Lobbyist-in-Chief?
Do lobbyists and the special interests need more control in Washington, D.C.?
Judging by who John McCain listens to and who Gordon Smith caters to, their answer is yes.
McCain has surrounded himself with lobbyist advisers, and Gordon Smith has spent his years in Washington, D.C. becoming a vending machine for votes for the special interests.
With Republican presidential nominee John McCain coming to Oregon on Monday to raise checks of $33,100, it’s time to examine McCain and Smith’s special interest ties.
Smith Is a Vending Machine For Votes
After cashing in more than a quarter million dollars from pharmaceutical and health care special interests, Smith voted to ban the federal government from negotiating lower drug prices for seniors, opposed improving Medicare and left rural seniors medically stranded.
Smith has also raised millions from Big Oil and the other special interests who control his vote on climate change. He has heeded his special interest bosses and opposed Democratic U.S. Senator Ron Wyden’s bill combating climate change.
McCain's Campaign Is Run By Lobbyists
From his senior advisers to his national political director, McCain's lobbyist roots are deep, longstanding and troubling.
“John McCain, who made his name attacking special interests, has more lobbyists working on his staff or as advisers than any of his competitors, Republican or Democrat.”
(Thomas B. Edsall, The Huffington Post, 6-23-07)
“All told, there are 11 current or former lobbyists working for or advising McCain, at least double the number in any other campaign. Among the current and former lobbyists working for McCain are: Campaign CEO Rick Davis, a partner at Davis Manafort, where his clients have included SBC Communications and Verizon; and former Davis Manafort associate, National eCampaign Director Christian Ferry. At the end of 2006, Mike Dennehy, who founded The Dennehy Group, a New Hampshire lobbying firm, was appointed McCain's national political director. He gave up that post in May to become a senior campaign advisor.”
(Thomas B. Edsall, The Huffington Post, 6-23-07)
“After championing campaign finance reform and ethics legislation to score political points, he now has a staggering amount of lobbyists involved in every aspect of his campaign. In fact, two of the top three sources for John McCain's campaign cash are D.C. lobbying firms, and he looked the other way as Jack Abramoff bought and paid for the Republican Party and the Culture of Corruption.”
(Governor Howard Dean, DNC Email, 2-6-08)
“This tandem can’t be trusted to bring the change we need in Washington, D.C.,” DPO Executive Director Trent Lutz said. “Oregonians don’t want more special interest influence in Washington, D.C., they want less. Oregonians don't want a lobbyist-in-chief, they want a leader. Lobbyists have been telling Gordon Smith and John McCain how to vote for so long, they can't relate to Oregon's working families.”
Discuss: Lobbyist-in-Chief?
Posted May 9, 2008 in Smith + McCain - 1 comments
Pendleton Protest
Protestors criticized Gordon Smith again for catering to the special interests. Read the press release:
As Part Of Statewide Protests, Oregonians In Smith’s Hometown Protest His Corporate Sponsored Opposition To Climate Change Bill
Gordon Smith has become a vending machine for votes. Special interests insert money and Gordon Smith produces any vote they want.
Following earlier protests in Eugene and Medford, Oregonians in Pendleton, U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith’s (R-OR) hometown, demanded that Smith stand up to his corporate donors and stop opposing important climate change legislation.
“Oregon cannot afford to have a senator whose special interest contributors have bought his opposition to fixing climate change,” said Ben Talley, Pendleton area organizer for the Stop Gordon Smith Campaign. “We can’t let Gordon Smith get away with serving the corporate interests rather than the people’s interests.”
“Why doesn’t Gordon Smith think Climate Change is a problem? Because he’s paid to ignore this crisis,” Talley said. “Smith has taken millions from Big Oil and other special interests who control his votes. In return, Smith has voted twice to keep $5 billion in tax breaks for Big Oil and oppose important climate change legislation.”
Smith’s donors have bought his opposition to the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act. Oregon’s other U.S. Senator, Democrat Ron Wyden, is a co-sponsor of the bill to combat climate change and the bill has bi-partisan support.
But Smith won't support this important legislation. Smith has taken millions of dollars from the special interests who oppose this legislation, including hundreds of thousands from Big Oil. For more information on how special interests control Smith’s votes, click here.
The bill would be an important step in combating climate change. It would cap greenhouse emissions and make appliances and buildings more energy efficient, according to The Register-Guard.
(The Register-Guard Editorial, 2-28-08)
The Eugene, Medford and Pendleton protests were held outside Smith’s offices. They were organized by the Stop Gordon Smith Campaign.
Discuss: Pendleton Protest
Posted May 5, 2008 in Grassroots Resources - 0 comments
DPO Executive Director Trent Lutz’s Statement On U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith’s (R-OR) Hypocritical Salmon Declaration
“Criticizing Gordon Smith’s honesty problems is like shooting fish in a barrel.
Before he starts boasting about declarations, he should apologize to coastal communities for abusing them to get re-elected in 2002.
First, he worked with Vice President Dick Cheney and the White House in 2002 to divert Klamath River water to help him get re-elected. That water diversion ended up destroying Oregon’s coastal fishing communities.
Then, he denied his coordination with Cheney and the White House. Even though he had boasted about working with Cheney and run TV ads on his coordination with the White House.
Now, he wants to take credit for helping the communities he devastated in 2002.
I repeat, before Smith starts boasting about declarations, he should apologize to coastal communities for abusing them to get re-elected in 2002.
Is there any limit to what Gordon Smith will say to Oregonians or do to our natural resources to help him get elected? Apparently not.”
Posted May 1, 2008 in Smith vs. Smith - 0 comments
Smith Unites Oregonians – In Distrusting Him
Gordon Smith, Oregonians aren’t buying your ad.
After watching you Say Anything for more than a decade, they don’t trust the ad, or you.
Smith’s positive ad has turned into an internet negative as bloggers from both right and left excoriate him for his Say Anything behavior.
A sample of the commentary from conservative blog Oregon Catalyst:
“Gordon Smith is a shameless example of a politician without core principles, a true politician who says anything that is expedient for reelection.”
“He has been no less partisan than his party, which is quite partisan indeed. Here, Smith proves himself your standard pandering politician who will say anything to be elected. Anything.”
And from progressive blog Blue Oregon:
“By the way, did Gordon Smith ‘independently’ conclude he should vote with Bush 90% of the time.”
Discuss: Smith Unites Oregonians – In Distrusting Him
Posted April 30, 2008 in Smith vs. Smith - 1 comments
DPO Executive Director Trent Lutz’s Statement On U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith’s (R-OR) New TV Ad.
“Gordon Smith doesn’t get it. Slick TV ads can’t hide his record. Gordon Smith votes with President Bush 90 percent of the time and opposes Ron Wyden on ending the Iraq War, solving climate change and lowering prescription drug costs for seniors. Gordon Smith, it doesn’t matter what you say to the camera or what music plays in the background, you can’t disguise your record. You stand with Bush, you stand with the special interests, and you stand against Ron Wyden on the issues that matter most to Oregonians.”
Discuss: DPO Executive Director Trent Lutz’s Statement On U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith’s (R-OR) New TV Ad.
Posted April 29, 2008 in Who Loves Gordon? - 0 comments
