Boy Band Guru, Alleged Pedophile, Is a GOP Donor

Via the New York Post, we learn that the architect of several famous boy bands, Lou Pearlman, has allegedly taken something more than a professional interest in the talent he's, er, mentored, over the years. He's currently in federal custody on other charges related to a ponzi scheme, wherein he scammed more than one thousand investors of more than $315 million. According to Wikipedia,

After being on the run since December 2006, Pearlman was finally arrested in Indonesia on June 14, 2007 after being spotted by a German tourist couple. Pearlman was then indicted by a federal grand jury on June 27, 2007.

I wonder what he may have been up to in Indonesia? But now, according to the New York Post, there's even more news (emphasis in the original):

October 2, 2007 -- LOU Pearlman - the hog-fat, boy-band honcho who created *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys and launched the careers of Justin Timberlake and Nick Carter - was a pervy pedophile who preyed on the young men he mentored, Vanity Fair reports.

"I would absolutely say the guy was a sexual predator. All the talent knew what Lou's game was," Steve Mooney, an aspiring singer who was Pearlman's assistant, told VF's Bryan Burrough. "Some guys joked about it. I remember [one singer] asking me, 'Have you let Lou [fellate] you yet?' "

Mooney said he once asked Pearlman, who was known as "Big Poppa," what it would take for him to get into a band. "I'll never forget this as long as I live. He leaned back in his chair, in his white terry cloth robe and white underwear, and spread his legs," Mooney told Burrough. "And then he said, and these were his exact words, 'You're a smart boy. Figure it out.' " Mooney added that a singer groped by Pearlman told him, "Look, if a guy wants to massage me, and I'm getting a million dollars for it, you just go along with it. It's the price you got to pay."

Phoenix Stone, an early member of the Backstreet Boys, tells Vanity Fair Pearlman was "definitely inappropriate" with Nick Carter. Nick's mom, Jane Carter, wouldn't get into specifics, but said, "Certain things happened and it almost destroyed our family. I tried to warn everyone. I tried to warn all the mothers . . . I tried to expose him for what he was years ago."

Tim Christofore, a member of Take 5, recalls that during a sleepover at Pearlman's house, the music czar swan-dived onto his and another boy's bed and wrestled with them wearing only in a towel, which came off. "We were like, 'Ooh, Lou, that's gross.' What did I know? I was 13," Christofore told Vanity Fair.

Rich Cronin, lead singer of LFO, recalled Pearlman told him of an "ancient massage technique that if I massage you and we bond in a certain way, it will strengthen your aura."

Um, say it with me. . . EEEEEWWWWWW!!!!!

But I didn't come here to tell you that tonight. I came here to share with you what I found out about the past political donations of one Louis Pearlman of Orlando, Florida:

According to Open Secrets:

Contributor	Occupation	Date	Amount	Recipient
PEARLMAN, LOUIS ORLANDO,FL 32819	TRANS CONTINENTAL COMPANIES/EXECUTI	6/5/2002	$1,000	Keller, Ric
PEARLMAN, LOUIS ORLANDO,FL 32819	TRANS CONTINENTAL COMPANIES/EXECUTI	6/5/2002	$1,000	Keller, Ric
PEARLMAN, LOUIS ORLANDO,FL 32819	TRANS CONTINENTAL COMPANIES/EXECUTI	6/11/2003	$1,000	Keller, Ric
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J ORLANDO,FL 32819		12/19/1997	$3,750	National Republican Senatorial Cmte
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J ORLANDO,FL 32819		1/3/2001	$1,500	National Republican Congressional Cmte
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J ORLANDO,FL 32819	TRANS CONTINENTAL COS INC	3/7/2001	$1,250	National Republican Senatorial Cmte
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J ORLANDO,FL 32819		9/9/1998	$1,000	National Republican Congressional Cmte
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J ORLANDO,FL 32819	TRANS CONTINENTAL COS INC	4/4/2001	$500	National Republican Senatorial Cmte
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J ORLANDO,FL 32819	TRANS CONTINENTAL CO./CHIEF EXECUTI	1/27/2003	$500	National Republican Congressional Cmte
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J ORLANDO,FL 32819		12/20/2000	$350	National Republican Congressional Cmte
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J ORLANDO,FL 32819		11/19/1997	$250	National Republican Congressional Cmte
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J MR ORLANDO,FL 32819	TRANS CONTINENTAL COMPANIES/CEO	6/29/2000	$1,000	Keller, Ric
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J MR ORLANDO,FL 32819	TRANS CONTINENTAL COMPANIES/CEO	9/22/2000	$1,000	Keller, Ric
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J MR ORLANDO,FL 32819	TRANS CONTINENTAL COMPANIES/CEO	10/27/2000	$1,000	Keller, Ric
PEARLMAN, LOUIS J MS ORLANDO,FL 32819	TRANS CONTINENTAL COMPANIES/EXECUTI	3/7/2002	$1,000	National Republican Congressional Cmte

Look at all that money for Republicans!

