Lawmaker Talks of "Deal" for Medicare Vote (taped interview released)

[pinto]

http://www.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=512&u=/ap/20031208/ap_on_go/congress_bribe_allegation
on edit..(bad link) see:

http://www.detnews.com/2003/metro/0312/08/-344600.htm

(Thks to sierra_moon)

By DEE-ANN DURBIN, Associated Press Writer

Washington - Rep. Nick Smith told a Michigan radio station last week he was promised $10,000 for his son's congressional campaign if he would vote for the Medicare bill, a contention he later said was "technically incorrect".

WKZO-AM in Kalamazoo Mich., on Monday released a Dec. 1 taped interview in which Smith said money was offered. Smith also said some members of Congress threatened to work against his son if he voted against the bill.

[Sagan]

1. that's bribery

Not surprising, but illegal.

[tom_paine]

4. Yes, and I'm sure Fieldmarschall Ashcroft will get right to the bottom of

it.

Yeah, right, just like Himmler doggedly pursued the real arsonists of the Reichstag.

Like the Anthrax Assassin, like the Plame leaker and at least a half-dozen other issues, the Imperial Family DOES NOT turn in it's own.

So, of course this bribery will go unpunished.

100% chance.

[Kremer]

5. Where's Ashcroft etc.?

This is flat out a federal offense! Where is a full House investigation. A special counsel? Hearings? Where are the US attorneys? Someone offers a $100k to change a vote and then threatens them if they don't accept? It's also BLACKMALE!!! The person who did this if a member of Congress or a staffer, aide, etc, should be expelled from the House, put in jail, fined $100k and barred from any future employment w/ the govt!!! But of course, not a damn thing is being done. But oh we can spend millions of dollars and 10 different investigations and appoint a special counsel to find out if Hillary Clinton, who of course is gay, but still killed her so-called lover Vince Foster. "Mommy stop the ride. I want to get off!!!!!!!!!!!!" Fucken ridiculousness!!!!!!!!!!

[UpInArms]

8. oh

just what are you getting so worked up about?

A measley Federal Offense of bribing a public official for a vote?

Remember also, that exposing a CIA undercover operative is a Federal Offense.

Lying under testimony (SOTU) is also a Federal Offense.

you liberals are so elitist!

/sarcasm mode stuck

[MasonJar]

2. Nancy Pelosi was on C-Span.

She was giving an excellent speech to support her resolution that this be investigated. Immediately when she gave up the mike, some waman from Conn. called to table the resolution. I hate the pugs.

[pinto]

3. taped first-hand accusation of bribery is hard to "spin"

[Kremer]

6. republican brains

are "technically incorrect."

[zbdent]

16. Damaged. The label on the jar said "Brian Damaged".

Or was that "Abbie Normal"?

[kainah]

17. and at the end of that debate

she said that she had waited to bring this privileged resolution until they had better proof of the bribe. She must have been referring to this tape.

Incidentally, what she was having debated was a privileged resolution which concerns the privileges and something of the House. They can continue to bring these up every day, if they wanted to, and they would have to be considered. It's a very powerful weapon of creating disruption. I hope this will not be the last privileged resolution we see on this.

[madfloridian]

7. Is the link working or is the site busy?

:hi:

[baby_bear]

9. Here's another link

http://www.detnews.com/2003/metro/0312/08/-344600.htm

<snip>
Smith backed away from the allegation last week, telling The Associated Press that someone outside Congress had offered his son "substantial and aggressive campaign support" and Smith assumed that meant financial support. But he said it was "technically incorrect" to say money was offered.

Smith has refused to say which lawmakers or business interests were involved.

Smith is retiring and his son is running to replace him. He didn't return a telephone call seeking comment on Monday.

It is illegal to offer money to a lawmaker to influence a vote. The Justice Department is reviewing requests to investigate what happened with Smith.

Smith has said he will cooperate if an investigation is undertaken.

</snip>

s_m

[pinto]

11. Thanks, sierra_moon, n/t

[peacetalksforall]

13. The flow in their flow charts is broken

Yeah, technically incorrect. And im-morally superior.

[Hobarticus]

10. Smith's back-pedalling like mad...

...trying to distance himself from it, but too late: cat's outta the bag.

Unfortunately, this'll go about as far as JD's investigation into the leak of that operative's name...how's that coming along, Johhny?

[snippy]

12. Here is part of what Smith himself wrote about this shortly after the vote

Going toe-to-toe on Medicare

Commentary by Nick Smith

The House passed a deeply flawed Medicare prescription drug bill by a vote of 220-215 at 6 a.m. Saturday.

Votes in the House usually last 15 minutes plus a traditional two-minute cushion, but because the leadership did not have the votes to prevail, this vote was held open for a record two hours and 51 minutes as bribes and special deals were offered to convince members to vote yes.

I was targeted by lobbyists and the congressional leadership to change my vote, being a fiscal conservative and being on record as a "no" vote.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert talked to me for a long time about the bill and about why I should vote yes.

Other members and groups made offers of extensive financial campaign support and endorsements for my son, Brad, who is running for my seat. They also made threats of working against Brad if I voted no.

. . .

http://www.lenconnect.com/articles/2003/11/28/news/news08.txt

[peacetalksforall]

14. Jimmie the Greek

OK shall we place our money on an investigation?

If yes, how long will it be before a Justice Dept staff member of Herr Ashcroft quietly releases an announcement that the investigation is closed and they didn't find anything?

[gbwarming]

15. NPR 'day to day' ran this story with the tape today too-

http://www.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.php?prgDate=08-Dec-2003&prgId=17

scroll down to:
Slate's Chatterbox: Medicare Vote Bribe Allegations

Slate senior writer Timothy Noah speaks with attorney Marc Miller about the serious legal implications of an allegation that Rep. Nick Smith (R-MI) was offered a bribe on the House floor in exchange for his vote in favor of the Medicare reform package.