Tax Cheats Making Millions off Federal Government
Over 3,800 companies won contracts with the federal government despite owing a total of $1.4 billion in taxes, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee revealed yesterday.
It takes a special sort of CEO to get the government as a client even though he owes it money. But, as the panel pointed out, it takes a truly rare individual who will then use his profits to buy himself a fancy car, a new boat, or a million-dollar property. (USA Today)
Hispanic Caucus Members Quit PAC Amid Questions About Donations
After learning of several donations from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus PAC to political campaigns of relatives of CHC members, six CHC members walk. Over $3000 went to relatives of CHC Chair Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA) running for state-level offices; Baca charges the departures were part of a “personal vendetta.” (The Hill)
Katherine Harris Implosion Watch
Will she or won’t she? Whispers are that she’ll drop out of the House to run for the Senate – or that she’ll announce that she’ll finance her own campaign. Meanwhile, one of her top advisors has jumped ship. (NRO, St. Petersburg Times)
Pakistan’s Lobbyists
From the Explosive if True Category:
The Pakistan foreign office had paid tens of thousands of dollars to lobbyists in the US to get anti-Pakistan references dropped from the 9/11 inquiry commission report, The Friday Times has claimed.
The Pakistani weekly said its story is based on disclosures made by foreign service officials to the Public Accounts Committee at a secret meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday.
It claimed that some of the commission members were also bribed to prevent them from including damaging information about Pakistan.
Reform
House Republicans have decided on an impressively weak reform package that involves no ban on gifts or meals, rather putting the burden on lobbyists to disclose them. (AP, The Hill)
And as if we needed more confirmation of the absurdity of the ban on former House members who are lobbyists from the House gym, the Hill reports that such lobbyists can often be seen in the House dining facilities. (The Hill)
Abramoff’s Innocence
Michael Crowley at TNR isn’t buying Jack Abramoff’s line in the Vanity Fair piece that he had no idea that he was doing wrong. (The Plank)
Drugstore Company Lobbyist Bows Out
From the Hill:
The lobbying group representing drugstore companies is poised for a shakeup in its senior leadership after the industry took significant hits in Congress last year.
Craig Fuller, president and CEO of the National Association of Chain Drugstores (NACDS), has offered to resign after being notified of the board of directorsâ decision to make changes within the organization, a spokeswoman said yesterday.
Fuller is a high-profile, veteran Republican lobbyist who worked in the White House under President Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush.
(The Hill)
Covered Yesterday
Justice Department Pulls Records of Lawmakers on Korea Trips…(link)
Claude Allen Admitted Theft…(link)
Safavian Trial Date Pushed Back…(link)
Norquist: The Heat is On…(link)
Mehlman on Mehlman…(link)
Abramoff Probe Deepens…(link)
