Is Mitch McConnell The Next Sleazy Republican Larry Flynt Will Expose?

[babylonsister]

Is Mitch McConnell The Next Sleazy Republican Larry Flynt Will Expose?

Posted by Howie Klein at 9:10 AM on October 28, 2007.

Howie Klein: Sen. McConnell's earmark scandal may be the least of his worries.


This post, written by Howie Klein, originally appeared on Down With Tyranny!

McConnell is infamous in Washington for a number of things, aside from his official duty as Bush's chief obstructionist in the Senate. He's as dirty as they come and, unlike many of his colleagues, he's known for taking bribes from overseas interests. He's been an "unofficial"-- but immensely well-paid-- lobbyist for China for a long time. A new scandal, though, has him taking money from closer to home: a British arms dealer.

The story broke in the Kentucky papers today and it could be a devastating blow to McConnell's already shaky re-election prospects. In a state plagued with severe economic problems, it looks very bad that McConnell was caught earmarking $25 million for a British armsmaker, BAE, "that is under criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and suspected by American diplomats of a 'long-standing, widespread pattern of bribery allegations.'"

According to the story in the Lexington paper "McConnell has taken at least $53,000 in campaign donations from BAE's political action committees and employees since his 2002 re-election." He is suspected of having taken hundreds of thousands of dollars under the table.

Ethics watchdogs say they're surprised McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, would continue to give earmarks and take donations from a corporation in hot water with his own government. McConnell should keep his distance, said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

"Most politicians decide that a scandal is a good time to stop doing business with a company, at least until the scandal is over," Sloan said. "Particularly when we're talking about a criminal investigation over bribery. You would think that a member of Congress would want to steer clear of anyone accused of bribery."

Even without the scandal, it looks bad for a senator to earmark federal money for a corporation, as compared to a public university or a local government in his state, said Ken Boehm, chairman of the National Legal and Policy Center in Washington.

more...

http://alternet.org/blogs/peek/66322/#more

[Ellen Forradalom]

1. So many to choose from.

[cali]

2. let it be so.

he's in trouble anyway- polling at 45% in KY. If he is the target of Flynt and if it's for real, he's done.

[annabanana]

3. It would be particularly delicious if McConnell is the one.

Although there are many others who would provide similar helpings of schedenfreude.

[Wapsie B]

4. I'm icing up the beer now.

This show's gonna be good.

[Webster Green]

5. I hope so. That would be so sweet.

He is a monster. One of the worst.

[DemoTex]

6. Mitch is more crooked than a dog's hind leg ..

[nonconformist]

7. I CERTAINLY HOPE SO. That waste of space is my senator

:puke:

[laststeamtrain]

8. I'd love to see 'Bitch' McConnell go down...no, that doesn't sound right.

I'd love to see 'Bitch' McConnell get in lots & lots & lots of trouble.

There, that's better.

[PollThis]

9. I'm hoping it's either him, Orrin Hatch, or that BONER guy from Ohio.nt

[VP505]

10. "Is Mitch McConnell The Next Sleazy Republican"

I think we already know he is, it just needs to be put in the public eye so that everyone else knows it.!

[MzNov]

12. Would a McConnell scandal turn DC upside down tho?

We're so used to Puke sex scandals, wouldn't we just yawn and say, gee that doesn't surprise me? If Larry is claiming that DC will be turned upside down, maybe he finally got Dumbya and Condi! Woo Hoo, it would be so sweet. :bounce:

[MzNov]

14. Apparently he has claimed it's a U.S. Senator, so there goes my own theory. nt

[AzDar]

11. Wouldn't it be sweet to watch that tool resign? Then, of course, he could get on

with the business of tracking down the thief who stole his chin.....
:rofl:

[karynnj]

13. Here is more on BAE 's troubles

and an indication of why McConnell does not appear to like a certain distinguished Senator from MA.

"he US operations of BAE Systems have come under the spotlight amid a government probe and as it emerged Wednesday that a US senator raised concerns about allegations the British defense giant violated anti-bribery laws.

<snip>
"British media reports have alleged BAE set up a 120-million-dollar (60-million-pound) slush fund for members of the Saudi royal family to secure business dating back to 1985, and of making illegal payments to those involved in its deals. The reports claim some of the funds passed through a US bank in Washington."
<snip>
Kerry sent a letter to US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, dated June 21, outlining his concern at reports that BAE may have "violated US anti-bribery laws in relation to its international arms deals." The US Justice Department probe into BAE's operations comes at a sensitive time for the British arms manufacturer as it seeks to expand its US presence through a 4.5-billion-dollar deal to buy Armor Holdings Inc.

The British government dropped its probe for "security reasons" which disturbed an international organization.

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/196910.asp

[MasonJar]

15. I do NOT know about that, but he is certainly a sleazy politician.