Former George W. Bush political advisor and head of the pro-Republican Super PAC American Crossroads, Karl Rove, has claimed in the past that he drew virtually no salary in his position as chief fundraiser for the candidates his group supported. Rick Tyler, Republican consultant and political adviser to former Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin – a vocal opponent of former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney during the Republican primaries – does not believe it. In an appearance on MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews on Friday, Tyler charged that Rove made a significant amount of money for his work with Crossroads and has not disclosed his financial gains.



Rove told a group of Republicans in Wichita on Wednesday that his job as a volunteer raising money for candidates he knew were doomed was “the worst volunteer job I’ve had in my life.” Rove blamed brutal primary fights which marred the eventually victorious candidates and made unable to win in the general election.

Rove’s organization spent over $300 million on Republican candidates with little to show in the way of results.

“Who got all this money? Nobody got it – not even him. It was just wasted,” Matthews asked.

“So he said,” Tyler replied. “Do you really believe Karl Rove got no money?”

“Well he said he volunteered,” Matthews said.

“Well, fine. Show us your K-1s and your tax returns and we’ll see if you got any money,” Tyler shot back. “I don’t believe it.”

Rove has claimed in the past that he made next to no salary working at Crossroads. A post-election USA News & World Report story on Rove’s organization revealed that the former Bush advisor is not listed as an official employee with the firm in their financial disclosures. “[Annual reporting forms filed in 2010 and 2011 by Crossroads GPS] does not indicate that Rove is an official employee, or draws a salary, unless his salary is lumped into the category for compensation to non-key employees, which is not broken down by individual.”

Watch the clip below via MSNBC:

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