Raising Kaine: Corporate Shill To Head Democratic Party
Corporations pay big money for some "glad-handing" time with Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.
Let’s see, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich swapped corporate access to his state’s government for political contributions. He’s now Public Enemy #1. His fellow Democratic politicians are so shocked and appalled by his behavior, they’re now locking arms at the Senate door to rebuff his “tainted” appointee.
Meanwhile Virginia Governor Tim Kaine moonlights as the leader of a group that … swaps corporate access to state governments for political contributions. How do the Dems feel about that? They’re getting ready to let him run the party’s national committee.
From Bloomberg:
Kaine, 50, is the chairman of the Southern Governors’ Association, a group that raises money from tobacco, oil, energy and pharmaceutical companies in exchange for access to governors and other state officials.
…
On its Web site, the association pledges corporate interests will get “special opportunities to interact with governors and their key staff.” The group’s Corporate Affiliates Program gives donors varying amounts of access –including guarantees of private sessions — to the governors and their staff depending on how much they pay.
And, just like Blago, Kaine sees absolutely nothing wrong with this blatant pay-to-play scheme. In fact, if he is voted in as the leader of our country’s most powerful political party, as expected, he intends to keep his second job as a corporate shakedown artist:
Kaine’s press secretary, Gordon Hickey, said the governor plans to retain the SGA chairmanship and there’s no “move afoot to change any of the rules.”
Hickey swears up and down that all that corporate cash doesn’t influence Kaine or any other governor in the SGA:
The affiliates “contribute to the organization and it gives them access to the members,” Hickey said. “But they get no decision-making and no policy access. It’s just glad-handing.”
See? It’s just a little “glad-handing.” That’s all. Just a little flesh-pressing and back-slapping between corporate lobbyists and our public servants. Nothing to worry about! All that money changing hands? Why, it just pays for the privilege and pleasure of Kaine’s legendary company, of course! In fact, one energy company CEO was so smitten with Kaine, he even flew the governor to an SGA meeting on his corporate jet so they could ‘glad-hand’ just a little more:
Dominion Resources Inc., a Richmond, Virginia-based power company, flew Kaine and a top aide to a 2007 SGA meeting in Mississippi, according to a report in the Richmond Times Dispatch.
Kaine’s press flak Hickey says the guv just “hitched a ride” on Dominion’s jet. That may be true. But then again … From the Washington Post:
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has been battered by criticism from environmentalists over his support of a new coal-fired power plant for southwest Virginia, which Dominion Virginia Power says is essential to the state’s energy needs but which could also lead to higher utility rates for consumers statewide.
Amazingly, Kaine says one of his top priorities is fighting climate change. Apparently, if enough money–er, “glad-handing”–is involved, he plans to fulfill that promise by … building new coal-fired power plants!
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