Anti-Lobbyist Obama enlists NH Lobbyist
Barack Obama has backhandedly slapped Hillary Rodham Clinton for accepting contributions from lobbyists and PACs, eschewing cash from both groups because he doesn’t want to be beholden to special interests. So it was with great interest that we read in the Boston Globe that BHO has enlisted New Hampshire lobbyist Jim Demers (who represents trial lawyers, firefighters and a major video poker/slot machine vendor, according to his firm’s Website) to be one of his New Hamsphire co-chairs.
Demers has already helped Obama organize events in the Granite State and has helped establish his organization.
In April, Obama refunded about $50,000 in lobbyist contributions. It’s not clear if Demers’ $2,300 was among the refunds. (His name isn’t on Obama’s refunds list because the campaign is only rejecting cash from federal lobbyists -- an interesting ethical hair-split).
Even if he refunded Demers’ check – and we have no reason to believe Demers has anything but the purest motives for joining the campaign -- the hiring raises questions. What good is returning a few grand from a lobbyist if that lobbyist is going to have unfettered access to the candidate as a volunteer?
Glenn Thrush
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Comments (7)
This is the kind of unfair attack that only a fan of Hillary Clinton would launch. Shame on you.
What a stupid piece from Newsday. So we are to disassociate ourselves from lobbyists even though some provide sound advice on policy to candidates? Talk about reaching for crap to create another worthless "story". Typical of today's MSM.
You have no idea about the workings or the demographics of New Hampshire politics.
New Hampshire is a small state - 1.3 million people and two congressional districts. To put things in perspective, the entire state of New Hampshire has less people than Nassau County.
Lobbyists are involved in the workings of many campaigns, both Republican and Democrat.
Since I know many of them, I can vouch that there motives are pure and that there support of a candidate has nothing to do with their lobbyist jobs.
Bill Siroty, MD
Oceanside HS Class of 1969
SUNY Stony Brook Class of 1973
Wait a second. The article said that Obama has hired Demers to be a co-chairman in NH. It didn't say Obama had received or accepted a donation check from Demers! So, why do you a couple of paragraphs further on, refer to the check that Demers gave Obama?! That's a hell of a stretch!
I can't believe all of you posting here are implying we should ignore this. What do want to do? Ignore anything that you don't like? Get a grip and vote with your brain! I'm not saying to vote for Hillary, but just use your brain. Don't ignore obvious signs of BS. For whatever reason the media is sucking up big time to Obama, while basically ignoring every other candidate. I'm doing my best to ignore the media so I can make my decision myself and not play follow the leader.
And by the way, Demers is a lobbyist for 2 pharmaceutical companies...Pfizer & PHRMA. Still want to ignore this?
The night of the fight, you may feel a slight sting. That's pride f*cking with you. F*ck pride. Pride only hurts, it never helps.
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