Earlier this week, Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani appeared with George Allen in Norfolk for a private fundraising luncheon. Asked about his appearance with Guiliani, Allen commented that "You can tell a lot about people by the folks they stand with." For once, I completely agree with George Allen; you CAN tell a lot about people by the folks they stand with!So, who DOES George Allen stand with? Here's a (very) short list to help you judge Allen by the company he keeps:
1) The oil industry. Allen voted for $44 billion in unneeded tax breaks for oil and energy companies at the same time that these companies were making billions in profits, and while consumers were paying record prices for gas at the pump. Not a big surprise, given that George Allen received $800,000 in campaign contributions from those same oil and energy interests. Hmmm.
2) Barr Laboratories. Of course, I have no problem with a company that makes contraceptive medications. However, Allen claims to be a social conservative and steadfastly "pro-life." Yet, Allen owns stock in the company that makes the "Plan B, morning after" contraceptive pill, which many right-wing groups consider to be abhorrent. Interestingly, the value of Allen's shares in the company increased 20 percent in just 3 weeks as the FDA moved towards approval of "Plan B" for over-the-counter sales. Nice, except for the aforemnentioned fact that George Allen claims to be a "social conservative." That is, when he's not claiming to be a "commonsense Jeffersonian" or whatever other nonsense he's spouting at any particular moment.
3) Smithfield Foods. Allen has received thousands of dollars from this major employer and exploiter of illegal immigrants. Can we say "hypocrisy?" Can George Allen spell it?
4) The CCC "Hate Group." According to The Nation magazine, "as governor of Virginia, Allen personally initiated an association with the Council of Conservative Citizens, the successor organization to the segregationist White Citizens Council and among the largest white supremacist groups."
5) Team Abramoff. In early 2000, George Allen was given $1,000 by convicted felon Jack Abramoff, about the same time that Abramoff was embroiled in what would later become known as the Abramoff-Reed-Indian Gambling Scandal. As if that's not bad enough, Allen also received money from the Alexander Strategy Group, a lobbying and consulting firm run by former senior aides to Tom DeLay, and with which "Abramoff shared some of his high-paying clients," according to the Washington Post. On 4/26/05, Allen received $1,000 from Tony C. Rudy, "DeLay's deputy chief of staff until 2001, when he took a job with Abramoff."
Anyway, that's just a short sampler of the people George Allen "stands with." By Allen's own reasoning, "You can tell a lot about" him by studying this list.
[UPDATE: One more, can't believe I forgot. Of course, George Allen stands with George W. Bush 97% of the time. 'Nuff said on that one. Ha.]
Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not necessarily represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.
Hispanics threatened a boycott of Miller Beer over its support of the famously anti-immigrant congressman Sensenbrenner. I wonder if Miller -- a major player in the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund -- is finally getting the message that maybe its political strategies could cost it lots of customers?
Let's not forget his good friend Earl P. Holt III, hater extraordinaire. I think we finally found Ann Coulter's personal mentor.