Tag archive for "Roy Blunt"
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Congressman “Bailout” Blunt’s Campaign Account is
“Where Big Oil Puts Its Money”
Forbes Highlights Blunt as #2 Highest Recipient of Big Oil Money in U.S. House of Representatives
14-Year Voting Record Shows Billions in Government Giveaways to Big Oil
Website, Hits ‘Refresh’ on Congressman Blunt’s Record – the Very Worst of Washington
www.TheVeryWorstOfWashington.com
Jefferson City, MO – Days after the Missouri Democratic Party released a trailer previewing the untold stories of Congressman Blunt’s extensive ties to the most corrupt players in Washington, the cutting edge Web site everyone has been waiting for is LIVE.
This blockbuster Web site exposes some of the lesser-known aspects of Congressman Blunt’s record as the ringmaster of Washington. Together with convicted felon lobbyist Jack Abramoff and indicted former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Congressman Blunt has been at the center of nearly every major political corruption scandal of the last decade. And while the Web site may look like that of a fictional political thriller, unfortunately for Missourians, every story, connection and character on www.TheVeryWorstOfWashington.com is real.
“For thirteen years, Congressman Blunt has been the glue holding the very worst of Washington together, and with the launch of our new Web site, Congressman Blunt will finally be exposed for what he is: the ultimate insider with a record of waste, corruption and sticking it to the middle class,” said Ryan Hobart, Communications Director for the Missouri Democratic Party. “With www.TheVeryWorstOfWashington.com Missourians will see that Congressman Blunt has been up to no good all these years in Washington and certainly doesn’t deserve to go to the U.S. Senate.”
The Web site includes these features:
Congressman Blunt’s record of sticking it to the middle class, accepting huge checks from Wall Street bankers, and voting against tax cuts for small businesses speaks for itself. Now, voters will have a chance to see just how Congressman Blunt spends his time, and with whom he’s spends his time since he’s been in Washington. This all-too-real story about the Washington Insiders is now available for all Missourians to witness the very worst of Washington with their own eyes.
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Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine’s Statement On Rep. Roy Blunt’s Assertion that Adults Don’t Deserve Preexisting Conditions’ Protections
Washington – Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement in response to Missouri Republican Senate candidate Rep. Roy Blunt’s contention that adults don’t deserve protections from preexisting-condition discrimination because adults with preexisting conditions “have done nothing to take care of themselves”:
“Roy Blunt’s callous assertion that adults with preexisting conditions like cancer, diabetes, congenital heart disease and others do not deserve the right to health insurance because they ‘have done nothing to take care of themselves’ shows an insensitivity to the people of Missouri and America.
“Thanks to Democrats’ hard work to pass health reform, millions of Americans who have been discriminated against by insurance companies because of their preexisting conditions soon will find that they no longer have to fear being denied health insurance.
“Starting this year, health insurance companies will no longer be able to deny insurance to children with preexisting conditions, and the most vulnerable adults with preexisting conditions will be able to enter a high risk pool to obtain insurance. In coming years, adults will no longer be discriminated against through coverage denial because of preexisting conditions. That will be a victory for Missourians and the American people.
“Sadly, if Roy Blunt and his Republican colleagues had their way, health insurance companies would still be able to continue their worst practices and leave millions uninsured due to preexisting conditions – even though many of the conditions are totally beyond the control of the person in need of health care.
“There is no mistaking who Roy Blunt and the Republicans stand with, and it is clearly not the people of Missouri. Fortunately, thanks to health insurance reform, Missourians and millions of other Americans across the country now have greater control over their health insurance decisions and have greater protection against insurance company discrimination.
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For Immediate Release: November 12, 2009
Contact: Ryan Hobart (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125
Over $ 1 Million in Big Oil and Energy Contributions to Blunt’s Campaign Coffers
Jefferson City, Mo. — During a recent interview with KSPR in Springfield, Congressman Roy Blunt repeatedly claimed he didn’t know how much campaign money he has received from big oil and energy throughout his years in Congress. (KSPR 11/11/09) From the interview, in which Blunt is discussing a recent TV ad playing about his relationship with big oil:
KSPR: “…They [League of Conservation Voters] claim that you took nearly a million dollars from big oil and energy interests. Is that true?”
Blunt: “Well, I don’t know if that’s true or not…”
KSPR: “So you don’t know the number that you’ve taken from big oil?
Blunt: “I don’t know, actually…”
Congressman Blunt may “not know,” not remember, or not care how much the oil and gas industry has paid him during his time in Congress, but the number is not too hard to track down. According to a recent article in the Springfield News-Leader, “campaign finance records show Blunt has taken $1,012,398 from energy and natural resources interests since 1996, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.”
In fact, during the last fund-raising quarter, Halliburton and Exxon Mobil both contributed $2,000 to Blunt’s campaign. In addition, Marathon Oil donated $5000, Occidental Petroleum donated $1,000 and Chevron donated $2,000. As if that weren’t enough to jog his memory, ExxonMobil even hosted an oil industry fundraiser for him in Washington, DC less than two months ago. (Friends of Roy Blunt, October Quarterly Report; The Sunlight Foundation)
What does all this money to Blunt’s campaign committees buy? Quite a lot it turns out. Congressman Blunt has voted again and again to give oil and gas companies tens of billions in tax breaks and subsidies – even when the industry was earning record profits. In 2005, The Washington Post called the 1,700-page energy bill, which Blunt helped write, “a piñata of perks for energy industries.” [HR6, Vote 132, 4/21/05; HR 6, Vote 630, 11/18/03; Washington Post, 7/30/05]
“Maybe a million dollars in cash from big oil and energy special interests is just a drop in the bucket for Congressman Blunt, but Missouri families struggling with rising energy prices aren’t so lucky,” said Missouri Democratic Party Executive Director Brian Zuzenak. “Congressman Blunt will try and point fingers and distract folks from his cozy quid pro quo relationship, but his record shows that he’s spent the past 12 years in Washington lavishing tax breaks on big oil companies and sticking Missouri consumers with the bill.”
