AP Exclusive: Kerry Blocked Law, Drew Cash

[Snivi Yllom]

Ok who wants to take a stab at defending this? I can't.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=3&u=/ap/20040205/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_big_dig

AP Exclusive: Kerry Blocked Law, Drew Cash
Thu Feb 5, 2:45 AM ET

By JOHN SOLOMON, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - John Kerry (news - web sites) intervened in the Senate to keep open a loophole that had allowed a major insurer to divert millions of federal dollars from the nation's most expensive construction project, then received tens of thousand of dollars in donations from the company during the next two years, documents show.

American International Group paid Kerry's way on a trip to Vermont and donated at least $30,000 to a tax-exempt group Kerry used to set up his presidential campaign. Company executives also donated $18,000 to his Senate and presidential campaigns, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.
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"John Kerry has long supported getting special interest money out of the political system," campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said. "If anybody believes that a political contribution influences John Kerry then they are wasting their money."
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"The idea that Kerry has not helped or benefited from a specific special interest, which he has said, is utterly absurd," said Charles Lewis, head of the Center for Public Integrity that just published a book on political donations to the presidential candidates. "Anyone who gets millions of dollars over time, and thousands of dollars from specific donors, knows there's a symbiotic relationship," Lewis said. "He needs the donors' money. The donors need favors. Welcome to Washington. That is how it works."

[rocktivity]

1. And this is something that no other politician on earth has ever done?

"He needs the donors' money. The donors need favors. Welcome to Washington. That is how it works."
If that's how it "works," what's the problem? Change the way it works, then!


rocknation

[Skinner]

2. This is a duplicate.

Continue discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=269640&mesg_id=269640