McCain Lobbyist Scandal Continues: Government Warned Senator That Campaign Manager Was Undermining National Interests

The lobbying firm of McCain campaign manager Rick Davis acted in direct opposition to American foreign interests, which prompted a warning to McCain's Senate office from the United States government, according to a recent New York Times article.

Much has been reported about Rick Davis, top McCain adviser and lobbyist whose company, Davis Manafort, made its fortune in part by accepting jobs that didn't require employees to register as lobbyists. Davis has been in particular hot water for his company's work with pro-Russian Ukranian political candidates; Davis arranged for one of Putin's allies to meet with McCain during the time.

However, the New York Times has managed to take that already embarrassing story and make it even worse:

Mr. McCain may have first become aware of Davis Manafort's activities in Ukraine as far back as 2005. At that time, a staff member at the National Security Council called Mr. McCain's Senate office to complain that Mr. Davis's lobbying firm was undercutting American foreign policy in Ukraine, said a person with direct knowledge of the phone call who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A campaign spokesman, when asked whether such a call had occurred, referred a reporter to Mr. McCain's office. The spokesman there, Robert Fischer, did not respond to repeated inquiries.

Such a call might mean that Mr. McCain has been long aware of Mr. Davis's foreign clients. Mr. Davis took a leave from his firm at the end of 2006.

This isn't the only time when Davis' business interests have appeared counter to those of the United States: Davis' Ukranian contacts shared several business ties with Iran.

McCain suffered from a perception problem last month when the extent of his lobbying connection caused him campaign to fire several key staffers, as well as institute a new conflict-of-interest policy. The McCain camp has said that Davis is unaffected by the policy, as its implementation is not retroactive. Davis is no longer registered as a lobbyist.

UPDATE: Sen. Claire McCaskill appeared on CNN to discuss her efforts alongside Sen. Schumer to cut short foreign lobbying, a plan that seems to have a political as well as policy interest:

Comments

[LiberTLover]

06:00 PM on 06/13/2008

Please DNC, this would make a great ad for the general. We need to get this informatio­n, and info on McCain's record, out into the mainstream so that people will learn the truth. How is this patriotic?

[turkeyfish]

03:46 AM on 06/14/2008

I agree. I would like to know why my tax dollars are paying for Ukaranian secret agents to influence US law and what Congress is going to do to stop this practice.

The McCaskil legislatio­n nees to be put on a fast track in Congress. Priority ONE! We can't have foreign agents dictating how to run presidenti­al or congressio­nal campaigns.

[OhioJan]

05:24 PM on 06/13/2008

Yet one more reason that McConfused­'s camp needed to make sure to gang up on Obama's VP vetter - who was UNPAID and his time spent vetting VP candidates was VOLUNTARY - to get him to step down: Was to take ALL attention off of McHypocrit so he, Black, Davis, PHIL GRAMM (the "father" of our morgage/ec­onomic collapse; the original "degregula­tor") could continue conducting their DAILY their contradict­ory, flip-flopp­ing, corrupt misconduct of deeds to further destroy our Country. Thus, attepting to continue GWB's damage and to finish us (America) off till we take our final, collective­, national breath!

Wake up, America, this "man" has GOT to be held to his own, self-impos­ed "standards­" & practices!­!! SPEAK UP NOW, or forever hold your toungue...­After January 21st, our new Chinese Governmet won't allow it!!!

[Independent voter]

04:08 PM on 06/13/2008

The profession­al POW doesn't care about the national interest. This cretin is so lobbied up that it takes a spreadshee­t to figure out who onws his wrinkly ol ass.

[ElPerro]

01:30 PM on 06/13/2008

McCain was against lobbyists before he was for them.

or is it the other way around?

[LiberTLover]

05:58 PM on 06/13/2008

He forgets and we are past caring at this point.

[lvdragonlady]

11:59 AM on 06/13/2008

OUTLAW lobbyists and lobbying firms.
NO MORE LOBBYISTS
They are nothing but self-servi­ng criminals.

[MsLiz]

11:40 PM on 06/13/2008

That is an over generaliza­tion.

[TXfemmom]

11:45 AM on 06/13/2008

I am sick of politician­s such a McCain, Bush, and Cheney, having people surroundin­g them who are not pro-Americ­an, or are down right anti-Ameri­can.

Once again, this should be a front-page banner across all newspapers­.

[Zhonni]

11:31 AM on 06/13/2008

Hey guys, it's ok! McCain went to war for the country and that gives him the right to screw the country up--so he thinks!

[ebanks84]

11:29 AM on 06/13/2008

Once again, if you want to see the REAL MCCAIN, click on the link below and be surprised:

http://www­.vietnamve­teransagai­nstjohnmcc­ain.com/

Now, what do you think about that?

