Body scanner makers doubled lobbying cash over 5 years (USA Today)

[somone]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-11-22-scanner-lobby_N.htm

11/23/2010
Body scanner makers doubled lobbying cash over 5 years
By Fredreka Schouten, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The companies with multimillion-dollar contracts to supply American airports with body-scanning machines more than doubled their spending on lobbying in the past five years and hired several high-profile former government officials to advance their causes in Washington, government records show.

L-3 Communications, which has sold $39.7 million worth of the machines to the federal government, spent $4.3 million trying to influence Congress and federal agencies during the first nine months of this year, up from $2.1 million in 2005, lobbying data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics show. Its lobbyists include Linda Daschle, a former Federal Aviation Administration official. Rapiscan Systems, meanwhile, has spent $271,500 on lobbying so far this year, compared with $80,000 five years earlier. It has faced criticism for hiring Michael Chertoff, the former Homeland Security secretary, last year. Chertoff has been a prominent proponent of using scanners to foil terrorism. The government has spent $41.2 million with Rapiscan.

"The revolving door provides corporations like these with a short cut to lawmakers" and other decision-makers, said Sheila Krumholz, of the Center for Responsive Politics. The use of body-scanning machines has ignited controversy over privacy and health concerns... This year, L-3 Communications reported lobbying on nearly two dozen bills, ranging from homeland security appropriations to military construction. Among the bills targeted by L-3 lobbyists: legislation proposed by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, that would limit the use of the scanners at airports as a backup measure only. Chaffetz's measure passed the House last year, but it stalled in the Senate after Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's alleged attempt in December 2009 to ignite an explosive powder on a flight to Detroit. The attempted bombing contributed to the bill's demise, Chaffetz said, "But I also routinely heard that 'Secretary Chertoff believes this is the right thing to do. Who are you to challenge him?' "

Chertoff's firm provided advice to Rapiscan on "non-aviation security issues" and is no longer a consultant, said Peter Kant, a Rapiscan executive vice president. Daschle, the wife of former Senate majority leader Tom Daschle, lobbied against Chaffetz's bill. She said bombs represent a real threat. "I don't think it was Linda Daschle that made the difference" in L-3 Communications' success, she said. "I think it was people understanding what the threat is and seeing these capable solutions."

[sabrina 1]

1. Yes, follow the money, as always. All of the abuses of our

Constitutional rights in the name of national security, the wars, the laws, the huge new security agencies, the weapons, the products, all have made some people very, very wealthy.

Does anyone really believe they care about the security of the American people? Chertoff? Cheney? Bush?

When I see people attempting to defend the latest abuses, it makes me sad that people are so easily manipulated but angry too, because those who excuse

Daschle's wife and Chertoff! And we used to think there were two parties. This country is beyond hope it seems. The American people cannot compete with the money being spent to buy these laws. Does anyone seriously still believe we are living in a Democracy?

[Canuckistanian]

2. Lobbying has an astounding ROI

A few thousand here and there can ultimately bring in BILLIONS.

An aggressive business really has no other choice.

[malaise]

3. What percentage went to Skeletoff ? n/t

[Reader Rabbit]

4. A story in the mainstream news? Wow.

It must be getting bad. Maybe other corporate media will pick it up?

[Poboy]

5. k&r

[xchrom]

6. This is their 'bail out'. Nt