Obama Staffer's Lobbying Work Runs Counter to Candidate's Guidelines »
Posted By Aidenag 4 months, 2 weeks ago in NewsThe co-director of Barack Obama's presidential campaign in Puerto Rico is a Washington-based federal lobbyist for the government of Puerto Rico.
Read Full Story at washingtonpost.com »
Submitted By:
Aidenag
Photographer by day, news junkie by night. My main areas of interest are politics and the environment. If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions ...
Also submitted:
Related Articles:
Why not submit a story?
Join the Discussion 
+ Add Comment
Comments So Far: 216
-
0%
Nixie4 months, 2 weeks ago
"The co-director of Barack Obama's presidential campaign in Puerto Rico is a Washington-based federal lobbyist for the government of Puerto Rico.
Ethics watchdogs said that Francisco J. PavÃa's high-profile role appears to contradict the Obama campaign's ethics guidelines, which forbid federal lobbyists from working on staff. But Obama spokesman Bill Burton said PavÃa is an "active volunteer" -- not a paid staffer -- and can hold the job without running afoul of the campaign's rules."
So it's okay, as long as they aren't "paid"...uh huh.
Reply-
0%
libsRfunny4 months, 2 weeks ago
I can see why Aidenag posted this story and then tried to quash it given how much he rails on McCain about lobbyist support.
Reply-
0%
Aidenag4 months, 2 weeks ago
Wow you guys really are insane crazy cons.. First i get railed at for only submitting pro Obama stuff, then when i submit a article that goes after Obama, i get accused of trying to suppress it?
You guys can't have it both ways... Either you want me to only post pro obama, or you don't... Make up your minds and quit flip flopping...
Reply -
0%
injest4 months, 2 weeks ago
Hey this isn't the one about the Lobbyist campaign manager David Axelrod
Obama's Lobbyist Connection David Axelrod
http://www.newsweek.com/id/138519
When Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison wanted state lawmakers to back a hefty rate hike two years ago, it took a creative lobbying approach, concocting a new outfit that seemed devoted to the public interest: Consumers Organized for Reliable Electricity, or CORE. CORE ran TV ads warning of a "California-style energy crisis" if the rate increase wasn't approvedâ;;but without disclosing the commercials were funded by Commonwealth Edison. The ad campaign provoked a brief uproar when its ties to the utility, which is owned by Exelon Corp., became known. "It's corporate money trying to hoodwink the public," the state's Democratic Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn said.
Reply
-
0%
DoseASpinoza4 months, 2 weeks ago
Well considering 13 of McCain's present paid staffers are lobbyists even after five have left the campaign, I'd say yes, I could forgive Obama for one volunteer.
Katherine Harris was the chair of Bush's campaign in Florida and then was in charge of which ballots got counted. That didn't seem to bother the neocons.
Reply-
0%
ybdogsct4 months, 2 weeks ago
From The Article:
"PavÃa has been a registered lobbyist for various arms of the Puerto Rican government since 2001."
Indeed, this "gotcha" story appears to be more concerned with the letter of the law rather than with the spirit of the law. It's one thing to hire a lobbyist who represents the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which seems relatively benign; it's quite another to hire lobbyists that represent multinational corporations seeking multi-billion dollar contracts from the U.S. government, which presents a much more dangerous conflict of interest.
While there has been public backlash against lobbyists representing corporate interests (i.e., Haliburton, Enron, Blackwater) and interests of foreign countries (i.e. Saudi Arabia), is there anyone genuinely worried about the undue influence of Puerto Rico on U.S. policy?
Oh no! The Puerto Ricans are coming to get us! Honestly, I didn't even know Puerto Rico had lobbyists or needed them at all.
LOL.
Reply -
0%
ybdogsct4 months, 2 weeks ago
There is a profound difference between a lobbyist representing the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the following lobbyists on McCain's staff.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ar...