Before he hit the beaches of Bali to scout for new talent, Open Secrets documents $16,100.00 given exclusively to Republicans between 1997 and 2003. Hoo, boy.

What with all the high profile Republicans of late demonstrating a lively interest in the comely lads, I can't really say I spot a trend here, do you?

After all, I'm sure it's just a coincidence.

Pachacutec blogs at Firedoglake.

Comments

[Mikestconn]

I would like to bring readers attention to the GOP support provided in Florida to
Crist and McCollum by Lou Pearlman, coupled with the woeful lack of prosecution, and
for readers to see the Florida election commission web site where you
can look up all these contributions:
http://www.fec.state.fl.us/
This is how it's done in Florida, apparantly.

[TheQuestion]

sexual predator - GOP contributer goes together like ..... Oh you get the idea.

[ThE GaRiCkS]

Closely examine a Repug fine a perv. It isn’t very sporting though because it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. Everyone knows that prudes are secretly the kinkiest of all: Mark Foley, Jimmy Swaggart, David Vitter, Ted Haggard and so on.

[kellygrrrl]

It seems to me that these pedophiles are against all gay rights because they do not want to empower their prey.

[noamjunior]

that, and most Gay rights groups openly criticize the dangerous and illegal activities (sex in public areas, unprotected sex with anonymous partners, hard drug use, inappropriate contact with minors) that GOP hypocrites are caught engaging in

[Stevelagain]

You know, this thing about the left smearing the right, the right smearing the left....it gets real old after awhile.

You folks support massive abortion and claim superior concern for children? Really?

You have Harry Reid (Abramoff $$$$, Shady property deals in Vegas, family paid to lobby him) and you claim less corruption?

Talk about people who live in glass houses tossing stones.

[LightningJoe]

Okay then, I'm game. You tell us when to stop. Should it be after we smear them, or after they smear us? Should we stop now, and hold our oh so polite liberal tongues the next time some Rep feels up a cop in a restroom, or flies cross-country to drill a five year old girl?

Or should it be after a Dem does the same sort of- Oooops, I'm fresh out of examples on the Dem's side - maybe you could help me with this.

No, I guess not. Not even your one Dem example could pull off corruption 101 without a hefty boost from the godfather of Republican corruption himself.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Yeah...you already sound intelligent there Steve... "massive abortion"... yes!! Please tell all your bretherne.... all democrats want massive abortion for all, across the board, and you too!!!

And yes, I DO have superior concern for children over you... once brought into this world by choice, I care that they are taken care of, well-fed, educated and raised to be decent human beings... certainly NOT republicans like yourself.

[noamjunior]

Calling BS on your post-

1) only a CON would equate a legal medical procedure with molesting a child

2) I never heard Reid's name mentioned with Abramoff - make that one up?

Cons only play the "lets stop the acrimony" when one of their own gets caught with their pants down

[thromulese]

Support massive abortion?

Did you know that abortions went down under the Clinton administration?

I am sure you did not. Because you no doubt only restrict your little brain to FIX news and other right wing propaganda outlets.

Also I am sure if you are against the killing of unborn children, then you are equally adamant in your opposition to the killing of our soldiers and innocent Iraqis. Or does you opposition only apply to the unborn, and once you enter this world, your on your own. Especially if you have the misfortune to have been born in Iraq.

republiCONs are hypocrites

[SamThornton]

Jeebus, Republicans are weird looking. Take a gander at Rep. Ric Keller (R-Fla.), the object of Mr. Boy Band's several manly contributions: http://keller.house.gov/

[DemandTruth]

They all kinda look the same. No necked, bleached white, blubbery bespectacled bastards!

Wonder why that is? Maybe they are continuing in the great tradition of the royals. Subtly keeping it all in the family. Or a few families.

Or maybe they really are reptilian aliens who only got their hands on one human to clone (a fat white one) and have been altering it slightly ever since.

[LightningJoe]

It's because they are all corn-fed. They enter themselves in the county fair to see how fast they can put on weight, and who gets the highest prices at auction.

Seriously, it IS corn -- corn and corn sugar are making all of America fat; the Republicans are just on the leading edge, due to the inherent insecurity of their wealth-is-all ethical system.

-----------
Kill your TV, and free your mind.

[whatstheidea]

Shhhhhhh..
I won't mention Gerry Studds or Barney Frank if you don't.

Maybe we can have Ted and Patric Kennedy take Pearlman for a good ole' Democratic car ride.