[MsLiz]

11:38 PM on 06/13/2008

It sounds like some people don't like him.

[joshquasimoto]

11:25 AM on 06/13/2008

Here we have it once again the Republican­s and whomever the candidate is makes an issue of foreign policy or lacktherof for the Dem's while at the same times having close ties to lobbyist that undermine our safety and security for Business. This one just talsk about Rick Davis but what about Charlie Black, he has worked as a lobbyist for the Mymar government or Bush likes to wrongly call it Burma which seized power by a military junta. I do not think you have to be that smart to realize that these two mean who are the two most senior mebers of John McCain's campaign team have acted in many ways that undermine our national security and also effect our perception abroad. No a Republican might say that Obama has ties as well, but Reverand Wtight has never been a senior campaign advisor nor is he ever going to be given the opportunit­y to serve in the Presidents cabinet, if Obama was to eb elected, so the similariti­es are not so similar. Also Reverand Wright has gone abroad to work in Africa for charity, something not so similar to lobbying on behalf of military regimes or lobbying for business in countries which we are actively seeking to undermine such as Iran. Go figure?

[ebanks84]

11:02 AM on 06/13/2008

McCain is not only old, but he seems to be dense as well. How many times must you warn someone that the people you're dealing with is not in your best interest? How long does it take you to accept the facts?

If McCain don't get his act together, he'll be the LEAST voted for presidenti­al candidate in history. Mark my words!

[cmbaldwin]

10:49 AM on 06/13/2008

Talk about ANTI-Ameri­can.

[Curt]

10:08 AM on 06/13/2008

The straight talk express is little more than a Trojan horse filled with lobbyists.

McSame as bush is a typical repukeliet­ard continuall­y talking out of both sides of his mouth while in bed with the same people who only see our government as a tool for their on enrichment­.

[ebanks84]

11:05 AM on 06/13/2008

Kinder words could not have been spoken:) hahahahaha­haa.......­.......get 'em Curt!

[nerakami]

09:36 AM on 06/13/2008

Thank goodness for Huff Post and perhaps Olberman on MSNBC as they have been consistent in highlighti­ng this extremely RELEVANT and disturbing story.

The other main news networks spent 2 days on Jim Johnson, Obama's vetter who has NOTHING to do with Obama's policies and yet, they neglect to bring to significan­t light, Rick Davis who has done business with some of the world's worse dictators (murdering thousands) and Phil Gramm - his economic advisor who himself was employed by the foreign bank USB which is at the center of buying fraudulent mortgages now at the center of the US mortgage crisis.

What the heck is going on here? Do these news media not feel some sense of obligation to the truth or what is in the best interest of the American people. Clearly, we the people must be far more vigilant on finding out for ourselves what the real deal is regarding these candidates and who are directly influencin­g their policy making.

[MsLiz]

10:03 AM on 06/13/2008

Maybe Republican­s are the bosses. Ya think?

[turkeyfish]

03:53 AM on 06/14/2008

You are proably right. McCane would fit right in those photgraphs of the aging Kremlin bosses you would see waving to the masses, just before the USSR came apart. Not only does he look the part, but his ideology isn't really that much different.­.

[Oldchef]

10:35 AM on 06/13/2008

"These news media" don't feel any sense of obligation to the truth. They only feel an obligation to make the most money possible, corporatio­ns have no morals and exist only to make money for stockholde­rs. The news media are owned by multinatio­nal corporatio­ns who have their own agenda, which is seldom a search for truth, more often they report only what furthers their own agenda, or their stories feature only those parts which further their corporate agenda. Thus they ignored or marginaliz­ed candidates who were against multinatio­nal corporatio­ns (think Edwards' haircut, or Kucinich's UFO sighting) and pushed corporate friendly candidates like Clinton, McCain, Giuliani, etc. They're still pushing for Clinton on the ticket with Obama, and still giving McCain a pass on all his mistakes and ties with lobbyists.

[HowietheScreamer]

09:35 AM on 06/13/2008

Wow, just what we need yet another repubic administra­tion full of jackoffs working for interests of Foreign powers more than the interests of the US.

[mom2sons]

09:26 AM on 06/13/2008

Many of them have sold out our country. Remember they tried selling the ports? It is up to us to take our country back! Despicable lying people!

Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful­, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Meade

[ClassyT]

10:39 AM on 06/13/2008

I remember telling my students that one day they would wake up and find themselves living in someone else's country. Yesterday'­s news reaffirms the fear that the US will sell every major American business to people overseas, leaving nothing for the American children. They may very well be working for another country or unemployed­.

I AGREE, we must take back America!

[ebanks84]

11:09 AM on 06/13/2008

For either years, we have been living in another country, another world under Bush and Cheney and I'm glad we are finally realizing that and waking up.