"Longtime uber-lobbyist Charles R. Black Jr. is John McCain's man in Washington. Black was Jonas Savimbi's man in the capital city. His lobbying firm received millions from the brutal Angolan guerrilla leader and took advantage of Black's contacts in Congress and the White House. Black and his partners were at times registered foreign agents for a remarkable collection of U.S.-backed foreign leaders whose human rights records were sometimes harshly criticized.
McCain 'portrays himself as Mr. Clean, and then he has all these lobbyists around him who are connected to a lot of not-so-clean people.'"
Reply -
0%
ybdogsct4 months, 2 weeks ago
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/201671...
"John McCain's campaign asked prominent Republican consultant, Craig Shirley, to leave. Shirley doubled as a consultant to McCain and the group Stop Her Now, a 527 group barred from coordinating its activities with presidential campaigns.
Shirley's firm, Shirley & Bannister Associates, was paid more than $22,000 by McCain for work to win conservative support. Stop Her Now has paid the firm more than $155,000 since 2007 for public relations work.
Shirley's background is in some of the hardest hitting Republican attacks on Democratic politicians. He was a member of the team that tarred Michael Dukakis with the "Willie Horton" ads in 1988, and he helped organize the press conference with Paula Jones. In 2004, his company did public relations work for a movie attacking John Kerry called, 'Stolen Honor.'"
Reply -
0%
ybdogsct4 months, 2 weeks ago
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2...
"Sen. John McCain secured millions in federal funds for a land acquisition program that provided a windfall for an Arizona developer whose executives were major campaign donors.
McCain, who has made fighting special-interest projects a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, inserted $14.3 million in a 2003 defense bill to buy land around Luke AFB in a provision sought by SunCor Development.
The Air Force later paid SunCor $3 million for 122 acres near the base. It was the highest single land transaction of the private lots purchased by the government ââ;¬" three times the county's assessed value and twice the military's estimated value.
McCain's campaigns have received $224,000 since 1998 from donors connected to Pinnacle West, including $104,100 for his current presidential run."
Reply -
0%
ybdogsct4 months, 2 weeks ago
http://news.propeller.com/story/2008/04/26/mcca...
"McCain's help for Keating came after Keating had donated $112,000 to McCain from 1982 to 1987, had taken McCain and his family on nine trips, including three to the Bahamas, and had gone in on a business deal with McCain's wife and father-in-law.
In 1982, Keating held a fund-raiser for him, collecting more than $11,000 from 40 employees of American Continental Corp. In 1983, as McCain contemplated his House re-election, Keating hosted a $1,000-a-plate dinner for him, even though McCain had no serious competition. When McCain pushed for the Senate in 1986, Keating was there with more than $50,000. By 1987, McCain had received about $112,000 from Keating and his associates.
The Arizona Republic revealed that McCain's wife and her father had invested $359,100 in a Keating shopping center."
Reply
-
-
-
0%
rdy2rck4 months, 2 weeks ago
This brings up a desire of mine. I wish(and am trying) to learn to surf better to look and see where every candidates money is coming from and also lobbying interests.
I have long said that NO candidate can run for president without owing somebody something.The idea of an "outsider" is a myth IMO.
Reply-
-
0%
libsRfunny4 months, 2 weeks ago
He probably accepted donations, but it's safe to say he had no lobbyist ties other maybe those he himself paid.
Reply
-
-
0%
walden34 months, 2 weeks ago
rdy-
This is the best website I've seen that I can handle accessing. You gotta play around a bit, but there is a ton of info on who gave what to whom.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/index.php
Reply-
0%
Klarissa4 months, 2 weeks ago
-
-
0%
Nixie4 months, 2 weeks ago
"PavÃa is not on leave from his law firm, Winston & Strawn, according to the managing partner of its Washington office, Thomas L. Mills, and has been an important part of the Obama campaign in Puerto Rico.
PavÃa has been a registered lobbyist for various arms of the Puerto Rican government since 2001, according to reports filed with the Senate. His firm was paid more than $3 million for lobbying for the commonwealth over that period, $110,000 for the first three months of this year."
But remember...he's a volunteer!!!
