Tag: lobbyists

Cross-posted at Blue Jersey.

Josh Zeitz is the Democratic nominee in New Jersey’s Fourth Congressional district. He is running against Republican Chris Smith, who has backed George Bush’s economic and foreign policies and who serves as the chair of the anti-choice caucus in the House.

Chris Smith says that he wants to run on his record in Congress. Unfortunately, there are parts of his record that voters may find less than appealing. We are going to tell voters about some things Chris Smith doesn’t want you to know about his record, like his opposition to ethics reform.

In 2006, Chris Smith voted against comprehensive ethics reform. The legislation would have banned travel on corporate jets, prohibit lobbyist gifts, and slow the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street. It would also require disclosure of earmarks so that special interest provisions receive public scrutiny. The measure applied to all special interest earmarks including the Alaska Bridge to Nowhere. It would force Members of Congress disclose if they had a financial interest in the earmark. (Vote 4448, 2006. Leadership Document, “Democrats Fight To Clean Up Culture Of Corruption; Republicans Fail To Change Washington,” 9/14/06)

“Voters deserve to know why Chris Smith voted against banning corrupt lobbying practices and hidden earmarks,” said Josh Zeitz campaign manager, Steve D’Amico.

If you’d like to volunteer, please contact ian_at_joshzeitz_dot_com. Please visit Josh’s website to learn more about why we need to elect Josh to Congress.

For someone that talks so tough on Terror, Ed Whitfield sure doesn’t care much about it when money is involved. We have already seen how Ed Whitfield won’t let suspected terrorist ties, and criminal activity get in the way of his investments, and now we get another look inside the twisted, hypocritical world of this Kentucky Republican.

Disgraced Congressman Bob Livinston founded a lobbying firm, the Livingston Group after he resigned from Congress. Far from being “tough on terror”, this group decided to represent the Lybian regime in Washington, a regime guilty of the cold-blooded murder of 189 American citizens in 1988. This group also raised ethical concerns with their representation of Turkey in Washington after trying to secure a billion American dollars in Turkish aid, even after the Turkish Government refused to allow American troops to use Turkish soil as a staging point for the invasion of Iraq.

As it turns out, this group has been very friendly to Kentucky Republicans, including Exxon Ed Whitfield. Of course, when you recieve over$10 million in Turkish contributions, you have plenty to spread around. Unfortunately, the Turkish government didn’t come off of this money for nothing, as Livingston helped kill an amendment that sought to recognize the Armenian Genocide which occured from 1915 to 1923.

Of course, since Exxon Ed Whitfield had recieved money from the Livinston group, he opposed the amendment to recognize the genocide. Here is Exxon Ed Whitfield, bought and paid for by the Turkish government, via the Livingston Group opposing the amendment:

The citizens of Kentucky’s First Congressional District need a representative that fights for our interests, not one that is for sale to the highest bidder, no matter who it may be. All Exxon Eddie’s talk about being “tough on terror” is just that, talk. Sometimes terror pays more.

We have a great candidate in one of the poorest Congressional districts in the country. We need your help to get the word out on Exxon Ed Whitfield, and his auction house to the highest bidder. We don’t have foreign countries and powerful lobbying groups standing in line to fund us, and we need your help. Our district is 63% registered Democrat, and if we get our message to them we will win. Please, help us make that happen here:

We can win this race, and expand our Congressional majorities with your help!!