Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) was named by John Boehner to be part of the Super Committee on Debt, due in part to his chairing the Ways and Means Committee. It is a choice assignment which Camp has been eager to cash in on:
On the same day that House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., got picked to join the 12-member Congressional super-committee that is charged with deciding the country’s spending and taxation fate, his political action committee sent out [an invitation to a $2500 a head "meet & greet"]
Just think, for $2,500, you too can have “fun” as Camp’s PAC refills your wine glass over chats about mortgage interest deductions, profit repatriation and S-Corporation pass through rates.
We need no longer guess whether Pfizer will have a chance to play a role in the upcoming negotiations, thanks to the Pfizer PAC host duties.
Ah...capitalism! The privilege of hosting Camp's meet and greet came with a steep $5,000 price tag as well. So being on this extra-constitutional Super Committee is a profit deal...that makes so much sense. But if you can't pony up the cash, it appears to be much more difficult to get through to Rep. Camp, no matter what lip service he pays to being available to his constituents. After attending the American Dream rally in DC, internet radio goddess Nicole Sandler, Marcy Wheeler of Emptywheel, Andrew Harman of Change to Win, Sandy Carpenter of ForRespect.org paid a visit to Camp's office on the Hill. After being told that Camp was in Congress and they could speak to an aide, the group was asked to wait in the hall. But Camp's staff wanted to make sure they stayed there, locking the door of the office. Then a gentleman came out and distributed the card of the Legislative Director they should speak to, saying that the director was busy with the congressman.
Funny thing, that. Turns out that Camp's Legislative Director, Rob Guido, was the guy handing out the cards, telling the protesters that the Legislative Director was busy with the congressman.
Bet you if they had $2,500 checks in their hand, Guido would have had no problem introducing himself properly.
And that's why we have Occupy Wall Street protests.
