"July 17, 2009
Categories: House Democrats

Big Dem cash dump on eve of climate vote

Three House Democratic leaders who were whipping members on the climate change bill gave tens of thousands in campaign cash to party moderates around the time of the 219-212 vote on June 26, according to Federal Election Commission records.

It's impossible to tell if that torrent of cash was an attempt to schmear wavering Democrats -- or just part of the usual cash dump made by leaders on the eve of the June 30 quarterly fundraising deadline.

Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) doled out $28,000 to reps who eventually voted yes on June 24, two days before the big vote -- on a day when House leaders were doing some heavy-duty arm-twisting.

Clyburn recipients who voted for the bill included a who's-who of battleground district Dems: Steve Driehaus, D-OH ($2,000); Martin Heinrich, D-NM ($2,000); Suzanne Kosmas, D-Fla. ($4,000); Betsy Markey, D-Colo. ($2,000); Carol Shea-Porter, D-NH ($2,000), Baron Hill, D-Ind. ($2,000); Alan Grayson, D-Fla. ($2,000); Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa ($2,000); Jim Himes, D-Conn. ($2,000); Mary Jo Kilroy, D-OH ($2,000); Kurt Schrader, D-Ore. ($2,000); Jerry McNerney, D-Calif. ($2,000) and Tom Perriello, D-Va. ($2,000).

On the other hand, Clyburn also gave at least $14,000 to Democrats who voted no despite his pressure: Mike Arcuri, D-NY ($2,000); Marion Berry, D-Ark. ($2,000); Bobby Bright, D-Ala. ($2,000); Chris Carney, D-Penn. ($2,000); Chet Edwards (D-Tx.), Travis Childers , D-Miss. ($2,000); Parker Griffith, D-Ala. ($2,000) and Harry Mitchell, D-NM ($2,000).

The same pattern held true for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who gave $4,000 to yes-voting Ohio Democrat Zack Space and the same amount to no-voting Chris Carney.

House Energy and Commerce Henry Waxman gave at least $16,000 to yes-voters on June, 25, FEC records show.

A Waxman campaign spokesman said the payouts were part of the usual "end-of-quarter activity."

Ken Spain, communications director of the National Republican Congressional Committee emails this response:

"If this was a concerted effort by the Democratic leadership to purchase votes for Nancy Pelosi's national energy tax at the eleventh hour, then it is unconscionable at best and corrupt at worst. The sad fact for those Democrats who were seemingly bought and paid for, is that it will take a lot more money than they received to defend such an atrocious vote."

UPDATE: Democrats have responded, turning up their own list of vulnerable Republicans who received leadership money at the end of the reporting period. Not surprisingly, they're dismissive of Republican accusations that votes were bought.

"What House Republican leaders may be lacking in solutions for the American people, they more than make up for in hypocrisy and bogus charges," said DCCC spokesman Ryan Rudominer. "Considering the long list of contributions that Leader Boehner gave to his own rank and file right after their 'just say no' vote to creating jobs and reducing America's dependence on foreign oil, their false accusations against Democrats are at best phony outrage and at worst, hypocrisy of the highest order."

Boehner gave $2,000 each in late June to Reps. Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.); Chris Lee (R-N.Y.), Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.), Joseph Cao (R-La.), Judy Biggert (R-Ill.), Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), and Thad McCotter (R-Mich.). All of these Republicans are among the most vulnerable politically."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0709/Big_Dem_cash_dump_on_eve_of_climate_vote.html?showall