Exclusive: Conservative group offers to sell endorsement for $2M

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

The American Conservative Union asked FedEx for a check for $2 million to $3 million in return for the group’s endorsement in a bitter legislative dispute, then flipped and sided with UPS after FedEx refused to pay.

For the $2 million+, ACU offered a range of services that included: “Producing op-eds and articles written by ACU’s Chairman David Keene and / or other members of the ACU’s board of directors. (Note that Mr. Keene writes a weekly column that appears in The Hill.)”

The conservative group’s remarkable demand — black-and-white proof of the longtime Washington practice known as “pay for play” — was contained in a private letter to FedEx that was provided to POLITICO.

The letter exposes the practice by some political interest groups of taking stands not for reasons of pure principle, as their members and supporters might assume, but also in part because a sponsor is paying big money.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25072.html

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Not clear what the issue is; just seems to put into practice the fine business activities that ACU fights for in Congres...

[ColbertWatcher]

1. Does this mean that UPS DID pay!? n/t

[BlancheSplanchnik]

3. don't know, but

I would tend to doubt that, since UPS recently quit their advertising r-ship with Bill O'Loofah over his harassment of a progressive journalist

:shrug:

[shadowknows69]

2. Do they even try to hide their bribery anymore?

Please tell me this breaks a law or ten.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. It's all "Pay for Play"

Although, conservative groups are becoming unpopular enough that it might pay to have them endorse the opposition.

[3waygeek]

5. That's horrendously overpriced

No way having these idiots on your side is worth that much.

[grantcart]

6. amazing

[No Elephants]

7. Souls for Sale

[struggle4progress]

8. Great! This can be used to discredit ACU's endorsements for the next few years!

[Joe Bacon]

9. Only 2 million?

Sheesh, they could have held out for more. What a bunch of cheap tarts!

[Overseas]

10. Kicking. Yes please, document these shady practices.

Shine more light on those impressive conservative ethics.

[JerseygirlCT]

11. There's something sort of perfect in that, isn't there?

They're out of the closet as selling their dearly held (cough,cough) ideals to the highest bidder.