Dire: Did The Dems Pay Off Cap And Trade Supporters?
Aug 5, 2009 14 Comments ›› Erik Wong
Americans for Tax Reform, a non-partisan group opposed to all tax increases, did a bit of sleuthing through recent Federal Elections Commission (FEC) reports and found one indicating that just days before the 219-212 “cap-and-trade†national energy tax vote in the U.S. House of Representatives, nearly $50,000 in campaign contributions was passed from Democrat leaders to uncommitted Democrats — apparently to solidify support for the bill.
Democrat Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) distribued a total contribution of $28,000 among the following: Steve Driehaus, D-Ohio ($2,000); Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. ($2,000); Suzanne Kosmas, D-Fla. ($4,000); Betsy Markey, D-Colo. ($2,000); Carol Shea-Porter, D-N.H. ($2,000), Baron Hill, D-Ind. ($2,000); Alan Grayson, D-Fla. ($2,000); Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa ($2,000); Jim Himes, D-Conn. ($2,000); Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Ohio ($2,000); Kurt Schrader, D-Ore. ($2,000); Jerry McNerney, D-Calif. ($2,000) and Tom Perriello, D-Va. ($2,000).
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was found to have given $4,000 to yes-voting Ohio Blue Lapdog Democrat Zack Space.
The ATR sleuthing also found that House Energy & Commerce Henry Waxman gave at least $16,000 to yes-voters on the day before the vote.
“With this Obama-Reid-Pelosi ‘pay-to-play’ style of government, nothing shocks me,†said Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist. “My question is if this is the reported money, I wonder what else is going on behind the scenes in these backroom midnight bill writing sessions where there is no transparency.â€
