There's the old saying that "you're judged by the company that you keep." A close examination of Elise Stefanik's
FEC disclosure filings reveals that she's received numerous contributions from controversial individuals, several of them being Washington D.C. lobbyists, many of them with connections to former Upper Hudson Valley Congressmen John Sweeney (R - Clifton Park) and the late Gerald "Jerry" Solomon (R - Queensbury), who were arguably once two of the most reprehensible, corrupt elected officials in the Northeast. Several of these Washington D.C. lobbyists have often been accused by their critics of setting up lucrative "pay to play" schemes with elected officials that benefit their clients.
Sam Geduldig
Washington D.C.
Sam Geduldig is a partner in the high-profile K Street Washington D.C. lobbying firm
Clark, Geduldig, Cranford & Nielsen, whose top clients include Koch Industries, Goldman Sachs and the American Banking Association, amongst many others.
From
The Hill, June 9, 2014:
"Charles and David Koch are bulking up their representation in Washington as Democrats seek to tighten the rules for how money can be spent in politics."
"Koch Companies Public Sector — formerly known as Koch Industries — hired the Nickles Group to work on campaign finance issues, according to recently filed paperwork."
"The lobby firm is run by former Republican Sen. Don Nickles (Okla.), who appears on the account. Also working for Koch are Hazen Marshall, who worked on the Senate Banking and Finance Committees and for Republican leadership, and another former Senate banking panel alum, Stacey Hughes."
"Koch Companies Public Sector was among the top lobbying spenders last year, shelling out more than $10.4 million dollars on influence efforts. The private company has eleven other lobby firms at its disposal, including the high-powered Clark Geduldig Cranford & Nielsen and K Street all-star Capitol Counsel."
Below is an interesting video of Geduldig speaking about his lobbying activities at the right-wing American Enterprise Institute think tank, where he declares that businesses "spend millions of dollars to influence us to influence Congress."
In addition, Clark Geduldig Crawford & Nielsen also played a key role in working with banking interests to undermine the "Occupy Wall Street" movement, writing a detailed memo for the American Banking Association arguing that "Republicans will no longer defend Wall Street companies" if the movement succeeds.
Check out this November 2011 segment from Up with Chris Hayes on MSNBC:
Geduldig contributed $250 to Stefanik's campaign on September 18, 2013 and March 7, 2014 and $500 on June 13, 2014.
A. Bradford Card
Washington D.C.
Bradford Card is a managing principal in the Washington D.C. K Street lobbying firm Grayling (formerly DutkoGrayling) and is the brother of President George W. Bush's former Chief of Staff Andrew Card. For several years, Bradford served as Chief of Staff to Upstate Congressman John Sweeney (R - Clifton Park) and once served as the chief lobbyist for General Motors Corporation and chief executive of the American Automobile Manufacturers Association.
In 2006, the Washington Post had an interesting article on the Card family and their influence in major Washington D.C. lobbying firms.
From the Washington Post, March 30, 2006:
"When Andrew H. Card Jr. walks out of the White House for the last time as chief of staff to President Bush on April 14, it's unlikely that he will be worrying about his next job. But just in case he runs into any obstacles, he has family to fall back on in the Washington lobbying biz."
"Card's sister-in-law is Lorine Card , who runs a small lobby shop, Card & Associates . The name fits. Her clients have included Comcast and the National Cable Television Association."
"Lorine Card is married to Card's brother, Brad Card , managing principal at Dutko Worldwide . He is registered to lobby for the Greater New York Hospital Association, the Essex County Sheriff's Office and software developer Cognos Corp."
"Card's sister Alison "Lisi" Kaufman , who was chief of staff to then-Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans, might be able to pull a string or two. She's now senior vice president for government and international affairs at United Technologies Corp."
"Of course, Andrew Card has his own experience in the lobby world -- he was chief lobbyist for General Motors Corp. and chief executive of the American Automobile Manufacturers Association."
Card donated $250 to Stefanik's campaign on September 18, 2013.
Susan Hirschmann
Washington D.C.
Susan Hirschmann is the former Chief of Staff to Congressman Tom Delay (R - TX) and now is a principal at the heavy-hitting Washington D.C. lobbying firm
Williams & Jensen, which has served a number of Fortune 500 and high-profile accounts, including Comcast, Pfizer, Coca-Cola, Sunoco and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. For years, Hirschmann was an influence peddler and go-getter between Delay and indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, traveling on international lobbying junkets to Scotland, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, at a cost of $85,000, many of which were paid for by companies that were lobbying to influence pending congressional legislation.
