The Tool of Special Intersts

The Tool of Special Interests

It's okay to accept money from rich people and businesses. It's okay to accept this money and promote laws and spending bills that benefit those donors. It's entirely reasonable that one could favor these laws without bribery and that the donations follow the philosophy, rather than the other way around.

But the sanctimonious John Kerry seems to actually sell his influence today's Houston Chronicle reports.

"U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., sent 28 letters in behalf of a San Diego defense contractor who pleaded guilty last week to illegally funneling campaign contributions to the Massachusetts senator and four other congressmen.

Members of Congress often write letters supporting constituent businesses and favored projects. But as Democratic presidential front-runner, Kerry has promoted himself as one who has never been beholden to campaign contributors.

From 1996 through 1998, Kerry participated in a letter-writing campaign to free up federal funds for a missile system that defense contractor Parthasarathi "Bob" Majumder was trying to build for U.S. warplanes.

Kerry's letters were sent to fellow members of Congress -- and to the Pentagon -- while Majumder and his employees at Science and Applied Technology, Inc. were donating money to the senator, court records show."