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Lameduckhunt.Org Prelude to New Trade Blog Public Citizen News 2006 Annual Report 5 Public Citizen’s p r o t e c 2006 t i n a n n u a l r e p o r t g y o Public Citizen Defends Citizen Interests, u r Challenges Unethical Congress in 2006 h or ethically challenged politicians and the e influence-peddlers trying to woo them, 2006 Fwill be remembered as the year the party a ended. After more than a decade of mounting cor- l ruption from one-party, Republican rule, lobbyists t and lawmakers alike were indicted, convicted and carted off to prison for ethics abuses. h However, a growing chorus of public outrage , over these abuses of power still did not hold much sway in Washington, D.C., last year. The leadership s on Capitol Hill offered only tepid reform bills to curb the influence of money in politics. The White a House and federal agencies continued to attack f hard-won government safeguards and tailor regu- e lations to benefit corporate interests. Public Citizen was in the fray, as it had been for t 35 previous years, defending the rights of citizens y and championing their interests in the halls of power. The organization showcased the worst of the worst in Congress and motivated citizens to a band together to express their displeasure with the n corporate raiding of the federal Treasury. Public Citizen also took the Food and Drug d Administration (FDA) to task on its 100th birthday for the agency’s conflicts of interest with the drug industry and for the unsafe medicines and treat- d ments – such as Vioxx and silicone breast implants e Clockwise, from top: 1) Public Citizen Photo/Bridgette – that the FDA has allowed onto the market. Blair; 2) Public Citizen Photo/Valerie Collins; 3) Photo And as the National Highway Traffic Safety Courtesy of Texas Fair Trade Coalition m Administration (NHTSA) turned 40, Public Citizen Clockwise, from top: 1) The sign President Joan Claybrook – a former NHTSA admin- pictured here was part of a 2006 o istrator – continued to push the agency to improve effort by Public Citizen and others safety and fuel efficiency in vehicles. to encourage incumbent lawmak- c Public Citizen exposed the corporate mergers ers to sign the “Voters First” pledge; r and price-gouging that drove up fuel prices last 2) “Billionaires for Bush,” a grass- a year as drivers paid record prices at the pump and roots organization that uses humor oil companies raked in their largest profits ever. The and street theater to expose politi- c organization continued to push for increased fund- cians who support corprorate y ing for renewable energy sources and countered interests at the expense of every- day Americans,“crashes” a press efforts to falsely portray nuclear power as a cleaner conference on the estate tax in s alternative. April. 3) This “cat” was at a February Public Citizen also fought attempts to rush con- 2006 event highlighting a Public i struction of new polluting power plants in anticipa- Citizen Global Trade Watch report. n tion of stricter regulations, such as Texas energy giant TXU Corp.’s plan to build 11 dirty coal-burning voting records and exposed which lawmakers were In 2007, the new leadership started addressing c plants in Texas. (Under pressure, they cut that num- most dependent on corporate cash and lobbyist the nation’s real concerns with a busy 100-hour e ber back to three in February 2007.) largesse. It helped organize the nationwide “Voters reform agenda packed with ethics and lobbying In the courts, Public Citizen continued to pro- First” pledge, putting members of Congress and reforms, repeals of handouts to Big Oil and other 1 tect free speech rights and challenge the Bush candidates on record as supporting ethics reform pro-consumer measures. Public Citizen continued administration’s flagrant disregard for the rule of and taking steps to reduce the influence of cam- to provide advice, lobby for high ethics standards 9 law. In a high-profile case against the Federal paign cash in politics through public funding of and government safeguards, and ensure that the Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public congressional elections. And the organization held voices of the people are heard in Washington. 7 Citizen secured continued housing assistance ben- accountable members who voted for unpopular 1 efits for more than 1,000 households displaced by trade deals that have hurt American workers, labor Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and a better procedure standards and the environment. In November, fed- from FEMA to determine eligibility for federal aid. up voters crashed the party,sending tainted incum- With the 2006 congressional elections bents packing and handing both houses to the approaching, Public Citizen assessed congressional Democrats for the first time in more than a decade. 