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j__1
10-20-2007, 07:49 PM
Hmmmm.... Our tax dollars and our hard work in action (i.e., consumer payments --> labor --> workforce -->politicians --> corporations).

Gotta love corporatism! :rolleyes:


Democratic Lawmaker Pushing Immunity Is Newly Flush With Telco Cash on Threat Level (http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/10/dem-pushing-spy.html)
Democratic Lawmaker Pushing Immunity Is Newly Flush With Telco Cash

By Ryan Singel http://blog.wired.com/images/icon_email.gif (ryan@ryansingel.net)October 18, 2007 | 6:21:44 PMCategories: Surveillance (http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/surveillance/index.html)

Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) is reportedly steering the secretive Senate Intelligence Committee to give retroactive immunity to telecoms that helped the government secretly spy on Americans. He has also recently benefited from some interesting political contributions.
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/verizonss21.GIF
Top Verizon executives, including CEO Ivan Seidenberg and President Dennis Strigl, wrote personal checks to Rockefeller totaling $23,500 in March, 2007. Prior to that apparently coordinated flurry of 29 donations, only one of those executives had ever donated to Rockefeller (at least while working for Verizon).
In fact, prior to 2007, contributions to Rockefeller from company executives at AT&T and Verizon were mostly non-existent.

But that changed around the same time that the companies began lobbying Congress to grant them retroactive immunity from lawsuits seeking billions for their alleged participation in secret, warrantless surveillance programs that targeted Americans.

The Spring '07 checks represent 86 percent of money donated to Rockefeller by Verizon employees since at least 2001.

AT&T executives discovered a fondness for Rockefeller just a month after Verizon execs did and over a three-month span, collectively made donations totaling $19,350.

AT&T Vice President Fred McCallum began the giving spree in May with a $500 donation. 22 other AT&T high fliers soon followed with their own checks.
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/attss22.GIF
Prior to that burst of generosity, the only AT&T employee donation to Rockefeller was a $300 contribution in 2001. That supporter did not identify herself as a company executive.

When asked about the contributions, an AT&T spokesman told THREAT LEVEL: "AT&T employees regularly and voluntarily participate in the political process with their own funds."

Both companies are being sued for allegedly turning over billions of calling records to the government, while AT&T is also accused of letting the National Security Agency wiretap phone calls and its internet backbone. A federal judge in California allowed the suits regarding the eavesdropping to continue despite the government's attempt to have the suits thrown out on the grounds they will endanger national security. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reviewed that decision in August. The judges seemed reluctant to toss the cases, but have yet to issue a ruling.

On Thursday evening, the Rockefeller-led Senate Intelligence Committee is marking up a bill to re-amend the nation's spy laws. While the text of the bill has not yet been released, the bill reportedly includes a way for the telecoms to escape the litigation (http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/10/senate-dems-rep.html) against them.

Rockefeller's commitment to getting the telecoms out of court surprises some who remember that Rockefeller was originally disturbed enough about the secret spying programs that he hand-wrote a letter (http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/rock-cheney1.html) to **** Cheney in 2003, expressing his concerns about the program's legality.

In a fairly stunning related news, Democratic Senator Chris Dodd went all in with his political capital Thursday, announcing he would unilaterally put a hold on the bill (http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/10/senator-dodd-an.html), which would stop the bill from being voted on.

Representatives for Verizon and Rockefeller did not respond to requests for comment.

The contributions and the following tables were found thanks to OpenSecrets.org (http://opensecrets.org/).

UPDATE: Reader Theo writes in to say why the money, though tiny in comparison to Rockefeller's fortune, is not negligible.Rockefeller is believed to have a personal fortune over $100 million. He spent $12 million of personal funds on his first Senate campaign. (Deep, deep pockets. (John D. Rockefeller IV) (http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-3521561.html))
However "in recent campaigns, he has downplayed his personal wealth in one of the nation's poorest states. 'I will not spend one single dime of any money that I have,' he said in 2002. 'So that I if I don't raise money, I won't spend money. I am on exactly the same playing field, so to speak, with anybody else who runs for office.'" AP (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/external/pre-election/bios/437.html?SITE=NCGRDELN&SECTION=POLITICS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)
He's up for election in 2008. The cost of Senate races has increased several times over the last two decades. With a serious Republican challenger in WV, which Bush won twice, such as Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, he could be forced to raise tens of millions of dollars. That, or break his promise not to use his personal fortune, which wouldn't play very well in one of the country's poorest states.
So yes, even a Rockefeller has to raise money. And in West Virginia, $50,000 is a lot of money. It's about 2% of all the money he raised last year. (But I'll bet he's slightly more worried about being red-baited for suppurtin' terrists.)
Verizon Employee Contributions to Senator Jay Rockefeller, in reverse chronological order.

