Did Dem Leadership Purchase Healthcare Votes?

"Vulnerable House Democrats who supported the healthcare bill last month reaped big financial rewards.

"Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports show the crucial yes votes cashed in between March 21 and the end of the first quarter on March 31. They received big money from Democratic-leaning political action committees (PACs) and fellow Democratic members of Congress.

"Several of these members were last-minute yes votes, which helped push the legislation to passage.

"Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) raised more than $140,000 from PACs and fellow members in the final 10 days of the quarter — which was more than one-third of the $400,000 total he raised for the entire quarter.

"Rep. Scott Murphy (D-N.Y.) raised more than $100,000 from political committees after deciding to vote yes on the bill, and he raised about $475,000 overall.

"Reps. Debbie Halvorson (D-Ill.) and Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) weren’t far behind, each raising more than $90,000 from PACs and fellow members of

"Congress in the final week-plus of the quarter. Halvorson raised $410,000 total, while Giffords raised nearly $500,000.

"Frequent givers included labor unions and left-leaning groups like the Human Rights Campaign PAC. Several liberal members of Congress who championed the bill, including Reps. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), also rewarded those who voted yes with contributions.

"While members flooded each other’s coffers in the final days of the first-quarter fundraising period, House leaders gave little to those who voted no on healthcare reform. In the final week-plus of the quarter, neither Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) nor Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) gave money to any member who voted no.

(Aaron Blake, “Democrats See the Money After Healthcare Bill Vote,” The Hill, 4/20/10)

Haven't We Seen This Before?

The same thing appeared to happen last July in the wake of the contentious vote on a national energy tax: 

"Three House Democratic leaders who were whipping members on the climate change bill gave tens of thousands in campaign cash to party moderates around the time of the 219-212 vote on June 26, according to Federal Election Commission records.

"It's impossible to tell if that torrent of cash was an attempt to schmear wavering Democrats -- or just part of the usual cash dump made by leaders on the eve of the June 30 quarterly fundraising deadline.

"Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) doled out $28,000 to reps who eventually voted yes on June 24, two days before the big vote -- on a day when House leaders were doing some heavy-duty arm-twisting.

"Clyburn recipients who voted for the bill included a who's-who of battleground district Dems: Steve Driehaus, D-OH ($2,000); Martin Heinrich, D-NM ($2,000); Suzanne Kosmas, D-Fla. ($4,000); Betsy Markey, D-Colo. ($2,000); Carol Shea-Porter, D-NH ($2,000), Baron Hill, D-Ind. ($2,000); Alan Grayson, D-Fla. ($2,000); Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa ($2,000); Jim Himes, D-Conn. ($2,000);  Mary Jo Kilroy, D-OH ($2,000); Kurt Schrader, D-Ore. ($2,000); Jerry McNerney, D-Calif. ($2,000) and Tom Perriello, D-Va. ($2,000).

"On the other hand, Clyburn also gave at least $14,000 to Democrats who voted no despite his pressure: Mike Arcuri, D-NY ($2,000); Marion Berry, D-Ark. ($2,000); Bobby Bright, D-Ala. ($2,000); Chris Carney, D-Penn. ($2,000); Chet Edwards (D-Tx.), Travis Childers , D-Miss. ($2,000); Parker Griffith, D-Ala. ($2,000) and Harry Mitchell, D-NM ($2,000).

"The same pattern held true for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who gave $4,000 to yes-voting Ohio Democrat Zack Space and the same amount to no-voting Chris Carney.

"House Energy and Commerce Henry Waxman gave at least $16,000 to yes-voters on June, 25, FEC records show."

(Glenn Thrush, "Big Dem Cash Dump on Eve of Climate Vote," Politico, 7/17/09)

DEAL WATCH: Dem Lobbying Firm Hits the Jackpot in the Obama-Pelosi Healthcare Casino

The clients of Democrat lobbying firm The Raben Group made out so well in the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare bill law that the firm decided it needed to brag about it. The Raben Group took a victory lap in an email sent to their Washington allies this morning with the subject line “Some Say Waterloo; We Say Success” and included a long list of special deals they scored for their clients.

