Congressman Tom Cole and me

Tom Cole, senior Congressman from Oklahoma, who is also Chairman of the NRCC has been trying to reach me for months. At least the NRCC has been, using his name.

A few months ago I had a voice message saying they wanted to "recognize me". My wife called them back and they had no clue who I was or who had called us. A few weeks later they left a vm inviting me to a dinner with President Bush (probably a $ 5K plate). This week they call and say they want me on a "Business Advisory Council"

I realize political campaigns are exempt from the Do Not Call registries. But I thought all tele-marketing these days has to have offshore staff, call on VoIP lines with partially masked caller id?

Update: Okiedoke reports similar experiences

Comments

[Ken Knox]

I have never heard of the Congressman before either and a Betsy Carghill (sp?) called last week and left a voice message asking me to serve on the Business Advisory Council. Sounds to me like a way to try and broaden the financial base. I did not respond.

[Doris G. Henson]

I just received a voice mail from Tyler Burns with Congressman Cole's office for the National Republican Congressional Committee, advising me that my name had come up in Washington to serve on a Business Advisory Board.

They left this telephone number 1-888-383-8065; I did not,have not and will not returned this call, but instead, I have chosen to go to Google to check it out, and I'm glad I did.

[MSgt (ret) David Clapper, USAF]

I received a similar call on my answering machine from Cole's staffer. A red flag came up when the caller also stated that she also was working for the Republican National Committee. I supposedly was to get some congressional award for whatever. I went online and found out that he represents a district in Oklahoma and was on The House Armed Services Committee.

I contacted my representative, Patrick Murphy, (PA -Democrat) who also is on that committee. The staffer took notes and intends on having Murphy get into it with Cole for this rouse. I demanded a letter of apology from Cole and his political fund raising hacks.

[Bill]

Received a similar call from Congressman Cole's office that I was getting a "Cong. medal of merit". Naturally I did not respond,just googled it-what a rip-off!

[bart senior]

Got the same bogus call today. Can we lock these guys up????

[jim Stine]

I think the fund raiser by the NRCC has some merit. After all, put up or shut up seems to be the name of the game. When it comes to re-distribution policies and tax cuts for small business, we need to fight hard against the progressive liberals who could not care less about inflation.

[Yogesh Patel]

I have received numerous calls from a Patty Cleaver working for Congressman Cole's office trying to give me a Cong. medal of merit. I finally googled it and here I am. Is there nothing we can do to be rid of these voice message, time wasting idots.

Yogi

[Nina Dubey]

I have also been contacted at my office by phone and fax because I have been selected to receive the Congressional Order of Merit. Sounds exciting! Thank you for posting your experience, since I had no idea why an Oklahoma Congressman would be contacting me in Florida about "honoring" me!

[Teresa Trujillo]

I got a call yesterday from the NRCC. The staff caller, Pam Holt, indicated that I was getting an "award" from Congressman Tom Cole. I thought it was odd that the return telephone number was a toll-free number. When I called them back they wanted me to help sponsor an ad in the Wall Street Journal for $500. I would have my name featured in the ad and get a plaque for my office. I'm not in the habit of paying for my own awards, and I won't start now. Shame on the NRCC.

[Curt Rideout]

Add my name to this distinguished list of potential scam for political funds. Received a similar call from Senator Cole's office saying I was to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. First of all, this is a once a year award, similar to the "coin" awarded by Flag Officers to subordinates for levels of performance not worthy of full medals. Second, Senator Cole is from OK, not anywhere near my State. So, I'll save my phone bill and time and erase this message. Appreciate DealArchitect posting this site to keep us all aware. Trying to keep politicians from crossing the line is like herding cats...

[Chris LaFreniere]

I also received a message on my vm that Congressman Tom Cole and the NRCC wanted to award the Congressional Order of Merit. For What?? It was very suspicious to me so I googled Tom Cole and ended up here. I'm glad I did.

[Sarah]

Received a call from Jessica today - same thing - Congressional Award, Business Advisory Council, $300-500 for the Wall Street Journal ad. When I asked what kind of participation/agenda there was for this council (as that might interest me) she was dumbfounded.

[Lori]

What a racket! Reva (sp?) Sellers on behalf of Congressman Tom Cole called me; the NRCC wants to award me with the Congressional Order of Merit. If it hadn't sounded like a "boiler room" in the background, I might not have Googled... Thanks for posting your stories and to dealarchitect for the venue.
Personally, I can't wait to see the long list of names in the WSJ of the Republicans who could afford to buy in to the ad... I can't because, "Dammit, Jim! I'm a Realtor, not a Republican!"
Reaganomics lives again!

