In other words: A discussion of The Bush Administration
Remember the Tea Pot Dome Scandal?
I don't either actually, but in the end it was a scandal about the government being for sale. The govenment was just an arm of wealthy corporations who didn't mind greasing some palms. Well I doubt that ever ended, but it certainly is getting pretty obvious again. We already know that Majority Leader Frist considers a Senator a "Good Man" when he helps out his big donors. Well now we see that corporations are given a list of Republicans to donate to, and the amounts, if they want a "seat at the table." Ahh... what swell folks, definitely working in the interest of their consitituents.
Utility's Papers Outline Donations to GOP
WASHINGTON - When a utility executive questioned why he was contributing to Republican congressional candidates he had never heard of, the answer came back loud and clear: The donations were requested by GOP leaders who were helping the company win an exemption potentially worth billions of dollars.
Financially strapped Westar Energy was seeking "a seat at the table" of a House-Senate conference committee on the Bush administration's energy plan last year, according to internal company records spelling out the planned campaign donations.
Key Republicans, including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, denied on Thursday there was any connection between the exemption and donations which amounted to tens of thousands of dollars from the Topeka, Kan., conglomerate and its executives.
Oh God, well I'm glad "I'm the Federal Government" DeLay cleared that up.
Maybe he could clear up this email:
Executives of a Kansas-based energy company believed that $56,500 in donations to political groups linked to four key Republican lawmakers last year would prompt Congress to exempt their firm from a problematic federal regulation, according to documents disclosed as part of a federal investigation of the company.
One executive of Westar Energy Inc. told colleagues in an e-mail that "we have a plan for participation to get a seat at the table" of a House-Senate conference committee on the Bush administration's energy plan. The cost, he wrote, would be $56,500 to campaign committees, including some associated with House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (Tex.), Rep. Joe Barton (Tex.), Rep. W.J. "Billy" Tauzin (La.) and Sen. Richard C. Shelby (Ala.).
The above two paragraphs are from: Firm Saw Link in Favor, Donations. For more on the e-mail, let's go back to the first article:
In a May 20, 2002, e-mail, a Westar executive asked why he was writing checks to Republican congressional candidates whose names he didn't recognize in amounts far in excess of what he had earlier understood he would have to spend.
"Happy to give but earlier ... memo had me giving I think $300-400 per candidate. I am confused," the executive wrote.
A quick reply came back.
"You probably didn't get a copy of the memo sent internal mail on Friday about the current legislative issue in Washington," a Westar executive wrote. "Right now, we have $11,500 in immediate needs for a group of candidates associated with Tom DeLay, Billy Tauzin, Joe Barton and Senator Richard Shelby."
Oh, and as you are "happy to give" don't forget the check made out to "This Century Sucks," thats S U C K S as in the whole government these days.
- rob 1:37 PM - [PermaLink] -
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