McConnell earmarks funds for firm accused of bribery.
By on Oct 27th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
McConnell earmarks funds for firm accused of bribery.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is pushing “$25 million in earmarked federal funds for a British defense contractor that is under criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and suspected by American diplomats of a ‘longstanding, widespread pattern of bribery allegations.’” McConnell has taken at least $53,000 in campaign donations from the contractor’s political action committees and employees since his 2002 re-election. McConnell spokesman Don Stewart did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Bush
Business
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Global Warming
Health Care
Immigration
International Relations
Iraq
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
McCain
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Technology
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
Do the republicans think there a no records ANYWHERE of the things they’ve done?!?!?!?!
October 27th, 2007 at 1:32 pmEvidently Mitch McConnell has no shame. Does he actually believe that he will get away with this level of criminal chicanery?
October 27th, 2007 at 1:34 pmEvidently Mitch McConnell has no shame. Does he actually believe that he will get away with this level of criminal chicanery?
Comment by Veritas
*******He probably will.How informed are the folks he represents ?Look at Connecticut they keep putting Lieberman & Shays back in.We have a largely uneducated electorate,how do you explain the popularity of a Presidential candidate to some,the folks he appeals to find it appealing that their candidate(Romney0 can’t diffrentiate between “Obama” & “Osama”.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:52 pmJust Mitch being Mitch.
I smell a kickback.
∞
October 27th, 2007 at 1:56 pmWhere is Larry Flynt when you need him? Isn’t it time to purge the republican party of closeted gay senators?
October 27th, 2007 at 1:59 pmLets see how the trolls spin this one.
Shocking! A corrupt Republican! How uterly shocking!
October 27th, 2007 at 2:07 pmGuess all the trolls find this to be so typical of the Repugs, they have no talking points for it. HMMM. C’mon, Ex, Daryll, Jake, michael, let’s get with it! Support your “fearless” leaders.
October 27th, 2007 at 2:11 pmHeckuva Job, Mitchie.
Remember that Don Stewart — Mitch’s man who “refuses to comment,” — is the very same man who started the GOP smear of the Frost family by sending his Oct. 8th email with bogus info to the media and GOP cronies. He will not comment on the Frost smear or the new reports of Mitch earmarking $25 million for a firm accused of bribery. Stewart should be fired and removed from the public payroll.
For all info about Mitch McConnell, see http://www.ditchmitchky.com
October 27th, 2007 at 2:18 pmThis is the Duke Cunningham school of turning tax dollars into political advertisements. Earmark some funds for a crooked contractor who then uses a portion of them to donate to said earmarkers campaign.
Pretty sleazy.
October 27th, 2007 at 2:26 pmLooks like the GOP is now the Mafia, without the honor code.
October 27th, 2007 at 2:34 pmI wonder, how much cash is in Mitch’s freezer?
October 27th, 2007 at 2:57 pmThere are SO many things wrong with this bulls**t. From the article itself:
1) “Most politicians decide that a scandal is a good time to stop doing business with a company, at least until the scandal is over,” Sloan said. “Particularly when we’re talking about a criminal investigation over bribery. You would think that a member of Congress would want to steer clear of anyone accused of bribery.”
2) Even without the scandal, it looks bad for a senator to earmark federal money for a corporation, as compared to a public university or a local government in his state, said Ken Boehm, chairman of the National Legal and Policy Center in Washington.
“Why did they need special favors from Senator McConnell instead of going through the usual open competition and budgeting process at the Pentagon?” Boehm asked.
3) Nor should McConnell take donations from a company to which he steers federal funds, said Boehm, a former Republican congressional aide.
“Contributions from entities that directly benefit from earmarks are a bad idea,” he said. “There’s a big difference between a company that just likes your general ideas and a company that stands to benefit from one or more transactions that you’re making on their behalf using public money.”
October 27th, 2007 at 3:02 pmWell, if that’ isn’t a quid pro quo, I don’t know what is. I certainly hope this is being investigated.
October 27th, 2007 at 3:32 pmLooks like the GOP is now the Mafia, without the honor code.
Comment by Lefty Patriot — October 27, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
And I’ve been saying for months, isn’t it time to just RICO the whole, stinkin’ GOP?
RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO!
