Sit down, folks, because I’m going to share a piece of news that will completely flabbergast you. Bart Stupak – the ever courageous pro-life Democrat who so valiantly fought against abortion funding in Obamacare until the administration offered him an easily breakable and meaningless compromise – yeah, that dude. Well now he’s a lobbyist for a law firm. And among the firm’s clients . . . Planned Parenthood of Maryland.
I know, I know, this is a blow. We all admired the brave soul who was a voice crying out in the wilderness, until the wilderness got a little creepy and he decided bigger, better paydays were more his speed.
Have no fear. I have been assured that none of the money that Planned Parenthood is billed by the firm goes to pay for Bart Stupak’s salary.
Hey, as long as Stupak’s office is at the complete opposite end of the hall from the dude who handles PP, then I don’t see a problem with this whatsoever.
But just to be sure, there needs to be five or six spaces separating their parking spots as well.
/sarc
I am sure that Morning’s Minion at Vox Nova will write an excellent post explaining how Stupak joining a firm that shills for Planned Parenthood demonstrates his deep committment to the pro-life cause and that we who point this out are truly in league with the real anti-life forces.
What’s also sad is that years ago, before Stupak sold out the unborn, he was featured on a Knights of Columbus video about building a Culture of Life. Really sad.
Don,
Correct. MM would only complain about Stupak if he joined National Right to Life.
Venable is a HUGE firm. Number 83 in the world based on revenue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_100_largest_law_firms
They seem to represent just about everybody:
http://www.venable.com/nonprofits/clients/
I don’t think we read much into Stupak’s character from this.
That’s true Matt. Interestingly, a lot of the organizations represented by Venable are health care related.
Matt is right. I am not aware of my Firm (#55 on that list) representing PP, but I would have little practical ability to prevent it even as a rather senior partner — just as no partner could stop me from representing either the Catholic Church or a pro-life organization. I have no brief for Stupak, but I don’t think it is particularly fair to read much into this except for some odd variant of karmic irony, I suppose.
Matt and Mike:
Fair enough. Of course a person in Stupak’s shoes should have a wider range of options to pick and choose the firms he works for, but your points are well taken.
The problems are far broader than saying y’er pro-life and 24/7 acting pro-abortion.
Michael Walsh (from Instapundit) “SO OBAMA’S PEOPLE ARE TALKING TAX INCREASES AGAIN. Here’s my proposal: A 50% surtax on anything earned within five years after leaving the federal government, above whatever the federal salary was. Leave a $150K job at the White House, take a $1M job with Goldman, Sachs, pay a $425K surtax. Some House Republican should add this to a bill and watch the Dems react.
“UPDATE: Should we also provide that salaries paid to former government officials aren’t deductible for corporations? Or is that going too far? I say: Put it in as a negotiating point!”
Why not just make lobbying legal after all it is only a synonym for bribe. Look, most of these jobs are payback for votes legislation while in office. They get rich while in office and if they leave. Also, make it illegal for them to reside on a company board in which they introduced legislation that directly effected a particular industry.
It must be close to impossible to not be tied to Planned Parenthood. They have their claws into every aspect of society now. Just look at the way the USCCB through CHHD and most Catholic Universities give them credence, even supplying links on their websites to Planned Barrenhood.
Stupak is just another one of their minions playing their game. He probably thinks he is 5 degrees from their evil, or he just doesn’t care as long as the paycheck keeps on coming in.