Check your spam email. U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey is pushing for campaign finance reform and asking supporters to help put an end to billionaires like the Koch brothers swaying elections.
Yes, the same Ed Markey who is king of the Hill when it comes to collecting campaign cash from registered D.C. lobbyists.
Yet, he’s attacking the “big, bad” Republican donors and not their wealthy Democratic counterparts.
In an email yesterday, Markey said, “Ever since Citizens United became the law of the land, two billionaire brothers have loomed large in American politics. Their names are Charles and David Koch, and thanks in part to the hundreds of millions of dollars they’ve spent to influence our elections, we now run the risk of seeing our democracy become an auction. I’m joining with some of my colleagues to support campaign finance reform and Koch-free elections. Click here to add your name to ours.”
What about George Soros-free elections? He’s donated millions of dollars to candidates. Or what about California businessman Thomas F. Steyer? The billionaire hedge fund executive poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the special U.S. Senate election here in Massachusetts. You may recall, Steyer flew planes with banners slamming Markey’s opponent, Cong. Stephen Lynch. Markey denounced the outside money, but it certainly did help Markey’s campaign.
The Koch brothers have written plenty of checks to Democratic candidates including President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Schumer.
They have even influenced races in Massachusetts. Koch Industries donated $1,000 to Niki Tsongas’ campaign in 2010, according to opensecrets.org.
Yet, Tsongas has signed the petition by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee “to urge Congress to reduce the influence of money in politics by passing meaningful campaign finance reform.”
The DCCC raised a record $11.5 million in July, outraising the National Republican Congressional Committee by $3.5 million. So are we to believe that none of that money came in from wealthy Americans trying to keep Dems in Washington?
Of course not! Both parties rely on big corporations and deep-pocketed donors to help fund their campaigns. The Democrats have just done a better job of vilifying the other side.
Jaclyn Cashman co-hosts “Morning Meeting” from 9 a.m. to noon on Boston Herald Radio. Follow her on twitter at @JaclynCashman.
Copyright © 2024 Jaclyn Cashman.
