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Cruisin' for bucks
Isn't it interesting how some of these politicians collect their money for campaigns (and other expenses!)? Take Rep. Don Young (R-AK) for instance. During 2005 when the transportation bill was working its way through congress, Young, the transportation committee chairman, took full advantage of his position in a trip throughout the USA picking up money everywhere he went. We've already written about the $10 million project on Coconut Road in Florida. He picked up a miserly $40,000.00 for that little effort. He picked up another $50,000.00 from Floridians - (you can be damned sure it wasn't from Florida voters, it was from special interest folks interested in what they could get out of the highway bill.)
Also in 2005, Wisconsin businessman Dennis Troha, his family, and associates gave $22,000 to Young. Troha owns a trucking company in Wisconsin and was interested in legislation that would benefit him and his trucking company. He got what he wanted but, he got a little more - a conviction for making illegal contributions to Democrats and Republicans alike. He is awaiting sentencing. Young has hired legal counsel (since Troha is reported to be cooperating with federal prosecutors) and is on record as having said that he doesn't remember ever meeting Troha. Notice that Young doesn't deny meeting Troha, just that he doesn't remember. Seems like all the crooks in D.C. have a memory problem. I guess they figure that at least they can't be accused of lying when they say "they don't remember..." There are those of us out here who would say that he's probably a fucking liar just like our esteemed attorney general.
Anyway, next on Young's road trip was the state of Arkansas where he gathered up $66,000 in the town of Pine Bluff and in return they got $72 million to extend Interstate 530. Then there was $35 million to widen the street leading to Wal-Mart's headquarters for which he was paid $14,000 from Wal-Mart's PAC. Whoops! Did I say "paid". gosh, golly darn, what I meant to say was it was a campaign contribution. After all, who would be more concerned in re-electing an Alaskan congressman than the good citizens of Arkansas.
Young appeared at a lunch in New Jersey to discuss the bill where he pointed out as how New Jersey was a vital transportation gateway to the entire country. Those grateful citizens promptly coughed up $29,500 in campaign contributions (bribes) and happily received 179 earmarks worth $550 million.
It's time the good voters of Alaska put this asshole out to pasture...
Also in 2005, Wisconsin businessman Dennis Troha, his family, and associates gave $22,000 to Young. Troha owns a trucking company in Wisconsin and was interested in legislation that would benefit him and his trucking company. He got what he wanted but, he got a little more - a conviction for making illegal contributions to Democrats and Republicans alike. He is awaiting sentencing. Young has hired legal counsel (since Troha is reported to be cooperating with federal prosecutors) and is on record as having said that he doesn't remember ever meeting Troha. Notice that Young doesn't deny meeting Troha, just that he doesn't remember. Seems like all the crooks in D.C. have a memory problem. I guess they figure that at least they can't be accused of lying when they say "they don't remember..." There are those of us out here who would say that he's probably a fucking liar just like our esteemed attorney general.
Anyway, next on Young's road trip was the state of Arkansas where he gathered up $66,000 in the town of Pine Bluff and in return they got $72 million to extend Interstate 530. Then there was $35 million to widen the street leading to Wal-Mart's headquarters for which he was paid $14,000 from Wal-Mart's PAC. Whoops! Did I say "paid". gosh, golly darn, what I meant to say was it was a campaign contribution. After all, who would be more concerned in re-electing an Alaskan congressman than the good citizens of Arkansas.
Young appeared at a lunch in New Jersey to discuss the bill where he pointed out as how New Jersey was a vital transportation gateway to the entire country. Those grateful citizens promptly coughed up $29,500 in campaign contributions (bribes) and happily received 179 earmarks worth $550 million.
It's time the good voters of Alaska put this asshole out to pasture...
More on crooked politicians...
…continued from yesterday
Representative Rick Renzi, an Arizona Republican, is currently under investigation by the FBI. Agents recently searched his house and his wife’s insurance office. They were looking for documents that might substantiate charges that Renzi’s businesses improperly paid for his first congressional campaign. He is also being investigated for legislation he introduced that benefited a defense contractor. That contractor is a heavy contributor to Renzi’s past campaigns and also employs his father. There is also a land swap deal that Renzi was trying to facilitate that would have put a huge profit in the pocket of a friend and business partner. When accused of malfeasance in the deal, Renzi originally denied knowing his ex-business partner owned the land. Later on, he recanted that denial. Renzi has resigned from all this committee assignments and is under heavy pressure to resign from congress.
Representative David Ritter-Republican of Louisiana was named as a customer of both the D.C. Madam and a brothel in Louisiana. He’s probably in more trouble with his base than those who are stealing from the taxpayers. Through some kind of twisted logic, the Republicans in Washington are more concerned with sexual promiscuity than outright thievery. I don’t know if that’s because most of them are involved with the latter and not so much the sex! Whatever it is, I for one, would rather see these politicians fucking the hookers than the taxpayers!