The Raben Group is a veritable cornucopia of former staffers for Democrats and liberal causes. The lobbyists at the firm include alumni of: the Democratic National Committee, the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign, the Clinton administration, the 2000 Gore campaign, Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA), Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Rep. Xavier Beccera (D-CA), Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI), Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-TX), Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA), the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association, the Nevada State Senate Democratic Caucus, the National Education Association, NOW, People for the American Way and Planned Parenthood.

The nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity declared the Obama-Pelosi healthcare takeover a “bonanza” for lobbyists. According to their analysis:

“About 1,750 businesses and organizations hired about 4,525 lobbyists, total — eight for each member of Congress — and spent at least $1.2 billion to influence health care bills and other issues, according to a Center analysis of disclosure documents that included ‘health reform’ or similar wording.” (“Washington Lobbyists Cash in on Health Reform,” Center for Public Integrity news release, 3/26/10)

Among the special deals Raben Group lobbyists took credit for were:

• A $1.5 billion “home visitation grant program” to benefit the Nurse Family Partnership.

  $6.3 billion in Medicaid funding for U.S. territories, $1 billion in subsidies for insurance exchanges in Puerto Rico, and provisions to give Puerto Rico “new flexibility” on “how to best use funding to expand coverage” for Latinos United for Healthcare, an organization created by The Raben Group

•  Provisions to ease the approval of biotech drugs for pharmaceutical giant Amgen

  Provisions for training and development for direct care workers, a “health care workforce commission,” and the inclusion of the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act in the healthcare bill on behalf of the Direct Care Alliance

•  A provision that “requires health insurers in the public exchange to offer enrollees information on resources available for advanced care planning” on behalf of Compassion & Choices

Which Democrat members of Congress helped The Raben Group secure these special deals? We may never know. It turns out Speaker Nancy Pelosi was right: The Democrats had to pass the bill so that you could find out what was in it.

More Apparent Special Deals Revealed at the 11th Hour?

An Associated Press report revealed this afternoon that there are even more apparent special deals in Obama and Pelosi’s government takeover of healthcare that target the votes of Democrats Pelosi desperately needs to force this bill down the throats of the American people:

“Tucked into President Barack Obama’s health care bill are several 11th-hour changes that help major insurance companies and doctor-owned hospitals.

“Among the beneficiaries, according to lobbyists and congressional aides, are Kaiser Permanente, the giant California-based insurance company; Geisinger Health Plan based in Pennsylvania; and doctor-owned health facilities in about a dozen states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.”

“The latest changes to the bill include:

“Tax-exempt insurers would have to pay a new fee levied on insurers on only half their premiums. Kaiser Permanente and Geisinger are both tax-exempt.

“An Aug. 1, 2010, deadline on new doctor-owned hospitals to apply to the government for eligibility to serve — and get paid for — Medicare patients would be extended to Dec. 31. Aides and lobbyists said this would help roughly 13 facilities. These include Mercy Hospital in Monclova, Ohio; Scranton Orthopedic Specialists in Dickson City, Pa.; and Paragon Rehabilitation in Goodlettsville, Tenn.

“The three facilities are represented, respectively, by Democratic Reps. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Paul Kanjorski of Pennsylvania, and Bart Gordon of Tennessee. Gordon has switched to support the health legislation after opposing an earlier version and Kaptur said Sunday she would stick to her “yes” vote. Kanjorski hasn’t indicated how he would vote. Aides to all three said the lawmakers had nothing to do with the provisions and their votes would not be affected by inclusion of the language.

