When he was running for Majority Leader, Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) pledged to end the K Street Project for lobbyists and “lead the effort to bring about the kind of reforms the American people are expecting from Congress.”
But a new review of financial holdings shows Boehner has raised corporate and lobbyist contributions at a faster clip than even corrupt, criminally-indicted former Rep. Tom DeLay:
[Boehner] has been holding fund-raisers at lobbyists’ offices, flying to political events on corporate planes and staying at a golf resort with a business group that has a direct stake in issues before Congress.
Boehner…has raised campaign contributions at a rate of about $10,000 a day since February, surpassing the pace set by former Representative Tom DeLay after he became majority leader in 2002, a review of federal filings shows. […]
Mr. Boehner’s biggest donors include the political action committees of lobbying firms, drug and cigarette makers, banks, health insurers, oil companies and military contractors. Seven American Indian tribes with casinos have contributed $32,000.
The contributions aren’t for nothing. Just yesterday, CongressDaily reported that Boehner is finally considering allowing a full House vote to increase the minimum wage. The catch? The bill will also include a set of corporate tax breaks:
Republicans pressing for a vote on raising the minimum wage say House Majority Leader Boehner is working to write a bill that likely would include tax breaks for businesses. Reps. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J., and Steven LaTourette, R-Ohio, met Thursday with Boehner to urge him to take up the issue. “He is optimistic they can get something meaningful accomplished” by the end of July, said a LaTourette spokeswoman.

Something tells me Boehner’s game is more “in the woods” than “Tiger Woods”.
July 15th, 2006 at 6:49 pmGuess everyone knows that giving money to delay’s “campaign” is really just giving money to his defense fund. Clearly, many are upset that they got scammed into contributing earlier only to see him drop out.
GREAT CRIMES DEMAND EVEN MORE CRIMINALITY!
July 15th, 2006 at 6:51 pmWhat was that Abba song - “Money Money Money…”
This is the root of the problem in government - and it won’t stop until there is serious reform in the system. I have no problem with the “I am excercising my free speech by donating” thought - but the playing field needs to be leveled. These $2500/plate dinners and the like really cut out the average American.
July 15th, 2006 at 6:56 pmHow ironic/moronic to link a rise in the minimum wage with another pile of corporate give aways. The idea that the growing chasm between haves and have nots is completely lost on the GOP.
One day, his butler will pull back the curtain and his yard will be full of peasants with pitchforks.
July 15th, 2006 at 7:01 pmwow. I hope his constuents are takng notice. i hope you cant buy happiness(i dont know cause im broke)
July 15th, 2006 at 7:51 pmHe has a lot of experience - this is his forte`
July 15th, 2006 at 8:54 pmWasn’t he the guy who was passing around PAC checks on the House floor a few years ago?
I just picked this up from Americablog:
July 15th, 2006 at 9:15 pmUsing vivid images of smoke pouring from one of the towers of the World Trade Center, Republican Sen. Mike DeWine unleashed a commercial yesterday that charges Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown with casting votes in Congress that could have weakened America’s response to terrorism.
Interestingly, just yesterday the Republicans were freaking out because Democrats were supposedly abusing the suffering of Americans in the war on terror because a Democratic ad showed photos of the flag-draped coffins to show an example of the “wrong direction” our country was head in.
So, to Republicans, Americans troops deserve our utmost respect, but the nearly 3,000 Americans who died on September do not deserve our utmost respect. And actually, George Bush himself used the coffin of a victim of September 11 as a campaign prop.
Hypocrisy, thy name is Dewine.
what marie is referring to:
Republican Ad That They Can’t Run From
July 15th, 2006 at 9:44 pmBy: John Amato on Friday, July 14th, 2006 at 3:13 AM - PDT
The Republicans and some wingnuts went a little hysterical over this ad from the DCCC. They certainly have short memories…
the Dewine story:
GOP Senator Dewine (R-OH) using images of burning Twin Towers and the 9/11 hijackers for partisan campaign ads
July 15th, 2006 at 10:02 pmhttp://americablog.blogspot.com/ 2006/ 07/ gop-senator-dewine-r-oh-using-images.html
He could hide $10,000 a day and a Boehner in those baggy pants.
