Finance Numbers on Monday


By DIA, Section News
Posted on Fri Jul 14, 2006 at 12:19:55 PM EST

The official campaign finance numbers come out on Monday. I'll be taking a look at the Gillibrand Sweeney numbers in some detail then. In preparation I thought it would be interesting to review some of Sweeney's top funders to date. Three oddly named PACs are right there at the top of the list. Let's see who is behind the names.

Rely on Your Beliefs - Hmmm. Is this a PAC that just prays for you? Believes in you? No, its a silly play on Roy Blunt's name. You know, Tom Delay's right hand man in the house. And apparently he taught his son what he "believes" and his son is a corrupt politician, too! However, he doesn't want his pal Sweeney to just have to rely on his beliefs so he chimed in to the tune of $10,000. I believe!

People for Enterprise/Trade/Economic Growth - Those sound like nice people. Who isn't for economic growth? Certainly not New York taxpayers? Remember when we all chipped in so John Sweeney and his buddies and their families and their lobbyists could go toboganning in Lake Placid? We did that because we believe in economic growth right? Sure we did. So, we used our tax dollars to bring Republican congressman Pete Sessions and his family to our state for some winter fun. What did we get in return? Nada (not all investments work out). What did John Sweeney get in return? $9,000 from the People for ETEG who aren't really a bunch of people but instead is the name of Pete Sessions' PAC. So, you pay taxes, the taxes pay for free vacations for Pete Sessions and lobbyists and he returns the favor by giving the money back to you giving the money to John Sweeney. Its like money laundering!! Its a great way to use citizens' money to keep corrupt Republicans in power. Perhaps that's what the "Trade" in ETEG stands for?

Superior California Fed Leadership Fund - Hmmm. Sounds impressive. And this is one of John Sweeney's favorite funds. Why? Well, its run my a congressman's wife who gets a cut of all the fundraising she does. Its legal bribery just like the arrangement Big John and Mrs. Sweeney had. The proud owners of the SCFLF are Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle. They apparently have a strong interest in keeping people like John Sweeney in power. Why? Perhaps you should ask their criminal attorney who they just hired. Apparently big chunks of money were donated to SCFLF by Jack Abramoff's clients and Brent Wilkes! A double whammy of criminal money. Which they happily pass along to John Sweeney.
Over the last three years, Doolittle's political action committee has accepted $32,000 from Indian tribes and associates of Abramoff. It also has accepted $30,000 from Brent Wilkes, his wife and his company, ADCS; all were implicated in the Cunningham bribery scandal.
Now, a little further down the list is the Alexander Strategy Group. They only gave $6,000 but its not really fair to fault them because they don't give political donations anymore. Why? Criminal issues.
The Alexander Strategy Group (ASG), a Republican Party-associated lobbying and political strategy firm with offices in Washington, DC, and Hong Kong, was founded in 1998 by Ed Buckham, Thomas D. DeLay's former Chief of Staff, "with a huge initial contract that DeLay secured from Enron. (The group also paid DeLay's wife a salary for several years.)" [1] (http://www.theocracywatch.org/delay_team_new_republic_june20_05.htm) On its website AG boasts that "Unlike traditional lobbying firms, Alexander Strategy Group offers an integrated suite of advocacy services that includes government affairs, strategic consulting, public relations, grassroots development, creative media, international representation, coalition building, business development and corporate/crisis communications." [2] (http://www.alexanderstrategy.com/asg/company.asp)

ASG has "worked extensively with the Executive and Legislative branches of government, been involved in numerous Presidential and Congressional campaigns, forged alliances with numerous conservative advocacy groups and worked at the highest levels of the international arena," according to a press release. [3] (http://www.swidlaw.com/news.cfm?publication_id=267)

On January 9, 2006, ASG announced it would be closing shop due to being "fatally damaged by publicity about the ongoing federal investigation into the affairs of" and "its ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former House majority leader Tom DeLay."
I guess the question is will John Sweeney be "fatally damaged by publicity about the ongoing investigations into many of his top political donors"

That concludes today's fun. Please remember to Rely on Your Beliefs and Drink Responsibly.

< Sweeney is Famous | Jennings Changes His Tune >

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+ some of Sweeney's top funders to date.
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+ their criminal attorney who they just hired.
+ by Jack Abramoff's clients and Brent Wilkes!
+ Criminal issues.
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Finance Numbers on Monday | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)
Drink Responsibly? (none / 0) (#1)
by Andrew C White on Fri Jul 14, 2006 at 02:04:45 PM EST
Is that a hint that the next installment will feature all the campaign contributions Mr. Sweeney has received from the "beverage industry"?

Or is it a hint that you'll be featuring his expenditures and his clear and obvious support for the growth industry of liquor and cigar stores?

Inquiring minds want to know!
Full Disclosure: I am Chair of the Darius Shahinfar for Congress Campaign Committee in NY-21.

Delay no longer... (none / 0) (#2)
by Jim Travers on Fri Jul 14, 2006 at 04:37:35 PM EST
I'll do whatever I can to help Gillibrand pull the plug on Swiney, er, Sweeney this November. I can't wait to watch him go down the drain with the other republican swill this November!

We've got an administration that's brought instability to the entire world with their corrupt policies. Doing this, of course, allowed their warmongering cronies to garner obscene record level profits. They profit, the world suffers.

So, while Sweeney's been worrying about finding a way to distance himself from Bush & Co., he should have been trying to figure a way to distance himself from the long reaching tentacles of DeLay!

Well, Congressman, how are you going to get that DeLay stink out of your pockets?

It a double whammy! Goodbye Johnny, not sorry to see you go.

DIA - This is one of your best pieces. I imagine though, some will call it a left-wing propaganda rant. Funny how they do that whenever they're confronted with the unpalatable truth.

Thanks for providing the links.

The thought of Sweeney crying in his beer just breaks my heart!

Great work (none / 0) (#3)
by devtob 53 on Fri Jul 14, 2006 at 04:56:09 PM EST
You might want to copy and paste it over at the TU Capital Connection blog to annoy Lisuzzo and his gang of Sweeney thugs.

This the sort of thing newspaper reporters used to do.
The Democrats are the party of the people.

feel free (none / 0) (#4)
by DIA on Fri Jul 14, 2006 at 05:17:50 PM EST
to post it and take any of the info.   give me credit if you want although mentioning me among the TU crowd won't exactly win you any points.

[ Parent ]
sessions (none / 0) (#5)
by DIA on Fri Jul 14, 2006 at 05:19:08 PM EST
when i get some time I'll see if sessions coughed up the money after the ski weekend.  I think he did because he's rather new to the list of top donors.

[ Parent ]
There is another connection (none / 0) (#6)
by Andrew C White on Fri Jul 14, 2006 at 07:04:07 PM EST
between Sweeney and Sessions... a fellow by the name of Adrian Plesha. Mr. Plesha has a very interesting resume... including holding fund raisers for Dear John and staffing for Mr. Sessions... somewhere inbetween all that hard work he managed to find the time to plead guilty to making fraudulent statements to the FEC and even shoot someone in the back.

Multi talented kinda guy.
Full Disclosure: I am Chair of the Darius Shahinfar for Congress Campaign Committee in NY-21.
[ Parent ]

Finance Numbers on Monday | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)
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