Some news trickling into the Blue Jersey center you might find interesting:
Here's another sign Steve Rothman's early endorsement of Barack Obama increased his standing:
Congressman Steve Rothman has accepted an invitation from Senator Barack Obama to be with him at the election night event in Chicago tomorrow evening. Rothman was the first Member of Congress in the 8 northeastern states to endorse Obama and has served as Northeast Regional Chair of the campaign since July of 2007.
Politico says Tom Kean may be considered for Education Secretary by Obama. Don't faint: That's Tom Kean Sr., not Jr.
Rasmussen Reports has Barack Obama leading by 15, 57-42. I suppose the good news for McCain is that 42 matches his best poll result in the last three weeks. Obama has a 63% favorable rating.
Update: Rush Holt has asked County Clerks to distribute supplemental poll books:
I was very troubled to read today, in the Asbury Park Press, that some number of voters ? possibly thousands -- whose registrations met the October 14 voter registration deadline were not included in the official election rolls in your county, and that instead of distributing to your poll workers supplemental poll books including the names of those voters you will be requiring those duly-registered voters to cast provisional ballots. This places those voters, unnecessarily and unjustly, at a greater risk of not having their votes counted in this historic election.
I am writing to strongly request that you distribute supplemental poll books to your poll workers so that they will have every opportunity and ability to confirm that all voters in this election who registered before the deadline are in fact duly registered, and therefore entitled to cast a regular ballot. In addition, I strongly request that, to the extent that any voters may still be required to cast a provisional ballot, that you take all necessary steps to ensure that the provisional ballots of all voters who registered by the October 14 deadline are counted, whether you timely entered their names into the rolls or not.
Update 2: Barack Obama's maternal grandmother has died.
I interviewed Phil Zelikow via email, who said that he has never heard of any incident of the type alleged by Mr. Mukasey to have occurred. Is the Attorney General's claim about this incident true? Was the 9/11 Commission ever made aware of any such claim?
Will Tom Kean answer, even if he has to show that a high level Bush Administration official using false claims to exploit the 9/11 attack? You might recall that just last December Kean said the CIA impeded the 9/11 Commission.
We already know Tom Kean Jr. pales in comparison to his father in terms of political acumen. We regularly see comparisons between father and son that don't look too good for the son, with Senior's success and reputation raising expectations for Junior -- expectations Junior can't meet.
Now we see a new problem for Tom Kean Jr. when it comes to his father: Dad's negatives attach to the son, as well.
Yet with state debt at an all-time high and public pension and health care expenses rising, the political leadership agrees the time has finally arrived to take the car into the garage to do something about the spending, even if some are unhappy about it.
"There's a great deal more (cutting of) waste and structural reform that need to be implemented if we're going to get to the goal of making the state more affordable," state Senate Republican Minority Leader Thomas H. Kean Jr., of Union County, said. "We have to look at everything."
Yet when Kean's father, Thomas H. Kean Sr., was governor in the 1980s, state spending doubled during his eight years in office.
Oooooh, it was your own family's fault? Daaaaaaammmmmmnnnnnn.
The truth is that Kean Sr. not only drastically jacked spending but also handed his successor, Jim Florio, a massive deficit that Florio closed with increased taxes.
It's an old Republican trick since the Reagan days. They get in power and spend like drunken sailors, then give up power to the Democrats and scream to the rafters about taxes increasing to pay for their own excesses.
They get to give the public all the goodies of increased spending, then blast the Democrats who are forced to pay for it.
And that's just what Junior's doing today. Corzine inherited a mess that was in no small way created by 16 years of Kean Sr. and Whitman spending, debt and government growth. Kean Jr. and Kate Whitman are now blasting Corzine and making fixing it harder.
Because, you see, it's more important to get back in power so they can spend again than to actually fix the situation and help New Jerseysans.
