John McCain and tanker lobbying

[MrCoffee]

There is more on Sen. John McCain today and his role in the tanker debate. The Associated Press reported that his top advisers in his presidental campaign lobbied for EADS last year.

Bloomberg news reported that Tom Loeffler, who is now co-chairman of McCain's presidential campaign, received $220,000 from EADS in 2007, according to congressional lobbying records.

What did $220,000 buy EADS?

The United States had filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization alleging that Airbus unfairly benefits from European subsidies. Airbus in turn argued that Boeing also receives government support, mostly as tax breaks.

Under the Air Force proposal, bidders would have been required to explain how financial penalties or other sanctions stemming from the subsidy dispute might affect their ability to execute the contract. The request was widely viewed as hurting the EADS-Northrop Grumman bid.

The proposed bid request "may risk eliminating competition before bids are submitted," McCain wrote in a Dec. 1, 2006, letter to Gates. The Air Force changed the criteria four days later.

Good stuff from the McCain Camp.
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/aerospace/archives/134001.asp