In 2016, his family hosted a Democratic mega-donor lunch and wine pairing at their Quintessa Winery for Rep. Nancy Pelosi, with Google’s executive chairman Schmidt as the luncheon speaker.... Huneeus has made seven contributions to House Speaker Nancy Pelois (D-San Francisco), totaling $18,300, and $10,000 to Pelosi’s political action committee, PAC to the Future....ADDED: The Globe asked these politicians if they'll give back the money, now that Huneeus has been charged. I don't see why that would be ethically required. There's no charge that Huneeus's money came through any criminal enterprise.
Agustin also made:
- six contributions to Sen. Kamala Harris (D-San Francisco), totaling $21,600.
- six large contributions to the Democratic Congressional Committee totaling $118,500, as well as contributions totaling $33,200 to the Democratic National Services Corporation.
- a $500 contribution to Amanda Renteria, former political director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, and a Democratic candidate for Governor of California, who lost the primary on June 5, 2018.
- a $1000 contribution to Michael Eggman, a Democratic candidate for California’s 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Eggman unsuccessfully tried to unseat Republican Rep. Jeff Denham.
- $1,000 contribution to Jessica Morse, a Democratic candidate who unsuccessfully tried to unseat Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), of California’s 4th Congressional District.
- contributions of $5,000 to Hillary Clinton, and $2,500 to Barack Obama.
I do think it's interesting if the individuals involved in this particular type of crime are all Democrats. We could examine the thought structure that encompasses: 1. the desire (or pretended desire) to tend to the needs of the underclass at the expense of the ordinary people who work hard and play by the rules, and 2. the belief that the rules don't apply to you and yours and you can take whatever you want.
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On the one hand, I'm not big on guilt by association.
On the other hand, had this person been donating to Republicans, it would be national headlines.
I am assuming he is used to getting what he paid for.
I am Laslo.
This is my shocked face.
Surprise, surprise
John Henry
If we're keeping score most of the payors were lefties- Hollywood, Facebook, Silicon Valley, Boston, Cape Cod.
(Disclosure: Quintessa is spouse's favorite wine. Maybe they'll be up for sale soon...)
Bribes for college. Bribes to Dem politicians. What’s the difference?
Oops- I'm told its Opus One...
FBI tries to appear relevant after fucking everything up for years.
Gaming the system is a national pastime.
William Rick Singer is the mastermind behind all of this, and I'm left wondering where he sent his political donations.
I think the best snippet I've heard about this whole sordid scheme is that Lori Loughlin's daughter heard about it while Spring-Breaking on the yacht of the head of USC's Board of Trustees. I shouldn't laugh and make fun of a young woman, though.
I’m sure 80% of those indicted are Dems.
I’m now wondering about Beto and Columbia. Beto sure sounds like a dope.
Back in my day, the kids that got into the Ivies and Notre Dame deserved it. At least 1200 on the SAT when there were only two sections of the test.
With that, this admission bribery scandal story won't have legs to get past the Sunday Talk shows. A quick 30 minute round table will resolve this national crisis, and they'll move on to someone in Reagan's administration calling Trump an idiot.
Money is fungible. Arguably then all the donations were made possible by the criminal activity of which Huneeus is accused.
I'm wondering how wide-spread the cheating test score part of the scandal is.
When I lived in LA, people used college admissions consultants all the time. When I moved, I was surprised (or maybe not!) to discover it hadn't become a nationwide thing. But in LA, it was what was done. We didn't do it.
I wonder how many people in my school district did something like what Singer did. I know one of the people indicted was from my area, and they seemed to be one of the few that really didn't have the money to do it. Where did they get SInger's name? Was it going around the school?
Where your kids are going to school, where they plan to apply, where they've applied, what they are doing to prepare....all of that is a big topic of conversation in middle and upper middle class circles these days. I bet my parents never had a conversation like that with their friends. But these days...it's what all the parents talk about. Where your kids get in to school is a BIG virtue signal for parents.
So I don't doubt these parents are tempted to get a little help for their kids on the SAT and ACT if it's offered. I just want to know how big that part of the scandal really is.
Ann just gave the perfect summary of the moral system of most left-wing Democrats I've known in Boulder.
I’m sure 80% of those indicted are Dems.
