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Shaw Group CEO Jim Bernhard Jr. may have been elected chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party, but that didn't stop his company from donating $100,000 for Republican President Bush's second inauguration.
...
Bernhard, whose company has contributed to both parties in the past, said he didn't expect any Democratic complaints about the bipartisan giving.
He said he told state party officials before he was elected chairman Jan. 8 that "if they had a litmus test like that, then I was not their guy."
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An analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics showed that the Shaw Group political action committee gave $124,565 to federal candidates in 2004: 40 percent to Democrats and 60 percent to Republicans. In the 2002 election, it split its giving 50-50
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1106206163291010.xmlHis company has "a substantial number" of federal contracts. He explains he's not worried about backlash
from repubs, I guess for becoming chair, by saying:
"Wouldn't it be a shame if our country really worked like that?" he said. "Never in my experience in federal contracts has an elected official had any influence."Ok, A. does anyone believe that?, and B. if it's true, then why does his PAC donate to repubs at all!?
This floored me. Does it make any sense? Would the donations be independently made by employees?