July 15th, 2006 at 10:04 pm#9 katy
July 15th, 2006 at 10:07 pmThanks for adding the link that I forgot to include! :)
#10, GJ
July 15th, 2006 at 10:08 pmThanks, too!
you’re so welcome, marie! …no problem…
July 15th, 2006 at 10:44 pmi had just read the story, so knew right where to go!
He is worse than DeLay, but is higher on the smooth scale.
He just might skate. Hope not.
July 15th, 2006 at 10:52 pmHis name should be spelled B-O-N-E-R, because that is how he acts > lol.
July 16th, 2006 at 1:04 amAnother bottom-feeding, money grubbing scumbag. What else is new?
July 16th, 2006 at 2:24 amI’m sure that Kimberly-Clark’s donations are in his top 10, for the Depends…
July 16th, 2006 at 2:48 amDoesn’t the picture make you think of George Bush saying, “Now watch this drive.” Eerie that anyone would do anthing that could associate them with George Bush.
July 16th, 2006 at 3:01 amBoehner is just LOVED by the voters of Ohio. He’s their kind of boy: crooked Republican politician (just like the governor and Rep. Ney), money grubbing crook (just like big Republican fund raiser and criminal, Noe), and a favorite of Bush and the Republican criminal enterprise that infests our Congress and the White House - - and Ohio. Of course, Bush doesn’t mind if he’s a criminal, just so he brings in the money from the lobbyists for the Republicans. If Boehner pockets a goodly chunk of the lucre, that’s OK. Just so he keeps up the good work. Helluva job !
July 16th, 2006 at 3:58 amMeet the new whore, same as the old whore
July 16th, 2006 at 8:41 amHmmmmm, seems to be an indication that the Republicans will make a strong showing this fall.
Bwah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, haaaaaaaaaaa…….
July 16th, 2006 at 10:17 amThanks for the quotes about Israel plunger! Sharon was a horrible man, but his protege Olmert is sicker than Ariel!
July 16th, 2006 at 11:14 amOnly thing the Republicans will be showing in the Fall are their asses.
July 16th, 2006 at 11:51 amHas anyone stopped to ask themselves whether receiving money BECAUSE you believe or vote one way is different from receiving money and CHANGING YOUR MIND because of it? If you’re reliably anti-tax, for example, how are you “corrupt” if people support you because of it?
Nowhere in this article does the NYT explain how any of this is bad — “it just is.” “Look, politicians get money!” No shit. But there’s a difference between corruption and law-breaking, and receiving money because you consistently support the same things. Isn’t there?
July 16th, 2006 at 1:24 pmPlunger!
July 16th, 2006 at 1:27 pmHaven’t heard from you for a while.
We may be seeing WWIII begin here.
I just heard that 5 of those killed in Lebanon had Canadian citizenship!
Oops! That was OT. Sorry.
July 16th, 2006 at 1:28 pmSorry state of affairs here in Ohio. Boehner is running unopposed. Next district over, they have Jean Schmidt. Oh yes, we got Bob Ney too.
We are so ashamed….sorry America.
P.S. Our govenor is an ex-con and our Sec. of State, now running for govenor, Ken Blackwell bought us Diebold.
God help us!
July 16th, 2006 at 4:53 pmhe PROMISED to reform congress less than a year ago
which was a lie. CORRUPT….. a bunch of crooks
entrusting what we pay for in a reciprocal public
servants to serve us.
ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU PUKE :)
July 17th, 2006 at 3:25 am# 29 What, so Boehmer is just caught in a world he never made? Get real- the Republican herd loves the “market for influence”- sick, unhealthy, ultimately doomed but with just enough bogus Adam Smith to it to make it smell good.
July 17th, 2006 at 7:07 amIf everyone who voted for Kerry in the last election donated an AVERAGE of just $10 a month to the Democratic party, that would be $600 million a MONTH. If just a million Democrats gave an average of $100/month, that would be more than the corprtations could ever match.
July 17th, 2006 at 12:19 pm[…] http://thinkprogress.org/ 2006/ 07/ 15/ boehner-corporate-donations/ […]
July 20th, 2006 at 9:14 amcorporate events
Didn’t realise there was this type of information out there
March 21st, 2008 at 2:04 amBusiness Planes
I enjoyed reading your blog. What a great thing it is to be able to share information like this on the Internet.
April 7th, 2008 at 7:33 am