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Arkansas Congressional candidate suspected of theft in AlaskaA former Alaska Democratic politico suspected of stealing money from a nonprofit charity for military veterans, and who's been on the run for a couple of months, has turned up in Arkansas. Running for Congress. Andrew Caleb Pritt, who managed Diane Benson's 2010 campaign for lieutenant governor, has been accused of raising $3,000 at an Anchorage drag show and auction, pocketing the money and heading south, according to a story first reported by the progressive blog Bent Alaska, and then further investigated by the Anchorage Daily News. What's known is that Pritt organized a "Home for an Alaskan Hero" fundraiser for Benson's son, Latseen Benson, who lost both his legs in Iraq. Bent Alaska reported in September that the Mad Myrna's benefit raised $3,170 toward a new home for Latseen Benson. The money was then to be provided to the national nonprofit "Homes for Our Troops." But the money never got there. Pritt disappeared. A Daily News reporter followed Pritt's trail south and spoke with the man's father, a preacher, who said he wanted nothing to do with the situation or his son, who had "gone into the gay lifestyle, female impersonations and all that stuff," according to the story.
Bent Alaska reports that Pritt turned up in Little Rock, at a drag show, using the stage names Diedra Richards Ho Jenkins and Diedra Richards Harrison. But even more bizarrely, the website Arkansas News reports that when he's not in drag, Pritt has been campaigning for U.S. Congress. Pritt -- going by the name Drew -- wants to represent Arkansas' 2nd District and has mounted a challenge to incumbent Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Little Rock. An Arkansas reporter confronted Pritt about his alleged financial crimes in Alaska -- crimes still under investigation by Anchorage Police Department -- and the candidate said he was "sorry" that the money was unaccounted for but that "the issues in this congressional race are not dealing with things in my personal life." Trace Pritt's story backwards: Read the Arkansas News story, the Anchorage Daily News story, and Bent Alaska's ongoing reporting. Contact Eric Christopher Adams at eric(at)alaskadispatch.com "...the issues in this congressional race are not dealing with things in my personal life." I don't know, maybe voters in Arkansas will buy that. They elected Bill a few times. This from the "we love Sarah Palin" state? Seriously?! I expect your choice of Arkansas hero would have been Orville Faubus. WATER SEEKS ITS OWN LEVEL EVERY TIME! He'd fit right in, in Congress. He looks better in the picture on the left. You'd think he'd flee Arkansas for Alaska with those credentials. I can't help but wonder if "Bill" and Ho have been sharing any cigars... Happy Halloween........From Arkansas. Ho Jenkins....you got my vote! Great headline. ha-you just cant make this kinda sh!t up. What, no comment from Diane Benson? Diane Benson is quoted extensively in the original Anchorage Daily News article linked at the beginning of this one. For its informative value, I recommend giving it a read. The ADN article reveals that Benson was already concerned about Pritt's reliability prior to the event; and became worried about mismanagement of the fundraiser as early as the evening of the event itself. At the end of the article Benson speaks directly to how this embezzler has preyed on the emotions of her and her family, "It's just personally insulting for me, because he also used my name and my son's name," Benson said. "I think using my son's name is what probably burns me more than anything." ~Diane Benson, via ADN. Scheming to rob a wounded veteran, and those who came to his aid, is a reprehensible act. Pritt should be extradited back to Alaska and have the book thrown at him. |
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