AP Exclusive: Kerry Blocked Law, Drew Cash

[RetroLounge]

AP Exclusive: Kerry Blocked Law, Drew Cash

WASHINGTON - A Senate colleague was trying to close a loophole that allowed a major insurer to divert millions of federal dollars from the nation's most expensive construction project. John Kerry stepped in and blocked the legislation.

Over the next two years, the insurer, American International Group, paid Kerry's way on a trip to Vermont and donated at least $30,000 to a tax-exempt group Kerry used to set up his presidential campaign. Company executives donated $18,000 to his Senate and presidential campaigns.

Were the two connected?

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=694&u=/ap/20040204/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_big_dig_1&printer=1

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Move along, people.

[blm]

16. READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE. Kerry was on the right side of the issue.

The construction was still going on and to stop it would have hurt Boston and all those employed on the project. Kerry and Kennedy called for the investigations into the accounting. It was GOP governors who had managed the Big Dig. kerry and Kennedy acted properly.

The absurdity of this is that Kerry was a very wealthy man who did not profit personally in any of this. I doubt he 'needed' a trip to Vermont. heheh.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Kerry's office confirmed Wednesday that as member of the Senate Commerce Committee he persuaded committee chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., to drop a provision that would have stripped $150 million from the project and ended the insurance funding loophole.

The Massachusetts Democrat actually was angered by the loophole but didn't want money stripped from the project because it would hurt his constituents who needed the Boston project finished, spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said.

When the "AIG investment scheme (came) to light, John Kerry called for public hearings to investigate the parties involved and the legality of the investment practices. However, he firmly believed cutting funding for the Big Dig was not the answer," Cutter said.

Instead of McCain's bluntly worded legislation, Kerry asked for a committee hearing in May 2000. Kerry thanked McCain at the start of the hearing for dropping his legislation and an AIG executive was permitted to testify that he believed the company's work for the Big Dig was a good thing even though it was criticized by federal auditors.
>>>>>>>>>

Asked why Kerry would subsequently accept a trip and money from AIG in 2001 and 2002 if he was angered by the investment scheme, Cutter replied: "Any contributions AIG made to the senator's campaign came years after the investigation. Throughout his career, John Kerry has stood up to special interests on behalf of average Americans. This case is no different."
>>>>>>>>>>>>

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

21. I did read the whole article.

Nutshell:

Issue dropped, coffers filled.

One can feign all the indignation that they want. It doesn't change anything. RiF's Rule# 1: Follow the money. RiF's Rule #2: Follow the votes. RiF's Rule #3: Follow the money.

[Demonaut]

2. dammit , Kerry also eats oreos WHITE side up

Dean has done a great job but he hasnt got a chance against bush*, the rove war machine will destroy him.

[w13rd0]

3. Though the article mentions Vermont...

...it's actually about John Kerry. Is "Dean, Dean, Dean" really still the defense for all things concerning Kerry? Come on. That'll be the second most used mantra next to "Clinton, Clinton, Clinton"...

[UpInArms]

4. the Rove "war machine"

would not destroy Dean - the media has done a fine job for everyone to get Kerry in the "front runner" position so that all of us will be disgusted.

[Demonaut]

5. the media is a part of the rove war machine

or havent you noticed, Dean has done a great job but we can see the results of attacks this early in the game. Dean needs to stay in the race as should Sharpton and maybe, maybe Dean still has a chance but the odds look very against it.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

23. makes ya think-Why would the media cheer Kerry so hard? there IS a reason

They know what they're doing playing Kerry UP UP UP. They pretty much think they can choose the Dem's candidate for them --and they may actually have that power, since people are obviously too damn dumb to see it.


If the media wants Kerrry so bad and Doesn't want CLARK or DEAN or EDWARDS ask youself why!!

There are many possible answers but one of them is NOT because
"he's the only one who can beat Gorge DubbellYou Boosh"-


-I'll GUARANTEE YA'LL THAT !!