[N]o conflict drains more time, attention, blood, treasure and support from our worldwide counterterrorism efforts than the war in Iraq. It has become a powerful recruiting and training tool for al-Qaeda.
In a report on NJN by Zachary Fink last night, they revealed that Tom Kean Sr, in an interview done earlier this year, has said the Iraq War was a mistake, putting him at odds with his son:
FINK (voiceover): In an interview last spring, Kean’s father, the former governor and chairman of the 9/11 commission, said he thought the war was a mistake.
Kean Sr (from April 7 sitdown with NJN): Iraq is a situation that’s developed after our action. We have to deal with that instability. But if you want to go back historically, that wasn’t the place to go.
FINK (voiceover): Kean has been campaigning with his father this fall but seems to have staked out a different position on Iraq.
FINK (today, outside statehouse): Was it a mistake?
Kean Jr: I will not be asking what ifs. It’s a disrespect to the troops who have their lives and sacrificed so much over the last several years. The important question is what’s next.
So Tom Kean Jr either believes his father (who is now a centerpiece of his campaign) is disrespecting our troops or he's being disengenuous and is just afraid to answer an important question.
The New York Times is reporting that Candidates in New Jersey Try to Show a Softer Side. What's happened is that Junior has suddenly realized he has followed the failed Forrester 2004 path: lots of negative ads against a Democrat, and not a single reason to vote for the Republican challenger. Kean's campaign is specially notable since it has consisted entirely of smears. He jumped immediately into attacks, even when they had little basis. Indeed, The New York Times and the Star-Ledger debunked the Junior's first smear, the Jersey Journal and Xpatriated Texan debunked Junior's second smear, and the Star-Ledger exposed Kean's partnership with a imprisoned criminal. You might wonder what this leap into the gutter shows about Tom Kean Jr's character, but it's hard to think of the right words. Fortunately, the New York Times consulted with a Hunter College professor, who said:
You know you’re going to be attacked, so attack first, pre-emptively. That’s kind of pathological.
So now what? Well, we know the national Republican party is considering spending millions on negative ads. Meanwhile, Junior will campaign with his father and show one TV ad with his family where he says he will stand up for New Jersey. This is supposed to show he is bipartisan through some "genetic" effect, even though Tom Kean Sr is actually just negative campaigning too:
Tom Kean Sr., the respected former governor and father of the Republican running for senator from New Jersey, again attacked his son's opponent over ethics concerns Tuesday, even as a new poll finds voters weary of all the negative campaigning.
The bottom line is that Tom Kean Jr. sought an office with no motivating idea for his campaign, other than than personal ambition to fulfill his family destiny. His bid is now failing because he has run without any sense of shame or restraint, and of course because his party under George W. Bush has lead this nation into disaster.
The corrupt national Republican party has so many scandals blowing up it's hard to keep track of them all, but here's one that hits close to home. Bob Woodward's new book reveals that CIA Director George Tenet and counterterrorism chief J. Cofer Black met with Condoleeza Rice on 10 July 2001. Their purpose was to urgently warn Rice that a major attack was imminent and that something had to be done.
We now know that this meeting was covered up by Rice and the Bush administration. Tom Kean Sr. must immediately condemn their lies before the respected 9/11 Commission.
Today's news roundup is brought to you by Tom Kean Jr, Karl Rove and lots and lots of pot.
On Monday, Herb Jackson, reporter for The Record, interviewed Tom Kean Sr about his involvement with the fictitious and revisionist 9/11 movie.
Q: There's a theory on the bluejersey.net blog that you're trying to blunt the criticism of the Bush administration on terrorism to help your son's campaign for Senate. What's your reaction?
Kean Sr sets up a false dichotomy:
A: And two years ago, that's what I decided to do when they approached me? [Laughs] I figured out at that point my son was running? I must have been very, very smart to do that. I don't think the producers would go along with that. Hey, look. If people look at this and think the Clinton administration's to blame, then that's not the point and the series has failed.
