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McCain aide’s lobbying firm still being paid by foreign governments.»

The Wall Street Journal reports today that the lobbying firm founded by Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) top foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, is still being paid by the governments of Macedonia and Georgia, despite a letter Scheunemann sent to the Justice Department in March saying he had stopped working for them:

scheunemannweb.jpgIn March, as scrutiny intensified, Mr. Scheunemann, who is the campaign’s top foreign-policy staffer, sent a letter to the Justice Department’s office for foreign-client lobbying registrations saying he had stopped working for clients such as Macedonia and Georgia. However, his company’s contracts with those countries, worth a combined $240,000, appear still to be in effect. A spokeswoman for the Georgian Embassy in Washington said the country’s contract with Orion is active. The Macedonian contract is listed as active in Justice Department records.

Mr. Scheunemann, 48 years old, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

USA Today reported on Wednesday that Schenunemenn had “lobbied the Arizona senator’s staff on behalf of the republic of Georgia while he was working for the campaign.” But the McCain campaign is keeping Schenunemenn aboard, claiming that its new ethics policy is “not retroactive” and therefore does not apply to Scheunemann.

UpdateNational Journal's Peter Stone reported yesterday that Scheunemann lobbied for the NRA while working for McCain and that he has given McCain "advice on Second Amendment and firearms issues" during the campaign.



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16 Responses to “McCain aide’s lobbying firm still being paid by foreign governments.”

  1. Fan of Man Says:

    chalk it up to “mis-speak”…..

    they do.


  2. Badmoodman Says:

    its new ethics policy is “not retroactive” and therefore does not apply to Scheunemann.

    - - The ethics policy is toothless, much like McCain in about two years.


  3. upside99 Says:

    So Johnnie Boy may be owned by foreign governments? Why is this any different than the BushCo regime? They have been owned by Saudi for 12 years!


  4. trollsbwild Says:

    Never realized how circuitous a route is required to be followed to stay on the straight talk express.


  5. Freedom Rebel Says:

    Since when is an ethics policy “not retroactive”. Ethics are principles by which all campaign platforms should adher to. It is a set of moral values that we judge potential candidates. To imply that is it “not retroactive” means that you never intended to run a campaign with any moral standards. Americans deserve better than that after the 7 1/2 years of being subjected to complete moral decay.


  6. trollsbwild Says:

    Perhaps the new slogan of the GOP should be:

    The beatings will continue until morale improvements.


  7. trollsbwild Says:

    Meant improves..


  8. Democrat Soldier Says:

    #5 - Freedom Rebel Says:
    ———————————————————
    “To imply that is it “not retroactive” means that you never intended to run a campaign with any moral standards.”

    May 23rd, 2008 at 10:23 am

    What a perfect desciption of the McCain Campaign! Congratulations on your perspicacity!


  9. flavorino Says:

    Grandpa McWars has well over 100 lobbyists working for his campaign.
    I doubt if he can even begin to keep track of who they all represent or where their money is coming from.

    God forbid this guy gets elected…if he does we are in for a real rough ride with Mr Magoo at the wheel.


  10. KYJurisDoctor Says:

    Lobbyists: John McCain’s Achilles Heel!


  11. Leftside Annie Says:

    Filthy pandering barstid.


  12. Exit Stage Left Says:

    Democrat Soldier Says:
    Congratulations on your perspicacity!

    The nuns told us too much perspicacity would make us go blind :)~


  13. impeachcheneythenbush Says:

    It’s become more and more obvious that McCain doesn’t do adequate vetting of either his campaign staff OR his “spiritual advisors.” Can you imagine this lack of good judgement applied to a VP pick, cabinet members, federal and Supreme Court judges? McCain managed to crash a few planes while a Navy pilot, largely through “hot-dogging” and plain carelessness. Though shot down in North Vietnam, we don’t know for a fact that it wasn’t the result of carelessness and poor judgement on his part as well.


  14. Freedom Rebel Says:

    # Democrat Soldier Says:

    #5 - Freedom Rebel Says:
    ———————————————————
    “To imply that is it “not retroactive” means that you never intended to run a campaign with any moral standards.”

    May 23rd, 2008 at 10:23 am

    What a perfect desciption of the McCain Campaign! Congratulations on your perspicacity!

    Good Morning! Thank you..


  15. curmudgeon Says:

    Having surrounded himself with lobbyists representing large corporate interests, ask yourself, “Who has McSame’s ear?”

    And remember that despite cheerful ad and publicity campaigns suggesting that corporations share your interests, in fact, more often than not they are diametrically opposed.

    Do you like the direction this country has taken under the Bush/Cheney cabal? If so, you’ll love McPain.


  16. Max-1 Says:

    .

    So,
    The (R)epublican candidate is being Lobbied by foreign countries…

    Are we surprised…?

    Just the Republic of Georgia and Macedonia … ?

    .


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