PA District 6
No worries, He's not getting my vote.
I trust the Mafia far more than I do the Bushevicks and their trail of complicit puppet-on-a noose, (er um string) rackateers.
The Jim Gerlach-Jack Abramoff
Connection
How Jack Abramoff Helped Get Jim Gerlach Elected
Abramoff’s front group spent nearly $900,000
on TV ads for Gerlach
Jack Abramoff, the disgraced lobbyist serving a nearly six year jail sentence for fraud, conspiracy, and tax evasion, helped elect Jim Gerlach to Congress. Gerlach was the recipient of $865,000 in television ads from a pharmaceutical front group that called themselves the United Seniors Association, of which Jack Abramoff was a board member. And Gerlach even used Abramoff's restaurant to hold high-dollar fundraisers.
“Given Jim Gerlach’s close ties with Tom DeLay, another Washington, DC disgrace, it’s no surprise that he’s so close to Jack Abramoff,” Lois Murphy spokesperson Amy Bonitatibus said. “Jack Abramoff represents everything that’s wrong with Washington these days. The culture of pay-to-play where special interests come before constituents is the Abramoff signature. And Jim Gerlach is a part of that culture. His ties to Abramoff and DeLay make him unqualified to clean up the ethics mess in DC. The people of the sixth district deserve a representative who will look out for them instead of special interests.”
How is Jim Gerlach tied to Jack Abramoff? Let us count the ways:
1. Gerlach has benefited from $865,000 in television ads paid for by Jack Abramoff’s bogus seniors organization.
Jack Abramoff Served on Board of Directors for United Seniors Association. United Seniors Association - which has run $865,000 worth of television ads on Jim Gerlach’s behalf - has counted controversial figure and disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff among its directors. According to Public Citizen, “Members of [USA’s] board of directors have included Jack Abramoff, who is among the foremost fundraisers for the Republican Party and a top fundraiser for President Bush . . .” [Public Citizen, www.stealthpacs.org, http://www.stealthpacs.org/profile.cfm?org_id=46]
United Seniors Association Is a Pharmaceutical Front Group. According to Public Citizen, United Seniors Association is strongly backed by the pharmaceutical industry trade group, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). PhRMA was the major underwriter of the United Seniors Association activities, giving United Seniors Association (USA) an "unrestricted educational grant" of undisclosed size shortly before a large national ad buy. [Public Citizen Report, “United Seniors Association: Hired Guns for PhRMA and Other Corporate Interests, 7/02; Associated Press, 5/9/02]
United Seniors Association Ran $495,000 Worth of Ads on Gerlach’s Behalf in 2002. The United Seniors Association spent $17.6 million nationwide on television, direct mail and Internet advertising. According to the Democratic National Committee, Gerlach specifically benefited from a series of issue ads on prescription drugs run between May 9 and May 24, 2002 in Philadelphia valued at $495,000. [PR Newswire, 5/14/02]
USA Spent Over $370,000 on Gerlach in 2004. According to Public Citizen’s stealthpacs.org, “United Seniors Association, which spent an estimated $13.6 million to influence at least 25 U.S. Senate and House races in 2002, has been active in at least 17 contests so far in 2004, including spending at least $370,500 to help Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) and at least $141,000 to assist Rep. Phil Crane (R-Ill.).” [Public Citizen, www.stealthpacs.org, http://www.stealthpacs.org/profile.cfm?org_id=46, emphasis added]
2. Gerlach Held Pricey Fundraisers at Abramoff Restaurants.
Jim Gerlach held two fundraisers at Jack Abramoff's “Signatures” restaurant. Gerlach held a fundraiser at Signatures on November 13, 2003. The invitation requested $1,000 PAC or $500 individual donations from each guest. Gerlach also held a fundraiser at Signatures on March 4, 2004. The invitation requested $1,000 PAC donations from each guest.
3. Gerlach has taken contributions from an Abramoff lobbying client.
Gerlach Received PAC Contributions from an Abramoff Client. Jim Gerlach received $6,000 from Unisys Corp in 2004. Unisys is a lobbying client of Jack Abramoff. [Center for Responsive Politics, www.opensecrets.org; eWeek.com, 1/13/06, http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1912416,00.asp]
4. Gerlach has taken over $100,000 from Abramoff’s closest allies in the House of Representatives.
Gerlach in the Pocket of Abramoff’s “Closest Allies” In the House. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) have identified 29 of Jack Abramoff’s “closest allies,” including eight members of the House of Representatives. Jim Gerlach has taken campaign contributions from seven of these members, for a total of $103,452.
Eric Cantor:
$22,452
Tom DeLay:
$30,000
John Doolittle:
$10,000
Dennis Hastert:
$31,000
J. D. Hayworth:
$2,000
Bob Ney:
$7,000
Richard Pombo:
$1,000
[www.jackinthehouse.org/characters/index.php]
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