Peter Roskam Receives Contributions from Lobbyists Acting for Libya

On October 1, 2009, in Foreign Policy, Friends of Peter Roskam, Libya, Lobbyists, Peter Roskam, by RSR
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6th District Congressman Peter Roskam and members of his staff were contacted numerous times during 2008 by a Washington lobbying firm acting on behalf of the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, that is the government of Libya, and Roskam received 3 campaign contributions, totaling $1500, from one of the lobbyists involved. This according to information provided by the new Foreign Influence Lobbying Tracker produced in a joint venture by ProPublica and the Sunlight Foundation. The tool uses Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) disclosures filed by foreign governments and their representatives to document the influence foreign governments may have over our legislative process.

The lobbying firm involved is the Livingston Group, LLC., founded by former Republican representative and speaker-elect Bob Livingston after he resigned from Congress in 1999 having acknowledged an affair during the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.  According to the disclosures, the contacts concerned the possibility of amending a statutory provision against U.S. trade with Libya.  It is not known from the disclosures what commitments, if any, may have been received from Roskam.  The full list of disclosures may be viewed here.

Roskam’s willingness to receive campaign contributions made on behalf of any foreign government is appalling to me as a constituent. That the government involved was that of Libya is outrageous.

Libya has been much in the news in recent weeks. In August, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, convicted of 270 counts of murder in the 1988 bombing of PanAm Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, was released by the Scotish Government on humanitarian grounds because of a reported terminal illness. He was returned to Libya and given a heroes welcome by the Libyan government. Then, earlier this month, Moammar Gadhafi, “Guide of the First of September Great Revolution of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya”, came to New York to address the 64th United Nations General Assembly. Livingston Group was reportedly involved in negotiations surrounding the Libyan strongman’s plans to visit Englewood, New Jersey and erect a bedouin tent.

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Peter Roskam Sides with Polluters Over Planet – On the Wrong Side of History

On June 30, 2009, in Energy, Environment, Global Warming, Peter Roskam, Peter Roskam's Corporate Agenda, by RSR
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On Friday, June 26, the House of Representatives passed the historic Waxman-Markley comprehensive energy bill by a vote of 219 to 212. H.R. 2454, formally titled the American Clean energy and Security Act of 2009 includes a market-based cap & trade global warming reduction plan designed to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 17% by the year 2020. This is not where we need to be. It is thought that we will have to reduce emissions 80% by 2050 in order to stabilize the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere at a level that prevent the worst consequences of global warming. Still the bill is a start and it has won praise from environmental groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC):

“The House of Representatives has made a dramatic breakthrough for America’s future by choosing to create jobs, move to clean energy, and reduce global warming pollution. The passage of this legislation, which was almost unimaginable six months ago, will help set our country in a new direction by shifting to a clean energy economy and reducing the carbon pollution that causes global warming.

“While passing the bill through the House took hard work and compromises on many sides, this is strong and vital legislation that Congress needs to deliver to the President’s desk this year. This bill will help create new jobs in manufacturing and clean technology. It will increase energy efficiency, help consumers save on energy bills, and protect lower-income families. And it will finally put our country on a course to limit the carbon pollution that causes global warming.

Sadly our own Congressman, Republican Peter Roskam, was not a party to that “hard work and compromise”. Roskam voted against the bill, choosing to support the narrow interests of his big campaign donors from the energy sector, who opposed the bill, rather than act to save the planet from an impending catastrophe that threatens the  welfare of our children and of generations to come.

OpenSecrets.org, a project of the Center for Responsive Politics, today released data demonstrating how the industries that have worked to oppose climate change legislation gave, on average, twice the amount of campaign contributions to legislators, Democrat and Republican alike, who, like Roskam, opposed the legislation, as they did to those voting in favor. The table below compares contributions received by industry for the average “yes” voter on H.R. 2454, the average, “no” voter, and for Peter Roskam. Bear in mind that while contributions are totaled back to 1989, Roskam has only been running since 2006.

Industry Yes Voters Avg No Voters Avg Roskam
Energy Sector $124,181 $274,021 $240,765
Oil & Gas $31,663 $120,566 $138,815
Electric utilities $67,013 $102,370 $73,800
Coal Mining $2,279 $12,004 $1,000
Construction $138,569 $241,079 $297,517
Automakers $10,603 $11,982 $0
Business PACs $1,380,210 $1,901,371 $,1529,147
Environmentalists $21,198 $3,088 $0
Alternative Energy $1,250 $869 $0

You can draw your own conclusions but in my estimation this speaks volumes about why Roskam votes as he does.

The climate bill will now have to be taken up by the Senate where the fight is likely to be even tougher than it was in the House. I predict that 6th District residents will be hearing a lot more lobbying against the bill by our Congressman.

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Peter Roskam Sides With Credit Card Companies Over Constituents

On May 20, 2009, in Economic Justice, Middle Class, Peter Roskam, by RSR
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Do you think it is fair for your credit card company to be able to raise your interest on an existing balance without notice and without explanation? Probably not.

But if you live in Illinois’ 6th Congressional district, your Congressman, Peter Roskam, thinks it is just fine, and he said so today with his vote.

The House today sent the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act to President Obama for his signature. The Senate version of the bill, which was stronger than the original House version, passed in the House by a 361-64 vote. Peter Roskam was the only member of the Illinois delegation voting against this important measure designed to protect consumers from the worst predatory practices of the banking and credit card industry.

