anyone wanna help? Three bedrooms and a garage’ll do nicely. I’m just some white dude, though, so I guess I don’t count.

  26. #26
    On July 8th, 2008 at 11:16 am, Send_Me said:

    “No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen.” ~Article I, Section 2, Clause 2 of the US Constitution
    Any takers? Anyone willing to move to Long Beach to run against her? I’d consider it, but I’m kinda tied up right now fighting bad guys.
    Just go in there promising more prosperity, jobs, security, and a generally better life with government staying off your back and that you wouldn’t disgrace the district as this piece of non-work has. You certainly wouldn’t be lying. The campaign slogans, commercials, and posters practically write themselves.

  27. #27
    On July 8th, 2008 at 11:22 am, WestCoastCoconut said:

    She settled on a 2007 Lincoln Town Car - the choice of many representatives who lease their vehicles at taxpayers’ expense. But hers was distinct: at $1,300 a month, it was the most expensive car in the House of Representatives

    There you go! Our taxes going for scum like this!!! My God!!! This is what is wrong with California!!!

    Rep’s got expensive wheels

  28. #28
    On July 14th, 2008 at 11:19 am, Cosmo said:

    I had a buddy who lived in her district when I was living SoCal (thank goodness I got out–but back on point). That part of the LBC is a friggin’ joke. Here’s a nice little description. Notice the perfect storm of a liberal-supporting demographic melange:

    The district is highly diverse ethnically, with almost half its residents having Hispanic ancestry [don't vote], a quarter being African-American [probably don't vote], and the rest a mix of Caucasian, Asian-American, and other ethnic groups [probably pull the lever for the incumbent without thinking]. The approximately 55,000 Cambodians in Long Beach comprise the second biggest Cambodian population outside Cambodia (the largest being in Paris, France). Long Beach is known for its thriving gay community [totally fabulous voters]. Income ranges from the very wealthy [23 GOPers] in parts of Long Beach to extreme urban poverty [the LBC--vote only for welfare/nanny lobby] spread throughout the district. –Emphasis mine.

    That, my friends, is why she still has a job. Running unopposed? Good grief. Name recognition is one thing, but voter stupidity en masse is another one entirely.

  29. #29
    On July 23rd, 2008 at 4:58 pm, thetoysurgeon said:

    Everyone please pray for the daddy of all earthquakes so Cali can physically separate from the union and be purged by the ocean.

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