Friday, July 27, 2007

Test D

Did Zach Space think we wouldn't notice? Is he not aware that this is the Information Age with this crazy thing called the Internet? Well, he's been caught violating his campaign pledge to not accept donations from lobbyists.

The Majority Accountability Project exposes the details in this piece but here are the highlights:
U.S. Representative Zack Space, D-OH, who “pledged to not accept contributions from lobbyists,” has taken at least $4250 from Washington, DC, lobbyists and lobby firms, according to his most recent financial disclosure filed with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), and a review by the Majority Accountability Project.

Space’s quarterly campaign statement, made public by the FEC on July 15, reports he received $1,000 each from the Political Action Committees (PAC) of Patton Boggs and Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal, and $500 from Van Ness Feldman. Space also reported receiving $1750 in contributions from four attorneys with Squires Sanders & Dempsey.

All four firms boast of substantial lobbying before the United States Congress on issues ranging from energy and telecommunications to Indian gaming and pharmaceutical interests.

Space also received $1,000 from the Democratic Freshman PAC, the controversial political action committee headed by a longtime Washington, DC, rainmaker. Another lobbyist associated with that PAC was recently forced out, after majorityap.com noted he had been accused of using his prowess as a campaign fundraiser to gain access to members of Congress.

Worse, the Ohio Democrat reports receiving more than $382,420 in donations from political action committees since the beginning of the year, representing a host of special interests. The majority of those special interests have full-time lobbyists who, as a rule, personally present checks from those PACs at events attended by members of Congress, such as Space.
Zack, you signed the pledge, why can't you keep your word?

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