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Some Pols Rethink Veco Cash, Dump Dirty Money on Charity
When other politicians fold and unload tainted contributions to charity, Rep. Don Young (R-AK) stands firm. He's hanging on to all his Veco donations, despite an emerging trend to dump the cash, the AP reports.
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) has given away $18,000 he received from former Veco CEO Bill Allen and president Rick Smith. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) gave away $8,000 worth of Veco contributions. But they're not getting carried away. Both are holding on to Veco-employee contributions, Stevens' campaign keeping some $50,000 and Murkowski $33,000. It's a noteworthy point as both Allen and Smith have admitted to a reimbursement scheme where Veco gave "bonuses" to employees who made political donations. It turns out the "donations" were mostly mandatory.
Since Veco gives widely, a number of politicians outside of Alaska have said they have or will hand off the donations including Sen Kit Bond (R-MO) and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC). The National Republican Senatorial Committee gave some $25,000 it received from Allen to charity too. It's not quite the charity donation frenzy induced by Jack Abramoff's guilty plea back in January, 2006, but if the investigation continues to press on, who knows?
Comments (12)
Crust wrote on October 8, 2007 12:18 PM:If you can, please try to report in these cases on what charity they donate to. And if it's a commitment to donate rather than an announcement of a donation they've already done, please try to follow up to make sure it actually happens.
Some of these donation announcements could be like Craig's resignation announcement and not actually pan out. Even if the donations do happen, they may not always be to arm's length organizations or to organizations one would ordinarily think of as charities.
Not that cynicism always turns out to be vindicated, but I think it's the side to err on.
Crust wrote on October 8, 2007 12:22 PM:PS I see the AP article names the charity in some but not all cases. Which makes the cases where the charity is not named all the more interesting.
Dale wrote on October 8, 2007 12:43 PM:Can someone tell me if these politicians get a tax credit for donating this money? It seems wrong to me that they should be able to donate other people's money and get credit on their own taxes, but it wouldn't surprise me.
Thanks
oldtree wrote on October 8, 2007 12:58 PM:tic's must be quite outside reality. The act of giving back illegal contributions seems to sanctify them somehow. Perhaps religion is what keeps these criminals going? knowing that as long as their defense fund and pension are in tact, they will be okay.
I do wonder why more people aren't starting ballot initiatives to eliminate tax protection for corporations and the rich in their states? Nothing anyone could do if you vote to set a tax. Nothing the state could do if we voted that they pay for universal health care either. Then if 35 states say so, take this idiot government out of our lives.
Is that too simple? it certainly works in our state. Or is it better just to talk about your disappointments?
paul wrote on October 8, 2007 1:19 PM:I also have to wonder about the charities in question. Obviosuly the ones Abramoff set up are out of business, but there are doubtless plenty of other charitable shells and tax-exempt right-wing organizaitons out there.
anonymouse wrote on October 8, 2007 1:27 PM:It's the new morality... when you receive illegal money you use it to buy votes...
Much of the Abramoff money was used this way.
Bush donated the money to charities (who kept the money), as did Clinton and others.
Most of us learned to return money which was illegally or immorally gained in about the 3rd grade. Our new politicians are teaching us (and our children) that this money can be better spent to bribe folks into helping us later on.
And we will teach our children that this is proper behavior by voting the same crooks back into office.
Our nation is falling fast... and "We the People" are supporting the fall.
Sconset wrote on October 8, 2007 1:38 PM:How come there is nothing here about the mess that Jeff Sessions (AL) is involved in?
Apparently he is in deep trouble from grabbing money from a lobbyist and is currently under investigation. It is in Time Magazine this week and I haven't had a chance to read it yet.
You might want to check it out. I would love to see that little mouth-breathing weasel defeated.
Sconset wrote on October 8, 2007 1:38 PM:How come there is nothing here about the mess that Jeff Sessions (AL) is involved in?
Apparently he is in deep trouble from grabbing money from a lobbyist and is currently under investigation. It is in Time Magazine this week and I haven't had a chance to read it yet.
You might want to check it out. I would love to see that little mouth-breathing weasel defeated.
trailfollower wrote on October 8, 2007 1:55 PM:And let us not forget that "charity" can also be a foundation - such as the foundations that politicians set up for themselves. Uncle Ted Stevens has a foundation....
Anonymous wrote on October 8, 2007 2:55 PM:
boxandwh wrote on November 8, 2007 1:41 PM:Dirty money is like Senate lifers like Craig & Stevens- both are impossible to get rid of
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