John Kerry on His Vote Against the Senate Lobbying Bill

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry on His Vote Against the Senate Lobbying Bill
March 29th, 2006 @ 4:48 pm

The Senate passed an election-year ethics package today shaped on the aftermath of the Abramoff scandal (see earlier post on Abramoff’s sentencing today). John Kerry and 7 other Senators voted against the measure, including Democrats Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Barack Obama of Illinois and Republicans Tom Coburn and James Inhofe of Oklahoma, Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona.

Below is a statement from Senator John Kerry on the lobbying ethics legislation that passed the Senate today, 90-8, and his vote against the measure.

“No wonder people look at Washington and know it’s broken. Today the Senate failed to live up to its responsibility to keep faith with the American people and change the way business is done in Washington.

“It’s not enough to reform the earmarking process. It’s not enough to ban gifts and meals from lobbyists but exempt the organizations that employ them. It’s not enough to reign in pay-to-play schemes like the Republican K Street project. Changing a few of the rules does no good if there’s no enforcement. A major overhaul is still needed. The Senate left the fox to guard the chicken coop./div]

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2462

[Mass]

1. Kudos to Feingold, Kerry, and Obama for their vote.

[MH1]

2. Statement from the reform groups opposing it

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20060329/pl_usnw/statement_of_reform_groups_on_lobbying_legislation_passed_by_senate150_xml

And direct link to Democracy 21 post with more details on the issues with the bill:

http://www.democracy21.org/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={91FCB139-CC82-4DDD-AE4E-3A81E6427C7F}&DE={8C3B9BE2-BDD0-4A5D-9DBE-7912488DD397}

(scroll down for 6-point Scorecard)

[IndianaGreen]

4. That's quite an indictment!

The Senate lobbying bill also fails to require disclosure of numerous ways in which lobbyists provide financial help for Members, such as soliciting and bundling campaign contributions for Members, paying for Members' parties, making contributions to foundations and other entities controlled by Members and paying for Members' events, including conferences and retreats.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20060329/pl_usnw/statement_of_reform_groups_on_lobbying_legislation_passed_by_senate150_xml

[IndianaGreen]

3. If Russ voted against it, then there was a darned good reason for it

The bill may have been nothing but window dressing, a "feel good" bill that doesn't address the underlying issues.

Kudos to Kerry too!

[blm]

6. Geez - did you prefer McCain-Feingold over Clean Elections bill, too?

Kerry is one of the few LONGTIME advocates for public financing we have, and I think that he and Wellstone set the standard long ago for sincerity on campaign finance issues.

[IndianaGreen]

7. I have no quarrel with Kerry

and I still think that Ohio was won by Kerry, and that the Dems will lose in 2008 because we continue to fail to address head on the voting methodology that is being used.

[blm]

12. Add exposing GOP control of media and you have a compatriot here.

Battle on, friend. ;)

[wisteria]

5. I am happy Kerry voted no on this ethnics legislation.

I think Senator Kerry, Feingold and Obama deserve some :applause: for their votes.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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[LittleClarkie]

9. Who said he wasn't supporting it. We haven't had a vote yet.

And if you're going to react like that to everyone who didn't co-sponsor, you're gonna be kinda busy, I reckon.

[WildEyedLiberal]

10. What a fucking stupid thing to say

Sometimes, when I see people tearing down strong, solid Dems over stupid, pointless shit, I wonder if they're really Democrats at all.

:eyes:

[LittleClarkie]

11. Indeed. Esp. when Kerry was the strong one with the fillibuster fight

sadly I've heard some people suggest, just as they did with Kerry, that Russ is only fighting this censure battle for political reasons, because he, like Kerry, will be running in 2008.

I don't believe that about either man.

[NVMojo]

13. With Senator Harry Reid pushing a mob-attorney turned LV mayor

to join the Senate, why be surprised that he hopped on this bill? Crooks.

[Zhade]

14. ???

More info, please? Hadn't heard about this!