Ocean County Young Republicans

A New Jersey Congressman had his hand out to special interests while writing the House care reform bill. My colleague Raju Chebium in Washington reports Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. [D - Long Branch, NJ] received $321,000 in campaign contributions over the past year from the same industry the legislation he was writing was supposed to overhaul. The Center for Responsive Politics says Pallone is top House recipient of donations from the health care industry in the 2010 election cycle as of Sept. 30.  He didn’t violate any law or ethics guidelines. Dave Levinthal of the Center said, “What this shows is (Pallone of Long Branch) has an intimately close financial relationship with the very folks who care the most about how this legislation plays out.”Over this 20-year House career, the Center reports that Pallone has received more than $2.5 million from the health care industry. His district, parts of Monmouth and Middlesex counties,  is home to Johnson&Johnson, Merck and Bristol-Myers Squibb.  –Taken from the Asbury Park Press

It’s amazing that these people can get away with this.  Someone should be looking at the organizations behind bill sponsors.