It's more like >90%. A few Romney check writers and some internationals with not much skin in US politics is all...
"We could examine the thought structure that encompasses..." This is an old story, and by no means just in America. The upper class uses the lower class as a weapon against their real enemies, the middle class. The lower class is satisfied with bread and circuses and the middle class ends up paying for most of it. It costs the upper class nothing they can't afford; the rules anyway never applied to them.
Add this to the list: https://pagesix.com/2019/03/14/mom-ensnared-in-college-admissions-scam-hosted-gillibrand-fundraiser-last-week/
How are people not more focused on the SAT and ACT?
Agustin Huneeus, Jr.?
Was that a Bonfire of the Vanities character?
I detest the Wine Country. Just look at a Restoration Hardware catalog. Pretentious, useless, snobby people. The basic equation is you get to be a moral reprobate so long as you support illegal immigration and actually employ illegal immigrants. You just bought a dispensation. The perfect example is our nitwit Governor Newsom, who fancies himself a Wine Country Gentleman and who lives a few miles away from the Marin Academy. These people going down are his peeps, but its all good because they contribute to Democrats. You see, they are really better people than you or me.
"the belief that the rules don't apply to you and yours and you can take whatever you want."
That's what socialists do when they get in power. See Maduro and Chavez, as recent examples.
When I lived in LA, people used college admissions consultants all the time.
When my older son applied to SC, part of the application process was an essay about an experience that was very serious and exciting. He wrote it about sailing to Hawaii with me when he was 16. The school counsellor asked him if he even wanted too go to college. Those essays were supposed to be about peace marches or demonstrations. Not real stuff.
That was 1983. Reagan was president and all that.
"I do think it's interesting if the individuals involved in this particular type of crime are all Democrats."
It's a ridiculous standard. Do they all have to give 100% to Democrats, too?
MikeR said...
The upper class uses the lower class as a weapon against their real enemies, the middle class.
Used to be you'd pay high price for testing and admissions coaches to get a leg up based on the ability to improve your chances.
But people want to be insulated completely from the vicissitudes of life and the consequences of their actions.
They want certainty, and are willing to pay for it. And evidently believe that others less fortunate will be content if some measure of the same is promised to them -- and that bribe paid to the masses is the key to their future political power.
The line between the middle and lower class is simply a cut-off point between what the elite need to win politically and what the middle class can be forced to pay before the system entirely collapses.
But whatever you do, don't call it privilege.
Why did no one try to get into Cal Tech?
Inga will ignore this thread.
The democrats are corrupt. Top to bottom.
Does this mean the NBA refs are paid off too? If not, the Gambling interests want their money back.
We used a consultant for my daughter who expressed doubt that she would get into her #1 choice. The consultant was wrong - plus she provided little help on my daughter’s essays.
Found it to be a great waste of money.
I do think it's interesting if the individuals involved in this particular type of crime are all Democrats. We could examine the thought structure that encompasses: 1. the desire (or pretended desire) to tend to the needs of the underclass at the expense of the ordinary people who work hard and play by the rules, and 2. the belief that the rules don't apply to you and yours and you can take whatever you want.
They don’t have to all be Democrats. If Chuck-style Republicans are involved it would not invalidate your theses.
OK. This time around, it's Singer and his clients who are busted. With so much incentive to cheat, and so much money around, how many other "Singers" are still out there?
What about all those students with "learning disabilities" (extra time for tests) at New Trier High School?
Isn't this really a controversy about who gets the bribes?
Is test prep itself gaming the system? The future belongs to those who prepare for it.
I think a serious student can get a great education at almost any legitimate college (Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Cal State Fullerton, Greenville College, Albion). You'll just not have the brand name. So, what is important to you?
The rot runs deep.
Phil 3:14,
I too noticed that only places with perceived prestige, but with plenty of fluff majors (e.g. “studies”), were the prizes.
None of the targeted schools were ones where, once you got there, you really would have to prove your stuff, and do solid work and have an understanding of difficult material & concepts? No MIT, RPI, Caltech, Harvey Mudd, and so forth.
Hmmmm.
From the wisdom of Barbie, “Math is so hard”
CWJ said...
OK. This time around, it's Singer and his clients who are busted. With so much incentive to cheat, and so much money around, how many other "Singers" are still out there?