Contributor
Occupation
Date
Amount
PETERSEN, WILLIAM B
GLADWYNE,PA 19035
VERIZON PENNSYLVANIA/PRESIDENT
3/29/2007
$500
KEAM, MARK L
VIENNA,VA 22181
VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS/PRESIDENT
3/28/2007
$650
SPLTZ, JUDITH A
MOUNT KISCO,NY 10549
VERIZON BUSINESS/SENIOR VICE PRESID
3/28/2007
$500
HICKEY, J M
ARLINGTON,VA 22206
VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT
3/24/2007
$1,000
SEIDENBERG, IVAN
WEST NYACK,NY 10994
VERIZON/CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE
3/24/2007
$2,300
STRIGL, DENNIS F
PRINCETON,NJ 08540
VERIZON/PRESIDENT & CHIEF OPERATING
3/24/2007
$1,000
LACK, JOHN J
COLLEYVILLE,TX 76034
VERIZON/SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
3/22/2007
$1,000
YOUNG, STEPHEN P
ATLANTA,GA 30309
VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT
3/22/2007
$500
BRIGGS, HEATHER K
GREAT FALLS,VA 22066
VERIZON/OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
3/21/2007
$1,000
ROBERTS, WILLIAM R
CHEVY CHASE,MD 20815
VERIZON/PRESIDENT, MARYLAND
3/21/2007
$500
ROSENZWEIG, DAVID A
HUNTINGTON STATION,NY 11746
VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT
3/21/2007
$1,000
BROWN, KATHRYN C
OAKTON,VA 22124
VERIZON/SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
3/19/2007
$1,000
CAVENDISH, HUGH S
CHARLESTON,WV 25314
VERIZON/PRESIDENT, WEST VIRGINIA
3/19/2007
$1,000
LEWIS, ANTHONY A
WASHINGTON,DC 20005
VERIZON/PRESIDENT, WASHINGTON D.C.
3/19/2007
$1,000
MAGUIRE, THOMAS
NORTHPORT,NY 11768
VERIZON/DIRECTOR, FEDERAL PUBLIC AF
3/19/2007
$1,000
PEACE, DAVID L
PORT MURRAY,NJ 07865
VERIZON/ATTORNEY
3/19/2007
$250
SMALL, DAVID J
GLADSTONE,NJ 07934
VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS/SENIOR VICE
3/19/2007
$1,000
TAUKE, THOMAS J
ALEXANDRIA,VA 22304
VERIZON/EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
3/19/2007
$1,000
GLOVER, MICHAEL E
FALLS CHURCH,VA 22046
VERIZON/ATTORNEY
3/17/2007
$500
MAYER, CHRISTOPHER J
MORRISTOWN,NJ 07960
VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT
3/17/2007
$300
MITCH, RANDAL S
BETHESDA,MD 20814
VERIZON BUSINESS/ATTORNEY
3/17/2007
$1,000
BRAFMAN, BRUCE J
ENGLEWOOD,NJ 07631
VERIZON/SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
3/16/2007
$500
TOOHEY, ROBERT A
SHORT HILLS,NJ 07078
VERIZON BUSINESS/SENIOR VICE PRESID
3/16/2007
$500
CREAGER, CHRISTOPHER
DAYTON,MD 21036
VERIZON/SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
3/15/2007
$1,000
WHITE, JACK H JR
FAIRFAX STATION,VA 22039
VERIZON/ATTORNEY
3/15/2007
$500
LEWIS, JAMES L
ORINDA,CA 94563
VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT
3/13/2007
$1,000
RABE, ERIC W
HAVERFORD,PA 19041
VERIZON/EXECUTIVE
3/12/2007
$1,000
SAXENA, RAHUL
MENDHAM,NJ 07945
VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT
3/8/2007
$1,000
CAVENDISH, HUGH S
CHARLESTON,WV 25314
VERIZON-WV
3/31/2005
$1,000
RUD****, JOHN R
HURRICANE,WV 25526
VERIZON
9/27/2002
$250
GIVEN, GALE Y
HURRICANE,WV 25526
VERIZON
3/29/2002
$1,000
GIVEN, GALE J
HURRICANE,WV 25526
VERIZON
12/20/2001
$1,000
TURMAN, THOMAS S
BARBOURSVILLE,WV 25504
VERIZON
8/2/2001
$500


