Bob Herbert on John Boehner: "a coddled, gilded flunky of the nation’s big-time corporate elite"

[ProSense]

That’s Where the Money Is

By BOB HERBERT

It’s beyond astonishing to me that John Boehner has a real chance to be speaker of the House of Representatives.

I’ve always thought of Mr. Boehner as one of the especially sleazy figures in a capital seething with sleaze. I remember writing about that day back in the mid-’90s when this slick, chain-smoking, quintessential influence-peddler decided to play Santa Claus by handing out checks from tobacco lobbyists to fellow Congressional sleazes right on the floor of the House.

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The Times’s Eric Lipton, in an article last month, noted that Mr. Boehner “maintains especially tight ties with a circle of lobbyists and former aides representing some of the nation’s biggest businesses, including Goldman Sachs, Google, Citigroup, R.J. Reynolds, MillerCoors and UPS.

“They have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to his campaigns, provided him with rides on their corporate jets, socialized with him at luxury golf resorts and waterfront bashes and are now leading fund-raising efforts for his Boehner for Speaker campaign, which is soliciting checks of up to $37,800 each, the maximum allowed.”

The hack who once handed out checks on the House floor is now a coddled, gilded flunky of the nation’s big-time corporate elite.

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[ensho]

1. kick

nt

[Kdillard]

2. No surprise. I just hope Dems come together so he is not speaker.

[SpiralHawk]

3. "Smirk." - Coddled Gilded Flunkies, Inc. (R)

[Kber]

4. I read "gelded" instead of "gilded". Sometimes my dyslexia can be fun!

[madamesilverspurs]

6. Ooo, but a gelded boehner...

there's a concept in there somewhere. . .


-

[pscot]

5. "Gilded" would account for the color

since Boehner has denied tanning.

[Mimosa]

7. Perfect description! n/t