CLARK would SMOKE boosh and they know it!
4 STARS vs 4 letters- AWOL.

Dean was doin' great til they cut the sound of the crowd off and made him out to be mental...Dean still is great and could beat the hell outta Boosh.
Edwards may have a chance too.


But our friendly MEDIA (corporate interest at heart) TELLS US KERRY IS our CANDIDATE--
OK just a coincidence right?
Sorry, I'll go home now and vote for Kerry..I-(he seemz rail nyce)..

[Terry_M]

7. I fail to see how

the Rove machine would be more effective against Dean than Kerry.

[Demonaut]

9. Attacks are made to inflict damage.....correct?

The only negative observation I've made of Dean is that he's thinned skinned, When dems have attacked him his reactions were too visible. When the repugs start it will be alot nastier and emotional control is a must in any debates.

[Terry_M]

19. Actually...

I think quick "angry" responses to attacks may be more effective than long and calm ones during which people will switch the channel...

[Just Me]

20. Being "human" does not equal being "thin-skinned",...however,...

,...I will agree with your assessment of the sheeples' perspective which was, without any freakin' doubt, formed by our f-uped media, painting a man who most definitely had the thicker skin of the whole bunch by challenging authority.

Moreover, thin-skinned is nothing, NOTHING, compared to slim-courage. I still earnestly believe that Dean's courage would slaughter Dubya's silver-spooned path to the White House. I imagine it was that kind of courage to challenge the status quo that led to such an incredible backlash.

I'll take anything but Bush. But I am certainly taking a stand for the kind of courage required for REAL change,...substantive change!!!

[Leilani]

6. This isn't the 1st conflict of interest story

& it won't be the last.

If people continue to choose career politicians, this is what we will get, because that is the system.

I'm supporting a candidate to change the status quo, however it doesn't seem like the system will change any time soon.

[KamaAina]

8. Read the fine print

Kerry's office confirmed Wednesday that as member of the Senate Commerce Committee he persuaded committee chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., to drop a provision that would have stripped $150 million from the project and ended the insurance funding loophole.

The Massachusetts Democrat actually was angered by the loophole but didn't want money stripped from the project because it would hurt his constituents who needed the Boston project finished, spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said.

When the "AIG investment scheme (came) to light, John Kerry called for public hearings to investigate the parties involved and the legality of the investment practices. However, he firmly believed cutting funding for the Big Dig was not the answer," Cutter said.

A better, more balanced, but hardly jaw-dropping headline would thus have been "Kerry Opposed Funding Cut for Major Mass. Public Works Project". But then, that would hardly be as "newsworthy" as the story they did write, with the Kerry-friendly info neatly tucked away in grafs 8 through 10, now would it? </sarcasm>

[bagnana]

10. Breaking: Bush takes mega bucks from Halliburton,

its CEO becomes his vp, and he turns around and gives it billions of no-bid contracts for a fraudulent war, while his VP ex-ceo is still getting paid deferred income, and in turn Halliburton serves up rotten food to our military, negotiates kick backs, and overcharges the US. ABB.

[GodHelpUsAll2]

13. We are in trouble if.......................

Our chances depend on who gets the nomination. Someone told me of a re-occurring nightmare they had been having and I thought it was an excellent question. The nightmare goes like this. Morph ahead to one of the presidential debates, assume John Kerry or John Edwards (either one will work) has got the nomination. Each candidate gets to ask the other a question. Bush asks Kerry (or Edwards):

You have built your campaign attacking this administration about the Iraq war, the Patriot Act, No Child Left Behind, Tax Cuts and lobbyist money. Can you please explain to the American people how you are not a hypocrite who flip flops depending on the polls when you yourself voted in favor of these things and you have been benefited millions by lobbyist money?