From
The Washington Post, June 9 2006:
"A former chief of staff to then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) was described yesterday in a nonprofit groups' study as one of the top two recipients of privately financed travel among congressional staff from 2000 to 2005, including some trips paid indirectly by companies with business pending before Congress."
"Susan Hirschmann, DeLay's chief of staff from 1997 until she became a Washington lobbyist in 2002, took 18 trips from 2000 to 2002 -- many with her husband -- at a cost to others of more than $85,000, according to a tally by the Center for Public Integrity, American Public Media and Northwestern University's Medill News Service."
"That put her in a close second place behind Brian Gaston, whose 39 trips over the five-year period studied by the groups cost $87,000. Gaston is now the chief of staff to House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)."
"DeLay, who is formally resigning from the House today under a cloud from his ties to former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and DeLay's indictment in Texas for money-laundering, was himself a leading traveler at the expense of corporations and other private groups."
"Her husband, David Hirschmann, a registered lobbyist for the Chamber of Commerce through mid-2000 and now an executive there, accompanied her on 12 of the trips. In the summer of 2001, they strung together a series of five sponsored trips costing a total of $34,000, and stopped in Scotland, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore before returning to Washington."
Hirschmann contributed $500 to Stefanik's campaign on March 31, 2014
Bill Teator
Saratoga Springs, NY
Bill Teator is a long-time lobbyist and Republican Party political operative who splits his time between Saratoga Springs and Washington D.C. While Teator's small $250 contribution to Stefanik last January may seem paltry to many casual observers, his successful ability to lobby, control and influence elected officials throughout our region over the years should be quite alarming to any resident of Upstate New York and the North Country. Critics have often accused Teator of using loopholes in House Ethics Rules to help organize taxpayer-funded junkets with elected officials and lobbyists. During now-Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's first congressional campaign in 2006, she routinely slammed former Congressman John Sweeney (R), who she defeated that year, for his annual "Lake Placid Challenge" lobbying junkets, which had partially been organized and planned by Teator and several other lobbyists.
From
North Country Public Radio, April 13, 2006:
"Republican Congressman John Sweeney is facing tough questions over his involvement in a weekend retreat last January in Lake Placid that included more than twenty of his staff, family-members, and supporters. The New York Power Authority paid for the event, which had a price tag of $25,000. It was hosted by the Olympic Regional Development Authority. The roster of guests included powerful Republicans, including the brother and sister of former White House chief of staff Andrew Card and a top GOP lawyer who has represented Tom DeLay. At least four Democrats also attended, including aides to Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid from Nevada. Organizers say the trip was a legitimate effort to build federal support for Olympic venues in Lake Placid. But as Brian Mann reports, critics say the gathering was a taxpayer-sponsored vacation for politicians and lobbyists."
From
The Hill, July 8, 2006:
"Tales of bobsleds, steak dinners and taxpayer-funded lobbying are roiling New York politics, as a state Assembly probe of Rep. John Sweeney’s annual winter sports trip threatens to do in an already tough reelection bid."
"The annual Congressional Winter Challenge, hosted by Sweeney (R-N.Y.) since 1999, brings members, staffers and lobbyists to the Lake Placid Winter Olympic facility in the heart of his district for a weekend of sledding, skiing and promoting the tourism-dependent regional economy."
"While the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), a part of New York state government, formally invites guests, the state power authority’s assumption of $25,000 in event costs prompted three state Assembly committees to launch an investigation of the Challenge earlier this year, focusing on whether public money was put to good use. At a hearing last week in Albany, ORDA President Ted Blazer told state Rep. Richard Brodsky (D) and other Assembly members that Sweeney’s office helped assemble lists of possible invitees to the event."
"The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has tracked the state probe for months, but Blazer’s testimony opened a new front to use in trying to unseat Sweeney, who faces well-funded former Clinton administration counsel Kirsten Gillibrand. When the House ethics committee blessed Sweeney’s role in the Challenge, it told him to stay out of the initial invitation process."
If Stefanik is elected to Congress this November, will there be a return of the "Lake Placid Challenge" lobbying trips? One can only wonder...
Teator contributed $250 to Stefanik's campaign on January 22, 2014.
Danielle Simonetta Maurer
Washington D.C.
A native of Queensbury, New York, Danielle Simonetta Maurer began her career in politics in the late 1990s serving as an aide to the late arch-conservative Congressman Jerry Solomon (R), also of Queensbury, before climbing up the ranks to serve as the senior floor assistant to former House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R - TX).
Since 2011, Maurer has moved into lobbying, serving as Vice President of Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock, a Washington D.C.-based lobbying firm that has served a wide range of high-profile clients, including BP, Noble Energy, Facebook, JP Morgan Chase, Time Warner Cable, Ford Motors, the American Gaming Association and the American Insurance Association, just to name a few.
