Conservative group offers endorsement - for $2M (Claim Regarding American Conservative Union)

Politico ^ | 07/17/09 | MIKE ALLEN

[BCrago66]

The American Conservative Union asked FedEx for a $2 million check in return for the group’s endorsement in a bitter legislative dispute, then flipped and sided with UPS after FedEx refused to pay. In return for the $2 million, ACU offered a range of services that included: “Producing op-eds and articles written by ACU’s Chairman David Keene and / or other members of the ACU’s board of directors. (Note that Mr. Keene writes a weekly column that appears in The Hill.)” The conservative group’s remarkable demand — black-and-white proof of the longtime Washington practice known as “pay for play” — was contained in a private letter to FedEx that was provided to POLITICO.

[coconutt2000]

Should I know about this American Conservative Union?

[GeronL]

did they forget they ain’t Democrats?

[iowamark]

This needs to be investigated. If true, some people need to go to jail. However, the Obama Justice Department will obviously not touch it.

Signers of the letter backing the Democrats against Federal Express:

“”Malcolm Wallop
U.S. Senator (ret.)

George C. Landrith
President, Frontiers of Freedom

Grover Norquist
President, Americans for Tax Reform

David Keene
President, American Conservative Union

James L. Martin
President, 60 Plus

Chuck Muth
President, Citizen Outreach

Karen Kerrigan
President & CEO, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council

Duane Parde
President, National Taxpayers Union””

[Leisler]

David Keene, 25 year hack at ACU, and Romney supporter.

[jimfree]

Of course you should. ACU hosts CPAC.

[Leisler]

fyi

[BCrago66]

David Keene and the ACU are fairly prominent; been around for a while. This will be a big story in the blogisphere and MSM today, warranted or not. Scanning the story so far, it does not seem unethical to charge for mailings, mass emails, etc. in a publicity campaign. The problem arises with collecting cash for editorials in newspapers and for the public “endorsement” of the FedEx position by the American Conservative Union. But I don’t know what to think yet.

Here’s the PDFs of the letters to FedEx.

The 1st: ACU offering its services:

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM130_fedex_grassroots_proposal_6-30-09_final.html

The 2nd: ACU and other conservative groups rejecting FedEx’s position:

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM130_feex_letter.html

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

As somebody who first knew Dave Keene 45 years ago I wish I could say that this is unthinkable, but I can’t. I hope it is not true.

[iowamark]

Background on this scandal. The Democrats and their unions are trying to destroy FedEx:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/09/kneecapping-fedex/
“”EDITORIAL: Kneecapping FedEx: Democrats carry freight for Teamsters and UPS

FedEx Express is learning what could be the Democrats’ economic motto — “Never Let Success Go Unpunished.”

Led by Rep. James L. Oberstar, Minnesota Democrat, the House on May 21 passed legislation that contains an almost hidden provision — a mere 230 words — that would hobble FedEx Express. It would do so by completely changing the labor laws under which the company operates. Unless the Senate removes the language from the underlying bill reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration, a mere dozen or so workers in just one city could hamstring much of the nation’s overnight delivery service....

The RLA does not, however, apply to non-rail, mostly ground-transportation companies such as the United Parcel Service. UPS instead is governed by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the terms of which favor unions such as the Teamsters, which represents UPS drivers. Naturally, this means UPS and the Teamsters both have an interest in kneecapping FedEx Express. Together, the ground-delivery company and the union have executed what The Hill newspaper called a lobbying “pincer movement” to transfer authority over FedEx Express from the RLA to the NLRA.

The UPS corporate political action committee has “given more money to federal lawmakers than any other company over two decades,” according to Bloomberg News, with $77,900 from UPS employees going to Mr. Oberstar since 1989. The Teamsters, who lean heavily Democratic, have donated $86,500 to Mr. Oberstar during that period....””

[iowamark]

Money can corrupt anyone, can’t it?

[BCrago66]

I’m on FedEx’s side on this, but it would be nice if FedEx took the position that UPS too should be freed of union shackles, rather than simply pleading for itself, and thereby trying to maintain its advantage in an uneven regulatory playing field.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Almost everyone MAY have a price, but for many their price would price them out of the market. David has been pretty ‘flexible’ politically over the years, see his denouncing of Sarah Palin last week, so I hope he has not been ‘flexible’ here as well.

[coconutt2000]

Thanks. The name David Keene did sound familiar, but I wasn’t sure from where.

Having reviewed the copies of the letters that you linked, the posting seems to draw conclusions that aren’t supported by the letters.

[tx_eggman]

I’m on FedEx’s side on this, but it would be nice if FedEx took the position that UPS too should be freed of union shackles, rather than simply pleading for itself, and thereby trying to maintain its advantage in an uneven regulatory playing field.

They're regulated differently because they are different businesses. UPS trucks 85% of its volume, FedEx flies 85% of theirs.

This is nothing more that union thuggery, aided and abetted - as usual - by libtards in the Congress.

[BCrago66]

Not that anyone cares, as in - “I don’t know what to think until I hear BCrago66 weigh in.” - but cancel my remark in comment #12. I need to educate myself more about the particular regulatory situation of FedEx v. UPS, before I know what I’m talking about.

[iowamark]

He might say that he was only offering (lobbying and mailing) services and that UPS was the high bidder. However, this just stinks. It reminds me of the supposedly prolife people who signed up to work for Rudy Giuliani in the recent campaign because they “needed a job.”

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

If the worst implications of this are true, that Keene essentially told FedEx ‘give us 2 million dollars or we will oppose you politically’ it would amount to extortion, at least morally. It would be political poison.

[crazyotto]

Gypses Tramps & Thieves

[sergeantdave]

Sounds like ACU asked for money to serve as a PR firm. That’s done every day in America. A bit pricey, I think, but let the market decide.

Besides, I wouldn’t trust Politico to report a sun rise correctly. The whole thing reads like a Goebbel’s propaganda operation.

Politico is fairly new, unlike the rat party or the NYT. The left wing is constantly moving and reinventing itself to hide rabble rousers, known dirty deeds and its connections to assorted communist, racist and fascist leaders and organizations.