Reply -
0%
Nixie4 months, 2 weeks ago
In February, Obama sent this letter to the governor of Puerto Rico:
Dear Governor Acevedo Vila:
Puerto Rico is a vitally important part of our country and Puerto Ricans have made immeasurable contributions to the United States. As President of the United States, I will pay close attention to issues that have an impact on the well-being of the people of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico's status must be based on the principle of self-detennination. Puerto Rico has a proud history, an extraordinary culture, its own traditions, customs and language, and a distinct identity. As President, I will work closely with the Puerto Rican government, its civil society, and with Congress to create a genuine and transparent process for self-determination that will be true to the best traditions of democracy.
(continued)
Reply-
0%
Nixie4 months, 2 weeks ago
As President, I will actively engage Congress and the Puerto Rican people in promoting this deliberative, open and unbiased process, that may include a constitutional convention or a plebiscite, and my Administration will adhere to a policy of strict neutrality on Puerto Rican status matters. My Administration will recognize all valid options to resolve the question of Puerto Rico's status, including commonwealth, statehood, and independence.
(continued)
Reply-
0%
Nixie4 months, 2 weeks ago
I strongly believe in equality before the law for all American citizens. This principle extends fully to Puerto Ricans. The American citizenship of Puerto Ricans is constitutionally guaranteed for as long as the people of Puerto Rico choose to retain it. I reject the assertion in reports submitted by a Presidential Task Force on December 22, 2005 and December 21, 2007 that sovereignty over Puerto Rico could be unilaterally transferred by the United States to a foreign country, and the U.S. citizenship of Puerto Ricans is not constitutionally guaranteed.
(continued)
Reply
-
-
-
-
-
0%
stephen-johnson4 months, 2 weeks ago
Geez, the WaPo actually writing a negative story about the Obama campaign?
I must be dreaming this.
This deserves a vote, but I can't bring myself to do that for an Aidenag post.
Reply-
0%
libsRfunny4 months, 2 weeks ago
"This deserves a vote, but I can't bring myself to do that for an Aidenag post."
Actually, that's exactly what he wants. Clearly, he posted it an didn't distribute it to his usual suspects in an attempt to hide it. Just another example of extreme liberal bias.
Reply
-
-
-
0%
Dicax_Maximus4 months, 2 weeks ago
Wolfie - I must respectfully correct your remark. He's a politician....
Politician - Member of the species Lyingingforlifeus, sub-genus Twofacedgitsus. These creatures are normally to be found in front of TV camera's (usually holding the very young of the Homo Sapiens species, possibly a mating ritual TBD) or in their strange dens (normally called Senate, Congress, Houses Of Parliment or simlilar). They are hard to distinguish from Homo Sapiens, until they start speaking. At which point even the layman can easily identify them.
Observable traits :-
Lying
Cheating
Flip-flopping
Obfuscating
Denial of knowledge
Hypocrisy
Accepting obscene amounts of money for after dinner speeches (although God know's who in their right mind would want to listen)
Writing incredibly boring autobiographies
Sanity Advice - AVOID ANY CONTACT AT ALL COSTS !
Reply-
ranchhandComment removed: User banned.
-
-
0%
HannibalBarca4 months, 2 weeks ago
easiest way to tell if a politician is lying, his lips are moving
Reply -
0%
tbkennedy534 months, 2 weeks ago
I posted this sometime back:
http://politics.propeller.com/story/2008/05/19/...
similar story.
Reply-
0%
Dicax_Maximus4 months, 2 weeks ago
Sorry, editorial boo-boo, add to observable traits :-
Nepotism
Good article tbk !
Ahhh, WTF, they're ALL the same !!!
Reply
-
-
0%
SunnyDays4 months, 2 weeks ago
All politicians are liars... they will not win if they will be honest all the time.
Reply -
-
-
0%
HannibalBarca4 months, 2 weeks ago
Well if you can do it so can I, but this is damn strange; especially when we were warned about negotiating with the opposition, is this appeasement? :-)
Reply </
-
-
