July 28, 2004: Headlines: COS - Dominican Republic: Congress: Election2004 - Dodd: CBS: Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut said the parties and other events did raise concerns of buying access "to some degree," but added, "I don't know how else you do these."

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Dominican Republic: RPCV Chris Dodd (Dominican Republic) : RPCV Chris Dodd: Archived Stories: July 28, 2004: Headlines: COS - Dominican Republic: Congress: Election2004 - Dodd: CBS: Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut said the parties and other events did raise concerns of buying access "to some degree," but added, "I don't know how else you do these."

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-141-157-22-73.balt.east.verizon.net - 141.157.22.73) on Friday, July 30, 2004 - 12:13 am: Edit Post

Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut said the parties and other events did raise concerns of buying access "to some degree," but added, "I don't know how else you do these."

Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut said the parties and other events did raise concerns of buying access to some degree, but added, I don't know how else you do these.

Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut said the parties and other events did raise concerns of buying access "to some degree," but added, "I don't know how else you do these."

Paying To Party In Boston

BOSTON, July 28, 2004

The parties and luncheons are just one facet of corporate and lobbyist involvement at the convention. The estimated $39 million price tag for the four-day gathering is being paid in part by a list of sponsors including Bank of America, Raytheon, AT&T and Coca Cola.

Watchdog groups say the sea of private money in Boston, and the one expected to flood New York City for the Republican convention in September, is drowning the spirit of McCain-Feingold and other campaign-finance reform laws.

"It's the Super Bowl of influence peddling, which is troubling and that's true of both conventions," said Celia Wexler, spokeswoman for Common Cause.

Democracy 21 president Fred Wertheimer has called this year's conventions, "two influence-money spectacles."

[Excerpt]

The convention is Boston is part of a year of record campaign spending. The Campaign Finance Institute has reported that spending on political conventions will hit a projected $103.5 million this year, up from $8.4 million in 1992.

Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut said the parties and other events did raise concerns of buying access "to some degree," but added, "I don't know how else you do these."

"The public isn't going to pay for these things. People want to mingle, they want to be with each other. There's a synergy when people get together," Dodd said.

"Obviously, I know they're not just doing it because of public service. They're doing it obviously to get some access to people here," he said. "So it's a trade off, a bit. The good that we get out of it outweighs the potential danger.




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Story Source: CBS

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Dominican Republic; Congress; Election2004 - Dodd

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