The
Republic Report, profiled Simonetta Maurer as one of "The Lobbyists Facebook Hired To Help The Goverment Spy On You":
Danielle Maurer: Maurer was named one of Washingtonian Magazine’s “40 under 40″ because she ” left Capitol Hill only in March [2011], but she’s already earning a reputation as one of the best-connected young lobbyists.” One thing not covered in that fawning profile of Maurer is that she has been a lobbyist for foreign weapons manufacturers, among other interests. - See more at: http://www.republicreport.org/...
Danielle (Simonetta) Mauer donated $250 to Stefanik's campaign on September 30, 2013.
Kirsten Chadwick
Washington D.C.
Kirsten Chadwick is also a lobbyist at Washington D.C.-based
Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock and was referred to in a 2006 article from The Hill as "one of the most influential vote counters on K Street." Chadwick, who specializes in trade agreements, has been a key influential voice throughout the 1990s and 2000s in influencing Congress to pass numerous pieces of legislation, including the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and the South Korea Trade Agreement, which has led to the offshoring of thousands of American jobs.
From The Hill, September 12, 2006:
"Kirsten Chadwick, one of the best vote counters on K Street"
"A good vote counter is surprisingly rare."
"Among the army of lobbyists in this town who talk up their influence on Capitol Hill, few actually have the patience, the brutal honesty and the personal relationships to count votes with precise accuracy."
"Kirsten Chadwick is one of the few."
"Chadwick, a partner at Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock, has been the lead Republican vote counter on every trade bill to move across Capitol Hill since she left the White House at the end of 2003."
"Her talents are such that even House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) respects her counsel."
"“Kirsten knows a lot of the members and understands political dynamics in a way that a lot of people who work downtown with a more narrow scope don’t,” Blunt said."
"Chadwick worked closely with Blunt and his staff on one of his heaviest lifts as whip, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which eked through the House last summer despite strong opposition from Democratic leaders and the outspoken reluctance of labor-friendly Republicans."
"Chadwick was the lead Republican vote counter for the business community on the CAFTA vote and helped organize coalition efforts for Blunt and the small group of deputy whips working to pass that bill."
“On trade issues, she has a mastery of the policy issues behind a trade agreement,” Blunt said. “This combination of policy expertise with member relationships makes her so good at what she does.”
"During her time in Washington, Chadwick has carved out a particular expertise at passing trade bills."
"In addition to CAFTA, Chadwick led White House efforts to pass Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) in 2002 when she worked in the administration’s office of legislative affairs. Because TPA established rules for the negotiation and approval of free trade agreements during the Bush presidency, Chadwick has become an essential figure in marshaling that legislation through Congress."
Like Danielle Simonetta Maurer, Chadwick was also listed by the Republic Report, as one of "The Lobbyists Facebook Hired To Help The Government Spy On You."
From Republic Report:
Kirsten Chadwick: Chadwick spent a handful of years in the White Houses of both George H.W. Bush and his son, and now she focuses on a more lucrative career: lobbying for Big Business. - See more at: http://www.republicreport.org/...
Kirsten Chadwick donated $250 to Stefanik's campaign on September 30, 2013.
Joseph Wall
Washington D.C.
Joseph Wall is a Washington D.C. lobbyist who is currently employed as Vice President of Government Affairs for Goldman Sachs. Wall, a former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, was hired by Sachs a couple years ago as part of a lobbying team aimed at thwarting comprehensive financial regulatory reform legislation.
From Mother Jonbes, April 29, 2010:
"Goldman's All-Star Lobbying Squad"
"All-star, that is, if you're rooting against comprehensive financial regulatory reform and don't want Congress to rein in excessive bonuses, risky speculating, and financial chicanery. On the day the Senate is slated to begin debating its Wall Street overhaul, the Washington Post sheds some light on the lobbying crew Goldman Sachs has assembled to fight reform and make sure whatever changes the Senate wants don't damage the firm's bottom line. Their lobbying team looks like a who's-who of financially-connected politicos with ample connections throughout Washington. Consider it the Yankees—or, if you're a soccer fan like me, the Real Madrid—of financial lobbying, the best money can buy."
From
CNBC, May 31, 2011:
"Last year, Goldman hired a lesser-known—but very well-connected—former Capitol Hill staffer named Joe Wall to be a lobbyist. Wall had worked on Mitt Romney’s campaign in 2008 and was employed that same year in the Senate Office of the Vice President as a deputy assistant to Dick Cheney. Before that he was a key aide to House Majority Whip Roy Blunt."
"If Mitt Romney were elected the next president of the Untied States, both Gregg and Wall will no doubt play the role of tentacles for the Vampire Squid’s reach into the White House. If Republicans keep control of the House or gain control of the Senate, Romney and Wall are the guys you want on your side."
