The following article was posted on the MN Political Roundtable site April 19, 2017:
On March 29, 2017, the Paulsen For Congress Committee recorded two donations from COMCAST PAC … totaling $3,500.
A donation to political campaigns is not shocking … just read Ken Buck’s (R-CO-04) book Drain the Swamp: How Washington Corruption is Worse than You Think
Congressman Ken Buck is blowing the whistle on the real-life House of Cards in our nation’s capital.
Elected in 2014 as president of one of the largest Republican freshman classes ever to enter Congress, Buck immediately realized why nothing gets done in Congress, and it isn’t because of political gridlock …
Lavish parties.
Committee chairmanships for sale.
Pay-to-play corruption.
Backroom arm-twisting.
Votes on major legislation going to the highest bidder.
Let’s connect the dots … on March 28, 2017 at 5:56 p.m., the Republican-controlled House voted to repeal a FCC rule “Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services”. The vote was close … all Democrats voted no as did fifteen Republicans, but Third District “Representative” Erik Paulsen voted YES.
The resolution would undo privacy rules that ensure consumers control how their most sensitive information is used — essentially, the Congressman was deciding between the privacy rights of Americans versus protecting the profits of major internet companies, including Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon.
The Paulsen For Congress campaign had previously received a $5,000 contribution from AT&T INC FEDERAL PAC.
It isn’t just this one vote … it’s the entire Paulsen Record … an agenda that benefits his donors.
Is it any wonder that “Representative” Paulsen would prefer telephone town hall events … it’s less than an hour that he gives his constituents every month … and he can even screen the callers to anticipate the questions. If he disappoints a voter, so what … they don’t come with checks.
Yep, it’s the money
And, “Representative” Paulsen is quite good at accepting it … last cycle, he raised $4,939,819 … and although, the 2018 elections are a long time away, his first quarter fundraising indicates he will not have a problem.
Yes, there are some small donors … $16,758 out of the total $489,911 reported.
The crux of the monies is from Political Action Committees and wealthy business owners … more than $306,400.
And not a surprise many of those donors are related to committees that “Representative” Paulsen impacts.
Medical
$3,500 ABBOTT LABORATORIES EMPLOYEE PAC (AEPAC)
$2,500 ABIOMED INC PAC
$2,500 ADVANCED MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY ASSN PAC
$2,500 AETNA PAC CONTRIBUTION
$2,500 AFLAC INC. PAC
$1,000 AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION PAC
$1,000 AMERICAN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION AMBUPAC
$1,000 AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
$2,000 AMERICAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOC
$2,500 AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION PAC
$1,000 AMERISOURCEBERGEN PAC
$1,500 AMGEN PAC
$1,500 BAXTER HEALTHCARE PAC
$2,000 BECTON DICKINSON AND COMPANY PAC
$2,500 BLUEPAC – BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD ASSOC PAC
$5,000 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORP
$1,000 COLLEGE OF AMERICAN PATHOLOGISTS PATHPAC
$2,500 DAVITA INC. PAC
$1,000 EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES PAC
$1,000 EMD SERONO INC PAC
$2,500 FEDERATION OF AMERICAN HOSPITALS FEDPAC
$1,000 GLAXOSMITHKLINE PAC
$1,000 HEARPAC
$1,500 HORIZON PHARMA USA INC PAC
$2,500 HUMANA INC. PAC
$2,000 MEDTRONIC MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY FUND
$2,500 MERCK EMPLOYEES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
$2,500 NATIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICINE PAC
$1,000 NOVO NORDISK CHANGING DIABETES PAC
$2,000 OTSUKA AMERICA PHARMACEUTICAL INC PAC
$ 500 SUPERIOR AMBULANCE EMPLOYEE PAC
$1,000 THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC PAC
$1,000 ZIMMER BIOMET PAC
Financial, Banking and Insurance
$1,000 ALLIANZ OF AMERICA PAC
$2,000 ALLSTATE INSURANCE PAC
$5,000 AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LIFE INS
$2,500 AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL
$1,000 CROP INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS ASSOC PAC
$1,000 CUNA MUTUAL PAC
$1,000 EQUIPMENT LEASING AND FINANCE PAC
$1,000 EXPERIAN NORTH AMERICA INC. PAC
$1,000 HARTFORD ADVOCATES FUND
$1,000 INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY BANKERS
$3,500 INVESTMENT COMPANY INSTITUTE ICI PAC
$1,000 JPMORGAN CHASE & CO PAC
$2,500 KPMG PAC
$3,500 METLIFE PAC
$1,000 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL ADVISORS PAC
$1,000 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANIES PAC
$2,500 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT PAC
$5.000 NATIONAL VENTURE CAPITAL ASSOCIATION PAC
$1,000 NATIONWIDE MUTUAL INSURANCE CO PAC
$2,500 NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE PAC
$1,000 NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL PAC
$4,500 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS PAC
$1,000 PRINPAC
$2,500 SECURIAN INC PAC
$2,500 SECURITIES INDUSTRY AND FINANCIAL MARKETS ASSOCIATION PAC
$2,500 THE GRANT THORNTON LLP PAC
$2,500 THRIVENT FINANCIAL FOR LUTHERANS PAC
$2,500 TIAA-CREF PAC
$2,500 TRANSAMERICA CORP PAC
$1,000 VISA USA INC PAC
And Leadership PAC (used by Members and former Members to help out their colleagues)
$ 500 EYE OF THE TIGER PAC (Steve Scalise)
$2.500 FREEDOM AND SECURITY PAC (John Kline)
$5,000 JEFF PAC (Jeff Denham)
$5,400 LEE PAC (Lee Zeldin)
$10,000 MAJORITY COMMITTEE PAC (Kevin McCarthy)
$5,000 PROSPERITY ACTION INC (Paul Ryan)
$2,500 RACPAC (Charlie Dent)
$4,500 REPUBLICAN MAIN STREET PAC
$4,000 RYAN FOR CONGRESS INC
$2,000 SCALISE FOR CONGRESS
It’s pretty safe to say that although “Representative” Paulsen tele-town halls may not take your call, it is safe to say that if William Austin or Tani Austin of Edina want to talk about Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit, they will find a friendly ear … after all, they contributed directly to the Paulsen For Congress campaign … and as part of Starkey Hearing and past contributors to HEARPAC OF HEARING INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION — heck, they probably have a direct line to their “Representative”.
So, if the issue is healthcare reform, tax reform, infrastructure, etc., you better hope HIS DONORS support your goals … otherwise, you may never be heard.
View the post here.