Granny Rant
Saturday, December 06, 2003
::: Update: Attempted Republican Bribery Scandal ::
Good Old Boys Close Ranks in
CASH FOR VOTES SCANDAL
Well, that sounds about right for Washington politics ... accusations
and allegations made ... nothing whatsoever done.
In the middle of the night of November 22, while Americans slept,
evil-doers on the majority side in the House of Representatives
performed nasty little tricks ... first having the time allotted for a
vote extended by a remarkable 2-3 hours. Working the phones
and prowling the floor of the House ... Republican Representatives
used verbal arm-twisting as well as the shocking use of offered
bribes (reportedly $100,000) to gain the needed votes to pass
the seriously flawed Medicare Bill. Threats of retaliation were
reported and there were many phone calls from President Bush,
who had just returned from a trip that evening, to push forward
his agenda.
Can you imagine Americans feeling more betrayed than to find a
member of the House Of Representatives of the U.S. Government
on the majority side offering CASH for VOTES?
[...]
Media reports have alleged that an undisclosed Republican told Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich., that if he voted for the bill, business interests would contribute $100,000 to help his son, Brad, succeed him. Smith is not seeking re-election in 2004. His son is one of several Republican candidates running for the seat.
[...]
Charles Lewis, executive director of the Center for Public Integrity, a public-interest research group, said such an episode would be "a revealing vignette."
"It's a window into how politics works, and how closely tethered contributors are to their respective parties, and how they work hand in hand in getting their way legislatively," Lewis said.
Lewis said there was little chance the Justice Department or the House ethics committee would investigate. In the House, Democrats and Republicans have an unspoken agreement not to initiate ethics inquiries, and only a member's request can trigger a committee investigation. House Democratic leaders avoided comment on Smith's allegations Thursday.
[...]
Original Report Here
Is this just politics as usual, or is this a new low?
Granny is disgusted beyond belief and now believes
all the ranting of the so-called "conspiracy theorists"
claiming our democracy is circling the drain and the
world economy is teetering on the edge of collapse.
