Brown, DeWine square off over ‘pay to play’

From Cleveland Plain Dealer: 

Raising lots of money has helped two-term U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine win elections. But in Ohio's poisonous political climate this year, it could also put him on the defensive -- or so hopes Sherrod Brown, the Democratic congressman challenging DeWine's re-election.

Brown's campaign spent part of last week promoting the idea that DeWine has engaged in "pay to play," taking more than $1 million in donations from corporate interests and supporting their agenda in bills dealing with energy, prescription drugs and trade.

The hoped-for implication is that DeWine, a Republican, is cozy with the big corporations whose executives give him money and that he votes accordingly. By mentioning in the same breath the corporate contributions to DeWine and DeWine's voting record, and by using the potent words "pay to play," Brown and the Democratic Party insinuate -- without having to prove -- that the incumbent senator is beholden to greedy companies that have cost Ohioans jobs and money.

...But the Brown campaign's attempt to cast doubt nevertheless makes sense, says Kent State University political scientist Jason MacDonald, especially if this election will be decided by a narrow margin of voters who are still making up their minds - and if government corruption and pay-to-play are on the minds of those voters.

Controversies involving convicted coin dealer Tom Noe's access to state Bureau of Workers' Compensation money, Gov. Bob Taft's conviction over free golf games, and the tightening federal investigation of U.S. Rep. Bob Ney of Heath as a result of a lobbyist's claims of bribery have made "pay to play" scandalous words in Ohio - even if DeWine has no connection with these matters.

"Brown doesn't have to say that DeWine is corrupt. Brown only has to say that he took money from pharmaceutical companies and he voted with pharmaceutical companies," MacDonald said. "Meanwhile, people talk about Coingate, people talk about free golf, people talk about Bob Ney, and the association is there between the Republican Party and corruption."

While laying out the pieces, Brown and his campaign are careful not to connect all the dots, and in an interview Brown went out of his way to say he does not know if there is a cause-and-effect connection between contributions and DeWine's votes.

"I don't know what his motives are - whether he takes their money and then he votes their way, or whether he votes that way and they like him in office so they give him money, or none of the above," Brown said.

Click here to read the full article. 

07/13/2006 / Permalink / 2006, Ethics, (all tags)

Brown Calls Defeat of Ethics Reform "Lost Opportunity"

AMHERST, OH--Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain County) said today's Republican defeat of a Democratic lobbying reform bill confirms that government has fallen victim to a pay-to-play system which rewards big campaign donors, and hurts Ohio families.

"Today, the United States Senate had an opportunity to begin restoring public confidence in government and clean up the broken system," Brown said. "I'm disappointed that Senator DeWine once again chose to go along with his party leaders and their big corporate lobbyist supporters.  Ohio deserves a Senator who will be more than a rubber stamp.  As Senator, I will represent ordinary Ohioans and middle-class families, not the high-priced lobbyists who use money and influence to grease the legislative wheels."

The Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2006 (S. 2349), sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), was in response to recent Republican scandals stretching from Washington D.C. to Columbus, Ohio; from Sugarland, Texas to San Diego, California.

The measure would have increased restrictions on former Congressional members and staff who become lobbyists; criminalized the "K Street Project"; toughened criminal standards for lobby violations; opened the conference committee process to public review; and prohibited all gifts from lobbyists to members and staff.
Brown said today's measure is necessary to clean up the culture of corruption plaguing both Washington and Columbus.

"Republicans in Congress have become little more than a rubber stamp for the president and K Street lobbyists," Brown said. "They reward campaign donations by allowing industries to write bills that reap huge profits for corporate CEOs, while cutting funding for programs that benefit Ohio families."

Despite pledges to reform Congress after scandals involving Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Ohio GOP fundraiser Tom Noe, all 55 Republican Senators today voted against the comprehensive package of amendments to strengthen reform, including Ohio Senator Mike DeWine.

03/08/2006 / Permalink / Ethics, (all tags)