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M a c r o M a y h e M

Monday, July 31, 2006

Dawgs Eat Dogs...

The Reader does it again...

Matt Potter explains...

[...]
"Among the expenses of the Brian Bilbray congressional campaign is a payment of $1137.75 to Dogs R Us of Richmond, Virginia, for 'food for fundraising event' on June 30. But don't worry, the Washington lobbyists who attended the fund-raiser weren't forced to eat canine food. The caterer specializes in hamburgers and hot dogs. ... Jerry Lewis, the embattled Republican congressman from San Bernardino who has been under scrutiny for his ties to lobbyist and ex-congressman Bill Lowery, has paid $200,000 from his campaign committee to retain Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, the big L.A.-based law firm that defended Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, another tight Lowery pal."
[...]

It just shows you how Bilbray is one of the guys that hangs with bad people. Bilbray, Lowery, and Lewis - all chillin' in Virgina, raising money to keep themselves in power. Why to keep crooked lobbyists and corporate lawyers in power. What is so important about Virgina anyway? I noticed that Duke had a lot of companies do work for him out in Virgina.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

CA-04: The Doolittle racket

saw this post on DailyKos.....linked from the WAPO Made me think of the good ole days in CA-50.

[...]
In the past two years, campaign and political action committees controlled by Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.) paid ever-larger commissions to his wife's one-person company and spent tens of thousands of dollars on gifts at stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Tiffany & Co. and a Ritz-Carlton day spa.

The use of such committees, especially "leadership" PACs, for purposes other than electing politicians to Congress is a common and growing phenomenon, but campaign finance watchdogs say Doolittle has taken it to new heights.

Doolittle's wife, Julie, a professional fundraiser, has collected 15 percent of all contributions to Doolittle's leadership PAC and additional commissions on contributions to his campaign committee -- a total of nearly $140,000 since 2003, according to Federal Election Commission records
[...]

It's no Military Idustrial Complex scam - but it is pretty nasty to say the least.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Guerin joins Bilbray staff - Bossypants just grew a few sizes.

If there was any doubt about how messed up things in the 50th are... I thought this was a good clue.

[...]

"Encinitas Mayor Christy Guerin has taken the job of district director for Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Bilbray, who took office last month after a hard-fought election to replace imprisoned former U.S. Rep. Randy 'Duke' Cunningham.

Guerin, who supported Bilbray's candidacy with letters to her Encinitas constituents, said Friday that Bilbray called her shortly after his victory to offer her the directorship of his office in Escondido. Her first day was July 1.

'I was extremely flattered and surprised and intrigued,' Guerin said, referring to Bilbray's job offer.

She said she plans to complete her second term on the Encinitas City Council, which expires in December, but does not know whether she will seek a third, even though she's already collected $6,500 for the campaign."

[...]

I guess that is good news to those over in funky Leucadia - but its bad news for ever