Hahahaha! It must be funny for him to be a cheerleader for a movie that desecrates the history of our country. But this is also about the choices he's making today, even after clear evidence that the movie is full of fabrications. And just because he didn't realize and won't admit that ABC's sole purpose for involving him in the project was to lend credibility to a partisan hack job doesn't make it true (why didn't they also invite commission vice-chairman Rep Lee Hamilton to help consult?).
Speaking of hacks, Karl Rove will be holding a $2000/person fundraiser for Tom Kean Jr next Monday (see the invitation). Bob Menendez responded:
Rove demands absolute loyalty to George Bush’s agenda, and if pro-war Tom Kean Jr. is elected, that is exactly what he will get. Tom Kean Jr. supports George Bush’s war in Iraq, he supports his plans to privatize Social Security, and like Bush, he has opposed stem cell research when it counted. No matter what he says a few weeks before the election, his record shows he stands with George Bush and his fundraising just seals the deal. Kean Jr. is running up quite the tab with the Bush administration, and if it ever came time to pay the bill, it’s New Jersey that would pay the price.”
Junior will take Rove's dirty money (and campaigning advice), but he found another excuse to avoid actually attending and being seen with Rove at the event.
Three scientists at Princeton University have found a way to hack an electronic voting machine in under a minute. They are able to rig the machine so that in test mode, it appears to function correctly, but after the election, the votes are switched around, leaving no evidence behind of malicious code being used. The scientists conclude that "a voter-verified paper trail is the most important safeguard that can make e-voting machines more secure."
On Oprah Winfrey's show next Tuesday, Jim McGreevey reveals that his affair with Golan Cipel began while his wife was still in the hospital after giving birth to their daughter. According to one audience member, "McGreevey recounted going to the library as an Irish-Catholic adolescent to look up homosexual in a dictionary. When he saw terms such as perverse and psychiatric disorder in the definition, he said, he realized he didn't want to be that and quickly learned to repress the feelings he knew the church and his community would abhor."
Bob Menendez and Tom Kean Jr have agreed to three debates in October - two on TV on Oct 8 and 15 and a third of NJ 101.5 either on Oct 11 or 17. For some reason, the stations decided they will air the debates at 8:00 am, so for the three of you who end up watching, let us know how it goes.
State Senator Lesniak spoke before the NJ Death Penalty Commission, urging that the death penalty be replaced with life in prison.
In 1982, I voted to reinstate the death penalty in New Jersey. I was wrong. Thank God, no one has been executed to date. And thank God, no innocent person was executed. As the saying goes, 'There but for the grace of God....
The SEIU, with 28,000 members in New Jersey, endorsed Linda Stender for Congress yesterday.
Two brothers were arrested yesterday for growing a 3,000 square foot plot of pot, near Livingston Ave and Rt 280, "toward the rear of the Prudential corporate complex."
Democrats from New York and New Jersey asked on Wednesday for an investigation that could lead to criminal charges against former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman for breathing problems suffered by thousands after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Former Sept. 11 Commission Chairman Thomas Kean, also a former Republican governor of New Jersey, said it was troubling that the Democratic congressmen "would misuse the heroic service of thousands for their political gain in an election season."
Um, correct me if i'm wrong, but wasnt Mr. Kean involved in that garbage on ABC with made up scenes creating his own heroes? And lets see just who these democrats are and why they say they're really taking this step...
The congressmen — New York Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Anthony Weiner and New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. — said the health of their constituents, and not politics, was their concern. In a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the trio accused Whitman of "endangering the lives of thousands of people."
Well, these Congressmen are all in rather safe districts, so i don't see why they need the political boost. I don't know if they'll get the investigation, but I'm glad someone is trying to get answers.
Tom Kean Sr has revealed his true colors. His motivations for so forcefully promoting the fictional 9/11 movie are purely political - it's all about his son's campaign. From the New York Daily News:
Asked if he had apologized to Clinton for inaccuracies in the movie, Kean quipped, "No, he was out campaigning against my son yesterday, so I didn't reach out to him at all!"