While we’re at it, we don’t want to forget Bob Ney, Republican Congressman from Ohio who was convicted and sent to jail for his dalliance with Abramoff.
And then there’s the infamous William Jefferson, Democratic Congressman from Louisiana, He’s the congressman who took a bribe of $100,000 in marked money from an Northern Virginia investor who was wearing an FBI wire. This transaction was also videotaped. When agents searched his home they discovered the marked money wrapped in foil and in his freezer! Now, this happened over two years ago and not only is Jefferson still walking around a free man, he is still a Congressman! I don’t know what the hell the problem is but it seems to me that if you record a crime, both audio and video, give MARKED money to the culprit and then find that money, a few days later, in his home freezer, then you should have a case. However, no indictment has come down, no trial date has been set and Jefferson is still wandering around Washington declaring his total innocence! Go figure…
Could it be that most everyone in Washington D.C. is so god-damned corrupt that they don’t dare put a fellow politician on trial! I don’t know the answer to that question but I do know that you can be sure this problem of corruption in Washington is similar to the old adage about cockroaches – “…for every one you see there’s 80 you don’t see!”
Corruption in Washington
It's been often said that, "...money follows power." and it's the power to do favors for the wealthy that gets so many politicians in trouble. The current list of politicians either convicted, under indictment, under investigation or simply suspect is heavily weighted on the Republican side. The obvious reason for this is that for the past several years, Republicans have held the majority in congress. That majority status enables them to easily obtain earmarks or otherwise do favors for their heavy contributors or, as in the case of some, enrich themselves by several means. Here's a current list:
Randy "Duke" Cunningham, (R) former Representative from San Diego. Incarcerated for eight years and four months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution for accepting bribes from defense contractors. Cunningham's crimes were among the most egregious seen in years.
Tom DeLay, the Texas Republican who had been House majority leader stepped down in 2005 after being indicted in a state campaign finance case. Delay remains under investigation by the F.B.I. in the Abramoff inquiry. It has been said that much of the inquiry had focused on payments made to Mr. DeLay's wife, Christine, for work at a Washington consulting firm. However, that is and unsubstantiated report from Grand Jury proceedings, which are secret.
If the reports are true, one of the most corrupt examples is that of Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, in his 18th term, that champion of the $200 million bridge to nowhere in Alaska. Young reportedly took campaign cash in return for obtaining $10 million for a Florida construction company to build a highway ramp that would benefit a local developer. At first glance, it seems obvious that it's outrageous that a congressional representative from Alaska would be obtaining earmarks for a Florida developer but when you also consider the fact that the locals didn't want the freeway ramp, neither the citizens nor the local politicians; it becomes a truly repugnant act! That would seem to be the most outrageous thing about this tawdry affair but it isn't! What was really out-of-line, and an obvious assault on our Constitution, was the way Young went about this. Apparently, after the Congress had voted on the 2005 Transportation Department bill which included $10 million for the overall widening of I-75, Young or one of his aides went into the bill and erased I-75 and replaced it with the words "Coconut Road." Now I consider this a true act of prostitution by a politician, a $10 million gift in return for a $40,000 campaign donation. Unfortunately, it's the taxpayer that gets screwed, as usual!
Another hero from Alaska, Senator Ted Stevens (R) 83-years-old and the longest-serving Republican in Senate history, is under investigation for extensive work done on his home by Bill Allen, an oil field services contractor who was convicted this year of bribing state lawmakers. The FBI was seen removing several items from Stevens Girdwood, Alaska home. Common sense tells us that Allen did not spend all this money to renovate Stevens' home out of friendship. One has to wonder how much we taxpayers have been ripped off at the hands of a corrupt Senator who has been serving in congress since 1968!
Jerry Lewis (R) of California, in his 15th term, a strong defender of "earmarks". Prosecutors are examining him for his dealings with lobbyists and contractors, including Brent Wilkes of "Duke" Cunningham fame. Lewis has received $88,252 in campaign donations from Wilkes. When Wilkes, a defense contractor from San Diego, wanted another $10 million dollars for a contract to digitize documents for the Pentagon and the Pentagon balked, Wilkes went to Cunningham and Lewis to complain. They promptly proceeded to cut funding for the F-22 fighter jet, which caused the Pentagon to bow to their pressure and hand Wilkes the additional $10 million.
