McNerney calls for removal of "rainmaker" from Democratic Freshmen PAC

As Lisa Vorderbrueggen has blogged for the Contra Costa Times, Congressman Jerry McNerney is calling for the removal of Washington lobbyist William Oldaker as the custodian of the prominent "Democratic Freshmen" PAC. 

Oldaker is a lobbyist who has represented oil, tobacco and pharmaceutical companies, a man the Center for Public Integrity labeled a "rainmaker" due to his considerable skills as a fundraiser.
 

Although Oldaker is not handling fundraising for the new PAC, McNerney wrote in a June 12 letter that lobbyists should not be connected to political committees.

Download letter here.
 

"I was elected in part due to a pledge I made on the campaign trail to help change the way business is done in Washington," McNerney wrote. "One element of that change is eliminating the perception that Members' behavior is motivated by anything other than serving the people we are elected to represent."

The PAC is intended to help raise money for the re-election campaigns of 41 Democratic freshmen, including McNerney, who were elected during the 2006 anti-GOP wave that put Democrats in charge of Congress.

Vorderbrueggen's post follows up on reporting by the Stockton Record's Hank Shaw.

You can read more of Vorderbrueggen's piece here. 

Comments

[Ron Kerr]

Thanks a lot for this. It is extremely important. You are doing a excellent job.

[Allan Stewart-Oaten]

VP Cheney's refusal to comply with disclosure requirements continues his very aggressive crusade to concentrate power in the executive. I would like to see Congress attend to this, either with clarifying legislation or with a serious effort to see if impeachment is appropriate.