This movie, which uses completely fabricated events to lay the blame for 9/11 on Clinton, is his chance for revenge. It's not surprising that Tom Kean seems to be putting political expediency above the truth, since he's always blamed Clinton for al Qaeda (from 2004):
Kean: Clinton Blew Best Chance to Get bin Laden
The chairman of the independent commission probing the 9/11 attacks said Sunday that the U.S. probably missed its best chance to take Osama bin Laden out during the Clinton administration, when the notorious terrorist left Sudan for Afghanistan in 1996.
"If we had acted earlier on al-Qaida when al-Qaida was smaller and just getting started, even before bin Laden went to Afghanistan, there were times we could have gotten him," former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean told NBC's "Meet the Press."
So now, Tom Kean Sr is using his position of credibilty and trust as chairman of the 9/11 Commission to blame Democrats for the attacks on 9/11. This is all about politics, and it's all about putting his son's campaign above the truth.
Disney, ABC, Tom Kean and the right wing's attempts to teach our kids propaganda about 9/11 may have suffered a huge setback. Tom Kean Sr had personally written a letter to educators urging teachers to use of the movie and related teaching materials in the classroom. Scholastic had posted the letter, and teaching materials on its site, but it appears the teaching materials may have been removed. For now, Kean's letter is still available on their site. (UPDATE: Think Progress reports that Scholastic plans to put the materials back online.)
"When we were attacked, all the politicians sang 'God Bless America,'" Cosby said. "Then they went in a back room and said 'Let's make some cutbacks (to veterans programs.)"
Jon Corzine yesterday picked executive director of the NJ Institute for Social Justice, Kenneth Zimmerman to replace Stuart Rabner as his chief counsel.
"Ken Zimmerman is an ethical, talented attorney with a wealth of legal experience and strongly held principles. I will rely on his guidance and I am confident he will pursue the people's interests with the single-minded focus he has demonstrated throughout his career."
Paul Aronsohn reiterated his challenge to Scott Garrett for a series of debates. A running "debate clock" on Aronsohn's site shows that it's been 17 days, 9 hours, 38 minutes and 27 seconds of silence from Garrett since Aronsohn first issued his debate challenge.
Bill Clinton spoke at a fundraiser for Senator Bob Menendez yesterday about the importance of winning back the Congress:
“This is a real simple deal: in the last six years the White House and Congress have been under the iron grip not of the Republican Party, but a narrow strip of the most right-wing, the most ideological, the most dominated by the corporate special interests in the Republican Party. They’ve had it their way for six years and they tried their ideas, they implemented their policies and we can see their results."
The Clinton event raised about $750,000 for Menendez, while George H. W. Bush's fundraiser for Kean Jr raised roughly $300,000.
Just when you thought Tom Kean Sr had no credibility left to lose, we get another bombshell. Tonight Keith Olbermann played a clip of Tom Kean Sr - a paid consultant for the ABC 9/11 docudrama - talking about his role in the movie. Kean explains how he had the power to make changes to any inaccurate aspects of the movie script (emphasis mine):
"The writer and I worked together on the project so that he would share the script with me. And I could look it over from the point of view of the accuracy of the events that he was portraying, and where I thought suggestions needed to be made or changes needed to be made, I could do that.
And ABC and the writer in particular were very, very sensitive to that. And any time I said that "this isn't the way it happened" or "I don't think it happened this way," they were very, very good to make changes that were necessary."
As reported by Hopeful earlier today, Tom Kean Sr has allowed himself to be used to promote a "docudrama" about the events leading up to 9/11 despite knowing that it is full of inaccuracies.
In one key scene in the movie, bin Laden is close to being captured, but the effort is cancelled by the Clinton administration. Former counter-terrorism advisor Richard Clarke says it was all made up:
“It didn’t happen. There were no troops in Afghanistan about to snatch bin Laden. There were no C.I.A. personnel about to snatch bin Laden. It’s utterly invented.”