Exactly.
It seems to me there are only so many college coaches who are going to take bribes for fake athletes.
But if the ACT and SAT are corrupted....how widespread must it be?
AMDG- yeah I had a lot of friends who had consultants help their kids with their essays. But my kids and I were just going over the students they knew in LA who got into schools that seemed waaaaay above their academic output. And I can't help but wonder...
Amadeus 48- I agree with you. That's why I think the elitism-signaling of the parents should be called out. I don't know when it started happening that all the parents started thinking their kids should go to the Ivies, but it did. People who live perfectly wonderful lives who themselves went to Eastern New Hampshire (or whatever. Suddenly all the can do is post pictures of their kid's college tours of Harvard and Stanford on Facebook.
"There's no charge that Huneeus's money came through any criminal enterprise."
But what did he give the money for?
"I do think it's interesting if the individuals involved in this particular type of crime are all Democrats."
You mean, like, you know any Dems who don't want to game the system?
"We could examine the thought structure that encompasses: 1. the desire (or pretended desire) to tend to the needs of the underclass at the expense of the ordinary people who work hard and play by the rules, and 2. the belief that the rules don't apply to you and yours and you can take whatever you want."
Now that's funny. Tend to the needs of the underclass!
Anyway, there's no contradiction: you take whatever you want, by government power, to "tend to the needs of the underclass"--i.e., to buy votes and perpetuate your own power. It's not really a hard-left notion either: Larry Summers on NPR recently, interviewed about AOC's 70% plan, was sanguine about it and blithely said that we should just "take" more from the rich.
"Is test prep itself gaming the system? The future belongs to those who prepare for it."
As others will no doubt point out, a test-prep book costs less than $20. It does require somewhat more discipline to use it effectively than a prep course, but there's no evidence that it's any less effective.
And, "I can't afford a $20. book" is not credible. If you can't afford a $20. test-prep book that's because you have other uses for that $20. that are more important to you.
I think your questions are interesting, Ann. And they'd be well put to Gavin Newsom, the current Gov of the State of California. Gavin is an owner of the Plumpjack Group, who own a few wineries in Napa, various restaurants and bars in San Francisco and Squaw Valley, and a few boutique hotels- in Squaw Valley and Carmel.
I point out these locations because these are not spots frequented by the hoi polloi. They are designed and groomed for the same class that donates heavily to Dems and pays out a lot of money to get their kids into schools with Brand Bang. (I confess that I have snuck into Napa a few times as an undercover Libertarian and loved it.)
The entire focus is to get to that class and stay in that class. Then spend your public hours virtue signaling in the most visible ways possible. Nothing like being the Gov proclaiming that everyone must bend to the environmental chaos groups, and your entire state will be a Sanctuary State, while you're marketing your properties and goods to those who can fly private or be driven to your locales, and never come into contact with those sanctuary seeking folk.
It's a nice gig if you can get it.
In other words, “nothing to see here”
To Ann's question why should the Democrat politicos give back the money, one point of the Democrat donations is they're buying moral absolution--an indulgence, really--for the rule-breaking for me and mine.
They can't give the money back, they'll need that money to buy carbon credits.
This is all a revelation to me. Two of my kids went to SC, one to UCLA and one to U of Arizona.
It never occurred to me to go to one of these coaches or "fixers" They didn't;t even take an SAT coaching course.
The last one graduated ten years ago. Maybe this is more of a thing now.
But if the ACT and SAT are corrupted....how widespread must it be?
Very widespread. It’s not hard to get a ringer to take the test for you if a proctor can be bribed to accept obviously phony identification.
CA democrats are corrupt.
Part of me can't help think that by making a big deal about this the FBI may be trying to get back into conservatives good graces. Like, "See! We're going after those crooked limousine liberals in Hollywood who've been gaming the system!".
Big Mike- that's what I'm thinking.
Fr. Gregory Jensen said...
Money is fungible. Arguably then all the donations were made possible by the criminal activity of which Huneeus is accused.
That would be an issue for Singer donations, but a parent, who paid money doesn't have his smaller bank acct soiled by the money he has no longer...
"bribes for colleges - bribes for pols."
Then government contracts, or laws that favor your business, plus plenty of tax loopholes and tax credits.
