Spoiling the party
Usually, when you throw a fundraiser, you try to invite as many people as possible. In Ohio, however, Republican gubernatorial candidate Craig Foltin — who is running against Democrat Sherrod Brown — left a key name off his guest list. Invitees to the June 7 shindig include the state’s two senators and 11 of its 12 representatives. Not invited is six-term Republican Rep. Bob Ney, who is entangled in the scandal involving disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Ney’s former chief of staff, Neil Volz, pleaded guilty May 8 to conspiracy and testified Tuesday about his dealings with Abramoff. The Foltin campaign and the Ohio Republican Party declined to comment.
Lobbyists overpaid, says not-so-well-paid gov. Bush
Gov. Jeb Bush thinks lobbyists in his state of Florida are overpaid.
“They make more than I do,” he quipped.
Information revealed under the state’s new disclosure requirements shows that Florida lobbyists charged as much as $27 million total during the first quarter of 2006. At least three firms made $1 million each.
“I don’t think people should pay lobbyists that much myself,” Bush told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
The governor supported adoption of the disclosure law and said the requirement for lobbyists to report the range of the fees they charge is not an invasion of privacy.
Bush said he did not begrudge the hefty paychecks of some advocates but people do not need to pay for access to the governor.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
