Rep. Suzanne Kosmas Skips Hearing For Fundraiser

The House Financial Services Committee held a hearing Wednesday about the Obama administration's proposed new Consumer Financial Protection Agency. The witness list featured folks from the banking industry, like John Courson, president of the Mortgage Bankers Association, and Steve Bartlett, president of the Financial Services Roundtable. Both testified against the creation of a new consumer protection agency.

As often happens, many members of the committee skipped the hearing, including freshman Rep. Suzanne Kosmas. Instead of attending, the Florida Democrat went to lunch at a townhouse near the Capitol. According to the invitation, posted on the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation's website, www.politicalpartytime.org, the price of admission to the midday affair was a $500 campaign contribution from individual guests and $1,000 from political action committees. The event was a typical fundraiser, one of at least eight happening on the Hill this Wednesday.

The Huffington Post visited the event as part of its effort to cover typical, run-of-the-mill lobbying on the Hill. At the front door, the host, lobbyist Doyle Bartlett (no relation to Steve Bartlett), politely said a reporter would not be allowed in. He declined to provide details about the guest list.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Doyle Bartlett's clients include the Mortgage Bankers Association, Morgan Stanley, the Financial Services Institute and the Federal Home Loan Bank. Bartlett, a former staffer for the House Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs and a former employee of Washington Mutual, also represents clients in the entertainment industry and not-for-profits.

About a dozen arriving guests declined to identify themselves. When the congresswoman arrived, the Huffington Post asked her who would be attending her fundraiser.

"This is not a fundraiser," she said. Asked why an invitation said it cost $500 or $1,000 to attend, Kosmas said she didn't know. "It's a meet and greet."

A Kosmas staffer later called to say the event was, in fact, a fundraiser, and that the congresswoman's confusion was due to an error on her schedule.

Kosmas said she has not yet taken a position on the Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

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Comments

[wizzardly]

I, for one, am looking forward to voting and working hard to get her OUT. In the past I have contacted her office and got a very rude rude response. I KNOW it's not her, but she has staffers that represent her. Hearing about her fund raising is icing on the cake. She is a freshman who needs to be replaced.
I am in her district and from what I am hearing she is in trouble.

[Elbrando]

She was getting information on the financial system through the means that politicians normally do. This is not news, this happens all the time. Bribes are a normal part of the system.

[lobear00]

Members of congress need to have installed a revolving conveyor belt system, pack the lobbyist on such a belt so they go thru the front door and right out thru the back door non-stop. The members could then get to the business of representing the people and not Corporations. The members would not have the appetite of taking "Bribes".

[sailor422]

i wonder how many committee members were there ... i'm always amazed when i see CSPAN coverage of a hearing and there sit the witness and about two members

[redstrat]

it always seems like an empty house, I always wonder who's hearing this?

[vippy]

Okay guys, come election time vote her out. She brought it on herself. And while we are at it, do NOT vote for any incumbents. I think they have proven without a doubt they are not listening or representing those of us who put them in power. Enough already. Fire them all.

[jazzman]

Sorry Vippy that would turn the Congress back over to the Republicans. Republicans don't go to fundraisers, they use their committee meetings as fundraisers as they let the lobbyists write the legislation. In addition they staff the government agencies with lobbyists' choices who guarantee that the agency won't regulate anything and then they sit back and rake in the cash.

I'd rather have the Party in power who has to actually think about caving into special interests rather than having the Party in power that has merged entirely with special interests.

[mjwca]

Yes, there is always time for those with money. The rest of us, the ones who voted them in to office, mean nothing to them. And until there is public financing of campaigns and all these "fundraisers" selling access to lobbyists are made illegal and irrelevant, we will continue to mean nothing to them. As the saying goes: follow the money.

[ronnie423]

I say lied, she say confused

[Osusuki]

You know, if these folks are going to act like college kids when we send them out to do the nation's work, maybe we ought to treat them like college kids. Freshman Congress Critters ought to have dormitory rooms or suitable apartments provided to them by the government, and they ought to have to LIVE there, so they can't fall into hair brained quasi-religious cults or be dazzled by all the good things lobbyist money can buy. And we need some meaningful campaign finance reform, so lobbyist money can't buy THEM. I guess I'm getting old, but I sure get tired of hearing about elected representatives being out on the town attending fundraisers when the country is in this much of a mess and the people's work is just not getting done.

[yukoner1]

Hasn't taken a position? Suuuurrre. Guaranteed it will one of two: either bent over or bent over backwards.

[ladycubsfan]

Republican or Democrat, it makes no difference to me...these people have to be given their walking papers. We simply cannot tolerate this corruption any longer.

[JanSP1971]

I am a loyal member of the democratic party and I agree 100% with your statement. It's time the democratic party in FL find another person to replace Rep. Kosmas.

[Raster]

Such corruption can't go on indefinitely at the hyper level it has reached with the $4 trillion (and accumulating) bailouts of the bank-broke­r-insuranc­e financial troika. The eventual crash will be horrendous.

[ohmetoo]

Well you know first things first, just like sarahy taught us. ME first.

[LeeCalif]

This was another questionable fundraiser .......
Monday, July 20, 2009
Financial Services Luncheon for Congresswoman Laura Richardson (CA-37)
With Special Guest Chairman Barney Frank
National Democratic Club Townhouse
40 Ivy Street, SE
Washington, DC
1:00 " 2:30 PM
Requested Contributions:
$5,000 PAC Host "� $2,500 PAC Sponsor "� $1,000 PAC Friend

[NationalTreasure]

guess which freshman Democratic Congresswoman from Florida will be voting against the creation of the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency

[RoveRoveRoveYourBoat]

...I wouldn't listen to the swindlers from
the thieving banking industry either.

[ohmetoo]

Or the theiving state of Flarida.