There's an interesting piece in today's Wall Street Journal that shows us a specific example of how Rick Santorum, and the "K Street Project" that he leads, uses influence and subtle intimidation to coerce corporations, associations and lobbying firms into hiring, and donating to, Republicans.
If you're not familiar with the K Street Project, or Rick's role in it, here's what the Washington Monthly had to say about it:
...But there's one confirmation hearing you won't hear much about. It's convened every Tuesday morning by Rick Santorum, the junior senator from Pennsylvania, in the privacy of a Capitol Hill conference room, for a handpicked group of two dozen or so Republican lobbyists. Occasionally, one or two other senators or a representative from the White House will attend. Democrats are not invited, and neither is the press.
"The chief purpose of these gatherings is to discuss jobs--specifically, the top one or two positions at the biggest and most important industry trade associations and corporate offices centered around Washington's K Street, a canyon of nondescript office buildings a few blocks north of the White House that is to influence-peddling what Wall Street is to finance. In the past, those people were about as likely to be Democrats as Republicans, a practice that ensured K Street firms would have clout no matter which party was in power. But beginning with the Republican takeover of Congress in 1994, and accelerating in 2001, when George W. Bush became president, the GOP has made a determined effort to undermine the bipartisan complexion of K Street. And Santorum's Tuesday meetings are a crucial part of that effort. Every week, the lobbyists present pass around a list of the jobs available and discuss whom to support. Santorum's responsibility is to make sure each one is filled by a loyal Republican--a senator's chief of staff, for instance, or a top White House aide, or another lobbyist whose reliability has been demonstrated. After Santorum settles on a candidate, the lobbyists present make sure it is known whom the Republican leadership favors. "The underlying theme was [to] place Republicans in key positions on K Street. Everybody taking part was a Republican and understood that that was the purpose of what we were doing," says Rod Chandler, a retired congressman and lobbyist who has participated in the Santorum meetings. "It's been a very successful effort."
The
WSJ piece focuses on Dan Glickman, a former Democratic Congressman who was recently hired by the Motion Picture Association of America as President and CEO. Here's part of how they describe what has happened since Glickman was hired:
...His biggest albatross has been his Democratic past. Republican activist Grover G. Norquist was quoted in news reports at the time of Mr. Glickman's hiring as saying the choice was a "studied insult" against the Republicans' decade long effort to install like-minded people in top lobbying positions. Sen. Rick Santorum, a conservative Pennsylvania Republican, said he wasn't sure hiring Glickman was "effective" to the movie industry's approach "if they are going to reach across the aisle."
A few months after Mr. Glickman's appointment, Republicans cost the industry more than $1 billion by leaving movie studios out of a major tax bill. Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas of California and Tom DeLay, the House Republican leader, said that including the Hollywood provision in the bill would have cost too much money.
Earlier this year, Mr. Glickman personally wrote a $500 check to Mr. Santorum's re-election campaign. The MPAA sent another $2,000 to Mr. Santorum, who faces a strong re-election challenge next year. Since being named MPAA chief, Mr. Glickman has given 85% of his $10,000 in personal political donations to Republicans. In the previous 18 months, Mr. Glickman steered 95% of his $18,500 in contributions to Democrats, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. The MPAA's political action committee, meanwhile, has steered 77% of its contributions to Republicans this year.
They go on to say that Glickman "has been on a Republican recruiting spree," by hiring Republican staff and lobbying firms.
As we've said on this site before, Rick Santorum has used his so-called "clout" as the third most powerful Republican in the Senate to build a political machine which, like Tom DeLay’s, is fueled by an unholy alliance of K-Street lobbyists, corporate influence-peddlers and conservative ideologues who misuse government to put their own narrow special interests ahead of the long-term interests of both Pennsylvania and the nation.
But I'll bet his Republican cronies are grateful he's using his considerable power to help them.
Yesterday, there was a small piece on Glickman, touting his reaching across the aisle and his giving to Santorum and the like.
Pretty obvious Glickman knew what to expect from Senator Rick and his cabal of rightwing gangsters--so it's wallet's out and give a few buddies jobs, or else.
I wonder should the K St. Project be investigated for wrongdoing, or at least unethical practices.
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