Sen. Brown: McCain helped DHL but won't help save 8200 Ohio DHL jobs

[kevinmc]

Cleveland Plain Dealer - Amy Weiss

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said in a conference call Wednesday that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) showed in 2003 "how active he can be on behalf of his lobbyist friends" and he wishes "he'd show half the effort now" in trying to save 8,200 jobs at a DHL hub in Wilmington, Ohio. McCain and his campaign manager, Rick Davis, worked "aggressively" to push forward the deal that gave the shipping company control of the facility in 2003, when Davis was a lobbyist.

DHL parent company, German-based Deutsche Post, was a client of Davis in 2003. Davis lobbied the Senate on its behalf to help push through a deal for DHL to buy the Wilmington facility that was owned by Airborne Express, despite concerns from some, including Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), about DHL's foreign ownership. McCain successfully fought legislative roadblocks to the deal.

Deutsche Post and DHL now want to close the Wilmington facility and strike a deal with UPS to use their planes to carry DHL packages, and DHL will deliver on the ground.

Brown said he is not trying to pass judgment on the 2003 decision, he is only focusing on doing everything possible to save those jobs. He said he has been working with local leaders on both sides of the aisle and has reached out to Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) who wrote the White House a letter asking them to look into the situation, met with DHL workers and asked Brown, "What else can I do?"

McCain will be meeting with Wilmington residents while he is in Ohio on Thursday. Brown said the employees deserve more than a photo op and said he does not understand why John McCain has not even revealed his ties to DHL and Deutsche Post and has not offered to use his connections to help.

"I'm personally calling on John McCain to send Rick Davis to Germany," Brown said, convinced that Davis and McCain still have clout with Deutsche Post……………

[KittyWampus]

1. Ouch! hoping this leaves a mark. The people and polls say to focus on McCain

[kevinmc]

3. I hope the DHL people losing their jobs jump allover McCain today ..... n/t

[speedoo]

2. Beautiful. Great work, there, Sen. Brown.

Let's see how McPhony responds.

[Debau2005]

4. Please note

Ted Stevens is not a "D" from Alaska, he is an "R" from Alaska.

[Heather MC]

5. This is so much more important things to

discuss and this should be on every news station, not fluff stories
about bitter clintons

[Frances]

6. Agree

We should focus on McCain

Attacking the Clintons can only LOSE votes for Obama

[Bok_Tukalo]

7. Sen. Ted Stevens (D-AK) ?

<OPE>

[AzDar]

8. Important stuff here.

:mad:

Goddamn, but McCain is a hypocrite....

[Thrill]

9. This should sink him in OH. Why aren't we pushing this more!!