Subject: [big campaign] Boustany's $1.25 million conflict of interest
From: David Donnelly <[email-masked]>
To: "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:16:41 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

http://www.campaignmoney.org/boustany_conflict_of_interest

Republican Congressman Slated to Oppose President Obama¹s Health Care Plan
Hooked on Health and Insurance Campaign Contributions

Washington, D.C.  Public Campaign Action Fund raised serious conflict of
interest questions about Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) and the expected
opposing remarks he will deliver tonight in response to President Barack
Obama¹s speech to a joint session of Congress on health care reform.

According to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, Rep. Boustany
has received $1,256,056 from health and insurance interests since first
being elected in 2004. The total counts for more than 20 percent of all of
his fundraising. 

³There is a conflict of interest when members of Congress stand before the
public and recite the same talking points put forth by lobbyists and the
heads of insurance and HMO giants opposing health care legislation,²
commented David Donnelly, national campaigns director of Public Campaign
Action Fund. ³Rep. Boustany has taken more than $160,000 in campaign
contributions from insurance and HMO interests alone. Do you think he¹ll
disclose that to his national audience tonight? It¹s time to end the money
chase and pass the Fair Elections Now Act.²

Introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and in the House
of Representatives by Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), the Fair Elections Now Act
(S.752, H.R.1826) would create a voluntary system of public financing that
provides candidates with a limited sum of public funds once they demonstrate
broad community support. Candidates are also able to raise additional funds
in small amounts on top of the grant that are matched on a four to one
basis, up to a limit, and are eligible to receive media vouchers for
airtime. Because the system is voluntary and places no further restrictions
on those who choose not to participate, the law is constitutional.

Public Campaign Action Fund is a national nonprofit organization dedicated
to passing comprehensive public financing of elections and working to hold
elected officials accountable for the favors they give to special interest
donors.

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