Mark Penn's two firms got $6 million from stimulus for PR campaign

[The Northerner]

Source: The Hill

Nearly $6 million in stimulus money was paid to two firms run by Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton’s pollster in 2008.

Federal records show that $5.97 million from the $787 billion stimulus helped preserve three jobs at Burson-Marsteller, the global public-relations and communications firm headed by Penn.

...

Federal records also show that a former adviser to President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign received nearly $70,000 from that contract to help alert viewers in difficult-to-reach communities that their televisions would soon no longer receive broadcast signals.

...

Republicans on Tuesday criticized the federal spending on the advertising project as a waste of taxpayer dollars. They noted that the advertising campaign took place on May 5, only 39 days before the digital television transition was scheduled (June 12)

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/71353-mark-penn-got-6-million-from-stimulus

[rucky]

1. I thought we got rid of him. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

2. And Howard Dean's pollster shilled for tobacco and lead paint. So what?

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. Did our tax dollars pay for that?

:shrug:

[progressoid]

10. So if the situation were reversed and let's say a Sarah Palin associate

did something like this; there would be DU outrage supreme.
And it would likely be on the top of the greatest page.

[Soylent Brice]

3. ...

:popcorn:

[MessiahRp]

4. $6 million to preserve 3 jobs. Seriously?

Overpaid. These guys shouldn't have gotten a dime.

Rp

[no limit]

5. I doubt 6 million went to salary, most probably went for the air time to air the ads.

[WriteDown]

6. But it essentially "saved" those jobs. nt

[Romulox]

7. This is not the first example of cronyism from the Obama admin, but it's getting more blatant. nt

[robcon]

8. This looks bad.

More evidence of cronyism is needed before conclusions can be made, however.

[beyond cynical]

11. Providing further verification regarding the myth of change.

[No Elephants]

12. Six million bucks to "help preserve" the jobs of 3 well-connected, rich folk?

[rayofreason]

13. "Honest Graft"...

...as George Plunkitt used to say.

Seems to me that any good idea for legislation that does not provide lots of opportunity for graft is dead on arrival. That is why the spendulus and the bailouts are so popular with the political class. Carbon credits too - one hell of a cookie jar.

[Algorem]

14. They're all too big to fail.

seems like its all got to capsize sometime