Faced with the facts, it looks like even Tom Kean Sr is slowly starting to admit the truth. He admitted to the New York Times that the scene isn't factually accurate (h/t to Matt Stoller at the Open Letter to ABC):
Mr. Kean conceded that some points might have been more drama than documentary. “Some of the people shown there probably weren’t there,” he said.
Knowing that the movie is factually inaccurate, why does he still endorse this mockudrama? More importantly, why is he associating himself with a right wing effort to teach revisionist information to school children about the country's history and events leading up to 9/11?
The Honorable Tom Kean, Sr., garnered widespread praise for his role as co-chair of the 9/11 Commission. The bestselling, readable report remains the best source for what happened leading up to that tragic day. Now, ABC is promoting a "docudrama" to be aired next week as "based on the 9/11 commission report." There's no question this is being promoted as a truthful -- indeed 'historic' -- account of the event. Yet, it is full of fictional -- that being a kind word for untrue -- scenes that leave an entirely misleading view of how close the United States was to stopping the attack. Tom Kean has been closely connected to this project and endorses it. He has allowed himself to be a major part of what has turned out to be a right-wing propaganda project, and it will soon damage his standing as the traditional media picks up his role. This follows renewed attention to his fundraising, ethics, and voter suppression history.
First, some good news about voting. In an email to constituents, Congressman Rush Holt announced that his verified voting bill is close to receiving the support of a majority of House members:
My legislation, the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act (H.R. 550), has received overwhelming support from people like you from all over the country. Recognized as the "gold standard" of election reform by VerifiedVoting.org, the bill now enjoys the support of 207 members of the House of Representatives, making it just 11 members shy of a majority.
The House leadership has refused to bring the bill to the floor for a vote, but a majority of members can bypass them by signing on to a discharge petition.
Despite the increase in support for verified voting, we don't have it yet, and besides technological concerns, there's always the very real threat of voter intimidation and suppression. The Republican party has a history of suppressing the minority vote - nationwide and in New Jersey - and there's no reason to let our guard down this year.
In 1981, Republicans sealed Tom Kean Sr's victory by hiring a group of armed white thugs to intimidate black and Hispanic voters. In that gubernatorial election, Tom Kean Sr defeated Jim Florio by just 1,797 votes - the narrowest victory margin in the state's history. That year, Republicans set up the "National Ballot Security Task Force" - a group with the sole purpose of harassing, intimidating and discouraging the participation of qualified black and Hispanic voters in Newark and Trenton.
The armed officers were drawn from the ranks of off-duty county deputy sheriffs and local police, and prominently displayed revolvers, two-way radios and BSTF armbands. BSTF patrols challenged and questioned voters at the polls and blocked the way of some prospective voters.
In some cases, they "forcibly restrained poll workers from assisting voters in casting their ballots." They also illegally posted official-looking signs without identification offering $1000 rewards "for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone violating New Jersey election laws."
This is how Tom Kean Sr came to power. Let's not forget what they're capable of. Although we'll continue to fight to make sure our votes are counted properly, it won't matter if the voters can't cast them in the first place.
On Monday we documented the Kean family's history of shakedown schemes. The Wall Street Journal recently revealed that Tom Kean Sr sat on the board of a committee that decides the fate of executives being investigated for fraudulently giving themselves stock options. On the same day the board was meeting, some of those same executives were attending a fundraiser for his son, Tom Kean Jr.
That was just part of a pattern for the Kean family. While president of Drew University, Kean Sr paid Henry Kissinger to speak at the university, who later held an exclusive fundraiser for Kean Jr.
