A Developer, His Deals and His Ties to McCain

New York Times ^ | April 22, 2008 | David D. Kirkpatrick And Jim Rutenberg

[calcowgirl]

Donald R. Diamond, a wealthy Arizona real estate developer, was racing to snap up a stretch of virgin California coast freed by the closing of an Army base a decade ago when he turned to an old friend, Senator John McCain.

...Courting local officials and potential partners, Mr. Diamond’s team promised that he could “help get through some of the red tape in dealing with the Department of the Army” because Mr. Diamond “has been very active with Senator McCain,” a partner said in a deposition.

... A longtime political patron, Mr. Diamond is one of the elite fund-raisers Mr. McCain’s current presidential campaign calls Innovators, having raised more than $250,000 so far. At home, Mr. Diamond ...specializes in deals with the government, and unabashedly solicits support for his business interests from the recipients of his campaign contributions.

... In California, the McCain aide’s assistance with the Army helped Mr. Diamond complete a purchase in 1999 that he soon turned over for a $20 million profit. ...

In Arizona, Mr. McCain has helped Mr. Diamond with matters as small as forwarding a complaint in a regulatory skirmish over the endangered pygmy owl, and as large as introducing legislation remapping public lands...

... Mr. Diamond, for his part, said Mr. McCain had only done his job. “I think that is what Congress people are supposed to do for constituents,” he said. “When you have a big, significant businessman like myself, why wouldn’t you want to help move things along? What else would they do? They waste so much time with legislation.”

... Mr. Diamond is close to most of Arizona’s Congressional delegation and is candid about his expectations as a fund-raiser. “I want my money back, for Christ’s sake. Do you know how many cocktail parties I have to go to?”

[calcowgirl]

Public land deals... the other pork.

[L98Fiero]

NYT: Fishwrap for FReepers until something is printed that fits their prejudices. Then it’s the paper of record. Funny, if not sad.

[whitedog57]

Gee, a western USA politician involved in real estate deal?

Pelosi, Reid, now McCain.

Shocked, I tell you!

Another example of Milton Friedman’s plea to shrink the power of government.

[NormsRevenge]

mmmm,, pork

[org.whodat]

Public land deals... the other pork.

Yes, it seems that old insane and Harry "his good friend" Reed are blood brother in stealing tax payers real property.

[DM1]

if Rev WRight, Rezko, and Bitter/cling dont stick to Obama what is to say this will stick to McCain

[tobyhill]

Oh come on Slimes, you can do better than this weak crap.

[org.whodat]

Mr. Diamond is close to most of Arizona’s Congressional delegation and is candid about his expectations as a fund-raiser. “I want my money back, for Christ’s sake. Do you know how many cocktail parties I have to go to?”

Wasn't that almost the same statement that the rich man in Texas told the bitch Kay Baily Hutchison about the border fence. I expect a return on my investment now you get your ass to Washington and kill the damn thing. Yes almost the same words.

[kbennkc]

It does sound like constituent services to me . No , really it does . Sounds like a better use for the land than giving it to Gorby .

[penowa]

I feel certain we’re going to see a lot of this between now and Nov. “Honest” John is a lot more careful than he is honest since that Keating business caught up with him.

[ncalburt]

Exactly. the same crowd is not interested in Obama ‘s t Rezko land scam will scout the earth for a McCain hit piece and scream it from every mountain top.
When the hit piece is revealed to be a pack of lies like the Wash compost hit piece or the other NY Slimes hit pieces then they scatter like rats.
There are not the least worried about helping the Moveon.org/Soros Dem party take control of the entire US govt including the Supreme court.
Trust me there be here like bees to honey.

[geezerwheezer]

“And, next up, tomorrow will be here at midnight.”

[BARLF]

I have friends in Tucson, a couple that had worked for months through the system to get a passport for the husband. He is a Vet but they could not produce a birth certificate that would satisfy the bureaucrats they were working with. They has spent a couple hundered dollars,plus time chasing around trying to find information that would please the crats.

Finally, they went to McCains office in Tucson, explained their dilemma and within two weeks the man had his passport.

McCain does help his constituents and not just the big donors. If McCain did a wrong with this land deal then that should be vetted.

[Zathras]

As much as I don’t trust McLame, all the CA base closures were done by Boxer/Fineswine.

[calcowgirl]

...all the CA base closures were done by Boxer/Fineswine.

Read the article. Lots of people (R and D) had their hands in those "deals," none of them looking out for the taxpayer.

[Sacajaweau]

Happens every day...Developers "watch"...then act...then make money. It's what they do for a living. Some folks just sit on the courtroom step waiting for the word "sold to".

If I had bucks...I'd do it, too.

[McGruff]

We don’t say pork anymore. We say earmarks. It sound much nicer.

[Orange1998]

No chit.

[Eurale]

“We don’t say pork anymore. We say earmarks. It sound much nicer.”

Especially to the moozies.

[pissant]

“I think that is what Congress people are supposed to do for constituents,” he said. “When you have a big, significant businessman like myself, why wouldn’t you want to help move things along? What else would they do? They waste so much time with legislation.”

I agree with him on the wasting time with legislation part. McCain is one of THE worst offenders.