Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
Let me introduce you to Stephen Acquario. He’s a lobbyist who spends much of his time in New York’s State House. He is the executive director and counsel of the New York State Association of Counties. He earns $204,000 a year—more than the governor of New York. He also gets to drive around in a Ford Explorer, his company car. And even though Acquario is NOT a government employee, he IS entitled to a full public pension.
According to a recent review by the Associated Press, Acquario is one of hundreds of lobbyists working in a number of states who qualify for public pensions “because they represent associations of counties, cities and school boards.” The Associated Press reported that state legislatures had “granted them access decades ago on the premise that they serve governments and the public. In many cases, such access also includes state health care benefits.”
Mark Karlin, editor of BuzzFlash at Truthout, wrote a commentary on the subject of lobbyists getting taxpayer funded pensions. In his commentary, Karlin said that during a period of austerity “when a key goal of those with means is to cut pensions that have been fairly earned by public employees, it is astonishing to read that some lobbyists in 40% of US states get paid pensions from the public trough.” He added, “Many of these non-governmental employees represent lobbying associations at the forefront of trying to reduce public pensions while ensuring that they keep their own, even though their salaries are not paid by any governmental body.” He said it was “preposterously hypocritical.” He added that it was “another scam wrapped in a lofty excuse”—pointing out that Acquario claims “that his group gives local government a voice in the statehouse, and the perk of a state pension makes it easier to hire people with government expertise.”
Karlin continued:
The revolving door of incestuous government insiders turning around and becoming lobbyists — in this case working for a guy who makes more than senators and most governors — just won’t supply good enough personnel unless the taxpayers pay for private employee pensions, Acquario argues. Say what?”
Keith Brainard, research director of the National Association of State Retirement Administrators, said, “There is liability for taxpayers. Providing a pension benefit involves some amount of risk for the state and when you provide access to employees of entities that are not in control of the state.” As the AP reported, “Unlike state government, for example, these groups aren’t bound by salary restrictions — significant salary increases would result in increasing pension benefits.”
Michael Kink of the Strong Economy for All Coalition said, “It’s clear that there’s a big problem with hypocrisy when these lobbyists have been pushing austerity and benefit cuts for other government workers while they themselves enjoy solid state pensions. Do as I say, not as I do’ seems to be their approach on retirement cuts.” Kink added “Workers who have faced cuts in pay and pensioners have a right to be angry — as do voters.”
According to the AP report, these groups that lobby for states and counties take positions “that could conflict with taxpayer interests, such as advocating to weaken caps on property tax increases and boosting state school aid.”
From Occupy.com:
For a large number of state lobbyists, a full state pension is part of the benefits package. Despite being employees of private organizations and drawing private salaries — sometimes in excess of any state employee’s — in at least 20 states, hundreds receive state-paid retirement benefits…
The states that have such provisions include Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Washington State.
SOURCES
Lobbyists can get public pensions in 20 states: Critics question whether system hurts taxpayers (Boston Globe/AP)
Where’s the Outrage? Some Lobbyists Get Taxpayer Funded Pensions in 20 States (Truth-Out)
Why Are Privately Employed Lobbyists Getting State-Funded Pensions? (Occupy.com)
Lobbyists getting State pensions (CBS Albany)
State Pensions — A Loophole for Lobbyists (AARP)
N.J. group funded by tax dollars also represents private interests (NorthJersey.com)
Questions over spending by NJ Counties Association (Trentonian/Associated Press)
Lobbyists Collecting New York State Pensions (WGRZ)
Private Lobbyists Earning Taxpayer Funded Pensions And Healthcare (Forbes)
FURTHER READING
Lobbyist got $99,000 state pension, then filed for unemployment, too (NorthJersey.com)
Top senator: Axe pensions for private lobbyists (Pennsylvania Independent)
How a reporter discovered lobbyists get state pensions (Associated Press)
@elaine:
No, I brought up the Tea Party in a one sentence post, about the government waste and revolving door, and said very succinctly:
“And people wonder why the Tea Party came into existence.”
At which time, you launched once again into copy and paste mode. To that, I sarcastically agreed with you. But you kept going, like you were on automatic copy and paste mode, as you are often wont to do. My next two responses were basically, “Uh, Elaine, you’re in copy and paste mode and it isn’t necessary.”
