Category: Campaign Finance

DeLay’s Dollars.

“Tom DeLay is the king of congressional influence-money. In DeLay’s world, the operating rule is you have to pay to play.” Democracy 21 takes a comprehensive look at the Exterminator’s money machine, and it ain’t pretty.

Armtwisting for $$$.

So that’s how Dubya raised so much loot. According to a front page story in tomorrow’s Post, at least six GOP Attorneys General apparently used their clout to extort campaign contributions from corporations under their thumb. Looks like the Republicans learned a thing or two from Tammany Hall…this behavior reeks of bossism.

The Doctor is In (the money).

Good news for Team Dean – The Vermont Governor has entered the top tier of Dems in campaign fundraising, and he’s done it without prostrating himself before fatcats. However one feels about Dean, he’s a candidate who should be taken seriously by the Dems – it’s good to know that, whatever happens, he can’t be priced out of the nomination battle by a Kerry, Gephardt, or Lieberman. Ideas, not money, will hopefully decide the day.

The Shape of Things to Come?

The Supreme Court votes 7-2 (Scalia and Thomas dissenting, of course) to reject non-profit exemptions from campaign finance laws. While critics of reform are arguing otherwise, I’d think this bodes very well for McCain-Feingold, which will be taken up in the fall.

Soft Money Hypocrisy.

This is not good. Apparently, Chellie Pingree, the President of Common Cause, is being investigated for campaign finance shenanigans. I have to agree with the FEC attorney on this one – even on the off-chance that Pingree didn’t try to circumvent the law, why on earth was the president of CC soliciting soft money anyway? It sounds like the organization is backing Pingree, when the best thing would be to let her dangle. If you’re trying to eliminate soft money from politics, it’s probably best to choose a leader who hasn’t begged for it in the past.

The Smoking Gun.

Speaking of the Exterminator, his successor as Majority Whip – Roy Blunt – has recently illustrated De Lay-levels of corruption with his attempt to protect Phillip Morris from terrorism in the Homeland Security Act. “Blunt’s attempt became known only to a small circle of House and White House officials. They kept it quiet, preferring no publicity on a matter involving favors for the nation’s biggest tobacco company and possible claims of conflicts of interest.” Strange how the GOP always seems to promote its sketchiest members to the whip.

Quid Pro Quo.

Exhibiting yet again the Dubya administration’s flair for hypocrisy, recent documents reveal that Dubya’s top three fundraisers in 2000 were made Ambassadors of Switzerland, the Slovak Republic, and France respectively. Well, as long as they didn’t take tea in the Lincoln bedroom, I’m sure everything checks out.