Tom Feeney (R) of Florida is under investigation for, among other things, his relationship with Jack Abramoff. Feeney was one of the guests of Abramoff on one of those infamous golf outings in Scotland. Feeney was recently named as "Representative #3" in the criminal investigation of Mark Zachares, an aide to Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) and lobbyist. In April 2007, Zachares pleaded guilty to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from Abramoff. An interesting side note about Feeney: During a House Judiciary Committee in December 2004, Clint Curtis, a programmer for Yang Enterprises testified that in September 2000, Feeney asked him to write software that could be used to alter vote totals on touch-screen voting machines. Both Feeney and Yang Enterprises vehemently denied those charges. However, it must be noted that Curtis passed a polygraph test regarding his testimony. You decide! In 2006, the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington voted Feeney as one of the twenty most corrupt US legislators.
Representative John T. Doolittle (R) California and his wife are under investigation for skimming political contributions and pocketing more than a quarter-million dollars. Actually, while this is obviously dishonest behavior, as a taxpayer I prefer that these politicians steal from their wealthy benefactors than from us working taxpayers. There's probably more to be discovered about Doolittle.
Representative Gary Miller (R) California reportedly took out $7.5 million in promissory notes from his largest contributor - Lewis Operating Corp. - and used that money to purchase property from Lewis Operating Corp. He then sold some of that land back to Lewis and some of it to Fontana, a city in his district. From those transactions, Miller took a profit of between $1.1 million and $6 million. Not bad making that much money when you don't have to put up any of your own capital! Funny thing, in that same year, Miller pushed for a provision in the Transportation Bill that effectively closed down the city of Rialto's airport, which was the first time an act of Congress closed a municipal airport, that's usually the domain of the FAA. Interestingly enough, that airport is located barely two miles from the land that Miller sold to Fontana. Subsequently, Lewis Operating Corp was awarded a contract to develop the land that had once contained the Rialto Airport. Oh yeah, Miller has received some $19,300 from Lewis Operating Corp employees in campaign contributions. Also in 2005, Miller helped secure $1.28 million in a highway bill for street improvements near a planned residential and commercial development in Diamond Bar, Calif. And yes, Miller co-owns the development with a top campaign contributor. So, here we've got a guy who helps line everyone's pocket - especially his own - at the expense of taxpayers. A real champion!
...More to come
Randy "Duke" Cunningham, (R) former Representative from San Diego. Incarcerated for eight years and four months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution for accepting bribes from defense contractors. Cunningham's crimes were among the most egregious seen in years.
Tom DeLay, the Texas Republican who had been House majority leader stepped down in 2005 after being indicted in a state campaign finance case. Delay remains under investigation by the F.B.I. in the Abramoff inquiry. It has been said that much of the inquiry had focused on payments made to Mr. DeLay's wife, Christine, for work at a Washington consulting firm. However, that is and unsubstantiated report from Grand Jury proceedings, which are secret.
If the reports are true, one of the most corrupt examples is that of Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, in his 18th term, that champion of the $200 million bridge to nowhere in Alaska. Young reportedly took campaign cash in return for obtaining $10 million for a Florida construction company to build a highway ramp that would benefit a local developer. At first glance, it seems obvious that it's outrageous that a congressional representative from Alaska would be obtaining earmarks for a Florida developer but when you also consider the fact that the locals didn't want the freeway ramp, neither the citizens nor the local politicians; it becomes a truly repugnant act! That would seem to be the most outrageous thing about this tawdry affair but it isn't! What was really out-of-line, and an obvious assault on our Constitution, was the way Young went about this. Apparently, after the Congress had voted on the 2005 Transportation Department bill which included $10 million for the overall widening of I-75, Young or one of his aides went into the bill and erased I-75 and replaced it with the words "Coconut Road." Now I consider this a true act of prostitution by a politician, a $10 million gift in return for a $40,000 campaign donation. Unfortunately, it's the taxpayer that gets screwed, as usual!
Another hero from Alaska, Senator Ted Stevens (R) 83-years-old and the longest-serving Republican in Senate history, is under investigation for extensive work done on his home by Bill Allen, an oil field services contractor who was convicted this year of bribing state lawmakers. The FBI was seen removing several items from Stevens Girdwood, Alaska home. Common sense tells us that Allen did not spend all this money to renovate Stevens' home out of friendship. One has to wonder how much we taxpayers have been ripped off at the hands of a corrupt Senator who has been serving in congress since 1968!
Jerry Lewis (R) of California, in his 15th term, a strong defender of "earmarks". Prosecutors are examining him for his dealings with lobbyists and contractors, including Brent Wilkes of "Duke" Cunningham fame. Lewis has received $88,252 in campaign donations from Wilkes. When Wilkes, a defense contractor from San Diego, wanted another $10 million dollars for a contract to digitize documents for the Pentagon and the Pentagon balked, Wilkes went to Cunningham and Lewis to complain. They promptly proceeded to cut funding for the F-22 fighter jet, which caused the Pentagon to bow to their pressure and hand Wilkes the additional $10 million.