Wall contributed $250 to Stefanik's campaign on September 26, 2013
Julie Chlopecki and David Fuscus
Washington D.C.
Julie Chlopecki and her husband David Fuscus operate the high-profile Washington D.C. lobbying firm Xenephon Strategies, which previously maintained ties to former Congressman John Sweeney (R - Clifton Park). In 2006,
progressive activists frequently accused Xenephon, Chlopecki and Fuscus for using their connections to influence Sweeney to author and sponsor "pay to play" legislation favoring their clients.
From the Albany Times Union, August 16, 2006:
"U.S. Rep. John Sweeney’s re-election campaign says the former NYC mayor will take time out from building up chits with South Carolina Republicans (with an eye toward his 2008 presidential aspirations) to help the Clifton Park Republican raise some cash next Monday."
"As noted in the comments section below, this $1,000-a-head event will take place at the Saratoga Springs home of David Fuscus and Julie Chlopecki, who are the president/CEO and partner, respectively, of Xenophon Strategies, a crisis communications and lobbying firm in Washington, D.C."
"Fuscus and Chlopecki have contributed $1,000 apiece to Sweeney in this election cycle. In addition, at least one of their clients, the National Restaurant Association, has contributed $1,000 to him as well."
The firm’s other clients have included: the Air Transport Association, the Capital Region Airport Commission, the Motor Freight Carriers Association, Midwest Airlines, Airbus, Alaska Airlines, the American Frozen Food Institute and the National Food Processors Association.
The transportation clients are interesting to note. Sweeney is vice chair of the Transportation, Treasury and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations subcommittee.
The food clients are interesting, too. Sweeney recently co-sponsored a measure billed as an effort to streamline state and local laws about food. But opponents say it really aims to get rid of laws that mandate a higher standard of safety than the federal government – a boon to certain food companies.
Another thing to note about Xenophon Strategies: it handled the PR in defense of Rear Admiral William Schachte Jr. – one of the Swift Boat veterans who attacked U.S. Sen. John Kerry’s Vietnam War record when he ran for president in 2004.
Schachte was later found to have ties to a firm that successfully lobbied the U.S. Senate for a company that won a $40 million military contract, but said he had no role in landing that contract.
The 21st Congressional District race isn't the only election in our region that Chlopecki and Fuscus are trying to influence this year. Last month,
the couple held a major fundraiser at their Saratoga Springs vacation home for former Associated General Contractors (AGC) lobbyist Steve Stallmer (R), who is now running against technology businesswoman Carrie Woerner (D) for the open 113th Assembly District, which overlaps most of the southeastern portion of the 21st Congressional District.
Fuscus contributed $250 to Stefanik's campaign on December 16, 2013 and $455 on March 14, 2014.
Lenore Broughton
Burlington, VT
Trustfund multi-millionaire Lenore Broughton is probably not a household name anywhere outside of Chittenden County, Vermont, but her increasing political activism and funding of right-wing campaigns should be of concern to any concerned resident on either side of Lake Champlain. In 2012, Broughton launched "Vermonters First," a Super PAC designed to help elect right-wing elected officials to the Democratic-dominated Vermont State Legislature.
Broghton's grandfather was famous businessman Sewell Avery, who made hundreds of millions serving as president of U.S. Gypsum and Montgomery Ward before becoming director of J.P. Morgan's US Steel.
From Seven Days, Burlington, VT, October 17, 2012:
"One of the most influential people in Vermont this election year is arguably the least known. Lenore Broughton, a Burlington heiress with a history of funding conservative causes, has shunned the spotlight while her money is drawing attention to a select group of Republicans running for office."
"Broughton is the bank account behind Vermonters First, a new conservative super PAC directed by the former executive director of the Vermont Republican Party. To date, she has donated a whopping $682,500 to buy advertising to support her chosen candidates, and to oppose Gov. Peter Shumlin’s attempt to make Vermont the first state with single-payer, universal health care."
"Since Vermonters First started airing ads in September, Broughton’s name has appeared in dozens of news stories. But little is known about the woman herself. Even those who call Broughton a friend describe her as “very private” and claim not to have known that she’s the granddaughter of a major American industrialist."
(Activists protest outside of Broughton's Burlington, VT home)
While it's very unlikely that Broughton will ever achieve her dream of returning Vermont to the old rock-ribbed Republican bastion of yesteryear, it's quite a bit perplexing (and perhaps annoying) that she's now choosing to meddle with a high-profile political race on the west side of Lake Champlain...
Broughton contributed $500 to Stefanik's campaign on May 19, 2014