Provisions of the bill include:

  • Prohibits companies from raising interest rates during the first year after an account is opened
  • Prevents increases in interest rates on an existing balance unless a payment is at least 60 days overdue
  • Requires 45 day written notice for rate increases on new purchases
  • Prevents companies from charging over-limit fees for purchases without prior agreement from the cardholder
  • Requires bills be sent at least 21 days prior to the due date and that they contain a statement of the total interest and time required to pay off the balance if the cardholder makes only minimum payments
  • Requires companies to post clearly explained rates and terms on the internet
  • Prevent companies from opening card accounts for consumers under age 21 without proof of ability to pay
  • Eliminates fees for telephone payments
  • Prevents companies from applying payments only to the portion of a balance bearing the lowest interest rate

President Obama has pushed for this kind of action on abusive credit card practices and is expected to sign the bill. The President and the Democratic leadership did a great job of putting this together fast. It is crystal clear which party is looking after our interests.

Roskam’s opposition to this bill, while disappointing, was not surprising.  During his tenure Roskam has shown little empathy for the plight of consumers, instead voting pretty consistently for the interests of big business, particularly the finance industry.  Roskam also receives substantial campaign contributions from the financial sector.

Roskam’s  constituents should take him to task for once again using his office to oppose their interests. Please call the Congressman today. You can reach him at (202) 225-4561 in Washington or at (630) 893-9670 in Bloomingdale.

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Roskam Sides with Big Oil, Chamber of Commerce to Block Price Gouging Prevention Act

On July 22, 2008, in Energy, Gas Prices, Peter Roskam, Peter Roskam's Corporate Agenda, by RSR
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Have been busy with business and vacation travel over the past month and I missed this one at the time it came up but I think it is important as it is another example of Peter Roskam’s utter lack of sincerity when he purports to be concerned about the high gasoline prices his constituents are being forced to contend with.

Back on June 24, Democrats in Congress brought to a vote H.R. 6346: Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, who in his role on that committee has been working for a long time to bring real relief to consumers, unlike Roskam who has merely trotted out his energy independence dog and pony show in a desperate attempt to win votes this fall. You can see Stupak going head-to-head on price gouging last year with Fox News’ Neil Cavuto who must be getting large checks from Exxon-Mobil to argue so strenuously on the oil companies behalf. (The gas prices on the sign behind Stupak at the beginning of the clip made me weep with nostalgia).

Stupak’s bill would have allowed the President to issue renewable declarations of energy emergency of up to 30 days duration, either generally or for specific geographic areas. During these periods, those who engage in price gouging could be subject to criminal penalties. The FTC and the state attorneys general are empowered to enforce with civil and or criminal actions. Fines and penalties recovered would be required to be put in trust to provide assistance to low-income individuals and families with energy costs under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) Program.

Seems pretty straight forward. Price gouging in periods of emergency is wrong. This bill makes it illegal and those most vulnerable to high energy costs reap the rewards of its enforcement.

Sadly, the Roskam and his Republican colleagues in Congress blocked the measure, as they have done with virtually everything else the Democrats have attempted to cope with the energy crisis and promote energy independence. The day of the vote, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent out instructions to its minions on the Republican side of the House to defeat the measure and they blindly obeyed. Roskam consistently votes in accordance with the Chamber’s wishes, regardless of the impact on his constituents. The over $100,000 in campaign contributions he has received from the oil and gas industry probably helped also to ensure his “nay” vote on the bill.

If only we had a Congressman with the integrity and concern for consumers that Rep. Stupak has demonstrated. Perhaps we will yet. I remain optimistic about Jill Morgenthaler’s chances this fall. Roskam has blatantly voted against the best interests of his constituency at almost every opportunity and I think people are beginning to wake up to that fact.

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Will Peter Roskam Give Issa’s Money Back?

On April 8, 2008, in Congressional Elections, Friends of Peter Roskam, Peter Roskam, by RSR
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Seems like the heroes of 9/11 might regard it as a sensitive gesture.

I learned about this from the blog Calitics. It seems Peter Roskam is one of a number of Republicans who have been beneficiaries of the largess of Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), a former car thief turned car alarm magnate. Roskam has received $3,000 in campaign contributions from the Issa for Congress committee.

Issa is the idiot who, during a recent house hearing on aid to 9/11 rescue workers expressed his concern that the federal government “threw buckets of cash” at New York in the aftermath of a mere plane crash:

“I have to ask, why damages from a fire that had no dirty bomb in it, it had no chemical munitions in it, it simply was an aircraft, residue of two aircraft, and residue from the materials used to build this building, why the firefighters who went there and everybody in the City of New York needs to come to the federal government for the dollars versus this being primarily a state consideration.”

Needless to say, Issa’s remark pissed off a bunch of ground zero workers who are having to fight the government to receive health benefits allocated by Congress. The government appears to be spending more money by far on court costs to fight payouts than it is on actual benefits to workers.

So I think it would be a great gesture to 9/11 workers if Roskam gave Issa his $3,000 back and repudiated his words. And also signed on in support of more robust health benefits for those who are suffering from lung diseases and other ailments in the aftermath of their heroic work at Ground Zero.

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