Jim Davis - What The Media Isn't Talking About

[iamjoy]

And I'm very, very suspicious and concerned.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Rod Smith supporter. I have read so many negative attacks on Smith for his environmental record. To be fair, it isn't so hot for a Democrat. But, I became puzzled because I saw so many attacks against Smith for his voting record, but nothing really against Davis. And I thought, something is up here. Surely Smith isn't a devil while Davis is an angel.

Well, obvioulsy, the Rod Smith campaign has done the opposition research (dirty work?) the media hasn't. In addition to supporting the bankruptcy bill Jim Davis has:

* Voted against the importation of lower cost prescription drugs from Europe and Canada, even when the bill included safeguards that the drugs be FDA-approved medications in their original packaging. After he voted against importation, his campaign contributions from pharmaceutical companies more than tripled.

* After initial lobbying failed to convince State Rep. Davis to allow a foreclosure reform bill...SunBank of Tampa Bay called Davis. (St. Petersburg Times, 6/22/92). Within an hour Davis changed his position - and within the year, SunBank became a client of Davis' law firm (source: Martindale-Hubbell law directory, 1992 and 1993). He later accepted thousands of dollars in donations from SunBank's PAC.

* While running for Congress in 1995, Jim Davis supported repeal of the Medicaid 3rd Party Liability Act that enabled the state to sue tobacco. He appears to have ducked the vote - he cast roll call votes immediately preceding and following the vote - then recorded a "yea" after roll call 67 pages later in the journal - burying it so nobody would find it unless they knew to look for it (SB 42, 1995). Since that time, he has received at least $20,000 in contributions from tobacco interests.

* In 1995, Jim Davis co-sponsored legislation guaranteeing the right of lobbyists to meet privately with elected officials (HB 5, 1995).

Curious that we hear so much about Smith and so little about Davis being beholden to special interests. I put that together with the oft repeated claim that many feel Smith would be a tougher candidate than Davis for the Republicans to beat. I have to wonder if the Republicans aren't waiting until the general election to drag this stuff out and slam the Davis campaign with it - you know, the last two weeks of October, just like all these Smith attacks popped up the last few weeks before the primary. And I wonder why during the debate when Davis was attacking Smith's voting record the only thing Smith really attacked Davis for was attendance. I mean, who really gives a crap about attendance? Not that I really enjoy these attacks, I mean, crap, I almost forgot these two were in the same party. It just makes me curious - and suspicious.