Democratic Convention Hosted by Republican Donors, Anti-Obamacare Lobbyists
AND PEOPLE COMPLAIN THAT TRUMP INVITED THE CLINTONS TO HIS WEDDING - JUST LOOK AT WHAT THE REPUBLICAN/DEMOCRAT DONORS ARE DOING - BOTH SIDES OF THE ISLE "HAVE THE BEST SEATS" - POLITICS WILL BE POLITICS
May 11 2016, 6:51 a.m.
The Democratic Party’s 2012 platform pledged to “curb the influence of lobbyists and special interests.” But the 2016 convention in Philadelphia will be officially hosted by lobbyists and corporate executives, a number of whom are actively working to undermine progressive policies achieved by President Barack Obama, including health care reform and net neutrality.
Some of the members of the 2016 Democratic National Convention Host Committee, whose job is to organize the logistics and events for the convention, are hardly even Democratic Party stalwarts, given that many have donated and raised thousands of dollars for Republican presidential and congressional candidates this cycle.
The composition of the 15-member Host Committee may appear out of sync with the rhetoric of Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, but the reality is that the party, in the form of the Democratic National Committee, has moved decisively to embrace the lobbying industry. In October 2015, DNC chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., reportedly huddled with dozens of lobbyists to plan the convention in Philadelphia, and provided the influence peddlers involved with a menu of offerings in exchange for donations. In February, news reports revealed that the DNC had quietly lifted the Obama-era ban on federal lobbyist donations to the party and convention committee.
Anna Adams-Sarthou, the communications director for the Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee, wrote in an email to The Intercept that she has “no concerns” about lobbyists participating in the effort, because “the Host Committee is a nonprofit entity that does not lobby.”
The Host Committee, however, is deeply involved in planning events for the delegates, fundraising, and handling media relations, among other responsibilities.
“Our Host Committee is made up a diverse group of civic leaders that have led efforts like this in the past, many of whom were integrally involved in the bid for Philadelphia to host the convention,” Adams-Sarthou wrote.
The Host Committee’s finance chair is Daniel Hilferty. In his day job, Hilferty is CEO of Independence Blue Cross, a health insurance giant that covers nine million people. In December, Hilferty became board chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of America, a trade group that lobbies for the insurance industry, and he serves on the board of directors of America’s Health Insurance Plan’s (AHIP), the insurance industry lobbying group that spearheaded the campaign against the Affordable Care Act. Lobby registration documents show the BCBS Association is actively supporting a number of Republican bills to roll back provisions of the ACA.
In an interview conducted late last year, Hilferty said he plans to make “sure to work closely at the congressional level, with the administration, with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to have input” into how the ACA is implemented under the next administration.
Hilferty has also donated heavily to Republicans this cycle, giving $10,000 to Prosperity for Pennsylvania, a Super PAC supporting the reelection of Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.; $1,000 to the PAC supporting Sen. Orin Hatch, R-Utah; $1,000 to Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.; $2,700 to Chris Christie’s presidential campaign; $25,300 to the NRCC, a GOP committee designed to re-elect House Republicans; and $2,700 to Jeb Bush. Hilferty also gave $2,700 to Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
Allyson Schwartz, a former Democratic lawmaker, is a co-chair of the Host Committee. She was recently named head of a new advocacy group for the health insurance industry called Better Medicare Alliance. The group, according to the Center for Public Integrity, was set up by APCO, a lobbying firm for health insurance companies, to push to expand Medicare Advantage plans, the privately managed programs that were curtailed with the enactment of the ACA.
David Cohen is the special advisor to the Host Committee, and serves as the executive vice president of Comcast, overseeing the company’s lobbying and regulatory strategy. In addition to being a “Hillblazer” — one of Hillary Clinton’s bundlers who has raised $100,000 or more — Cohen has been a particularly bitter and duplicitous leading opponent of the rules regarding net neutrality, the principle that all Internet traffic must be treated equally. And despite hosting fundraisers for Clinton at his home last summer, Cohen has spent heavily to help elect a Republican Congress, including recent donations to the NRCC; Sen. Toomey; Sen. Scott; Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H.; as well as $33,400 to the NRSC, a committee for helping elect GOP members to the Senate.
The Philadelphia Host Committee chair, former Gov. Ed Rendell, headed for Wall Street as soon as he left office, and has since represented a number of controversial special interests. In 2011, as New York was debating regulations on fracking, Rendell wrote a pro-fracking opinion column in the New York Daily News, while failing to disclose that he was a paid consultant at a private equity firm that had investments in the industry.