Tom Feeney (R) of Florida is under investigation for, among other things, his relationship with Jack Abramoff. Feeney was one of the guests of Abramoff on one of those infamous golf outings in Scotland. Feeney was recently named as "Representative #3" in the criminal investigation of Mark Zachares, an aide to Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) and lobbyist. In April 2007, Zachares pleaded guilty to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from Abramoff. An interesting side note about Feeney: During a House Judiciary Committee in December 2004, Clint Curtis, a programmer for Yang Enterprises testified that in September 2000, Feeney asked him to write software that could be used to alter vote totals on touch-screen voting machines. Both Feeney and Yang Enterprises vehemently denied those charges. However, it must be noted that Curtis passed a polygraph test regarding his testimony. You decide! In 2006, the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington voted Feeney as one of the twenty most corrupt US legislators.
Representative John T. Doolittle (R) California and his wife are under investigation for skimming political contributions and pocketing more than a quarter-million dollars. Actually, while this is obviously dishonest behavior, as a taxpayer I prefer that these politicians steal from their wealthy benefactors than from us working taxpayers. There's probably more to be discovered about Doolittle.
Representative Gary Miller (R) California reportedly took out $7.5 million in promissory notes from his largest contributor - Lewis Operating Corp. - and used that money to purchase property from Lewis Operating Corp. He then sold some of that land back to Lewis and some of it to Fontana, a city in his district. From those transactions, Miller took a profit of between $1.1 million and $6 million. Not bad making that much money when you don't have to put up any of your own capital! Funny thing, in that same year, Miller pushed for a provision in the Transportation Bill that effectively closed down the city of Rialto's airport, which was the first time an act of Congress closed a municipal airport, that's usually the domain of the FAA. Interestingly enough, that airport is located barely two miles from the land that Miller sold to Fontana. Subsequently, Lewis Operating Corp was awarded a contract to develop the land that had once contained the Rialto Airport. Oh yeah, Miller has received some $19,300 from Lewis Operating Corp employees in campaign contributions. Also in 2005, Miller helped secure $1.28 million in a highway bill for street improvements near a planned residential and commercial development in Diamond Bar, Calif. And yes, Miller co-owns the development with a top campaign contributor. So, here we've got a guy who helps line everyone's pocket - especially his own - at the expense of taxpayers. A real champion!
...More to come
It's About Time...!!
We've owned this domain name (fedup.com) for about 8 years now - long before political blogs were so popular and mainstream. We even tried starting a blog about 7 years ago but, it seemed as though the general population wasn't as pissed off as we were about the way things were and where we were headed. So, we went about our lives and figured we'd "get over it." Unfortunately, we didn't "get over it." It seems that everyone else is beginning to get as pissed as we were. So, we've decided to join the party. Our domain name tells it about as succinctly as it can be said. We have no doubt that, if you're reading this post, you're just about as pissed as we are. So, let's go! We'll try to add to this blog every day (several times a day, in fact) and we hope you drop by to see what we've got to say - and add to it when you feel moved to do so.
By way of introduction, my name is Ron and my wife's name is Shirley. And while we're mightily pissed off about several things, the main focus of this blog is a government that once was "of the people, by the people, for the people" has become one that is bought and paid for corporate interests and the wealthy. We firmly believe that if the citizens of this great country don't step up and force some serious changes, this country is going to hell in a handbasket! The idiot politicians that run this country are so damned short-sighted and greedy that they don't realize they are taking us down a path to third-world status. They are obviously not going to make the necessary changes - I don't care if they are republican or democrat - the fact is that the only consideration most of them have is "how am I going to get enough money to get re-elected!"
We're all going to have to take some responsibility toward changing things. This blog is going to be our small contribution to that effort. We hope that you will read our words and thoughts and join in the fray! It's going to take all of us to make the necessary changes to put this country back on the path it once so steadfastly followed - to become a beacon of freedom and fairness and equality that can be admired and respected by the whole world.
By way of introduction, my name is Ron and my wife's name is Shirley. And while we're mightily pissed off about several things, the main focus of this blog is a government that once was "of the people, by the people, for the people" has become one that is bought and paid for corporate interests and the wealthy. We firmly believe that if the citizens of this great country don't step up and force some serious changes, this country is going to hell in a handbasket! The idiot politicians that run this country are so damned short-sighted and greedy that they don't realize they are taking us down a path to third-world status. They are obviously not going to make the necessary changes - I don't care if they are republican or democrat - the fact is that the only consideration most of them have is "how am I going to get enough money to get re-elected!"
We're all going to have to take some responsibility toward changing things. This blog is going to be our small contribution to that effort. We hope that you will read our words and thoughts and join in the fray! It's going to take all of us to make the necessary changes to put this country back on the path it once so steadfastly followed - to become a beacon of freedom and fairness and equality that can be admired and respected by the whole world.