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| INFLUENCE PEDDLING |
| Tuesday, April 26, 2005 |
| Political Money Line: "Of the $16 million in privately-funded travel of Members of Congress (2000-Winter 2005) almost $8.8 million (55%) was from tax-exempt and other organizations who receive funds from others. The original donors to these organizations (and whether or not they earmarked funds for any of these trips) are not disclosed in the travel reports.
Many of these organizations are incorporated as non-profit 501c3 and 501c4 entities, which are not required to disclose their donors to the public in their IRS Form 990 reports. For example, the Aspen Institute is a 501c3 entity, and funded 344 trips for Democrats and 190 trips for Republicans. The Ripon Educational Fund is a 501(c4) entity, and funded 71 trips for Republicans and 3 trips for Democrats.
There is no legal prohibition to prevent a lobbyist from serving on the board of these organizations, and in some cases lobbyists may encourage a client to contribute to the non-profit. In some cases, serving on a non-profit's board permits the lobbyist to participate in the sponsored event or travel for Members of Congress.
In some cases, these organizations may be paying for travel to 'educate' Members of Congress on certain issues or topics. For example, The Nuclear Energy Institute has paid for Members to travel and tour facilities in Paris, France, and Barcelona, Spain, and Rome, Italy, and Las Vegas, Nevada. The Institute files lobbying reports showing they usually spend over one million dollars a year. Even British Nuclear Fuels Ltd has paid for members to travel to its Sellafield nuclear site in England.
To draw Members of Congress and to draw a membership to a meeting often requires a plush setting, nice weather, and of course free travel, meals, and other expenses. Very few reports list the name of the resort..." |
posted by Jack Mercer @ 4/26/2005 09:55:00 AM   |
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| About Me |
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Name: Jack Mercer
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"Snipet" (pronounced: snipe - it) is not a word.It is a derivative of two words: "Snipe" and "Snippet".
Miriam Webster defines Snipe as: to aim a carping or snide attack, or: to shoot at exposed individuals (as of an enemy's forces) from a usually concealed point of vantage.
Miriam Webster defines Snippet as: : a small part, piece, or thing; especially : a brief quotable passage.
In short, "Snipets" are brief, snide shots at exposed situations from a concealed vantage point.
WARNING! With due reverence to the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment there is NO comment policy on the News Snipet.
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