That same year, Rendell started providing paid speeches on behalf of the Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK), a fringe Iranian exile group that was considered a terrorist organization by the State Department at the time (it was delisted in 2012).
The former governor also joined the group Fix The Debt — an organization backed by private equity billionaire Pete Peterson that advocates for cutting Social Security benefits — [url=https://www.fixthedebt.org/uploads/files/President budget final 0215.pdf]co-chairing its activities[/url] alongside Judd Gregg.
Rendell is currently a special counsel at the law and lobbying firm Ballard Spahr; earlier this year, the firm launched a new election law group, advising clients on campaign finance and lobbying strategy.
“The Democratic Party, especially the DNC, have never liked Obama’s policies to disengage lobbyists from campaign fundraising,” says Craig Holman, an expert on ethics and campaign finance with Public Citizen. “The party only went along with the restrictions because Obama was the party leader. As soon as Obama could no longer be viewed as the leader of the party, the DNC quietly repealed the lobbyist restrictions. The public learned about it only weeks later.”
“Party bosses have always preferred a Wild West when it comes to fundraising,” he adds. “If party bosses had their way, we would have no restrictions on campaign contributions to the parties and return to the days of Tammany Hall.”
http://world.einnews.com/article/325797027/8FMzYw-USHEJuAdc
AND PEOPLE COMPLAIN THAT TRUMP INVITED THE CLINTONS TO HIS WEDDING - JUST LOOK AT WHAT THE REPUBLICAN/DEMOCRAT DONORS ARE DOING - BOTH SIDES OF THE ISLE "HAVE THE BEST SEATS" - POLITICS WILL BE POLITICS
May 11 2016, 6:51 a.m.
The Democratic Party’s 2012 platform pledged to “curb the influence of lobbyists and special interests.” But the 2016 convention in Philadelphia will be officially hosted by lobbyists and corporate executives, a number of whom are actively working to undermine progressive policies achieved by President Barack Obama, including health care reform and net neutrality.
Some of the members of the 2016 Democratic National Convention Host Committee, whose job is to organize the logistics and events for the convention, are hardly even Democratic Party stalwarts, given that many have donated and raised thousands of dollars for Republican presidential and congressional candidates this cycle.
The composition of the 15-member Host Committee may appear out of sync with the rhetoric of Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, but the reality is that the party, in the form of the Democratic National Committee, has moved decisively to embrace the lobbying industry. In October 2015, DNC chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., reportedly huddled with dozens of lobbyists to plan the convention in Philadelphia, and provided the influence peddlers involved with a menu of offerings in exchange for donations. In February, news reports revealed that the DNC had quietly lifted the Obama-era ban on federal lobbyist donations to the party and convention committee.
Anna Adams-Sarthou, the communications director for the Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee, wrote in an email to The Intercept that she has “no concerns” about lobbyists participating in the effort, because “the Host Committee is a nonprofit entity that does not lobby.”
The Host Committee, however, is deeply involved in planning events for the delegates, fundraising, and handling media relations, among other responsibilities.
“Our Host Committee is made up a diverse group of civic leaders that have led efforts like this in the past, many of whom were integrally involved in the bid for Philadelphia to host the convention,” Adams-Sarthou wrote.
The Host Committee’s finance chair is Daniel Hilferty. In his day job, Hilferty is CEO of Independence Blue Cross, a health insurance giant that covers nine million people. In December, Hilferty became board chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of America, a trade group that lobbies for the insurance industry, and he serves on the board of directors of America’s Health Insurance Plan’s (AHIP), the insurance industry lobbying group that spearheaded the campaign against the Affordable Care Act. Lobby registration documents show the BCBS Association is actively supporting a number of Republican bills to roll back provisions of the ACA.
In an interview conducted late last year, Hilferty said he plans to make “sure to work closely at the congressional level, with the administration, with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to have input” into how the ACA is implemented under the next administration.
Hilferty has also donated heavily to Republicans this cycle, giving $10,000 to Prosperity for Pennsylvania, a Super PAC supporting the reelection of Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.; $1,000 to the PAC supporting Sen. Orin Hatch, R-Utah; $1,000 to Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.; $2,700 to Chris Christie’s presidential campaign; $25,300 to the NRCC, a GOP committee designed to re-elect House Republicans; and $2,700 to Jeb Bush. Hilferty also gave $2,700 to Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
Allyson Schwartz, a former Democratic lawmaker, is a co-chair of the Host Committee. She was recently named head of a new advocacy group for the health insurance industry called Better Medicare Alliance. The group, according to the Center for Public Integrity, was set up by APCO, a lobbying firm for health insurance companies, to push to expand Medicare Advantage plans, the privately managed programs that were curtailed with the enactment of the ACA.
