Doctor Named 'Physician of the Year' -- for a Fee

[Emit]

Sorry if this has already been posted. I just can't believe this one:

Are Honors for Physicians the New Political Diploma Mill?
Doctor Named 'Physician of the Year' -- for a Fee
By BRIAN ROSS
Apr. 5, 2005 - The good news reached the Jamestown, N.Y., office of Dr. Rudolph Mueller in a fax from a congressman in Washington. Mueller had been named 2004 Physician of the Year...

But to receive the award in person at a special two-day workshop in Washington last month, Mueller found out that he would have to make a $1,250 contribution to the National Republican Congressional Committee. It was a disturbing discovery, he said.

<snip>

To see what the award process was all about, Mueller sent in his $1,250 contribution and ABC News paid for his travel to Washington for the scheduled events March 14-15, which included a tax-reform workshop as well as appearances by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and President Bush.

Mueller soon found he was not the only winner. There were hundreds of Physicians of the Year present, many of whom found the criteria for being selected equally as opaque.

<snip>

Later that day, Bush spoke at the NRCC dinner, thanking the attendees for their "investment" in the party. "You're making a wise investment about the future of this country, an investment made upon principle, an investment made upon freedom, an investment that will help us stay a prosperous nation, and an investment that will allow each and every American to rise to his or her own God-given talents," he said.

<snip>


http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/print?id=643826

[SW FL Dem]

1. My hubby received a similar offer to receive recognition as a

"Business Leader of the Year" a few years ago, it came from a telemarketing firm that told us to call some repub from another state. He called and told them he was a Dem and that ended the problem.

[autorank]

2. OK, I'll nominate anybody who reads this for the Nobel Prize for

a Franklin! Just think, Nobel Prize Nominee Mr. Emit is a ...

[rocktivity]

3. This isn't news to veteran DU-ers--the GOP has been doing this for YEARS

sending letters saying you'd won an award, then charging you a contribution to the GOP plus your own travel expenses. The story broke open when they selected someone who made drug paraphenalia.

So why this is a story now? It's not--it's just another message to Tom "RoachBoy" DeLay from either Cheney, Rove, or his esteemed GOP colleagues that he should follow the path of least resistance and jump before he's pushed--like Trent Lott did.

:headbang:
rocknation

[magellan]

4. Republicans = CONS

This sounds amazingly similar to the Nigerian Scam con, where you get a fax or e-mail from some banker in Lagos asking for your confidential help in "freeing up" $28,000,000.00 from an account.

In both cases you're asked to send money you'll never see again, and you get nothing for it.