"The pot (Tom Perriello) calling the kettle (Constitution) black.

I warn you all, Congressman Tom Perriello follows my 'tweets' and each new blog entry sends one out to all my 'followers' so presume that he'll see this and any comments you post. (Like THAT will do anything but encourage more vitriol)

The following press release, regarding the Supreme Courts ruling on campaign finance of earlier today, just arrived here at the WCHV World News Headquarters:

Washington, DC—Congressman Tom Perriello released the following statement in response to today’s Supreme Court decision on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which overturns long-held limits on corporate and union contributions in campaign financing.

 “When I worked in West Africa, companies would give money to public officials for private gain and we had a simple word for it: corruption. I’m dismayed that the Supreme Court has further opened the floodgates for corporate capture of our democracy, taking our government away from Main Street and surrendering it to the insurance companies, oil companies, and big banks that foot the bills for 30-second spots. Does anyone really think that unlimited corporate campaign spending won’t undermine the voice of the people? The Supreme Court’s divided opinion is also a highly unusual break from precedent that the same body set just a few years ago, displaying the kind of judicial activism earlier courts worked hard to avoid.”

Perriello is a co-sponsor of the Fair Elections Now Act, H.R. 1826, bipartisan legislation that would create a voluntary public financing system for federal elections. Today, he sent a letter to the Speaker of the House with other co-sponsors urging that H.R. 1826 be included in any legislation that is considered as a result of the Citizens United decision.
 
This sat on my computer screen as my mind tried to comprehend what I was reading. Was this the same Tom Perriello that went along with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee when they intervened in the VA-05 race in Summer of 2008 and bought and produced $1.2 million worth of ads against Virgil Goode that misrepresented his support of the 'Fair Tax' to make it look like he was going to raise our taxes 23%? If it was, how could he write: "...companies would give money to public officials for private gain and we had a simple word for it: corruption." Or: "I’m dismayed that the Supreme Court has further opened the floodgates for corporate capture of our democracy, taking our government away from Main Street and surrendering it to the insurance companies, oil companies, and big banks that foot the bills for 30-second spots. ?" Check me on this above. He DID write that, didn't he? I thought so.
 
Since I'm a charitable man, I'll presume that Tom isn't aware that, according to "opensecrets.org" the top contributors to the DCCC in 2008 were: 1) Goldman Sachs; 2) JP Morgan Chase; 3) Duetche Bank AG; 4) Susman Godfrey; 5) Time Warner. Among the other biggies were: Citigroup (7), Lehman Bros (9). Interesting how ALL the stars of the Wall Street meltdown and bank bailout (save AIG who are ironically the one's these guys all whine about the 'bonuses' about) seem to be represented on this list, and this is just 2008! Should I go back to 2007 when they were gathering their pocket "change?"
 
I think I know what I'll be asking Tom about when he visits my show on February 1st.
 
"Thanks for all the Fish"
J.T.
1/21/10