McCain Aides Earned Nearly $2.4 Million From Foreign Car Manufacturers

Early on Tuesday, Barack Obama's presidential campaign launched an ad in Michigan pointing out that, despite assurances that he only purchased domestic, three of John McCain's 13 cars were foreign-made.

The spot was designed to paint McCain as both removed from his straight-talking reputation and not a true champion of the domestic auto industry.

If that is the case, however, the Obama campaign left a far more effective salvo lying on the table. Not only does McCain buy foreign. Several high-ranking members of his campaign and fundraising team have earned nearly $2.4 million lobbying on behalf of foreign auto manufacturers.

According to the non-partisan Campaign Money Watch, John Green, McCain's congressional liaison, earned $130,000 to lobby on behalf of the Association of International Car Manufacturers in 2007 and 2008. Susan Nelson, the Senator's finance director, made $460,000 lobbying for Toyota from 2005 to 2007. Tom Loeffler, the campaign's former finance chair (and McCain bundler) made $660,000 lobbying for Toyota during that same time period. While Josephine Cooper and David Vennett -- each fundraisers for the campaign -- have both worked as Toyota's in-house lobbyists since 2004.

Meanwhile, Kristen Gullot, who fundraises for McCain and serves on his steering committee of women, made $840,000 lobbying for Toyota from 2005 through 2008. And
Susan Molinari, another member of the steering committee of women for McCain, made $300,000 lobbying for Hyundai in 2001 and 2002.

"When John McCain tells Michigan voters that their jobs aren't coming back, he's apparently speaking with inside information," said David Donnelly, director of Campaign Money Watch. "He is receiving fundraising help and advice from a half dozen lobbyists who have also made millions working for foreign car manufacturers."

All of the entities that these advisers and aides lobbied for were U.S. subsidiaries of foreign manufacturers. And both of these companies have thousands of American-based employees. In all likelihood, McCain's cars were built in the United States and not overseas. But domestic car companies, and the workers they employ, are naturally skittish of the foreign competition. And as the Obama campaign signaled this morning, they will take advantage of any potential to shift votes in Michigan. As such, it would not be a huge surprise to see the Illinois Democrat point out the lobbyist connections that McCain has to these foreign producers.

Comments

[eMJayy]

Obama's not even president yet and he's already fighting the lobbyists - in the McCain campaign!

Meanwhile, McCain promises to fight the lobbyists - but how do you fight against people that you take advice from every day over coffee? Who do you fight when your own army is the ENEMY???

[Ulysse]

Well it just keeps getting better!

[Joslynb]

Guys, do yourself a favor and watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KjsEs46C70
This is something that has always concerned me and I'm not sure why more Americans aren't concerned about it - why do we always have to wait for a disaster to occur to take action - now is the time - please copy the above link and watch.

[Ladyrantsalot]

John McCain: Government of the lobbyists, by the lobbyists, and for the lobbyists.

[dwmulenex]

things are getting loverly for Higgins McCain and Toothsome Liza, as both are shown to be something else than they pretend to be. Rick "Grease My Palm" Davis took in $2.5 million lobbying for Fannie and Freddie, and his form was on a no work, just pay me for access to McCain retainer of 15 K a month until the Feds took them over a month ago. Now a cool $2.4 million to lobby for foreign auto manufacturers, and McCain's long voting record opposing "buy America" for fleets and motorcycles. And that reform legislation on Fannie/Freddie? In 2005 it was Chuck Hagel who led the charge, along with Elizabeth Dole. Only a year later did "Me too" McCain sign on as cosponsor. He never raised a lobbyist bought-off finger to actually support the bill. The more you look at McCain, and don't fall for his "there's a really big accident you could drive by over there" tactics, the more you realize he has no ideas, no success on any issue he bucked his party on except the campaign finance law he is now trying to dismantle, no military command experience, and no idea about how the economy runs unless Phil Gramm drops over to be sure the bailout includes the bad securities he encouraged his Swiss bank employer to buy. The candidate most loudly screaming breach of public trust this time around is the guy with the 26 year record of doing it. Enough!

[rcozad]

In Keating 5 Mccain's defense he has no interest in, nor efforts made to either learn or tell the truth. Lies are his maverick weapon!

[ewa]

Bobby: "Let me tell you about one other of these scams people should know about. If you're a newly registered voter - and of course the Democrats have done these gigantic registration drives - 12 million people on registration - if you're a new voter you MUST include your license or some other state I.D. when you come to vote. What that means is that if you're a college kid (and college kids now - they're sending in absentee ballots - they're not going to the voting place, they do everything online or they do everything remotely - they don't dream of going to the precinct house voting on election day and waiting in a long line) so if they send in the absentee ballot and they don't include a color copy of their license their vote is going to be thrown into a trash can. And none of these people know this because you have had to read the law in order to know it. So there is no notification for when you fill out your registration form, so all of those 12 million people that the Democrats have registered: those ballots are going to be just thrown out.

Pap: "And if Democrats won't talk about this how the hell's anybody gonna know about it? I'm involved with this kind of thing every day - I didn't know that until you just told me. The media is not talking about it. How in the hell is somebody gonna find

[layman]

LIE YOUR FRE_KING A$$ OFF ELECTION CAMPAIGN EXPOSED !!!!!!

[thinkworklivelove]

This should be news to the auto-workers that lost their jobs in Michigan. If McSame is peddling more lies to get votes, the people in Michigan have a right to know.

[cbates]

I hope they can salvage the SALVO.

[truelockCA]

I own a toyota prius.....flame me, flame me now!

[Chad53916]

After the engine, tranny or something huge in my 95 Olds 88 fails, I'm considering getting a Toyota myself (maybe a Corolla). But then, it's got only 170K on it and it's maintained very well, so I think I'll be driving it a few years yet! Not sure if I'll abandon GM quite yet.

[truelockCA]

NO not the foreign car makers!? Are you kidding me people......this is news why?

[Sodbuster]

I can hear the response from the McCain camp now:

"It's all Obama's fault!"

[tel8034]

It is now obvious that we can take EVERYONE in the McCain camp and draw a direct line from each of them, and connect that line to everything that has gone wrong in this country.

[pubs4o]

McCain's response will be the same as it was about Fiorna's $42 million theft from HP - "they worked hard for that money."

[watchTVgetSTUPID]

Read old quarterly reports from Carley's company and you will find HP was receiving a tax benefit for dumping thousands of US programmers and replacing them with programmers in India. It cost them a couple hundred million and that "cost of doing business" is deducted from their earnings resulting in tax avoidance.

HP was getting a tax break for exporting jobs.
What a Patriot

[arthur2008]

John McCain was a POW, you know. And a hero. (Well, Charles Keating's hero, anyway.)