The
Say No to Pombo blog is reporting that one of our most corrupt congressman, Rep. Richard Pombo of CA-11, has been holding "seminars" to educate local seniors about Medicare Part D.
The "seminars" are being run by a pharmaceutical industry front group called Medicare Today. The California Chronicle reports that
The group states that they are bipartisan, yet they are hosting no information seminars with Democratic members of Congress. To maintain the appearance of bipartisanship they are hosting information sessions with a Democratic state legislator in North Carolina.
Medicare Today is administered by the Healthcare Leadership Council, located in Washington, D.C.
The California Chronicle also reports that
Among HLC's goals are to fight against legislation that would allow the government to buy drugs in bulk and the importation of prescription drugs from Canada. The membership of the HLC is a who's who of the pharmaceutical industry.
Their funding members include Abbott Laboratories, Amgen, Ascension Health Care, Baxter International, Baylor Health Care System, Cleveland Clinic, Eli Lilly & Company, Fisher Scientific International, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Mayo Clinic, Merck & Company, and Pfizer.
Jerry McNerney -- the most popular progressive Democratic challenger facing Pombo -- has called Pombo out on his industry pandering. In the California Chronicle he states
"Richard Pombo should be working for legislation to control our skyrocketing healthcare costs. Instead he chooses to participate with an industry-backed front organization whose goal isn't to protect seniors, but to protect their outrageous profits through a slick PR campaign."
"If you look at his official website, healthcare isn't even listed as being an issue. Apparently Richard Pombo has become so out of touch, he doesn't even think we have a healthcare crisis."
McNerney responded to this outrage by holding his own information seminar for seniors -- one where citizens would not be subjected to industry propaganda. But the Tracy Press (a Pombo district paper) criticized McNerney for his efforts:
BARB: To the McNerney for Congress campaign for its plans to host a counter-informational health care seminar adjacent to a Medicare Part D meeting for seniors that's sponsored by Rep. Richard Pombo's office. This morning's dueling events in northern Stockton will confuse citizens who seek more details on the federal prescription drug program. It is an improper time and location for Jerry McNerney, a Democratic candidate for Pombo's 11th House District seat, to chastise the congressman's nonpartisan effort, which McNerney claims is being fronted by the pharmaceutical industry.
Apparently the Tracy Press has been spun as hard as the poor seniors.
If you are from CA-11, how about sending some positive comments for McNerney to the Tracy Press. You can submit them here: Submit Letter to the Editor
And I ask all Kos Democrats to please think about contributing to Jerry McNerney's campaign to oust the man who has been voted one of the most corrupt and anti-environmental politicians in Congress.
Pombo has to go in 2006!