One reason we have so many congressmen in favor of "Free Trade" is because they've been bribed by foreigners and multi-nationals.
College admissions have gotten much, much, more competitive in the last 20 years. Before, you could make a good living without a degree, and there was more opportunity for people without elite degrees.
No more. Funny how every SCOTUS judge went to Yale, Princeton, Columbia or Harvard. And out of the last 5 Presidents, 1 is a billionaire, and 4 went to Harvard or Yale. So, don't tell me it doesn't matter where you go to school.
Big Mike said...
But if the ACT and SAT are corrupted....how widespread must it be?
Very widespread. It’s not hard to get a ringer to take the test for you if a proctor can be bribed to accept obviously phony identification.
The tests were supposedly compromised not long after they started being administered in Asia. The College Board has known this was going on since at least 2007.
There's a blogger called Education Realist who's been talking about this for a while.
Mom ensnared in college admissions scam hosted Gillibrand fundraiser last week
All of these government whores -government bureaucratic(D) are takers takers takers.
Huneeus certainly has experience in buying influence.
It would be interesting to ask the people involved in this if they support Affirmative Action, Title 9, and help for kids with learning disabilities. Because they took advantage of all of that-- or in the case of AA, did the exact opposite. "Yes, we want someone from Compton to take someone's slot, just not our little Jimmy's"
Thanks, North of the 101
Let’s hear it for the University of Southern North Dakota at Hoople! Isn’t their nickname the Buffalo Chips?
This helps take the sting off the right-wing terrorist inspired by Trump.
¡Thanks Ann!
Fen's law applies:
"The Left doesn’t really believe in the things they lecture the rest of us about."
College admissions, carbon footprints, foreign campaign contributions...(insert your favorite here).
We used a college planning company and I am glad we did. The people who worked there were fantastic. They spent a lot of time in the beginning talking to our son about what he was interested in and what he wanted to do. He loved to golf and was on the high school golf team but coaches flat out told him that he couldn't golf in college and make it through an engineering program. The college planning counselors were impartial and went through it all with him. If he golfed which divisions were best for him regarding no, partial, or full scholarships? If he didn't golf which schools were dream, most likely, and fall back.
They helped him to come up with a plan. He didn't try out for college team (but still had schools offer him full and partial rides - mid tier schools but still it made him happy). He chose schools that had good golf teams and applied undeclared. This allowed him to start taking engineer feeder courses but left open the option of going for golf as a walk on if he wanted. He ultimately decided not to pursue golf and is in the engineering program at the University of Arizona.
This doesn't mean anything to any of you but they helped get him to a place that was perfect for him. On top of that they tracked all of the application requirements/dates for the schools that he applied to and the mandatory financial aid forms.
They didn't read the different college essays that he submitted (he wrote them at the computer in our living and I got to listen to him stress out while writing them). The essays were all submitted on line directly to the colleges.
If I had another child I would use this college planning company again. We have three close friends whose kids ended up transferring schools because they weren't a good fit for those kids. This helped us to avoid that potentiality.
My son still golfs...shot 73 on spring break last week with his dad at the Wailea Golf Club.
So not all republicans are evil, not all democrats are idiots, and not all college planning companies participate in illegal activities.
and not all college planning companies participate in illegal activities.
No, of course they don't. I'm glad you had a good one that worked for your son.
He ultimately decided not to pursue golf and is in the engineering program at the University of Arizona.
Two friends of mine here in Tucson have had their three boys go through U of A's Engineering program. One is there now, I think.
The two older ones have since joined the Navy flight training program. Their father and grandfather were Marine aviators.
It's stupid to "give back" unsavory or illegal contributions. The illegal contributors have/have not bought a lemon, but the illegal acceptees have already done their favor.
The appropriate thing to do is for the govt. to confiscate the ill-gotten loots and put them in a "lock box" to finance a task force to investigate illegal contributions. It will be a self-financing operation.
Of course Democratic politicians will never agree to the proposal since half of their contributions would be pre-lock-box contributions.
Republican politicians are no angels, but illegal contributions to Republicans would be investigated to death by the Fake Media, Republican politicians accepting illegal contributions are an endangered spiece, Democratic politicians accepting illegal contributions are thriving.
There aren’t any rules for college admissions. At best, there are guidelines.