I can't believe this even made it to the front page here! WTF!!

Go back to firdoglake you child.

[CriminallySane]

OK, well, First Lady Laura Bush has killed exactly the same number of people with a car as has Ted Kennedy - care to add her to your list?

Thought not.

Bloody hypocrite...

[LightningJoe]

Yeah, and she ran a stop sign to do it, and didn't get charged. Another point for the Bushites.

[nellyol'son]

you republicans trot out those two every time another of your members (pun) is exposed as a pervert.

Gerry Studds had an affair with a 17 year old page and was censured for it. the affair was consensual and the page was of the age of consent.

there was no scandal in the Barney Frank case. a man he had befriended and allowed to live in his home claimed to have run an escort service while Frank was not home. Barney Frank disputes this. even if it were true, there was no malfeasance on Frank's part.

in any case, both of these so-called scandals are OLD. they happened 17 and 24 years ago. why don't you also dig something up on James Buchanan? i'm sure there's some tasty bits there.

[NYC07]

I always love how anyone wanting to say somethin bad about the Dems has to go back to the last century to give an example.. But ... But... But... Wilson.... er Rooservelt.... er Kennedy !! While Democrats only have to open up todays paper to see the latest Republican scandal blooming brightly in the sun.

[zizyphus]

Pearlman is actually Karl Rove's long-lost twin.

[NYC07]

No he's the "Love Child" of Rove and Ann Coulter.

[midwestvoter]

He'd have to have an adam's apple if he were Coulter's spawn.

[CriminallySane]

In other news, the sun will rise in the east tomorrow, and water is reported to be wet.

Film at eleven...

[1will]

Interesting story. Since we're talking about pedophiles giving money to politians let's talk about the Clinton/Dole Election.
NAMBLA donated to the Clinton Campaign during this election. The Dole Campaign refused a donation from this group.
Of course the Clinton Campaign also returned the money...after the media aired the story.

[scootmandubious]

You know, I think some pedophiles might be offended at being branded as 'Republicans.'

Just a thought.

[ohsaydidyousee]

Oh please. "Boy Band Guru, Alleged Pedophile, Is a GOP Donor" A shameful accusation does not make for a righteous title to a blog that smears the right. Let's face it, yes the republicans for the most part, are a bunch of right wing hypocritical scum who are methodically, one by one, pounding nails into the coffin of their dying party. And that’s just fine with me. But let's take the high road for just a moment, whether it's tap dancing in the men’s room, page stalking or pedophilia. The Republicans don't need our help destroying their own credibility. And it wouldn’t have made any difference if Pearlman was a Democratic donor, or would it? If he was would we be wasting cyber space and time reading about it on Huffpost. Unlikely, rather, you and we, should be focusing on the crimes of the current white house regime. Not it’s donors.

[zull2]

All he did was make a joke about a trend, and it was pretty funny, too.

Man, you Republicans really need a sense of humor. Or, next time you crack about Democrats, you should make sure you can take as well as you can dish out.

[DemandTruth]

They can't afford a sense of humor. They're too sensitive, as in doth protest too much sensitive.

All of them are so insecure that their immediate response is to attack anyone who points out something they don't want to talk about. Much much easier than acknowledging the truth, which actually might take some guts.

[kingcityguru]

I believe a Democratic President was a rapist or, at the least, a sexual harrasser. Cuts a bit closer to the Democratic party than this story does to the Republican, but why challenge your convictions.

[Roafer]

GOP=GROUP OF PEDOPHILES

No Democratic President has ever been found guilty of rape. Keep dreaming and keep drooling, its the GOP way!LOL LOL LOL

[bbuc]

GOP=Grand Old Pervs

[cuthbertallgood]

Nor has one been arrested, charged or indicted in any way shape or form for rape- in fact neither has a Republican President.

[CriminallySane]

Rapist, huh? Care to offer even a shred of evidence? As in, a verifiable piece of demonstrable fact?

Asserting something does not make it so. Even in your republican fever-dream fantasies.

[LightningJoe]

Challenge my convictions? Over this? You're kidding, right?

How about your own "convictions," how are they holding up? Showing any strain, yet, or are you still convinced that the Reps are the Family Values Sleepover Party? The godly party. The party of the righteous. Right.

Roafer points out that no one has been convicted yet, but I don't think we need convictions to know what's going on.

Hey, I'm having a sleepover, wanna come? We'll have cameras...and towels...

[JeffDeVore]

Really bugs you that women wanted to bang Bill! They're lining up for Georgie, 'cuz they want to have a beer with him.

[drumz]

It's the Grand Old Pedophile Party!

[CyrusBeaucephus]

All Republicans are pervs, the rest haven't been caught yet