CWOJackson
10-09-2008, 02:40 PM
GreenvilleOnline
The odd arrangement of side-by-side headquarters for Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns in a North Pleasantburg Drive strip mall is moving into a new realm.
The strip center's owner, Greenville businesswoman Vivian Wong, said she "never leased the space to the (Barack) Obama campaign. I had no idea, until I got a call from (U.S. Sen.) Lindsey Graham's office complaining that I put Obama next door to them. We have an agreement with them ... that that's the only political entity we will lease to."
Obama's headquarters opened about 10 days ago in space leased to Redcliffe Realty whose red-and-white plastic sign is hung above the door. Signs for Obama and other Democratic candidates cover most of the storefront's window space. It's one of dozens of offices the Democratic presidential campaign says it has opened around the state.
Wong said, "I went over there and asked what's going on? I told them the lease called for a real estate company, not Obama headquarters. I signed a lease with Redcliffe for them to conduct a real estate agency over there. I said to them, 'You guys put me in a situation.'"
Melanie Roussell, the Obama campaign's Southeastern spokeswoman, couldn't be reached for comment. The lease was signed by Hunter Redcliffe, Wong said.
The agency's Web site lists Redcliffe Realty as a "full service real estate company (with) full time agents..." located at 404 N. Pleasantburg Dr.
A telephone call to Redcliffe Realty was answered as "Obama headquarters." A man who said his last name was Redcliffe but declined to give his first name wouldn't comment on the lease's details, how the shift to Obama headquarters occurred or whether the real estate firm is still operating there.
Instead, he offered to provide a lawyer's name in a follow-up call, but hours later there had been no call.
Samuel Harms, the Greenville County Republican Party chairman, said the Victory 2008 campaign moved in on Sept. 1 when the county party's lease expired, "but they let us stay on as co-tenants." Victory 2008 will shut down after the Nov. 4 election and the county party will seek new quarters, Harms said.
Victory 2008 is an umbrella operation focused on presidential nominee John McCain while promoting the candidacies of Republicans at all levels.
The odd arrangement of side-by-side headquarters for Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns in a North Pleasantburg Drive strip mall is moving into a new realm.
The strip center's owner, Greenville businesswoman Vivian Wong, said she "never leased the space to the (Barack) Obama campaign. I had no idea, until I got a call from (U.S. Sen.) Lindsey Graham's office complaining that I put Obama next door to them. We have an agreement with them ... that that's the only political entity we will lease to."
Obama's headquarters opened about 10 days ago in space leased to Redcliffe Realty whose red-and-white plastic sign is hung above the door. Signs for Obama and other Democratic candidates cover most of the storefront's window space. It's one of dozens of offices the Democratic presidential campaign says it has opened around the state.
Wong said, "I went over there and asked what's going on? I told them the lease called for a real estate company, not Obama headquarters. I signed a lease with Redcliffe for them to conduct a real estate agency over there. I said to them, 'You guys put me in a situation.'"
Melanie Roussell, the Obama campaign's Southeastern spokeswoman, couldn't be reached for comment. The lease was signed by Hunter Redcliffe, Wong said.
The agency's Web site lists Redcliffe Realty as a "full service real estate company (with) full time agents..." located at 404 N. Pleasantburg Dr.
A telephone call to Redcliffe Realty was answered as "Obama headquarters." A man who said his last name was Redcliffe but declined to give his first name wouldn't comment on the lease's details, how the shift to Obama headquarters occurred or whether the real estate firm is still operating there.
Instead, he offered to provide a lawyer's name in a follow-up call, but hours later there had been no call.
Samuel Harms, the Greenville County Republican Party chairman, said the Victory 2008 campaign moved in on Sept. 1 when the county party's lease expired, "but they let us stay on as co-tenants." Victory 2008 will shut down after the Nov. 4 election and the county party will seek new quarters, Harms said.
Victory 2008 is an umbrella operation focused on presidential nominee John McCain while promoting the candidacies of Republicans at all levels.