[Anil Kurnool]

Doesn't all this sound like that Nigerian Bank Scam, where you are left an fortune by your long-lost-distant-relative?

Isn't it similar to a mail you get from a known relative, who sends an SOS message about he losing out everything in Africa and in need of some dough to reach home back?

IMHO - same groups of con-artists are running these campaigns too, may be!

Just waiting for a call from someone to say that am selected for Nobel ;-)

[Duane]

I received a fax on 12\4\07 about representing illinois on there business advisory council from Congressman Tom Cole from Oklahoma. Phone # 1-888-383-4164.
They want to include my name in the congressional order of merit. This is bad publicity for the NRRC

[Philip Shimerda]

Add another to the list of calls for the Congressional Order of Merit. One of my people screened the call and had them fax over the commuication. I didn't realize that a Texas small businessman could be so important, or that an Oklahoma Congressman would be so interested in my small company and my opinion, wow. If this bunch of foul balls we have in congress keep this up, I'll switch from an independent to a Democrat.

[tom pike]

i have been harassed by Tom Coles Office for months now, they said," i was suppose ta get an award," and i couldn't figure out why, i have never done anything to get one, then i googled and arrived here, i wish there was a way ta get them ta stopped bothering me

[Norma Nelson]

I just received a voice mail from a man who identified himself as Nick Long with Congressman Tom Cole in the the NRRC committee in Washington wanting to bestow on me the Congressional Order of Merit. The call back number was 888-383-4164. I thought this was hysterical, since I'm a freelancer with a very, very small business, also a democrat. So I googled Tom Cole's name, where I found this site and several others. Apparently you are asked for a donation of $500 in order to receive the Medal. Hmmm, is this the way Tom Cole does all his business selling hoax awards to get money to bash democrats?

[Sandy Lebel]

And on it goes! I googled and thanks to all for posting your experiences. We have gotten 2 calls to date. Richard Stanton from Cole's office has offered the same award 866-725-9846. Maybe we should all give this guy a call and jam up his day. I can't wait to have a few words with him about this wonderful award!

[Landon]

Same thing...Jason Rice, with NRCC 866-725-9846 called asking for my boss, had no idea who she was or what she did, but Tom Cole wanted to award her Congressional Order of Merit. I asked them to fax over information on this occasion, and at least 3 other occasions, luckily they don't follow through with the fax and hopefully the calls will stop soon. We are in TN.

[Jessica]

We had a voicemail on our machine this morning from Kim Harrington of Tom Cole's office, 866-725-9846, calling to say they'd like to honor my boss with the Congressional Order of Merit. My boss is a staunch Democrat, so it amused me that Republicans would bother contacting him in the first place, but what really threw me was how often Kim paused in her script, even when reading off the toll-free number. I'm glad I'm a natural skeptic! Thank you for posting this.

[Pam663]

We also received a call for this rip off today. It was from a Janet Lewis and told us it was urgent to call back. All I did was search the return phone number. This Congressman should be ashamed he is being used this was.

[B-man]

Boy did I have fun with this one!

I call the lady back and told her that I was so excited that I won this award that I called my local TV station and that they were se3nding over a reporter and crew to get this on the evening news. I also told her that I was sending a journalist to DC to meet with the Congressman and to get a picture and statement. She tried to stop me but I just said "I know isn't it great!" - I told her that my uncle won the purple heart and that maybe that is why I was choosen for the award and that he is notifiying his retired commanding officer to see if he can arrange a picture with the all of us and the congressman at the V-wall. She said, would you like to help sponsor the ad in the Wall Street journal, I said no - I have one better. My buddy is in charge of advertising with Dow Jones and that I'm sure he would run my picture and the story from the journalist I was sending down to DC for free. She said it doesn't work that way, I said I know but I get to save the Congressman advertising dollars and that in fact I could contact MSNBC for them sine my other buddy is in charge of producing the political segments and that he could get me on TV and how this is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. That I can't believe a Democrat from NJ would be receiving a NRCC award and that I would be contacting Governor Corzine to draft a Legislative Resolution for the day to acknowledge the award at the State level - she hung up. Best fun I ever had, thanks Cole :)

[vinnie mirchandani]

B-Man - that's high entertainment with the TV writers on strike...

seriously Cole's office must be the only ones to not see my blog and that their sales pitch has gotten notorious...I write a tech blog, not a political one and still - you will not believe the number of hits I get with this post...

[PForrester]

Wow! Am I glad I googled this. I'm an administrative assistant and over the years we have received calls like this, saying that my boss is to receive some kind of award and to please call Congressman's So-and-So's office (not always Tom Cole, by the way, just happened to be him today). Finally decided to check it out because it just didn't sound right. Glad I did. What a total scam!