Subject: [big campaign] Palin¹s Record Proves She¹ s No Reformer
From: David Miller <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:49:13 -0400
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

A PRESS RELEASE FROM CAMPAIGN MONEY WATCH
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2008
 
CONTACT
David Miller, Communications Manager
(202) 448-6154
 
Watchdog Group: Palin¹s Record Proves She¹s No Reformer
 
            Washington, D.C.  Campaign Money Watch, a nonpartisan campaign
finance watchdog group, today criticized Sen. John McCain¹s (R-AZ) vice
presidential running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK), for touting herself as a
reformer even though, as recently reported news stories show, she¹s beholden
to some of the same special interests that prop up the broken system in
Washington and has no interest in comprehensive reform.
 
            ³John McCain says Sarah Palin is a Œsoulmate¹ who will help
reform Washington,² said David Donnelly, director of Campaign Money Watch.
³After a careful examination of the news stories in the past few days, the
evidence is mounting that Gov. Palin has a record of scandals,
lobbyist-derived pork barrel projects, and pay-to-play politics. She is not
a Œmaverick reformer¹ by any stretch.²
 
            As Palin¹s record has been exposed, there have been more and
more signs that Palin isn¹t the maverick reformer she and Sen. McCain claims
she is. Recent news reports have found that:
 
* Palin received $4,500 in campaign contributions from VECO Corp., the same
oil services company at the center of the wide-ranging scandal involving
several Alaskan elected officials, including indicted Sen. Ted Stevens. (The
Associated Press, ³Campaign Money Hurts Palin¹s Outsider Image,² 9/3/08)

* Palin was director of an independent ³527² political group named after,
and supported by, Stevens. (Washingtonpost.com, ³Palin Was Director of
Embattled Sen. Stevens¹ 527 Group,² 9/1/08)

* Sen. Stevens worked with Gov. Palin to help Alaska request almost $300 per
person in federal spending for pet projects. (AP, 9/3/08)

* Palin reportedly fired the local police chief in Wasilla after he angered
some of her political donors. (ABCNews.com, ³Another Controversy For Sarah
Palin,² 9/3/08)

* Palin hired a lobbying firm to win her town $27 million in federal
earmarks. (Washington Post, ³Palin¹s Small Alaska Town Secured Big Federal
Funds,² 9/2/08)

* The lobbyist Palin hired was Steven Silver, a former chief of staff to
Stevens. From 2002 to 2004, one of Silver's clients was Greenberg Traurig,
Jack Abramoff's lobbying firm. Silver handled the same issue portfolio as
did Abramoff. (The Washington Post, 9/2/08; TalkingPointsMemo.com, ³Palin's
Lobbyist Has Abramoff Ties," 9/2/08)

* Palin¹s earmarks were opposed by Sen. McCain on at least three occasions
in recent years (Los Angeles Times, ³McCain had criticized earmarks from
Palin,² 9/3/08)

* Palin backed away from supporting one of the most derided pork barrel
projects of all time  the Bridge to Nowhere  only when public uproar grew
too loud. (Source: Reuters, ³Palin ŒBridge to Nowhere¹ Line Angers Many
Alaskans,² 9/1/08)

* Palin is attempting to stall or prevent a State Legislative investigation
into her firing of the state¹s Public Safety Commissioner when he refused to
fire Palin¹s former brother-in-law. She filed an ethics complaint against
herself with the state¹s Personnel Board in an effort to undercut the
ongoing and active legislative investigation into the matter. (Anchorage
Daily News, ³Palin seeks review of Monagan firing case,² 9/3/08)

            ³We expect that Gov. Palin will talk tonight about bringing
change and reform to Washington,² Donnelly continued. ³However, we now know
that all she would bring to Washington are ties to special interests and the
corrupt politicians and politics that have dominated Alaska for years.²
 
            Campaign Money Watch is a project of the nonpartisan Public
Campaign Action Fund. The organization works to hold politicians who are
against comprehensive campaign finance reform accountable for where they get
their political donations.

-- 
David Miller
Communications/Web Manager
Public Campaign Action Fund/Campaign Money Watch
1828 L St. NW #250
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 448-6154

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