David Cohen is the special advisor to the Host Committee, and serves as the executive vice president of Comcast, overseeing the company’s lobbying and regulatory strategy. In addition to being a “Hillblazer” — one of Hillary Clinton’s bundlers who has raised $100,000 or more — Cohen has been a particularly bitter and duplicitous leading opponent of the rules regarding net neutrality, the principle that all Internet traffic must be treated equally. And despite hosting fundraisers for Clinton at his home last summer, Cohen has spent heavily to help elect a Republican Congress, including recent donations to the NRCC; Sen. Toomey; Sen. Scott; Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H.; as well as $33,400 to the NRSC, a committee for helping elect GOP members to the Senate.
The Philadelphia Host Committee chair, former Gov. Ed Rendell, headed for Wall Street as soon as he left office, and has since represented a number of controversial special interests. In 2011, as New York was debating regulations on fracking, Rendell wrote a pro-fracking opinion column in the New York Daily News, while failing to disclose that he was a paid consultant at a private equity firm that had investments in the industry.
That same year, Rendell started providing paid speeches on behalf of the Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK), a fringe Iranian exile group that was considered a terrorist organization by the State Department at the time (it was delisted in 2012).
The former governor also joined the group Fix The Debt — an organization backed by private equity billionaire Pete Peterson that advocates for cutting Social Security benefits — [url=https://www.fixthedebt.org/uploads/files/President budget final 0215.pdf]co-chairing its activities[/url] alongside Judd Gregg.
Rendell is currently a special counsel at the law and lobbying firm Ballard Spahr; earlier this year, the firm launched a new election law group, advising clients on campaign finance and lobbying strategy.
“The Democratic Party, especially the DNC, have never liked Obama’s policies to disengage lobbyists from campaign fundraising,” says Craig Holman, an expert on ethics and campaign finance with Public Citizen. “The party only went along with the restrictions because Obama was the party leader. As soon as Obama could no longer be viewed as the leader of the party, the DNC quietly repealed the lobbyist restrictions. The public learned about it only weeks later.”
“Party bosses have always preferred a Wild West when it comes to fundraising,” he adds. “If party bosses had their way, we would have no restrictions on campaign contributions to the parties and return to the days of Tammany Hall.”
http://world.einnews.com/article/325797027/8FMzYw-USHEJuAdc
Today at 5:28 pm by Rocky
» utube MM&C 4/16/24 IQD Update - Iraq Dinar - America - Activate - Massive Economic Deals -
Today at 5:24 pm by Rocky
» Al-Sudani urges the US corporation Honeywell to help finish the Basra refinery
Today at 2:48 pm by Rocky
» Al-Sudani Meets with Representatives of Western Media Outlets in Washington
Today at 2:46 pm by Rocky
» Chairman of the Investment Authority signs the United Nations Convention on International Mediation
Today at 2:44 pm by Rocky
» PM: We will sign a contract to establish the Al-Faw refinery with a Chinese company
Today at 2:42 pm by Rocky
» PM arrives in Houston as part of his visit to USA
Today at 2:41 pm by Rocky
» Militia Man & Crew 4/18/24 Bush signed it and all presidents implemented it. Iraq’s funds have been
Today at 1:46 pm by Rocky
» Association of Iraqi Private Banks: The suspension of some electronic payment services yesterday was
Today at 7:14 am by Rocky
» Iraq is close to launching the electronic signature
Today at 7:12 am by Rocky
» The Basra government discusses with an international oil company the implementation of social benefi
Today at 7:11 am by Rocky
» The Prime Minister confirms to an American company: Gas projects in Iraq are a priority for the gove
Today at 7:10 am by Rocky
» The Minister of Planning discusses with the World Bank mechanisms for scheduling external loans
Today at 7:09 am by Rocky
» Oil sets the twenty-seventh of this month as the date for opening contracts for the fifth complement
Today at 7:08 am by Rocky
» “Electronic begging”...professionalism and fabrication of stories” generates millions of dinars dail
Today at 7:05 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani calls on the American company Hanwell to contribute to the completion of the Basra refiner
Today at 7:03 am by Rocky
» An American company expresses its willingness to establish LED lighting production lines in Iraq
Today at 7:02 am by Rocky
» Including Iraq.. Iran announces the possibility of exporting 300 megawatts of “renewable electricity
Today at 7:01 am by Rocky
» Political forces present two options to find an alternative to Al-Halbousi
Today at 6:58 am by Rocky
» Parliament is awaiting the arrival of the budget schedules and the government is studying higher spe
Today at 6:56 am by Rocky
» The International Monetary Fund adjusts its expectations for the development of the world’s economie
Today at 6:54 am by Rocky
» A representative talks about the difficulty of finalizing the file of “electing the Speaker of Parli
Today at 6:50 am by Rocky
» Work on preparing a law for diplomatic passports
Today at 6:49 am by Rocky
