Public Campaign Action Fund raises conflict of interest questions about Rep. Charles Boustany

Sep 11 2009

Republican Congressman Slated to Oppose President Obama's Health Care Plan Hooked on Health and Insurance Campaign Contributions

Public Campaign Action Fund raised serious conflict of interest questions about Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) and the expected opposing remarks he will deliver tonight in response to President Barack Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress on health care reform.

According to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, Rep. Boustany has received $1,256,056 from health and insurance interests since first being elected in 2004. The total counts for more than 20 percent of all of his fundraising.

"There is a conflict of interest when members of Congress stand before the public and recite the same talking points put forth by lobbyists and the heads of insurance and HMO giants opposing health care legislation," commented David Donnelly, national campaigns director of Public Campaign Action Fund. "Rep. Boustany has taken more than $160,000 in campaign contributions from insurance and HMO interests alone. Do you think he'll disclose that to his national audience tonight? It's time to end the money chase and pass the Fair Elections Now Act."

Introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and in the House of Representatives by Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), the Fair Elections Now Act (S.752, H.R. 1826) would create a voluntary system of public financing that provides candidates with a limited sum of public funds once they demonstrate broad community support. Candidates are also able to raise additional funds in small amounts on top of the grant that are matched on a four to one basis, up to a limit, and are eligible to receive media vouchers for airtime. Because the system is voluntary and places no further restrictions on those who choose not to participate, the law is constitutional.

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