This isn’t the first time Blunt’s record of taking large amounts of campaign cash from lobbyists and special interests has come to the surface.
Last month, USA Today noted that Congressman Blunt has taken more money from lobbyists than any other candidate in the nation this year. During the first six months of 2009, Blunt took $310,534 from lobbyists, putting him ahead of both the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee. (USA Today, 10/4/09)
Congressman Blunt faces State Senator Chuck Purgason and Kansas City auto consultant Mark Memoly in the August 2010 primary for the Republican nominee for US Senate.
For Immediate Release: November 10, 2009
Contact: Ryan Hobart (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125
Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Congressman Blunt puts Corporate Special Interests Before Veterans
Blunt has cut billions in benefits for veterans during career
Jefferson City, Mo — This week, as the nation honors the extraordinary sacrifices made by our veterans and military retirees, Congressman Roy Blunt is hoping that Missourians will listen to what he says, not what he does, and forget his abysmal voting record on veterans’ issues. While Blunt was lavishing tax breaks on corporate special interests and bailing out his friends on Wall Street, he was turning his back on the hundreds of thousands of veterans in Missouri by cutting funding for their health care and benefits.
“Actions speak louder than words, and Congressman Blunt has consistently put corporate special interests before veterans’ health care and benefits,” said Missouri Democratic Party Executive Director Brian Zuzenak. “In fact, during his years in Washington, Congressman Blunt cut veterans’ benefits by billions of dollars, but advocated for billions of dollars in corporate tax breaks and bailouts for his big business friends. This is just another reminder that Congressman Blunt’s Washington insider priorities may serve corporate special interests, but they don’t serve Missouri veterans or their families.”
For example, here are some of Congressman Blunt’s votes against veterans:
· Cut Veterans Health Care By $13.5 Billion: In 2005, Blunt voted to cut funding for veterans health care by $13.5 billion over five years. [HCR95, Vote 149, 4/28/05]
· Cast Deciding Vote to Defeat $53 Million Boost for Veterans Health Care & Benefits. In 2005, Blunt voted against an amendment to add $53 million for veterans health care and other benefits.[HR2528, Vote 224,5/26/05]
· Opposed Expanding TRICARE to Thousands of National Guard & Reserve Volunteers. In 2005, Blunt voted against a motion to expand access to the military’s TRICARE health insurance program, at the time open to only active duty service members, to thousands of reservist and National Guard members. A 2003 report by the General Accounting Office showed that 20 percent of all Reservists did not have health insurance, and 40 percent of Reservists aged 19 to 35 lacked health coverage.[HR1815, Vote 221,5/25/05]
· Opposed Job Assistance for Veterans Returning from Overseas. In 2005, Blunt voted against providing extra assistance to veterans who are returning from conflicts overseas. Four out of 10 members of the Guard and Reserve forces lose income when they leave their civilian jobs for active duty. [HR27, Vote 47,3/02/05]
Congressman Blunt, Senator Chuck Purgason and Kansas City auto consultant Mark Memoly are competing in the August 2010 primary for the Republican nomination for US Senate.
Blunt has cut billions in benefits for veterans during career
Jefferson City, Mo — This week, as the nation honors the extraordinary sacrifices made by our veterans and military retirees, Congressman Roy Blunt is hoping that Missourians will listen to what he says, not what he does, and forget his abysmal voting record on veterans’ issues. While Blunt was lavishing tax breaks on corporate special interests and bailing out his friends on Wall Street, he was turning his back on the hundreds of thousands of veterans in Missouri by cutting funding for their health care and benefits.
“Actions speak louder than words, and Congressman Blunt has consistently put corporate special interests before veterans’ health care and benefits,” said Missouri Democratic Party Executive Director Brian Zuzenak. “In fact, during his years in Washington, Congressman Blunt cut veterans’ benefits by billions of dollars, but advocated for billions of dollars in corporate tax breaks and bailouts for his big business friends. This is just another reminder that Congressman Blunt’s Washington insider priorities may serve corporate special interests, but they don’t serve Missouri veterans or their families.”
For example, here are some of Congressman Blunt’s votes against veterans:
· Cut Veterans Health Care By $13.5 Billion: In 2005, Blunt voted to cut funding for veterans health care by $13.5 billion over five years. [HCR95, Vote 149, 4/28/05]
· Cast Deciding Vote to Defeat $53 Million Boost for Veterans Health Care & Benefits. In 2005, Blunt voted against an amendment to add $53 million for veterans health care and other benefits.[HR2528, Vote 224,5/26/05]
· Opposed Expanding TRICARE to Thousands of National Guard & Reserve Volunteers. In 2005, Blunt voted against a motion to expand access to the military’s TRICARE health insurance program, at the time open to only active duty service members, to thousands of reservist and National Guard members. A 2003 report by the General Accounting Office showed that 20 percent of all Reservists did not have health insurance, and 40 percent of Reservists aged 19 to 35 lacked health coverage.[HR1815, Vote 221,5/25/05]
· Opposed Job Assistance for Veterans Returning from Overseas. In 2005, Blunt voted against providing extra assistance to veterans who are returning from conflicts overseas. Four out of 10 members of the Guard and Reserve forces lose income when they leave their civilian jobs for active duty. [HR27, Vote 47,3/02/05]
Congressman Blunt, Senator Chuck Purgason and Kansas City auto consultant Mark Memoly are competing in the August 2010 primary for the Republican nomination for US Senate.
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