Universities are businesses and businesses do what they need to do to make money. So do individuals.
It would be nice if Boston University revoked Martin Kither King’s PhD for plagiarism. King was an academic cheater. A fraud.
It would also be nice if people quit referring to him as “Dr. King” because someone who cheated to get that title doesn’t deserve it.
But it’s really not important. No one cared King cheated. Academic fraud isn’t a big deal.
No one cared King cheated. Academic fraud isn’t a big deal.
He's in good company. Ted Kennedy and Joe Biden,.
King was a great man. Lot of great people cheat.
What I thought was interesting is that many of the bribes involved women's sports. I think it says something about Title IX requirements for equal participation in sports teams. I also think the SAT/ACT corruption is a more important issue than rich people bribing college employees.
I think it says something about Title IX requirements for equal participation in sports teams.<
Oh yes. The whole Title IX scam has devastated men's minor sports while creating women's sports that no one is really interested in joining. It opens up lots of opportunities for scholarships, plus this thing,.
#2 is positively Clintonian.
"because someone who cheated to get that title doesn’t deserve it"
Professor Warren aka Senator Warren, do you have any comment?
“What about all those students with "learning disabilities" (extra time for tests) at New Trier High School?”
My kid went to a good prep school in CO, the type that sells itself on how many of its kids get into top schools. And the surprise was the number of their fellow students, with good GPAs and outside activities were diagnosed junior and even senior, year as dyslexic, thus allowing them extra test time on the SATs and ACTs. There were real dyslexics in their class, and a private school seriously helped address their problems. But these were kids who never evidenced any outward symptoms of their dyslexia that were noted by their peers sitting next to them in class. I always figured that their parents just had enough money to find doctors that would certify the disability, similar to a fraternity brother of mine whose family was prominent in Long Island society, who got out of the Vietnam era draft with a tennis elbow diagnosis.
Talking New Trier, had dinner last night with a couple of fraternity brothers, one from New Trier HS (had a bunch from that school in the house, which meant way too many Cubs losing games on the TV). Years ago, I represented him on some legal matters (maybe part of why he bought dinner), and showed himself to be a masterful negotiator. I asked him why he had gone to business school, instead of law school, since he would probably done extremely well in law, as one of the the best negotiators I have ever met. His response was that he was dyslexic, and didn’t think that he could have hacked the required volume of reading (probably > 100 pages of cases per class per week, with 4-5 classes a term for full time students).
His response was that he was dyslexic, and didn’t think that he could have hacked the required volume of reading (probably > 100 pages of cases per class per week, with 4-5 classes a term for full time students).
My partner is dyslexic. Not easy getting through medical school but he was an indefatigable study type. Didn't read anything but medical stuff. My wife and I had tickets to see "Evita" in London one time and he seriously suggested we should read about her before the trip. My wife mocked him, but not to his face, He just had no idea that people read books for entertainment.
My youngest took a course to improve his SAT scores. It really helped. The instructor had personally taken the test dozens of times and had numerous perfect scores.
I talked to my younger son today. He has a 16 year old daughter in a soccer tournament in Las Vegas this weekend.
I told him he had better start saving to get the $500,000 together. She wants to go to SC and he is a fireman.
Michael K it sounds like they are doing it the old fashioned way since she actually plays a sport. Maybe your son will get a discount on the 500k.
I loved going to SC (even with my professed bitterness). It was a lot work with grants, loans, and two jobs but I’d do it again. My son feels the same way about UofA. Spending last week with him my husband and I had multiple conversations marveling at how happy he seems to be with his life at this point.
I hope whatever granddaughter (?) does in life she finds the same level of happiness.
“I talked to my younger son today. He has a 16 year old daughter in a soccer tournament in Las Vegas this weekend.”
Friend of mine, whom I have mentioned before that I would like to get together with you, next time you get up to N ID (not this summer apparently, due to that daughter being in a family way) has a daughter who is excelling as a soccer goalie, who is a freshman this year. She is good enough already that she has a chance at an athletic scholarship - but he really doesn’t want her to go that route. Division 1 sports are not the way to go if you actually want to get a good education - too much extracurricular activity is required. That was the case when I was in college almost a half a century ago, and seems to have gotten worse.
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