Dirt on Pete Visclosky (D-IN). Damn.

[Duppers]

In doing research on a proposed business offer, I just became aware of the dirt on Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN).

Did y'all know this?

"Visclosky was named one of the 15 most corrupt members of Congress by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Visclosky

He's taken money from Abramoff's old lobbying firm, K&L Gates.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_Gates_%26_Ellis#Abramoff_lobbying_scandal

"Visclosky stepped aside as chairman of the Appropriations energy panel in June after the Justice Department subpoenaed his office, his political committees and Brimmer for records. Brimmer resigned as chief of staff immediately.

Before the federal probe became public, nearly 30 percent of Visclosky’s earmarks — $63 million worth in 2008 and 2009 — were steered to firms outside Indiana. And nearly three-quarters of his campaign donations came from out of state, as well, most of it tied to firms requesting earmarks."

http://www.dmzhawaii.org/?tag=defense-subcommittee-nanosonix



One would expect crap like this from a republican, but one of us? Damn.

[FLAprogressive]

1. Visclosky is a New Dem, I believe. so this is hardly a shock

[howaboutme]

2. Too many are in it for themselves

and what they can do to gain power and wealth and that includes both Parties. If they were in it for the greater good our country wouldn't be turning into a cesspool for most, and a pot of gold for a few.

[Duppers]

3. How corrupt is our system!!! Read...

According to an internal letter given to The Post by a potential client, K&L Gates hoped to share a cut of its clients’ earmark success. K&L’s Olivares offered a menu of pricing options, including a “success fee” in which the client would pay 7.5 percent of its earmark haul to K&L Gates, on top of a $6,500 monthly retainer.

‘To build a relationship’

Several firms said that signing K&L Gates helped them gain the access they had long been denied by federal agencies.

David Rosenberg, who founded Hycrete in New Jersey in 2005, said he hired K&L in August 2007 and has since paid the firm $190,000 to help obtain defense appropriations and other funds. ...

Rosenberg said K&L encouraged him to donate to Visclosky — “to build a relationship with a member of Congress.” Last year, Visclosky requested a $2 million Army earmark to evaluate Hycrete’s technology. The next month, Rosenberg and his colleagues donated $20,000 to Visclosky and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

“I’m a fan of earmarks,” Rosenberg said. “None of that would have happened without this funding — there was no light at the end of the tunnel.”


http://www.dmzhawaii.org/?tag=defense-subcommittee-nanosonix




Indeed. "No light at the end of the tunnel” is a metaphor for many problems in our government.


Yuck. This is the dirtiest post I've ever made. :(

To think that this unethical shit seems to be the standard operating procedure for our govt. sickens me.
And I thought I couldn't get more cynical.

[Duppers]

4. oh, and the "Gates" in K&L Gates ?

That's Microsoft Bill's dad. He's retired now.

[Duppers]

5. and the businesses pile on....

"Genocea Biosciences, a Boston area vaccine maker founded in 2006 by Harvard professors David Sinclair and Darren Higgins, began a relationship with K&L Gates soon after it was formed, according to a spokesman. Lobbying reports show that K&L Gates began lobbying for the company in March 2007, and within weeks, company officials and investors gave $18,000 to Visclosky. It was the first time many of them had ever contributed to a federal politician, records show.

Visclosky then sought $2 million to help Genocea, which hoped to develop vaccines for chlamydia and bacterial meningitis. He later helped it secure an additional $1.6 million."


“Congress and the agencies of the federal government often serve a crucial support role in incubating emerging technologies,” the statement says."

(same link)


Yeah but why is this influence peddling so necessary???


"As Visclosky’s committee moved the earmark forward, Murdock, his wife and executives from the NanoBusiness Alliance wrote $21,700 in campaign checks to the congressman and the DCCC. Murdock said he could not recall whether K&L Gates suggested the donations."



Btw, Murdock is the guy wanting to contract my hubby's expertise on a project. Not. Gonna. Do. It.