Democrats question donations to Kean (NJ)

[ProSense]

Democrats question donations to Kean

Horizon gave $13,300 on day of a big vote
Friday, September 15, 2006
BY DEBORAH HOWLETT
Star-Ledger Staff
The same day state Sen. Tom Kean Jr. voted twice to let Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey keep a $40 million tax exemption, he collected $13,300 in contributions for his U.S. Senate race from 17 company executives and their family members.

Kean (R-Union) cast the votes in the final, frenetic day of the fight over the 2005 state budget.

Democrats, trying to close a $500 million budget gap, put up a last-minute bill to close what they called a loophole in the tax that health care insurers pay on premiums. Republicans called it a tax increase aimed only at Horizon, the largest health insurer in the state, and said it would cost the company as much as $40 million.

In party-line votes on June 30, 2005, Kean joined other Republicans on the budget committee and on the Senate floor to oppose the measure introduced three days earlier. The legislation won approval anyway, with the support of the Democratic majority.

On the day of those votes, records show Kean received $13,300 in campaign donations from the Horizon executives, including $4,100 from Horizon CEO and president William Marino and his wife, Paula.

more...

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-4/115829883967690.xml&coll=1&thispage=1

[MADem]

1. Question? Here's the answer: QUID PRO QUO

Shit, it ain't rocket science.

[NJmaverick]

2. Yet this slime ball has his republican cronies

Hammering Manendez for supposed ethical lapses. Well just goes to show, there are no Repukes with a soul. They all sold it to the devil a long time ago.

[Zynx]

3. Does New Jersey have no clean elections anymore?

[rinsd]

4. Ahhhh my homeland where its not if their hands are dirty but how dirty

[Jersey Devil]

5. This is out and out bribery - quid pro quo

Votes for money. Tch, tch! How's Daddy gonna get Junior out of this one?