Biden Rakes In Lobbyist Cash Obama Decries

ABC News:

The Center for Responsive Politics has a thorough analysis of Sen. Joe Biden's campaign cash intake now that Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has selected him as his running mate.

The industry that has given Biden the most cash has been lawyers/law firms ($6,567,404) followed by real estate ($1,297,690). Pro-Israel groups are the 8th biggest contributing industry.

Obama may decry lobbyist cash (or at least federal lobbyist cash), but Biden has taken $344,400 from lobbyists since 1997 -- making lobbyists the 10th biggest contributing industry.

Read the whole story: ABC News

Comments

[rollingdivision]

And if lobbying isn't enough Senator Biden's son Hunter was on the MBNA, Citibank payroll while Biden was working to get the hated new big credit card company bankruptcy law passed. Politics of old, big time.

New York Times, "During the years that Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. was helping the credit card industry win passage of a law making it harder for consumers to file for bankruptcy protection, his son had a consulting agreement that lasted five years with one of the largest companies pushing for the changes, aides to Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign acknowledged Sunday."

Mr. Biden’s son, Hunter, received consulting fees from the MBNA Corporation from 2001 to 2005 for work on online banking issues. Aides to Mr. Obama, who chose Mr. Biden as his vice-presidential running mate on Saturday, would not say how much the younger Mr. Biden, who works as both a lawyer and lobbyist in Washington, had received, though a company official had once described him as having a $100,000 a year retainer. But Obama aides said he had never lobbied for MBNA and that there was nothing improper about the payments.

Campaign officials acknowledged that the connection between the Bidens and MBNA, the enormous financial services company ..."

[ApolloniaCreed]

Boy o boy! Trollism ran rapid this weekend.

Quick question..­. isn't using lobbying as an industry a little disingenuous. After all, they represent many industries and interests? It seems like a far reach considering the relatively small number - stretched over so many years was the best attempt to make a connection.

If you want a real story, why not just look inside Sen Mc's campaign? Hmph... I wonder if the Mc campaign will even touch this bit of "news".

[Trinidad707]

His son is a lobbyist..­.that should show you what kind of change Obama is looking for NOT!

[GJP2006]

I don't think Biden is on the take from any campaign donors, at least not personally. However, the fact that MBNA is one of his largest and enduring supporters and he was a principle mover in getting the horrific bankruptcy bill passed, which was awful for working class folks, is very troubling indeed. I really don't know what or who to believe anymore because Obama has completely shifted politically and on principle, and what is left really? We get an old DC insider who has cozy relationships with lobbyists and has voted against the interests of the working class and supported the Bush and Co. on Iraq.

[rollingdivision]

Biden’s said that he was not influenced by his son’s work for MBNA or the campaign donations. It was all innocent. Hundreds of thousands of dollars for you son and campaign would never influence anyone. Anyone with a box a rocks for brains would never approve of their relatives being hired directly by the same very corporations they are writing new laws and regulations to control. There are some things that are just beyond opinion and this is one, this just plain stinks.

[rollingdivision]

Obama is the one who has made this a major issue. No one else. And now he doesn't even acknowledge Biden's issues with lobbyists, the hypocrisy is striking.

[hippybaby1970]

republicans shitting on the CONSTITUTION for money and power is striking. your name 'suggests' you have had some involvement with the military; if so, you should be ashamed of yourself for supporting people who put greed before country!

[AzRealProgressive]

Potty mouth. You should be the one ashamed for failing to acknowledge his point is 100% correct.

[ApolloniaCreed]

The number seems pretty small, relatively­...

[rollingdivision]

ABC News reported the take was more like $470,000 in six months, times 2 is about a cool million a year. Not too bad for one year.

[AzRealProgressive]

Obama has hammered McCain and his staff for lobbyist connections. A common theme was the old Washington politics. Looks pretty much the same.

