Bad Deeds for 6-23-2010

What Recession? – The world’s millionaires and billionaires — now totaling 10 million — saw their overall wealth jump 18.9 percent last year, to $39 trillion. At the end of 2009, these “ultra-high net worth individuals” held 35.5 percent of the total $39 trillion of the world’s wealth, or an estimated $13.8 trillion, even though this group represented less than 1 percent of the 10 million people classified as being rich. The most millionaires could be found in the United States, where their ranks rose 16.5 percent, to 2.87 million, last year.

So, how are you doing? But please don’t ask the mega-rich to kick in a little more to fund infrastructure improvements or clean energy research that could put more people to work. They say they just can’t afford any more taxes.

Republican Candidates Hold Fundraisers With BP Lobbyist And Joe Barton – On Thursday, Dan Meyer, a lobbyist for BP — the besieged oil company responsible for the biggest environmental disaster in U.S. history — will co-host a luncheon at Hotel George in Washington D.C. for the benefit of Colorado GOP congressional candidate Cory Gardner. An official with the Dubernstein Group, Meyer serves on a BP account that has brought in $100,000 in lobbying fees during the first quarter of 2010. He’s not the only Republican official hosting the $1,000-a-plate affair (Meyer formerly served as the chief of staff for Newt Gingrich as well as chief congressional liaison in the Bush White House). Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) are participating as well.

Another fundraiser is being held in honor of Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), who is putting together a June 30 lunch fundraiser “With Special Guest, Congressman Joe Barton.” Barton of course was a political toxin last week after he apologized to BP for the “shakedown” they endured at the hands of the Obama administration.

Republican National Committee Staffer Fired in Sex Scandal Was Paid $100,000 to Keep Quiet – The former chief of staff to the Republican National Committee received more than $100,000 in a “severance payment” after he was fired for his role relating to the discovery that the party had signed off on $2,000 in reimbursements for a sex-themed Beverly Hills club.

RNC insiders say the money was approved as “hush money” to keep the former staffer, Kenneth McKay, from divulging details of GOP Chairman Michael Steele’s leadership practices.

Regards,
Jim