About all I have said about the Tea Party, is that they are against big government, and there are lots of them who are not on the Koch payroll. Plus, I pointed out to you that Rand Paul is giving Obama grief about Syria and the NSA stuff. Which, you and others here are also doing.
Re-read above and see whether I am being accurate or not. FWIW, I am not a real big hit with the Tea Party people who are also Birthers. I am also not much of a “joiner” with any political or partisan group. I think both parties are full of idiots, and that the Republicans, by their nature, are just less harmful idiots and less dangerous to civilization, in general.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky,
“Plus, Rand Paul, a Tea Partier, is opposing Obama on Syria, and the NSA stuff. Do you really want to replace him with a more compliant Democrat? My goodness, think outside the box a little.”
You’re the one who has brought up the subject of political parties. My goodness, can’t we talk about the topic of this post without your trying to insinuate partisan politics into the discussion?
Squeeky,
I wasn’t slamming the tea party when I provided factual information about some of the groups that claim they are part of the movement. The truth is the truth. We should be critical of organizations that purport to be something that they are not.
@Elaine:
Uh, I also am no fan of Wall Street. Heck, I was “feudal” before Mr. Spindell was. Here is one example:
http://squeekyfrommgr.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/droit-du-seigneur-cherry-popping-on-wall-stre/
The point was, by slamming OWS with that blurb, what did I accomplish? Slam some people who hate Wall Street because their are some fellow-travelers on board? Just like you are doing slamming the Tea Party because somebody on the Democratic side of things doesn’t like them. Guess what, a lot of the GOP country club set don’t like the Tea Party either. What strange bedfellows!
Plus, Rand Paul, a Tea Partier, is opposing Obama on Syria, and the NSA stuff. Do you really want to replace him with a more compliant Democrat? My goodness, think outside the box a little.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky,
I don’t really care if you find informational articles that disagree with your point of view to be stupid and misplaced.
I guess you haven’t been around the blog long enough to know that I’m one person who has made many comments castigating and written posts critical of the banksters of Wall Street.
Just because someone disagrees with your partisan viewpoint doesn’t mean she gets her talking points from the DNC. Nice try.
*****
How the Bankers of Wall Street Are Helping to Bankrupt America
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/01/08/how-the-bankers-of-wall-street-are-helping-to-bankrupt-america/
Just Fine: Don’t Bank on the Justice Department to Prosecute Big Banks
http://jonathanturley.org/2013/02/24/just-fine-dont-bank-on-the-justice-department-to-prosecute-big-banks/
Bank of America & The Great Derivatives Transfer
http://jonathanturley.org/2011/11/06/bank-of-america-the-great-derivatives-transfer/
Business As Usual: What the Collapse of MF Global Reveals about Financial Reform in the USA
http://jonathanturley.org/2011/12/18/business-as-usual-what-the-collapse-of-mf-global-reveals-about-financial-reform-in-the-usa/
@elaine.
Thanks! I appreciate that. I have started routinely copying what I write because the filter seems to really like the ones with links and blockquotes.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky,
I just retrieved your comment from the spam filter. It’s been eating most of my comments today.
The Spam Gods just ate one.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
@elaine:
It isn’t that I don’t “like” your cut and paste nonsense. I just find them stupid and misplaced. Do you need an example? Here’s one!
Do you think I just raised the conceptual level of discussion with that copy and paste??? Because I don’t think I did. I think I just pulled an “Elaine” and added some probably partisan crap to the fire. Because, no matter how many studies I could find, it wouldn’t change the fact that people are really truly fed up with Wall Street.Just like people are really truly fed up with an over-powerful government.
If you were ever able to think an original thought that didn’t originate in the DNC headquarters, you might be able to understand that. Instead of slamming the Tea Party, you would be saying “Go Tea Party Go! Give ‘Em Hell!” But, I am not holding my breath.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky,
You’re the one who brought up the tea party on this thread. You didn’t like my response to your comment. That’s too bad.