[Coinyer101]

this wont help gather any support for us from republican crossovers and independents. unity is looking less and less likely. we're in for an ugly fight now. no more high roads left to travel on.if we win we lose our honor.if we lose we lose our honor.glad everyone's so thrilled with adding attack dogs to our once 'proud' campaign.

[AzRealProgressive]

HRC may add something to that, or some of her supporters.

[hippybaby1970]

you mean all those who helped pay off all those debts of hers? talk is cheap.

[Coinyer101]

great choice,barack! you should have picked wes clark! now,we have given ammunition to the right,and, we have to question the whole 'change' thing.

obama /not biden '08

[oldwiseone]

If we insist

on making it a race between

the left and the right

between the liberal and the conservative

so be it

Liberals are for the people

conservatives are for business

allowing the conservative to

run the country

is like

allowing the horse

to take the rider

where the horse

wants to go

most likely

to stuff its belly

with green stuff

think about it

we the people

for the people

of the people

by the people

will be no more

forevermore

unless we take the reins back

[AzRealProgressive]

Conservatives are for business, liberals are for people. What a convoluted talking point of nothingness

Business supports people, government ,and a life style above any other in the world ever heard of anywhere in time.How can you speak down about the very hand that feeds you, and that of your family ?

[hippybaby1970]

i feed myself and my family. it is real easy to speak down to white trash getting uppity!

[indypete]

Republican logic...

18,000 a year to a democrat=high crimes and misdemeanors.
Millions a year to a republican=fine and dandy

[Middleclassvotingbloc]

Thats fine, we still love him. When its ours it is not the same. That was then this is now. Who cares.

[aubrey8]

my, my how the straw man blows with the wind...

[jsinclair]

$350,000 in (actually) 19 years? That's a lot? ROFL.

How much has McSame taken in during the same time period?

(Since he has $1 million THIS year, just from oil lobbyists alone, I would guess well into the hundred MILLIONS).

Let's see!~

[Viper]

Its less per year than the McCains spend on shoes or in jet feul in a month for their personal jet plane.. Ye9 19 K per year is ranking iot in which included 2 runs for President.

Regards

[eduvert]

Actually, that's since 1989. Check the source, and with that date, it's a whopping $18K per year. Wow, Joe Biden is really raking it in. Get a life, Jake.

[nunzia]

There is ONE solution to the lobbyist problem.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM.

Unfortunately, when they hear the word "finance" most Americans' minds glaze over.

[thereigoagain]

BHO BROKE HIS WORD.
or as Dems say, "He lied"

[Viper]

McCain in 2005 said he had no problem with gay marriage. That the Bush tax cuts would bankrupt the government (they did) and benefit mostly the rich and that we should leave Iraq quickly since our presence enhances the problems there. In 2002 the war would be quick and not cost much. In 2003 he said the plan was good and more troops not required. IN 2004 he campaigned for Bush and said Rumsfelds was doing a great job while Kerry was saying he should be fired and in 2005 he was saying we could reduce the troops and start bringing them home... In 2006 he started sayig he had always said the war would be long and tough! If You change your positions and lie about what you said 12 months earlier.. at some point you will be right at least to repug who seem to have the attention span of a nat!

Giggolo McCain.. does not know where he lives, cant drive a car, cant use a computer, cant hanle his own household finances..­. but wants to run the country.

Regards

[Xenopus]

Joe's take averages out to less than $35,000 per year. McCain has over $2 million from oil lobbyist just this campaign season. Talk about one sided reporting.

[pupbayer]

Joe's from Delaware for gawd's sake. How much money do you think you need to campaign in Delaware?

[Xenopus]

Not so much that you have to sell your soul to big oil.

[Viper]

McCain's initial funding came from his first and only Boss, a twice convicted felon... Cindy's father who had mob ties...

Arizona does not take a lot to campaign in either.. unless you need a private jet...

Obiden has twice run for president during that period also.

Regards