In unison now, like a mantra… or the Mucktar chant of strenght…
RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO!
October 27th, 2007 at 3:35 pmWe should make the bribery of Mitch’s campaign receiving the $53,000 and Mitch’s foundation receiving the $500,000 ILLEGAL.
October 27th, 2007 at 3:36 pmAnd I’ve been saying for months, isn’t it time to just RICO the whole, stinkin’ GOP?
I agree that it is long overdue and am looking forward to January 2009.
October 27th, 2007 at 3:49 pmDoes RICO mean Republican International Criminal Organization?
October 27th, 2007 at 4:00 pmThere is an organized crime against this country’s best interest. It’s called LOBBYING!
October 27th, 2007 at 4:39 pmWhich is nothing else but a gangster-type activity that has been legalized by corrupt governments one after another.
A decent candidate would pledge eliminating this organized, institutionalized criminal activity.
If I bribe an authority, I go to jail. If a Washington-authority is bribed, they will be re-elected…
What happened to America? Where are the Americans????
Stewart added: ” It’s not like these guys don’t need, deserve and warrant goverment handouts, unlike those lazy, wrong life-choices, SCHIP recepients.” ☺☺☺
October 27th, 2007 at 4:41 pmDoes GOP stand for GREATEST POLITICAL PERVERTS???
October 27th, 2007 at 4:41 pmRICO, RICO??
October 27th, 2007 at 4:47 pmIn Spanish RICO means WEALTHY. It’s true, the GOP protects the rich and careless about the middle-class.
This is the perfect formula for destroying a country’s economy. Just look around in the world. It has happened to many countries.
Post # 13 says, “I certainly hope this is being investigated.”
The worst cenario is being pardoned by Bush at the end of the day. Remember Libby??
October 27th, 2007 at 4:50 pmSo what?
Does RICO mean Republican International Criminal Organization?
Comment by WaltTheMan — October 27, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
It doesn’t and it should.
October 27th, 2007 at 4:53 pmRICO, RICO??
Comment by drtichy — October 27, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corrupt_Organizations_Act
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (commonly referred to as RICO Act or RICO) is a United States federal law that provides for extended penalties for criminal acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. RICO was enacted by section 901(a) of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, Pub. L. No. 91-452, 84 Stat. 922 (15 October 1970). RICO is codified as Chapter 96 of Title 18 of the United States Code, 18 U.S.C. § 1961 through 18 U.S.C. § 1968. It was intended to make it easier to prosecute organized crime figures, but has been applied in several other cases as well.
October 27th, 2007 at 4:56 pmDoes the RICO Act aplly to “figures” who organize crimes in Washington???
October 27th, 2007 at 5:41 pmThe worst cenario is being pardoned by Bush at the end of the day. Remember Libby??
So what?
Comment by drtichy
Because if they investigate it and expose him to his constituents, McConnell will undoubtedly announce that he is not seeking reelection because he wants to spend more time with his family. We’ve already got 11 of them. Why not add one more.
October 27th, 2007 at 5:53 pmKickback – bribery – or hush money?
October 27th, 2007 at 6:17 pmSo if it would fall in his committe could Henry Waxman ask Mitchie to speak about his little work behind the bill.
That would be cool, House folks letting Senators talk about their work.
LBJ once said the difference between the House and the Senate was like the difference between chicken shit and chicken salad.
I am sure there is a rule againist that though, especially for RepubliCONs.
October 27th, 2007 at 8:37 pmDoes the RICO Act aplly to “figures†who organize crimes in Washington???
Comment by drtichy — October 27, 2007 @ 5:41 pm
Why wouldn’t it?
October 27th, 2007 at 9:07 pmthanks for the chuckles… good one(s):
Looks like the GOP is now the Mafia, without the honor code.
Comment by Lefty Patriot @ 2:34 pm
.
LBJ once said the difference between the House and the Senate was like the difference between chicken shit and chicken salad.
October 27th, 2007 at 9:29 pmComment by natisman @ 8:37 pm
.
A BRITISH firm CONTRIBUTED to McConnell’s campaign?
Remember the “perfect storm” the corrupt “conservatives” caused when Clinton’s campaign accepted contributions from Chinese firms?
Utterly CORRUPT!
October 27th, 2007 at 11:13 pm