6 2006 Annual Report Public Citizen News Influential Congressional Oversight Reports of 2006 January: “Rep. Roy Blunt: Ties to Special Interests Leave Him Unfit to Lead” documented Blunt’s ties to dis- graced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, unseated House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R- Texas) and corporate interests.Soon after the report was published, Blunt was defeated in his bid to become House majority leader. (www.citizen.org/docu- ments/BluntReportFinal.pdf) April: “Spending Millions to Save Billions” revealed that 18 super-wealthy families had financed much of the lobby- ing effort to repeal the estate tax. The report demolished the argument that Public Citizen Photo/Bridgette Blair the repeal would help small businesses Public Citizen employees and interns gather near the U.S. Capitol on April 27 to protest the House of Representatives’ and family farms. (Public Citizen part- weak lobbying bill.The group positioned itself in the classic “See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil” pose. t nered with Boston-based United for a Fair Economy to write and release this h report.) The report received extensive Corruption Tops 2006 Election Issues; g media coverage, and the U.S. Senate i rejected a permanent repeal of the New Congress Considers Ethics Reforms s estate tax in June. (www.citizen.org/doc- r uments/EstateTaxFinal.pdf) ublic Citizen warned for years that the influ- pledge drive. Candidates were asked to pledge e ence-peddling industries had taken over the support for meaningful new restrictions on con- v May: “Willful Misconduct: How Bill Plevers of power in Washington, D.C. At the gressional gifts and travel, disclosure of lobbyist Frist and the Drug Lobby Covertly end of 2006, the voters agreed that change was campaign fundraising activities and public financ- o Bagged a Liability Shield” used private e- needed. ing of campaigns. l mail messages obtained by Public In 2006, the year opened with very few mem- The plan worked beautifully. The pledge drive netted signatures from 364 candidates – almost a a Citizen to chronicle the roles pharmaceu- bers of Congress taking an interest in the lobbying tical and biotechnology industry lobby- and ethics reforms proposed by Public Citizen. third of all congressional candidates – including 73 n ists played in crafting legislation that All that changed on Jan.3,2006,when a Justice incumbents who were re-elected. Exit polls con- o provided those industries with almost Department investigation netted a plea bargain firmed that the issue of corruption was the single i complete immunity from liability for any with former super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff. He most important issue for most voters in affecting s their ballots, and angry voters tipped the partisan drugs used to combat pandemic dis- pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to balance of power to the s eases. (www.citizen.org/documents/ bribe public officials but, in exchange for a lighter sentence, Democrats in both houses of e 050406PandemicFinal_1.pdf ) agreed to point the finger at Congress. r On Jan. 4, 2007, the those he bribed. While congressional May: “The Bankrollers: Lobbyists’ g Alarm bells rang in first day of the new Democrats must take their share Payments to the Lawmakers They Court, Congress. There was a legisla- of blame in the corruption scan- n 1998-2006” provided the first detailed tive stampede to introduce bills Congress, the House dals, they know they owe their o accounting of campaign contributions to regulate the lobbying indus- election to the scandals, and to from lobbyists to members of Congress. nearly unanimously c try and its target audience (pri- their promise to clean up The tally: more than $100 million since marily Congress). Lawmakers accepted new rules Washington. As a result, the lob- 1998. Congress now is considering legis- who had ignored Public Citizen bying and ethics reforms champi- lation that would require more disclo- just months before advanced a with the same gift oned by Public Citizen are back sure of lobbyists’ campaign contribu- myriad of reform proposals, and travel restric- on the front burner. On Jan. 4, tions and fundraising activities. seeking Public Citizen’s advice 2007, the first day of the new (www.citizen.org/documents/BankrollersF and endorsements. tions that they had Congress, the House nearly unan- inal.pdf ) But as the months rolled on imously accepted new rules with and no additional criminal con- found so repugnant the same gift and travel restric- October: The “Special Interest Index” victions were handed down in a few months earlier. tions that lawmakers had found disclosed the amounts of money mem- the Abramoff scandal, Congress so repugnant a few months earli- bers of Congress received from political grew increasingly complacent. er.On Jan.18,the Senate passed S. action committees, individuals who gave The gathering “perfect storm”for 1,the most comprehensive lobby- more than $200 or more,individuals who reform miraculously transformed itself into light ing and ethics bill in decades, which is now pend- did not live in their state and lobbyists, showers with a few wind gusts.
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