*****
Partisan Polarization and the Rise of the Tea Party Movement
http://faculty.washington.edu/jwilker/353/AbramowitzTea.pdf
Alan I. Abramowitz
Department of Political Science
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia 30322
Abstract
At the grass roots level, the emergence of the Tea Party movement can best be understood as an outgrowth of the increased conservatism of the Republican electoral base, and especially the more politically engaged segment of that base, since the 1970s. I present evidence from American National Election Study surveys showing that Republican identifiers have been trending in a conservative direction for several decades and that this trend has been most evident among the most active partisans. I then present evidence from the October, 2010 wave of the American National Election Study Evaluations of Government and Society Survey about the
social characteristics and political beliefs of Tea Party supporters. The overwhelming majority of Tea Party supporters were Republicans and supporters were much more conservative than other Republicans. While conservatism is by far the strongest predictor of support for the Tea
Party movement, racial hostility also has a significant impact on support. Along with their greater conservatism, Tea Party supporters were much more politically active than other Republicans. These results suggest that the Tea Party movement has the potential to strongly influence the 2012 Republican congressional and presidential primaries, putting considerable
pressure on Republican candidates to embrace issue positions well to the right of the median general election voter.
Billionaire Koch Brothers Finance Astroturf Tea Party
Under the ruse of grass roots organizations, corporate propaganda has successfully duped citizens into supporting the goals of America’s Invisible Hands.
Posted by Frank W. Hardy
Last updated: Mar 25, 2013
http://suite101.com/article/billionaire-koch-brothers-finance-astroturf-tea-party-a367748
@Elaine:
All kinds of people on both sides of the political spectrum get used by corporate overlords and political party hacks. One group will blame the Koch Brothers, and the people on the other side will blame George Soros.
Which, is why smart people should knock off all the partisan crap and try to see things for what they really are. Otherwise, even people with good intentions end up getting mad about the wrong things and working for the benefit of bad people. Somebody is always trying to pull each and every one of us’s strings. For one reason or another.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky,
Original thinking is good when one is a writer of fiction. When one is trying to pass along information/write nonfiction it is important to have the facts. I don’t attempt to be creative with the truth.
Squeeky,
I’m just providing information for you. You made a statement that implied that the Tea Party came into existence in order to do away with things like lobbyists getting public pensions. Some tea party folks have good intentions. Many, however, are being used by corporate overlords. And some tea party groups are not actually “grassroots” organizations. Do you choose not to know about such things because they conflict with your beliefs?
@Elaine:
Are you a real human being, or are you a google search program??? Because, every time somebody says something you disagree with, you launch into google search mode and start cutting and pasting blurbs from numerous articles which support your opinion. And, since most of your opinions seem to be a re-hash of Democratic Party talking points, then it is pretty easy to find such concurring opinions from similar such persons. One or two such things might be helpful, but you tend to really overdo it.
It is your thread, so if you want to plaster it up with repetitious copy and paste stuff, that is your business. BUT, I know some people who consider themselves Tea Partiers, and they are not getting checks from the Koch Brothers. They are just plain fed up with government. Nothing you post is going to change that reality.
Perhaps, if you would try to do some ORIGINAL thinking, you might be able to better understand what is going on. Or, you can just keep copying and pasting like an, uh,. . . . er, ASTROTURFER!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
FreedomWorks Orchestrates ‘Grassroots’ Movements To Serve Dick Armey’s Corporate Clients
BY LEE FANG ON APRIL 14, 2009
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2009/04/14/37536/lobbying-clients-teaparties/
Excerpt:
ThinkProgress reported last week that corporate lobbyists are helping to orchestrate the anti-Obama tea party protests. These lobbying-run front groups, along with promotion help from Fox News, are organizing the tea parties by calling right-wing activists and asking them to organize. They are also coordinating conference calls among activists, writing press releases, providing sign ideas, building websites supporting the protests, and distributing talking points so that the protesters can stay on message.
Today, FreedomWork’s Adam Brandon responded to the criticism that its efforts to organize these anti-Obama protests are ‘astroturf,’ saying that the organization’s work in coordinating and planning the events would be akin to “MoveOn’s model.” However, MoveOn is not run by corporate lobbyists and is funded by actual grassroots activists. On the other hand, the leader of FreedomWorks, Dick Armey, who is ranked as one of DC’s top “hired guns,” is a corporate lobbyist with a history of directing FreedomWorks to support the goals of his lobbying clients. For example:
– Armey’s FreedomWorks is actively organizing against health care reform. Indeed, Armey’s lobbying firm represents pharmaceutical companies, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, that oppose comparative effectiveness research in the health reform plan because such a program may cut into revenue for branded drugs.
– Armey’s lobbying firm represents the trade group for the life insurance industry. Indeed, FreedomWorks mobilizes its members for deregulated life insurance reform.