Today the Star Ledger reveals further examples of bending the rules of ethics the Keans claim to stand for. Executives and employees at five companies and a foundation where Tom Kean Sr sits on the board have contributed over $60,000 to the son's campaign. In two cases: Hess and CIT, Tom Kean Sr also "chairs the committees that set executive compensation," so maybe this shouldn't come as a surprise:
Employees and board members of Hess Corp. have been the most generous, sending $24,550 in checks to the younger Kean's Republican campaign.
Matt Miller, a spokesman for Senator Menendez, pointed out the obvious:
"When Tom Kean Jr. comes to those executives and solicits them for campaign contributions, you certainly have to think he's taking advantage of his father's role overseeing their compensation."
But Tom Kean Jr's campaign spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker says any allegations of unethical conduct are "absurd" and she explains why through this circular logic gem:
"To suggest quid pro quos is outrageous. It flies in the face of what the Keans stand for."
Get it? Because the Keans are, by definition, ethical, it's a contradiction to suggest they did something unethical!
And therein lies the crux of the matter: They're convinced their shit don't stink. That's why they set ethical standards for others they can't even meet themselves, and then excuse their behavior by denying the mere possibility of it.
Just two weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal revealed the latest example of the Kean family's unethical abuses of influence and shady fundraising practices. Tom Kean Sr sits on the board of UnitedHealth Group. On May 1, he participated in a board meeting to consider whether company executives fraudulently granted themselves stock options. That same day, some of the UnitedHealth Group executives whose fate lies in the hands of Tom Kean Sr attended a fundraiser for his son, Tom Kean Jr. Former Republican chairman of the SEC, Harvey Pitt, called the situation "'ill-advised and strange' and something that could be seen as an attempt to influence a witness because of the senior Kean's role on the compensation committee."
It's not the first time the Kean family has unethically used their influence for political fundraising. As documented by PoliticsNJ, in March of 2004 Tom Kean, Sr, abused his influence as President of Drew University to help his son fundraise:
Earlier this month, Drew University -- where former Governor THOMAS KEAN, SR. serves as President -- paid a hefty fee for former U.S. Secretary of State HENRY KISSINGER to deliver a lecture. As long as he was in Madison on Drew's dime, Kissinger was also the main draw at a rather exclusive fundraiser to benefit the campaign of Kean's son, State Senator THOMAS KEAN, JR.
The Kean family's documented history (Kissingergate, UnitedHealth, etc) of unethically trading influence for campaign contributions might make them think twice about repeating such obvious offenses, but we know we can expect these kinds of practices to continue in the future. How do we know that? Because they've told us so. Last Tuesday, Tom Kean Jr appeared on RNN TV where Richard French asked him whether he would do it all over again. This is how the exchange went:
French: Would you do it the same way, if the opportunity presented itself, you wouldn't change a thing? Kean Jr: I would, I woulda done it the exact same way we did it.
The Kean family sets the bar high for others when it comes to ethics, yet they trip over it every time. They act like the gatekeepers to a strict code of ethics, but in their hands those strict rules suddenly become very malleable and are bent and twisted to suit their needs. Anyone who would dare point out this walking contradiction is denounced by the Kool Aid drinkers, but history shows that the squeaky-clean image of the Keans is a farce.
Bob Menendez's campaign spokesman and part-time comedian (not true) Matt Miller has become the target of New Jersey Republican's fake outrage after the campaign raised questions when the Wall Street Journal revealed disturbing details of Tom Kean Jr's fundraising. Apparently, Miller's skill set also includes blogging. He responds on the Menendez blog:
Well, we said it yesterday and we'll say it again for as long as it takes: we will never apologize for stating the facts about Tom Kean Jr. shaking down corporate executives for campaign cash. And we won't back down from saying it again just because Kean Jr. trots out a few Republican legislators to express mock outrage. Because when you're going to try and convince people you're a reformer, as Kean Jr. keeps trying to do, you'd better not get caught engaging in corporate America's version of pay to play.
He sounds like a natural blogger, and you should read the full response. It's really great. I think he's got the potential to maybe one day get a real job blogging about politics, but until then, he can pay his dues and slog along as "Communications Director."