“A new 2.9 percent excise tax on medical devices would be lowered to 2.3 percent. But it will be broadened to apply to some lower-cost devices it hadn’t initially covered, though hearing aids, contact lenses and other items consumers buy retail would be excluded. According to one medical industry official, the changes were made at the insistence of Reps. Baron Hill and Brad Ellsworth, both Indiana Democrats, and Scott Murphy, D-N.Y., who are all now supporting the legislation.”
(Alan Fram, “Late Revisions in Health Care Bill Help Some Insurers, Doctor-Owned Hospitals,” Associated Press, 3/21/10)

Will these Democrats come clean about the apparent backroom deals?

Their Washington, DC offices are open today, so call and ask:

Brad Ellsworth: (202) 225-4636

Bart Gordon: (202) 225-4231

Baron Hill: (202) 225-5315

Marcy Kaptur: (202) 225-4146

Paul Kanjorski: (202) 225-6511

Scott Murphy: (202) 225-5614

Was this Yet Another Backroom Deal to Force Obama’s Bill Down the American People’s Throats?

With a vote on Obama and Pelosi’s government takeover of healthcare expected tomorrow, Rep. Alan Boyd (D-FL) finally got off the fence and announced yesterday that he would vote “yes” for the bill.

Boyd’s announcement came just days after one of his pet bills passed the House. Boyd is the sponsor of a bill, the Florida National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2009 (H.R. 3954). The bill languished in committee after being introduced in October 2009. Suddenly, though, it received a vote Thursday in the House.

Boyd’s bill was not originally on the schedule for this week when it was released by Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) last Friday. However, Thursday it appeared on the calendar and was passed this afternoon in the full House.

Will Boyd come clean about this apparent backroom deal for his vote?

Call Boyd’s district office at (850) 561-3979 and ask.

Learn more at http://gopcodered.com/

You can view the story from Friday night’s “CBS Evening News” here.

From CBSNews.com: As Democrats drill down on the final undecideds, Republicans are drilling down on anything that smells like a special deal for that special someone. Republicans have likened it to a game show.

Today, Republicans found what they think is a goody aimed at fence-sitting Democrat Harry Teague (D-N.M.) who faces a hair-splitting re-election campaign. They say a physician-owned hospital in his district will get special benefits.

There’s $100 million in Medicaid money for Tennessee. The office of Congressman Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) says that has nothing to do with his announcement that he’s switching to a “yes” vote.

And there are some suggestive sudden overtures on Capitol Hill: an increase in coveted federal water allotments in the districts of Congressmen Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) were announced this week. Republicans say that usually happens later in the month.

And a bill sponsored by Cardoza and Costa that was languishing is now moving forward in the House. Costa, a fence-sitter, says any notion he’s traded his vote is “completely false.”

Remember those sweetheart deals stuffed in the Senate bill last December criticized by President Obama? Some of those are alive and well, reports CBS News Investigative Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson.

“Some of the sweetheart deals are still in this bill, like the Louisiana Purchase,” says Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio).

The “Louisiana Purchase” is $300 million dished out to Louisiana just for Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu’s yes vote. Other states can qualify too. There’s $1 billion for New Jersey drug companies where Sen. Bob Menendez faces a tough reelection. His office told us other states can benefit from the same provision. He just happens to live in a state that will benefit a lot.

And Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut still gets $100 million for a local hospital. Democrats say the provision is not exclusive to Connecticut.

One thing that’s out is the “Cornhusker Kickback.” Nebraska didn’t want to get tainted with getting special favors, $100 million in Medicaid funds. Instead, all states will get more.

Some things that look like a deal may be nothing more than coincidence, and there’s often arm-twisting and deal-cutting on legislation, reports Attkisson. But this is arguably the most attention those backroom bargains have ever gotten.

From TheHill.com: House Republicans are furiously trying to shed some light on the backroom deals still included in Democrats’ healthcare bill before it heads to the floor for a vote this weekend.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has just posted a new “Deal Watch Blog” on its Code Red website, which deems the healthcare overhaul bill “Deal-a-Palooza.”

