Huffington Post: Scott Brown Held Bank Of America Stock While Advocating For Big Banks
On November 17, 2011, the Huffington Post reported:
Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) positioned himself as a clean-government advocate this week, co-sponsoring the STOCK Act, which is designed to halt insider trading-like activity by members of Congress. But Brown's financial disclosure records show that he has been a large investor in Bank of America, GE and Exxon-Mobil throughout his time in the Senate -- even as he secured lucrative legislative protections for the nation’s biggest banks, trading houses and oil companies. What's more, under Brown's new good-government legislation, this type of activity would still be permitted...
USA Today: Bachmann, Democrats take shots at Gingrich
On November 17, 2011, USA Today reported:
American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic organization, has a new video out today that compiles some of Gingrich's past statements about Fannie and Freddie with clips of more recent coverage.
POLITICO: Questions arise about Rick Perry's business deals back home in Texas Tribune report
On November 16, 2011, POLITICO reported:
The Tribune piece looks at the deals in detail, but they include reports on buying and then flipping a Horseshoe Bay property from a friend, and a probe the Huffington Post revealed that was done on a land deal with Dr. James Leininger, a major Perry donor. The left-leaning group American Bridge hit Perry hard on the issue after his government-overhaul speech Monday, in a line of attack that will become a refrain if the governor starts to rise again.
Texas Tribune: Perry Decries Insider Trading But Critics Call Foul
On November 16, 2011, the Texas Tribune reported:
Newly — and fiercely — critical of using public office for personal financial gain, Gov. Rick Perry this week unveiled a campaign addemanding that lawmakers who use “insider knowledge to profit in the stock market” be jailed, and he rolled out an overhaul plan of the federal government that would make that possible by criminalizing insider trading by members of Congress. Some longtime observers of the Texas governor say his effort to portray himself as a reform-minded government “outsider” is inconsistent with his record, which they argue is peppered with instances in which his personal and political relationships became entangled in ways that helped him profit financially.
Houston Chronicle: Rick Perry’s ‘wrecking ball’ plan, explained
On November 15, 2011, the Houston Chronicle reported:
Perry also said he would jail lawmakers profiting from insider information, a reference to a CBS “60 Minutes” program that showed some congressional members bought stock in companies with an interest in pending legislation. A Democratic political action committee, American Bridge 21st Century, said Perry’s proposal smacked of hypocrisy and said the governor made tidy profits in stock holdings in Kinetic Concepts through his association with San Antonio-based James Leininger.
TPM: Rick Perry’s Good Government Plan: Throw The Bums In Jail!
On November 15, 2011, Talking Points Memo reported:
Democratic group American Bridge is already accusing him of hypocrisy, citing one incident in which Perry purchased stock in a hospital equipment company run by a top donor, James Leininger, the same day he met with him. Perry turned a profit after a new wave of investors drove its price up immediately afterwards. He has denied any wrongdoing. “If Perry thinks members of Congress belong in jail, what would he think about an elected official who purchased 2,800 shares of stock after speaking with that company’s CEO on the same day a giant investment group purchased 2.2 million of its shares?” communications director Chris Harris said in a statement.
Austin American Statesman: Project with ties to Perry OK'd despite objections
On November 14, 2011, the Austin American Statesman reported:
State environmental regulators appointed by Gov. Rick Perry issued a permit in January for a Houston-area industrial waste injection well to a company whose top investors include some of Perry's close friends and campaign contributors. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved the permit over the objections of the Texas Railroad Commission and every state and local official representing Montgomery County, and in spite of an administrative law judge's recommendation to deny the permit because the well might pollute groundwater.
Rick Perry’s “Insider” Hypocrisy
Last week, corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff offered his thoughts on how to clean up Washington. Today, crony capitalist Rick Perry chimed in. In an apparent attempt to paint himself as an outsider who would change Washington, Rick Perry released a web video asserting that members of Congress who use their “inside knowledge to profit in the stock market ought to be sent to jail.” Not so fast, Governor. As detailed below, he has a long history of using his position to make a quick buck. If Perry thinks members of Congress belong in jail, what would he think about an elected official who purchased 2,800 shares of stock after speaking with that company’s CEO on the same day a giant investment group purchased 2.2 million of its shares?
TPM: Gingrich Jokes About His ‘Historian’ Gig For Freddie Mac
On November 11, 2011, Talking Points Memo reported:
Newt Gingrich said during Wednesday’s debate that he worked for housing giant Freddie Mac as an “historian” in 2006 not as a lobbyist. That would make him one highly paid historian. While Freddie Mac confirmed that he did no lobbying work, government watchdogs told TPM that it was a fairly arbitrary distinction since ex-politicians are often hired as “consultants” who use their connections to perform similar functions. And that’s why they get paid the big bucks: Gingrich earned $300,000 for a year’s work with Freddie Mac while the average history professor has an average salary of about $63,000.Would that make Newt the highest paid historian in history? See Newt's answer after the jump
Billings Gazette: Abramoff-connected lobbyist sentenced to prison had Montana clients
On October 26, 2011, the Assoicated Press and Billings Gazette reported:
Kevin Ring, a former lobbyist who was a rising star under Jack Abramoff’s tutelage, was sentenced Wednesday to nearly two years in prison for giving public officials meals and event tickets. Ring represented two clients in Montana — and both have said he did a good job for them. [...] Carter County hired Ring in 2003 — at the suggestion of U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., who said he advised the county that a lobbyist could help its quest to secure highway funding, and gave them some names, including Ring’s. Ring gave $2,000 in campaign donations to Rehberg in 2002 and 2003 and $1,000 to then U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont.