WP: Controversial Industries Have Backed Boehner

[DeepModem Mom]

Controversial Industries Have Backed Boehner
By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, January 29, 2006; Page A05


Two controversial industries -- for-profit colleges and trade schools, and private student lenders -- have been the major sources of financing for Rep. John A. Boehner's bid to become House majority leader. Boehner has been an outspoken advocate for each interest, and has used his chairmanship to push legislation that would boost profits by millions of dollars.

Boehner (Ohio) is running against acting Majority Leader Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Republican Policy Committee Chairman John Shadegg (Ariz.) for the number two post in the House leadership. He has used his political action committee -- which he calls the "Freedom Project" -- to give GOP lawmakers at least $2.9 million over the past decade.

Boehner's ties to the two industries long had gone largely unnoticed, with coverage mostly limited to the Chronicle of Higher Education and some other education publications. Now that he is running for majority leader, his adversaries are seeking to discredit his bid and portray him as closely linked to Washington's special interest community....

***

In the most recent election cycle, 2003-2004, the Freedom Project received $572,719 from individuals, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission and analyzed by PoliticalMoneyLine. More than half of that, $292,570, came from employees and lobbyists for private student lending companies and for-profit academic institutions.

Individuals affiliated with the private student-loan industry gave the PAC $220,020, including $52,670 from officers of Sallie Mae. Sallie Mae was established in 1972 as a government-sponsored organization that over the past decade has become privatized, and is now a Fortune 500 company specializing in student loans....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/28/AR2006012801009.html?sub=AR

[LiberalVoice]

1. Maybe thats why they're controversial

:P

[951-Riverside]

2. ...Boehner *sigh* n/t

[starroute]

3. Susan B. Ralston's husband is with a for-profit college

She's the Abramoff assistant turned Karl Rove assistant whose name comes up in mentions of Abramoff/White House connections. And he's connected with DeVry Institute.

I'd be interested to know if Boehner got money from DeVry.