AT&T Employee Contributions to Senator Jay Rockefeller, in reverse chronological order

Contributor
Occupation
Date
Amount
SPEARS, RONALD E
NEW CANAAN,CT 06840
AT&T CORPORATION/PRESIDENT
6/28/2007
$1,000
COUGHLIN, CATHERINE M
CHICAGO,IL 60611
AT&T CORPORATION/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF
6/1/2007
$500
DIETZ, RICHARD C
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78257
AT&T CORPORATION/EXECUTIVE
6/1/2007
$500
DREXEL, WILLIAM R
CONCORD,CA 94521
AT&T CORPORATION/SENIOR VICE PRESID
6/1/2007
$500
JACOBY, PETER
MCLEAN,VA 22101
AT&T CORPORATION/VICE PRESIDENT
6/1/2007
$1,000
KAHAN, JAMES S
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78205
AT&T CORPORATION/DIVISIONAL SENIOR
6/1/2007
$500
MONTFORD, JOHN T
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78257
AT&T CORPORATION/SENIOR VICE PRESID
6/1/2007
$1,000
RICE, CHRISTOPHER T
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78258
AT&T CORPORATION/CHIEF TECHNICAL OF
6/1/2007
$250
SHELLEY, JAMES B
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78249
AT&T CORPORATION/SENIOR VICE PRESID
6/1/2007
$500
STANKEY, JOHN T
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78212
AT&T CORPORATION/GROUP PRESIDENT
6/1/2007
$500
VIOLA, MICHAEL J
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78209
AT&T CORPORATION/SENIOR VICE PRESID
6/1/2007
$500
WELDAY, RICHARD
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78230
AT&T CORPORATION/CHIEF MARKETING OF
6/1/2007
$500
JUNELL, WILLIAM H
HOUSTON,TX 77056
AT&T CORPORATION/GROUP PRESIDENT
5/31/2007
$2,300
JUNELL, WILLIAM H
HOUSTON,TX 77056
AT&T CORPORATION/GROUP PRESIDENT
5/31/2007
$2,300
CALLAWAY, JAMES W
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78209
AT&T, INC./SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE PR
5/22/2007
$1,000
ELLIS, JAMES D
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78209
AT&T, INC/SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRE
5/22/2007
$500
MILLER, FORREST E
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78209
AT&T COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION/GRO
5/22/2007
$1,000
SIGMAN, STAN
ATLANTA,GA 30342
AT&T MOBILITY, LLC/PRESIDENT & CEO
5/22/2007
$1,000
TACKER, CAROL L
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78204
AT&T MOBILITY, LLC/VICE PRESIDENT
5/22/2007
$500
WATTS, WAYNE
FAIR OAKS RANCH,TX 78015
AT&T, INC./SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT &
5/22/2007
$2,000
WILKINS, RAY
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78209
AT&T, INC./GROUP PRESIDENT
5/22/2007
$500
HARROLSON, JAMES G
ATLANTA,GA 30309
AT&T CORPORATION/ATTORNEY
4/9/2007
$500
MCCALLUM, FRED J JR
MARIETTA,GA 30062
AT&T CORPORATION/VICE PRESIDENT
4/9/2007
$500
BAILEY, KARYN L
CASTLE ROCK,CO 80104
AT&T
9/20/2001
$300

genaldar
10-20-2007, 08:54 PM
Jebus, what a schmuck. Selling out our rights for a (relatively) measly influx of cash.

btw anyone else bet he stopped spending his own money on his campaign so he could save it for swimming in, ala Scrooge McDuck?