Kerry is in the top 4 beneficiaries of lobbyist money. He has made millions. He has a horrible record of being absent for senate votes. Edwards is fueling his campaign now with "bundled money" from trial lawyers that represent the interest of lobbyist.Both Kerry and Edwards voted in favor of Iraq, Patriot Act and No child left behind. I was mis-lead as an answer won't cut it. Bush is planting that very same defense as we speak. IE, it's all the CIA's fault for giving me bad intelligence. Carl Rove and the Bush attack machine will chew both Kerry and Edwards up and spit them out. There are only two candidates in this nomination race that have a clean slate and stand hard and true on those issues and those two are Dennis Kucinich and Howard Dean. Obviously Kucinich won't make it. Dean is our best chance.

[blm]

15. Dean who did the deal with the BFEE Koch brothers and sealed the papers?

Tell us about it.

Tell us all about the Entergy deal and the Entergy execs who donated to Dean after he arranged the deal.

You do know that the Koch brothers are Bush family loyalists don't you? No doubt Karl Rove has received copies of every paper Dean had sealed away.

And you call Dean a clean slate...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[wabeewoman]

27. You need to study this issue a bit more....

Dean hasn't locked any papers away. The Maine attorney general has. Check into it. Another media lie bought by unsuspecting democrats.

[Zhade]

29. Please source this.

It's pretty disturbing if true.

[Gman]

11. Short of being caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy

I think, at this point, Kerry's unstopable.

[maggrwaggr]

12. let the media assassination begin

By the time this is done, who will it be, Clark or Edwards?

Then they'll assasinate whoever THAT is ....

And whoever hasn't been assassinated by November will be the candidate.

Sharpton?

[0rganism]

14. AP Assasination Exclusive: Kerry eats babies, rapes goats

WASHINGTON - A Senate colleague was trying to close a loophole that allowed baby eating and goat raping, when John Kerry stepped in and blocked the legislation.

Sources overheard the cannibalistic Kerry asking, "There are many small restaurant businesses in Massachusetts that specialize in babies, how can I let down my core constituency?"

Over the next two years, the baby-eating lobby provided Kerry with numerous nubile goats, whose services he is said to have enjoyed. When interviewed, one of the goats responded "beeeeaaah" which is known to mean "not consensual" in goatese.

Were the two connected?

[Demonaut]

17. I think being a Dem brings out the creative juices, lol . thats funny

seems most of my posts are the rinds

[Norton]

18. I love the fact...

that the Bush folk are FINALLY on the defensive over Bush's service records! This wouldn't be happening if Kerry weren't #1 right now!

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

25. Kerry jumped on that WAY after Dean or Clark-

What makes you think Kerry stirred it up about the AWOL/deserter thing?

Clark just got through that at the debates last week. And Deans's been saying it and Kucinich was saying it.


One thing Kerry did do was to sign off Boosh the power to invade Iraq at will...what kind of foresight does he have?
Dean kew, Clark knew, Bernie Ward knew- A couple million or so Protestors knew...
Why didn't Kerry know?
Is he just Stoopid or is he in with the big boys(and Bones & Co.) ?

Which is it?

I ASK you because it is either one or the other!!

[stevedeshazer]

22. Nice.

That pretty much sums it up.

[Yavin4]

24. EXTRA! EXTRA! BUSH LIED ABOUT WMDs IN IRAQ

Thousands die. Thousands more are injured. Millions more may die in a future civil war in Iraq.

Let's keep things in perspective.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

26. might I add -millions may die in a future civil war here

in the U.S.A.
just wait til they fix the election, rig another 911 or two, and start hauling away anyone who says a damn thing about it!!!
Americans will likely fight back hard-but who will be left when they send everyone to Gitmo?-

[wabeewoman]

28. Funny. I heard someone else say this tonight.

Especially when the already pissed off people find out the media set it up for Kerry to get the nomination and then proceeded to attack and destroy Kerry. I don't get why people here at DU who are so untrusting of the media buy right into the Kerry is electable buzz from that same media. Courted Dean, Married Kerry, Woke up with Bush.