The New Jersey media had been largely ignoring a story reported in the Wall Street Journal on August 11th regarding the shady fundraising practices of Tom Kean Jr and his dad. The Menendez campaign has been highlighting these charges for a week now:
"It's coming to light that Kean Jr. is using family connections to shake down corporate executives accused of wrongdoing."
Outraged that anyone would dare accuse Saint Kean Jr of any wrongdoing, leaders of the NJ GOP lashed out yesterday. The NJ media had no choice but to take notice, and today the Star Ledger brought the situation to the attention of the entire state.
Republican leaders like Lance and DeCroce are demanding an apology, but the Menendez campaign says "We're not going to apologize for stating the facts."
We'll let you decide for yourself. This is what the Wall Street Journal reported last week (emphasis mine):
The board of UnitedHealth Group Inc. met on May 1 to deal with questions about unusually well-timed stock-option grants to top executives such as Chief Executive William McGuire. The gathering heard a briefing from a lawyer who was running UnitedHealth's internal probe of how the options were dated.
One director whose recollections would be important to the investigation was Thomas H. Kean, a former New Jersey governor who had served on the compensation committee that approved options grants.
The same day as the board meeting, some UnitedHealth directors and executives were supporting a campaign by Mr. Kean 's son for a U.S. Senate seat from New Jersey. Some of them attended a fund-raiser for Tom Kean Jr. that day, in UnitedHealth's home state of Minnesota. It isn't clear whether Dr. McGuire and his wife attended, but each donated $2,000 to the cause. So did Richard T. Burke, who sits on a special board committee that is overseeing the options investigation. All told, UnitedHealth-affiliated donors have contributed $25,000 to the campaign…..
When the donations to the Kean Senate campaign were described to former SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt, he said they struck him as "ill-advised and strange" and something that could be seen as an attempt to influence a witness because of the senior Mr. Kean 's role on the compensation committee.”
Now, put down your cup of coffee. This is the Kean Jr campaign's official explanation:
Jill Hazelbacker, Kean Jr.'s spokeswoman, said it was a "total coincidence" the events took place on the same day, May 5.
Matt Miller, a spokesperson for Senator Menendez, responded:
"Running into your college roommate in an airport halfway across the country is a coincidence. Raising money from corporate executives in the same town on the same day your father is sitting in judgment of those executives is a shakedown."
The board of UnitedHealth Group Inc. met May 1 to deal with questions about unusually well-timed stock-option grants to top executives such as Chief Executive William McGuire. The gathering heard a briefing from a lawyer who was running UnitedHealth's internal probe of how the options were dated.
One director whose recollections would be important to the investigation was Thomas H. Kean, a former New Jersey governor who had served on the compensation committee that approved options grants.
The same day as the board meeting, some UnitedHealth directors and executives were supporting a campaign by Kean's son for a U.S. Senate seat from New Jersey. Some of them attended a fundraiser for Tom Kean Jr. that day, in UnitedHealth's home state of Minnesota.
It isn't clear whether McGuire and his wife attended but each donated $2,000 to the cause. So did Richard T. Burke, who sits on a special board committee that is overseeing the options investigation. All told, UnitedHealth-affiliated donors have contributed $25,000 to the campaign.
Junior's spokeswoman says he was merely visiting all his friends in Minnesota at a fundraiser w/ Sen Norm Coleman. Convenient timing for a fundraiser half way cross the country. Now i'm no genius and may be seeing a problem that doesnt exist, so what did someone who understands this have to say...
When the donations to the Kean Senate campaign were described to former SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt, he said they struck him as "ill-advised and strange" and something that could be seen as an attempt to influence a witness because of the senior Kean's role on the compensation committee.
I wonder if Daddy made a couple phone calls before the trip? This looks to be a pretty big conflict of interest at the very least. Also kinda convenient for Junior that news this big was buried late friday.