In one entry, the NRCC cites several deals Senate Democrats made in exchange for yes votes some of which have received their fair share of media scrutiny since the Senate passed the bill in December: the so-called Louisiana Purchase, special funding for a hospital in Connecticut, one billion dollars for New Jersey Drug companies, a tax-exemption for longshoreman, a special multi-billion benefit for Union healthcare plans, another deal for Montana coal miners as well as North Dakota Medicare providers.

Those special deals that helped woo wavering Democrats are still included in the bill the House will vote on this weekend because of a parliamentary maneuver that takes up the bill passed by the Senate in December with House changes, the NRCC asserts. House procedure calls it “an amendment to the nature of a substitute.” Practically, whatever the substitute doesn’t change in the old bill will remain – including a number of controversial deals.

“Will Pelosi and Congressional Democrats come clean about the apparent backroom deals?” asks the NRCC’s Deal Watcher, which provides Pelosi’s district office phone numbers encourages readers to call her office and ask.

“Bye bye, Cornhusker Kickback. Hello, special treatment for Tennessee and possibly North Dakota. Democrats unveiling revisions Thursday to their health care overhaul bill decided to kill the extra $100 million in Medicaid funds for Nebraska that has become a symbol of backdoor deal-making…..[T]hough the bill would revamp the nation’s student loan system to make the government the only lender, one bank — the state-owned Bank of North Dakota — would be allowed to continue making student loans. That provision ended up rubbing Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., the wrong way. Fearing it would become a target by Republicans in what he said is ‘an overly heated partisan environment,’ he asked the House late Thursday to remove it from the legislation. A spokesman for Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., said the provision was removed after Conrad’s request. ‘It’s out of the package now,’ spokesman Brenden Timpe said. ‘It’s kind of a moot point.’ He pointed out the provision was added while the Senate was considering a separate student loan overhaul bill, meaning it wasn’t a new addition designed to get Pomeroy’s health care vote as some Republicans accused Thursday.” (“Health care package adds, removes Bank of N.D. item,” Grand Forks Herald, 03/19/10)

When will the Special Deals Stop?

If you were outraged by the backroom deals included in the previous versions of the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare, you better sit down because the deals are back. Code Red found that many of those deals are still included in the latest machination of Obama and Pelosi’s healthcare bill.

The special deals can be discovered by looking at what is not discussed in the Democrats’ “new” bill, which for the sake of House procedure is called “an amendment in the nature of a substitute.” The bill will make changes to the bill passed by the Senate in December. Whatever the Democrats’ “new” bill doesn’t change will become law.

Remember the “Louisiana Purchase”? It’s still in there, because the Democrats’ “new” bill doesn’t remove Section 2006 of HR 3590, the Senate-passed healthcare-takeover bill. You can read more about the “Louisiana Purchase” here.

How about the special funding for a local hospital in Connecticut? Still there, because the Democrats’ “new” bill doesn’t remove Section 10502 of HR 3590. You can read more about the deal for a hospital in Connecticut here.

$1 billion for New Jersey Drug Companies? It’s in there, because the Democrats’ “new” bill doesn’t remove Section 9023 of HR 3590. You can read more about the deal for New Jersey here.

While you likely won’t be exempt from the Democrats’ new taxes on health plans, longshoremen will be under the Democrats’ “new” bill because it doesn’t remove Section 1401 of HR 3590. You can read more about the deal for longshoremen here.

Union healthcare plans stand to gain $5 billion because the Democrats’ “new” bill doesn’t remove Section 1102 of HR 3590. You can read more about the deal for union health plans here.

Montana coal miners get special treatment because the Democrats’ “new” bill doesn’t remove Section 10323 of HR 3590. You can read more about the deal for Montana coal miners here.

North Dakota Medicare providers stand to receive higher payments than providers in other states because the Democrats’ “new” bill doesn’t remove Section 10324 of HR 3590. You can read more about the deal for North Dakota Medicare providers here.

Will Pelosi and congressional Democrats come clean about the apparent backroom deals?

Call Pelosi’s district office at (415) 556-4862 and ask.