Weekly Update (2/22/08)

McCain Involved in Lobbyist Scandal
The New York Times ran a front page story breaking a campaign scandal involving Sen. John McCain and a female telecom lobbyist. Multiple unnamed McCain aides' have suspicions of a romantic relationship between McCain and Vicki Iseman. The allegations stretch back to 2000 when some advisers became extremely anxious because, "a female lobbyist had been turning up with him at fund-raisers, visiting his offices and accompanying him on a client's corporate jet. Convinced the relationship had become romantic, some of his top advisers intervened to protect the candidate from himself - instructing staff members to block the woman's access, privately warning her away and repeatedly confronting him, several people involved in the campaign said on the condition of anonymity."

McCain denies all allegations of a romantic relationship, “but to his advisers, even the appearance of a close bond with a lobbyist whose clients often had business before the Senate committee Mr. McCain led threatened the story of redemption and rectitude that defined his political identity."

The McCain campaign is fighting these allegations, calling the New York Times article a “smear campaign.” They are attacking the New York Times as a “thinly sourced piece of innuendo journalism,” and arguing that the Times' is a liberal publication. Expect far more on this developing story in the coming weeks.

Congress Allowed Expanded Wiretapping Law to Expire
Congress chose not to renew an eavesdropping law that many felt encroached too far on citizens' civil liberties. President Bush expressed his disappointment by saying that letting the law expire, “will make it more difficult to track terrorists and 'we may lose a vital lead that could prevent an attack on America."

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, responded by saying, "We know this president dislikes compromise, but this time he has taken his stubborn approach too far. He is whipping up false fears, and creating artificial confrontation." Clearly, Congress did the right thing in allowing this legislation to expire. The only way that this was accomplished was by having a Democratically controlled Congress. Help ensure that Congress becomes even more progressive with the upcomingA elections by donating to DAPAC today.