Exclusive: The Astroturf Lobbyists Behind The New ‘Tea Party’ Group Pushing To Repeal Wall Street Reform
BY LEE FANG ON APRIL 25, 2011
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/04/25/160193/exposing-dodd-frank-exposed/
Excerpt:
In February, while attending the Tea Party Patriot Summit in Phoenix, Arizona, I came across the grand opening of a new front group called “Dodd Frank Exposed.” Two staffers for the new group were eagerly shaking hands of Tea Party activists while asking them to fill out a survey about their perception of the Dodd Frank Wall Street reform law passed last year.
On a television set up at the booth, a video played on loop claiming Wall Street reform is an “unconstitutional takeover of the U.S. economy.”…
I spoke briefly to a young staffer for the group, who told me that the entire law had to be repealed. “All of it?” I asked. “Anything to stop the bleeding,” she replied. According to the survey results posted on the Dodd Frank Exposed website, Tea Party Patriots by a wide margin agreed: repeal the financial reform law.
@elaine:
Yes, Elaine. All those little Tea Party groups all across the country are all just part of a Koch Brothers Sekrit Cabal. Even the ones the IRS is screwing with. It is all part of a veritable Vast Rightwing Conspiracy, because people would never just get fed the f*ck up with big government on their own. Right?
The same with the Occupy Movement. That must be just some Vast Leftwing Conspiracy, too. Right? Because people would never just get fed the f*ck up with Wall Street on their own. Right?
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
The Tea Party movement: deluded and inspired by billionaires
By funding numerous rightwing organisations, the mega-rich Koch brothers have duped millions into supporting big business
George Monbiot
The Guardian, Monday 25 October 2010
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/oct/25/tea-party-koch-brothers
Excerpt:
The Tea Party movement is remarkable in two respects. It is one of the biggest exercises in false consciousness the world has seen – and the biggest Astroturf operation in history. These accomplishments are closely related.
An Astroturf campaign is a fake grassroots movement: it purports to be a spontaneous uprising of concerned citizens, but in reality it is founded and funded by elite interests. Some Astroturf campaigns have no grassroots component at all. Others catalyse and direct real mobilisations. The Tea Party belongs in the second category. It is mostly composed of passionate, well-meaning people who think they are fighting elite power, unaware that they have been organised by the very interests they believe they are confronting. We now have powerful evidence that the movement was established and has been guided with the help of money from billionaires and big business. Much of this money, as well as much of the strategy and staffing, were provided by two brothers who run what they call “the biggest company you’ve never heard of”.
Charles and David Koch own 84% of Koch Industries, the second-largest private company in the United States. It runs oil refineries, coal suppliers, chemical plants and logging firms, and turns over roughly $100bn a year; the brothers are each worth $21bn. The company has had to pay tens of millions of dollars in fines and settlements for oil and chemical spills and other industrial accidents. The Kochs want to pay less tax, keep more profits and be restrained by less regulation. Their challenge has been to persuade the people harmed by this agenda that it’s good for them.
In July 2010, David Koch told New York magazine: “I’ve never been to a Tea Party event. No one representing the Tea Party has ever even approached me.” But a fascinating new film – (Astro)Turf Wars, by Taki Oldham – tells a fuller story. Oldham infiltrated some of the movement’s key organising events, including the 2009 Defending the American Dream summit, convened by a group called Americans for Prosperity (AFP). The film shows David Koch addressing the summit. “Five years ago,” he explains, “my brother Charles and I provided the funds to start Americans for Prosperity. It’s beyond my wildest dreams how AFP has grown into this enormous organisation.”
A convener tells the crowd how AFP mobilised opposition to Barack Obama’s healthcare reforms. “We hit the button and we started doing the Twittering and Facebook and the phonecalls and the emails, and you turned up!” Then a series of AFP organisers tell Mr Koch how they have set up dozens of Tea Party events in their home states. He nods and beams from the podium like a chief executive receiving rosy reports from his regional sales directors. Afterwards, the delegates crowd into AFP workshops, where they are told how to run further Tea Party events.
Pat,
I’m still trying to find out if these lobbyists contribute any money to their pensions.
@Elaine M
Thanks for responding and I will be watching for anything you uncover. I don’t know if it will help or not but you might try sacbee.com. The Sacramento Bee is and was the forerunner of McClatchy News.
Again, great article.