John McCain and Vicki Iseman: It's the Money, Stupid

There is no better illustration of everything that is WRONG with Washington than the John McCain-Vicki Iseman tryst. The Republican Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee carrying on with a comely female Republican lobbyist who represents the corporate interests of other Republicans with business before the committee and who donates to the chairman's campaigns. Wow! And today McCain is out sanctimoniously waving the flag and "supporting the troops" while the evidence mounts that he used his position as Commerce Committee chair to rake in cash hand over fist for his corporate campaign donors.

Throughout 1999 and 2000, the Republican lobbyist, Vicki Iseman, was close by McCain's side at fundraisers, parties, and on private jets. Their face time together caught the attention of members of McCain's own staff. They grew concerned about the impropriety of McCain flying around the country with the fetching female lobbyist, 30 years his junior, on a jet owned by the telecommunications tycoon and McCain campaign contributor, Lowell Paxson. Ms. Iseman "lobbied" McCain on behalf of Paxson's business interests.

According to The New York Times, McCain wrote letters to the Federal Communications Commission in behalf of Paxson Communications (now Ion Media Networks) and Glencairn Ltd. calling for regulatory changes that would dump a wad of cash into the pockets of two of Ms. Iseman's most important corporate clients. McCain's meddling even drew a rare rebuke from the FCC Chairman for its impropriety.

And Ms. Iseman is no ordinary lobbyist. She is a full partner in the powerhouse Washington lobbying firm of Alcalde and Fay. She's not an intern or a flunky reflecting the tawdry tastes of a Bill Clinton. Vicki is no Monica. McCain has class.

But with the Republicans, as we all know, it's not the sex that gets them off but the money and the power.

McCain's crusade against the influence of money in our politics is illustrated by the fact he put Washington lobbyists in charge of his Senate office, (Mark Buse), and his presidential campaign, (Rick Davis).

McCain might not have had sex with "that woman" -- Ms. Iseman -- but Ms. Iseman's corporate clients were balls deep inside McCain's Commerce Committee.

Comments

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

I hope McCain tones down his self-righteousness in his attempt to run against Washington -- I wish he'd get a real job instead of leaching off of the United States government all these years.

[JoeyP]

The Right is fulminating against the NYTimes (the Judy Miller/Michael Gordon paper) as if it's all a hit piece about sex -- money changed hands, regulations were dropped that financially benefitted corporations Iseman represented, etc. That's the story -- who cares if McCain took his Vienna sausage out of the can?

[DemandTruth]

Governent of the People, by the People, and for the People my big fat white ASS! Any fool who votes for this man over Obama OR Hillary deserves to be robbed blind!

[PioneerKing]

LETS GET REAL HERE - Tailgate, Laxault, Keating, Abramoff, Iseman, Enron, EchoStar, shady campaign fund bank loans ...! the list goes on, and on for Senator McCain. Regrettably, the holier than thou conservatives are being duped again. Let's talk about the lack of accomplishments of Senator McCain. At a minimum the democratic candidates have a valid excuse for their inability to procedurally, get legislation through the Senate. While Sen. McCain does not have any excuse for his ineffectiveness. Except ...Tailgate, Laxault, Keating, Abramoff, Iseman, Enron, EchoStar, shady campaign fund bank loans ...!
Yet, Sen. McCain has been in Washington for nearly 30 years and has authored/sponsored less than 10 pieces of legislation that have passed; although he has been part of the majority republican congress throughout most of his career. McCain has been asleep at the wheel or should one say asleep in the corporate jets of his lobbyist friends. How does it feel being duped by "St. McCain," whose, flipped flopped clad, feet of clay are mired in the muck of corporate greed and, whose shoulders are shrouded in a pallium of say anything, do anything meaningless tautology. GET REAL!

[Doofus]

Very simply, Senator McCain is a former lobbyist (i.e. 'Pentagon liaison officer to the Senate') who hires lobbyists as senior staff. So, he has a thing for lobbyists.

More info on this scary dude...

http://www.slate.com/id/2184893

'McCain's Smoking Blonde - In defense of the New York Times' takedown.'

http://www.reason.com/news/show/118937.html

'Be Afraid of President McCain - The frightening mind of an authoritarian maverick'

[normathumb]

Isn't it true McCain was having an affair with his current wife while still married to the first wife? It must not be enough to have done it once. The party gives him a pass on the past. At least, she is a girl, they must be saying. There stands a man of integrity, or something.

[hopeless277]

Man, you're screaming into a hurricane. The MSM has no intention of letting a little corruption and criminal behavior get in the way of their god McCain. As long as his campaign slogan is 'Funneling Money to The Top', he will rake in millions and his crimes will go unnoticed and unreported. As a matter of fact, these charges only make him more attractive to conservatives. Why would they want a 'reformer' in the WH when they can have an easily purchased GWB clone? No, the right will rally around St. McCain and I'll wager before it's all over, our Democratic congress will retroactivly immunize all Republican Senators and Representatives from prosecution for bribery and corruption. Jello Jay will lead the charge himself. You just wait and see.

[VET613]

"Business as usual"...where is the surprise?

[mediamarv]

Too true!!

That was the gist of the real NYT story, but of course, media minions love the sex potential..