cross posted with links on Maryland's progressive hub, Freestate Politics
For a district where President Bush scored about 21% of the vote both in 2000 and 2004, Maryland's 4th Congressional district, covering much Prince George's County and Montgomery County, is home to one of the highest concentrations of liberals in the country. The member of Congress representing the 4th, Albert Wynn, however, is no liberal. Though he maintains high marks on some liberal voting record surveys, a close observation of his record reveals that on vital legislation, he sides consistently with Republicans and big business interests.
Wynn is a social conservative (he voted to have the 10 Commandments installed in Federal Court buildings and sided with Tom Delay on the infamous Terri Schiavo vote). He is against net-neutrality, he supported amendments weakening the Shay-Meehan bill to remove soft money from politics, he voted to go to war with Iraq, he voted to repeal the estate tax (a tax levied on mega-inheritance to largely fund social programs for the poor), and he supported the 2005 Bankruptcy Bill, a credit card company backed law making bankruptcy more difficult to claim. He is one of the most conservative members of the entire Congressional Black Caucus as well.
After barely escaping defeat by 3 percentage points in the 2006 Democratic primary, conservative Maryland Congressman Al Wynn is preparing for a rematch against progressive challenger Donna Edwards, an attorney and community activist from Fort Washington. Edwards is running on a platform of highlighting Wynn's special interest legislative streak, particularly his support for the Iraq war.
This time around however, it appears Wynn is shielding himself with the help of a few phantom candidates. Instead of defending his record, a mysterious set of candidates have either entered or threatened to enter the race to spoil the election by draining votes from Edwards.
One candidate in the race from Montgomery County is Jason Jennings, a political novice. His motivations for running seem vague and unclear. Among his candidacy declarations, he states, "we don't need more lawyers in Congress, we need leaders," a reference to Edwards and Wynn, both of whom are lawyers.
Jennings, who would presumably be opposed to the incumbent, is quick to attack Edwards, deriding her for accepting money from liberal organizations based outside of the district. Jennings explicitly mentions Barbara Streisand, who he notes lives not in Maryland but in New York. Asked to comment about Wynn's contributions, which are largely from corporate PACs, such as the Nuclear Energy Institute and Wal-Mart, Jennings demurred.
Jennings' comments eerily echoed Wynn's campaign manager Lori Sherwood, who said, "Our opponent has special interest. She's receiving money from Barbara Streisand, Hollywood money and New York money. I'm not sure if Barbara Streisand knows what the policies are in the 4th district." Why does Jennings sound exactly like Wynn's spokesperson?
Jennings's employer, Black and Veatch Corporation, a leading global engineering and construction firm, depends on legislation Wynn largely controls. Along with building energy infrastructure projects, Black and Veatch does work retrofitting power plants and other polluters for compliance air quality and other compliance standards. Wynn is the chair of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, presiding over bills dealing directly with Black and Veatch. Notably, Black and Veatch benefited directly from the 2003 (passed in 2005) Energy Bill that gave away billions in tax credit to energy companies - a bill Wynn crossed the aisle to help Republicans pass.
Asked for their take on a company employee running for Congress to unseat a committee chair who deals directly with their business, a Black and Veatch representative said he was unaware of Jenning's candidacy and that the company neither endorses nor discourages staff members to run for Congress.
In November, Maryland State Delegate Herman Taylor, a close Wynn ally (Wynn speaks at Taylor's annual picnic and Taylor regularly joins Wynn at events throughout the area), indicated that he may join the race to unseat Wynn. A Washington Post blog post noted Taylor was promised $300,000 by a shodowy group of Prince George's businessmen to join the race to defeat Wynn. Quickly, Maryland blogs picked up on the blatant spoiler effect Taylor would have the race (Taylor represents a progressive area of Montgomery County- a stronghold for Edwards) and his close ties with Wynn. A week later, on the filing deadline, Taylor reversed his decision to run.
This troubling development in Maryland's 4th Congressional district is not unique. In Illinois's 3rd Congressional district, progressive Mark Pera is challenging incumbent Democrat Dan Lipinski. Lipinski is a backer of the Iraq war and much of President Bush's domestic agenda. The district, which is very Democratic district (like Maryland's 4th) is on the outskirts of Chicago.
Roll Call has reported that Lipinski and his allies have brought in a group of 'phantom' candidates to also run in the race to split the Pera vote. One phantom candidate, Palos Hills Mayor Gerald Bennett, was at one time featured on the Lipinski campaign website granting his endorsement to the man he now says he would like to unseat.
It appears conservative Democrats who have consistently voted in line with big business and with President Bush's policies are legally rigging elections rather than defending their records. Don't let Lipinski and Wynn divide the progressive vote and sail into another victory. Public policy in 2009 and beyond will depend on who wins the Presidency in 2008, and which Democrats will be in charge in Congress. "Democrats" like Lipinski and Wynn don't deserve another term.