Ron Johnson: Putting Washington Before Wisconsin
Johnson Skips Three Wisconsin Debates with Feingold, But Makes Time for Three DC Fund-raisers Instead
Ron Johnson, who dodged 12 debates in his primary election and dodged three more debates with Russ Feingold, is attending another Washington DC fund-raiser this afternoon.
Johnson, who has already attended two fund-raisers with lobbyists and special interests, will start his day by attending a fund-raiser hosted by Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, son of a former U.S. Representative who has been in office since 1986. After lunch, Johnson will attend a reception with Paul Ryan and former Senator Bob Kasten, where attendees are being asked to contribute $1,000.
Johnson will finish his fund-raising trip by attending a "young professionals" breakfast Thursday at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Though Johnson found time for three DC fund-raisers in two days, he dodged three debates with Feingold, agreeing with only half as many debates as in the 2004 Senate Race. Today's trip marks Johnson's fifth DC fund-raiser so far this election.
Among the lobbyists who have already contributed to Johnson is Roy Coffee. Coffee specialized in lobbying for foreign companies seeking to overturn sanctions against Iran during the Bush Era. Coffee was deputy campaign manager on former President George W. Bush's first campaign for governor in Texas and later moved to Washington DC and was considered Bush's "eyes and ears" in K Street and the lobbying world, according to Roll Call.
Read more about Johnson's lobbyist donors here.
Just like his last fund-raising trip to DC, the Washington-DC-based professional fund-raising firm, the Bellwether Group, is organizing Johnson’s latest fund-raiser.
When Johnson last attended a fund-raiser held by the organization in July, the hosts included Washington D.C. lobbyists who have lobbied the federal government more than 2,500 times on issues for special interests such as the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, Society of the Plastics Industry, Association of Oil Pipe Lines, the Oxygenated Fuels Association, and others who have an extensive history lobbying on behalf of the health insurance industry.
Senator Feingold was recently ranked by Washingtonian Magazine as the number one enemy of lobbyists in Washington. The magazine wrote of Feingold, “Still the body’s chief anti-lobbying crusader.”
