Gordon Smith Lobbies the Lobbyists
Jeff Alworth
A small item on our fair Republican Senator caught my eye earlier this week (mainly because someone emailed it to me).
Washington lobbyists getting ready for a long, hot summer filled with 2006 campaign fund-raising were jolted last week with a request to fund an election 2-1/2 years away by coming to a snowy venue.
The mailed solicitation was for the ''6th Annual First Tracks Ski Trip'' at Deer Valley, Utah, on Dec. 2 this year on behalf of Republican Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon.
The high ticket cost is $2,500 for political action committees and $1,000 for individuals, with accommodations at the Stein Erickson Lodge costing extra.
In an era in which politicians are increasingly seen as being too cozy with lobbyists, how cozy does it look for a sitting senator to be snuggling up to them in a ski chalet? At a thousand bucks a head? Two years before an election?
Could it be that Gordon is feeling a little heat?
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Jun 29, '06
Hopefully the guy is feeling some heat!
While piously voting to selectively rescind Constitutional protections for gay and lesbian Americans, he goes on to support yet another misguided effort to weaken our Constitution, to prevent the hordes of people out there apparently burning American flags. I thought the flag actually stood for something (say, equal protection? freedom of speech? due process?), but Gordon won't think twice about trashing its meaning, promise or substance - only the woven cloth.
Meanwhile, while Gordon Smith fiddles, Americans and Iraqis keep dying because he and his GOP colleagues won't address the lies and distortions that got us into this unnecessary bloodbath, or make serious efforts to get us out. He fiddles while scientific research gets ignored and underfunded, veterans go without adequate resources, and education for Oregon children is short-changed.
And gee - now he's cozying up to GOP special interest lobbyists in a Utah resort. I'm sure those folks (the people he actually represents) will pay for some nice, soft lit sweater ads...
But I've seen 'em before.
Turn up that heat & Cheers!
Jun 29, '06
The guy is so out of touch with ordinary Oregonians from either the left or right. Senator Smith is about as gross a corporate pig as one can find on the Senate floor.
Jun 29, '06
Golf trips to Ireland... ski trips to Park City... taylor made French suits, a set of $250,000 golf clubs? We need a real Oregonian representing us in the Senate, one that doesn't run around the world to elite resorts with lobbyists!
Jun 30, '06
Why don't we get Kitzhaber to run? If Kitz wants universal healthcare, wouldn't DC be the right place for him? I'm thinking Gordie's days would be numbered if he ran.
Jun 30, '06
Yes, I'm a Republican and therefore biased toward the Senator - but as a politico, I honestly don't understand what's so wrong about a Senator raising funds for a race. Raising money is half the work of a campaign....
Help, anyone?
Jun 30, '06
Red,
Just how many Oregonians have $2,500 to plunk down to go on a ski trip with Gordon Smith? And that doesn't include lodging at the Stein Eriksson Lodge, which isn't some road side motel run by a first generation Indian from Gujurat.
So is Smith more likely to pass legislation that those on the ski trip want him to pass, or more likely to pass stuff that has to do with regular folks in the state?
Jul 2, '06
American People get what they voted for. US Senator Gordon Smith and many other political prostitutes as R. Wyden, D. Wu and etc elected to serve the PEOPLE, but not Lobbyists. They have no faith, no integrety no loyalty to our country and the PEOPLE, but own interests. How they look in the eyes of citizens? Name me what these carrier politicians did good for our state and nation? Borders are open. How many potential terrorists living in our country? American Flags are burning. It is NOT a freedom of speech, but cooperation, help and support our enemies. So many people died and are dying now not for it. Stop selling our nation and rape our Constitution, help me to get G. Smith, this human trash out from our office. There is no need too much money to be elected.
Pavel Goberman - Candidate for US Senator in 2008 Election "Stop Political Prostitution!", P.O. Box 1664 Beaverton, OR 97075 www.getenergized.com/vote.html