After he left government, John Ashcroft started working for corporations who wanted federal subsidies.
Missouri Republican Senate nominee Todd Akin has been facing a firestorm followingAi??his offensive suggestion that women who are victims of what he termed “legitimate rape” cannot get pregnant.
A number of senior Republicans have urged him to quit the race, and many right-wing electoral groups have withdrawn their support.
Akin has insisted on staying in the race, but has until September 25th to withdraw (after that time his name will be locked on the ballot).
Over at Buzzfeed, Ben Smith obtained a list of possible replacements on the ticket that a GOP insider passed along to him.
What’s remarkable about this list is how many corporate lobbyists and other influence peddlers it includes. Here’s a quick rundown:
Former Bush Attorney General John Ashcroft: Although perhaps best known today for his rendition of “Let The Eagle Soar,” Ashcroft passed through the revolving door and quickly formed The Ashcroft Group LLC after leaving government service. The group influence peddles on behalf of a variety of corporations, especially ones related to national security (where Ashcroft has special access due to his government service). Ashcroft also did work for the National Association of Broadcasters and was named as an ethics adviser to Xe — the private security firm formerly known as Blackwater.
Former Senator Talent: Talent is known to most Missourians as the man who was defeated by now-Senator Claire McCaskill. But in between his stint as a member of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, he worked for ten months for Arrent Fox, a lobbying firm in D.C. Currently, he is the co-chairman of Mercury Public Affairs, which does public and government relations work for countless clients including many corporations. Mercury does not disclose all of its clients, but it was recently caught placing a spy among a group of organizing workers in Los Angeles. It later disclosed that it was working on behalf of Wal-Mart, which promptly fired it (for the second time). He also happens to be advising Mitt Romney.
Former Senator Kit Bond: Bond has his own “business development and consulting firm that utilizes decades of service and experience in federal, state, and local government to advance our clientsai??i?? agendas throughout Missouri, Washington, D.C., and international markets.” He also recently joined Thompson Coburn, a law and lobbying firm based in St. Louis. Although he maintains that he is not a lobbyist, it is perfectly possible to influence peddle without ever registering as a lobbyist under notoriously lax lobbying laws.
On Tuesday, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney personally urged Akin to withdraw from the race. But if the nominee is simply replaced by a corporate lobbyist, there may be little to celebrate for voters.
Rep. Akin simply told us clearly what the republicans believe . They don’t want abortions period.. No exclusions for rape or incest. I’m not sure where they stand on the mother’s health exclusion although Paul Ryan sees this as a way to get around his proposed ban on abortion. Ryan and Akin co-sponsored a bill that included the term “forceible rape” which, I guess, is different from unforced rape. Rape is rape!!!!! Ryan is backpeddling from his ultraconservitive stance on abortion at evry turn. Romney, Ryan and Akin are the standardbearers for the ongoing “War on Women.” Somehow they and all the ultra-conservative right wing nuts evangelists and tea baggers think they know better than women what is best for women. I hope EVERY WOMAN is paying attention!!!!!