MUST READ: Files and McCain Letter Show Effort to Keep Loophole, Says Democratic National Committee

MUST READ: Files and McCain Letter Show Effort to Keep Loophole, Says Democratic National Committee

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the DNC:

As John McCain faces renewed questions about his ties to lobbyists, the New York Times this weekend examined McCain's role in keeping a loophole open that benefited a company that lobbied him. McCain's image as a reformer who can take the influence of money and lobbyists out of Washington has been seriously undercut by letters he wrote to the FCC while serving as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee that reveal he threatened to overhaul the FCC if they closed the loophole that helped the client of a lobbyist-friend. This, along with other legal and ethical issues that have resurfaced this week have raised new questions about McCain's integrity.

The following are excerpts of the story:

"Files and McCain Letter Show Effort to Keep Loophole"
New York Times
By Stephen Labaton
February 23, 2008

"In late 1998, Senator John McCain sent an unusually blunt letter to the head of the Federal Communications Commission, warning that he would try to overhaul the agency if it closed a broadcast ownership loophole.

"The letter, and two later ones signed by Mr. McCain, then chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, urged the commission to abandon plans to close a loophole vitally important to Glencairn Ltd., a client of Vicki Iseman, a lobbyist. The provision enabled one of the nation's largest broadcasting companies, Sinclair, to use a marketing agreement with Glencairn, a far smaller broadcaster, to get around a restriction barring single ownership of two television stations in the same city.

"A review of the record, including agency records now at the National Archives and interviews with participants, shows that Mr. McCain, Republican of Arizona, played a significant role in killing the plan to eliminate the loophole. His actions followed requests by Ms. Iseman and lobbyists at other broadcasting companies, according to lobbying records and Congressional aides."

For the full article, click here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/23/us/politics/23lobby.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=F iles+and+McCain+Letter+Show+Effort+to+Keep+Loophole+&st=nyt&oref=slogin

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, http://www.democrats.org/.

This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Democratic National Committee

CONTACT: Damien LaVera of the Democratic National Committee,
+1-202-863-8148

Web Site:

http://www.democrats.org/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/23/us/politics/23lobby.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=Files+and+McCain+Letter+Show+Effort+to+Keep+Loophole+&st=nyt&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

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