» A female representative accuses the Ministry of Immigration of corruption
Today at 6:47 am by Rocky
» Minister: Solving the Kurdistan salaries problem is the beginning of addressing other disputes betwe
Today at 6:45 am by Rocky
» About 270 million dollars were sold by the Central Bank of Iraq in the currency auction
Today at 6:42 am by Rocky
» The volume of trade exchange between Jordan and Iraq will exceed 800 million dinars in 2023
Today at 6:41 am by Rocky
» Iraq signs memorandums of understanding with American companies in the fields of electricity, oil an
Today at 5:31 am by Rocky
» The American company that manufactures the F16 expresses its readiness to implement the terms of con
Today at 5:30 am by Rocky
» The volume of expected Qatari investments for the Iraq Fund for Development exceeds $3.5 billion
Today at 5:29 am by Rocky
» Decrease in dollar prices in Baghdad and Erbil
Today at 5:27 am by Rocky
» The President of the Region brings together the Kurdish parties to resolve the election file
Today at 5:26 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani receives in Washington the Chairman of JPMorgan
Today at 5:25 am by Rocky
» Transport is starting to transform its ports into smart ones
Today at 5:23 am by Rocky
» Sudanese reveals the volume of exchange with America
Today at 5:22 am by Rocky
» "Al-Eqtisad News" publishes the memorandums of understanding signed between the Iraqi delegation and
Today at 5:21 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani urges an American company to contribute to establishing a chemical materials factory
Today at 5:20 am by Rocky
» Iraq stresses the importance of Lockheed Martin's commitment to opening military aircraft maintenanc
Today at 5:19 am by Rocky
» Iraq is on the verge of a “water disaster” by 2035
Today at 5:18 am by Rocky
» Great satisfaction and optimism with the results of Sudanese’s visit to Washington
Today at 5:16 am by Rocky
» Transport is beginning to adopt a plan to transform its ports into smart ones
Today at 5:15 am by Rocky
» Completed 8,000 loan transactions at the Housing Bank
Today at 5:14 am by Rocky
» Prime Minister: We plan to invest production capacities for export
Today at 5:12 am by Rocky
» Transformation and partnership...a new horizon in Iraqi-American relations
Today at 5:10 am by Rocky
» What is new in the economic dimension of the Washington visit?
Today at 5:09 am by Rocky
» Two letters to the future
Today at 5:08 am by Rocky
» National interests first
Today at 5:06 am by Rocky
» Iraqi-American rapprochement...a national necessity
Today at 5:05 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani’s visit to Washington and the course of Iraqi-American relations
Today at 5:04 am by Rocky
» Sudanese carries security, economic and development files to Washington
Today at 5:03 am by Rocky
» Armament and military development... features of a sustainable partnership
Today at 5:02 am by Rocky
» Analysts: Sudanese's visit to Washington will achieve excellent results in the future
Today at 5:01 am by Rocky
» Iraqi-American relations...the legacy of the past and the aspirations of partnership
Today at 5:00 am by Rocky
» Sudanese and external necessities
Today at 4:59 am by Rocky
» The Strategic Framework Agreement... 7 important provisions
Today at 4:58 am by Rocky
» Joint statement of the Iraqi-American discussions
Today at 4:56 am by Rocky
» Supreme Coordinating Committee: Iraq's role is vital to the security and prosperity of the region
Today at 4:55 am by Rocky
» Towards an effective bilateral economic relationship between Baghdad and Washington
Today at 4:53 am by Rocky
» She saw it as a new, different chapter in Iraqi-American relations... Al-Sudani’s visit to Washingto
Today at 4:52 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani’s visit to Washington.. Implications and results
Today at 4:51 am by Rocky
» Advisor to the Prime Minister: The relationship with America has moved to the stage of cooperation
Today at 4:50 am by Rocky
» Sudanese sponsors the signing ceremony of memorandums of understanding in America
Today at 4:47 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The volume of exchange between Iraq and the United States does not exceed 10 billion doll
Today at 4:46 am by Rocky
» During Erdogan's visit on Monday, Iraq seeks to sign the "Water Protocol" with Türkiye
Today at 4:45 am by Rocky
» With the escalation of tension between Tehran and Tel Aviv...an expert reveals the secrets of Sudane
Today at 4:43 am by Rocky
» There are 150 draft laws on the parliament table waiting to be voted on... and the debates require c
Today at 4:42 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani stresses the necessity of continuing the dialogue with the US Treasury, the Federal Reserv
Today at 4:41 am by Rocky
» Deputy: We reject the term sanctions, and Iraq is financially independent
Today at 4:38 am by Rocky
» Warnings of a “political impasse” after Barzani’s boycott of the elections... Al-Sadr raises questio
Today at 4:37 am by Rocky
» The head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s representative office in Baghdad visits the external
Today at 4:36 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: There are no combat forces in Iraq to withdraw.. The Iraqi Prime Minister confirmed in Wa
Today at 4:34 am by Rocky
» Do the Iraqi political blocs really intend to hold the second early elections?
Today at 4:33 am by Rocky
» Baghdad is not aware of the factions’ participation in the attack on Israel, and Washington is revie
Today at 4:32 am by Rocky
» Progress: Al-Halbousi may return to the presidency of Parliament
Today at 4:30 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: Iraq has distinguished relations with Iran and America
Today at 4:30 am by Rocky
» Minister of Industry: Iraq is not a rich country and the electricity problem will not be solved even
Today at 4:29 am by Rocky
» A prospective law to employ prisoners and detainees... job and retirement opportunities similar to E
Today at 4:27 am by Rocky
» Sako in Baghdad.. Three possible scenarios for his return after the “withdrawal of the decree” crisi
Today at 4:26 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Integrity reveals a move with the judiciary to recover TBI Bank’s funds
Today at 4:24 am by Rocky
» Iraq signs 18 memorandums of understanding with Washington
Today at 4:22 am by Rocky
» An Iraqi judicial delegation arrives in Syria to discuss terrorism files and document ISIS crimes
Today at 4:21 am by Rocky
» A plan to exploit new lands...the latest developments in the wheat, barley and rice season in Iraq
Today at 4:19 am by Rocky
» Al-Abadi accuses oil companies of causing 70% of the cancer rate in Basra
Today at 4:17 am by Rocky
» Justice announces the formation of a higher committee to resolve the state’s real estate file
Today at 4:16 am by Rocky
» Deputy: Iraq seeks to sign the “Water Protocol” with Türkiye
Today at 4:15 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani stresses the importance of the American company Lockheed’s commitment to opening military
Today at 4:13 am by Rocky
» The team accompanying Sudanese in Washington: America will hand over to Iraq the antiquities that we
Today at 4:12 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani sponsors the signing ceremony of memorandums of understanding with American companies
Yesterday at 3:38 pm by Rocky
» MM&C 4/17/24 Saleh: The budget tables are almost complete and will take into account urgent circu
Yesterday at 3:36 pm by Rocky
» Saleh: Private banks in Iraq are considering reorganizing themselves with another government structu
Yesterday at 3:33 pm by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: It is not possible to work in any development sector without reforming the banking sector
Yesterday at 3:32 pm by Rocky
» Minister of Oil: Kurdistan’s exports will soon resume, and the region must hand over its oil to SOMO
Yesterday at 3:30 pm by Rocky
» An economic expert identifies ways for Iraq to get out of oil rents... starting with $350 million
Yesterday at 3:29 pm by Rocky
» Parliamentary Oil: A proposal to establish Iraqi refineries in neighboring countries... and these ar
Yesterday at 3:28 pm by Rocky
» Al-Ardawi: The Sudanese government seeks to liberalize the Iraqi dinar and stabilize the economy
Yesterday at 3:27 pm by Rocky
» MM&C 4/17/24 Al-Sudani receives in Washington the Chairman of JPMorgan
Yesterday at 2:41 pm by Rocky
» MM&C 4/17/24 US Supports Iraq in joining WTO
Yesterday at 2:36 pm by Rocky
» US Supports Iraq in joining WTO
Yesterday at 10:17 am by Rocky
» utube 4/14/24 MM&C Iraqi Dinar - Iraq Prime Minister in Washington - Coming to
Yesterday at 8:58 am by Rocky