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Chritie Brinkley and Ellen DeGeneres (photos: David of Earth and Tulane U.)
On Friday, I wrote a letter to the Susan B. Komen Foundation asking that they stop using money that was raised for cancer research to pay Hadassah Lieberman, wife of Senator Joe Lieberman, as a spokesperson for the organization. The organization issued a statement saying that they refuse to do so.
As a three time breast cancer survivor, I do not believe that those who “race for the cure” and donate their hard earned dollars think they’re doing it so the money can go to Hadassah Lieberman. So today, I’m asking the celebrities who lend their names and their time to Race for the Cure like Ellen DeGeneres, James Denton and Christie Brinkley to join me in asking the Foundation to end its ties with Lieberman, whose professional agenda is antithetical to the cause they purport to advance.
For decades, Hadassah Lieberman has worked for the insurance-pharmaceutical-lobbying complex. Like Newt Gingrich, Dick Gephard and Tom Daschle she never registered as a lobbyist to avoid the official taint, but nonetheless worked at the powerhouse lobbying shops Hill and Knowlton and APCO. She also did stints at Pfizer and Hoffman-La Roche.
When she was hired at Hill and Knowlton as a senior counselor in the health and pharmaceutical practice in 2005, the company issued a press release which said “she hopes to draw on her political experience in concentrating on health care policy and public health initiatives.” It is unquestionable that she has used her association with her husband the Senator, who was instrumental in killing the Clinton health care reform effort in 1994, in order to secure these lucrative positions and advance the interests of her clients.
How much is she being paid? It’s hard to tell — the Senate Finance report only indicates that it’s “more than $1000.” But money paid to spouses is one of the primary ways that members of Congress manage to wander into serious money while in office, and Hadassah made $328,000 in speaking fees in one year. From 2004 to 2008, the Center for Responsive Politics estimates that Lieberman’s net worth has increased by a million dollars. That’s impossible to do on a Senator’s salary alone.
According to Larry Nobel, former executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics: “Unless it can really be shown that there is a reason that an individual is being paid for her expertise, then it does look like she is getting paid as a substitute for his speaking…In perspective, I think it falls in a category of ongoing issues that arise having to do with the proper role of spouses and whether someone is trading off of a spouse’s influence.”
And what is Joe Lieberman using his influence for these days? After running hapless Harry Reid around in circles with his endless demands, Lieberman is holding the health care bill hostage and says he will join a Republican filibuster to once again torpedo reform.
The death of health care reform will no doubt please the clients of Hadassah Lieberman’s lobbying firms, but it would appear to be out of step with the goals of the Susan B. Komen Foundation. In 2008, Komen for the Cure listed $266,314,501 in assets, and Komen for the Cure Affiliates listed $138,428,012. They are by far the biggest breast cancer organization, with close ties to the Republican Party. Executive Director Nancy Brinker was appointed by George Bush as Ambassador to Hungary in 2001, shortly after the Komen Foundation helped defeat a meaningful Patients Bill of Rights and promoted the watered down version Bush advocated.
According to Breast Cancer Action, the rate of breast cancer incidence among women was 1 in 22 in the 1940s. In 2007, it was 1 in 8. Despite the obvious questions this raises about the impact of environmental factors on breast cancer occurrence, the Komen Foundation focuses its resources on developing treatments that increase the profitability of pharmaceutical companies like the ones that employ Mrs. Lieberman rather than prevention. Unlike other breast cancer organizations, they refused to sign on to the 2006 Consensus Statement on Breast Cancer and the Environment.
The drugs that are developed by the Komen money are being put out of the financial reach of average middle class women by Hadassah Lieberman’s lobbying firms. Her pharmaceutical employers lobbied heavily for Rep. Anna Eshoo’s PhRMA-friendly biologics amendment to the health care bill, which grants “indefinite monopolies” (according to Henry Waxman) on life saving breast cancer drugs that can cost $50,000 to $100,000 a year. This keeps them from ever becoming available as affordable generics. When the underlying causes of breast cancer are never addressed in a way that benefits women who will never be able to pay those high prices to stay alive, the name might as well be the “Race for the Cure You Can’t Afford.”
Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women age 35-44. The people who are anguished over the suffering of those they love and want to help in some meaningful way are attracted to Komen by celebrity names like James Woods, Andie MacDowell, Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Tilly, John Ondrasik, Kimberly Locke, Marcia Cross, Mimi Rogers, Ann Curry and Aimee Teegarden. They are racing their hearts out because they think it will help others to keep from suffering, they aren’t doing it so the money can be used as a pass-through to Joe Lieberman through his wife to block health care reform.
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Signed twice!
nytimes writer DHerszenhorn calls 60-member caucus the curse of Harry Reid, an illusion that led him to Lieberman’s trap.
The course is a total compromise to get the women from Maine, or reconciliation. The idea failed to not penalize Lieberman for supporting the OTHER party’s candidate for president.
Sorry Harry and Barack. Kid gloves dont work on an old goat.
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/is-reid-cursed-by-the-lucky-number-60/?src=twr
The organization issued a statement saying that they refuse to do so.
Talk about a slap in the face. What’s in in for Pamela Stevens, etal?
Fire Hadassah and strip Smokin’ Holy Joe of his chairmanship. Like yesterday.
Good for them. There’s something close to creepy about the urge to pull a purge of a campaign against breast cancer.
Lieberman’s crappy politics should be fought outside this arena and not through his wife.
“We value her work as global ambassador and have every intention of keeping her in this capacity,” Stevens told me, repeatedly refusing to address the substance of the case against her.
a bit TANGy, aint it ?
go Jane and DO keep up the fight for decent health care for all!
P.S. you are doing a great job, many thanks!
The Congress, especially the Senate is completely disfunctional and incapable of acting in the public interest. Senators care only about their own security in office, their position in the Party and increasing personal wealth. The public is only a consideration when it benefits their secure continuity. It is ignorance and apathy of the public that allows this to perpetuate and get worse. Nothing will change until the public is so harmed that they sit up and throw these selfish evil cretins (many of which belong in the can) out of office. At one time the media could be counted on to shine the light of truth on corruption. Now, most of the media is in on the con. It is up to us. Voting them out is all that is left, and then making it clear to their replacement that they face the same fate if they turn their back us.
as if it isn’t a regular and usual way of influencing politicians via the spouse.
Hadassah Lieberman gets paid by a charity why? does Joe not earn enough cash for her to volunteer? And if she wants to volunteer I have no problem with that.
What is her job how does she earn for the charity? Or is her job corporate welfare for past favors from Joe from a third party?
Lets say for example maybe a big Corporate donor who got a government contract with Joe’s help and now needs a tax break gives Race for the Cure some cash with the understanding that Hadassah gets a No show job?
I signed yesterday.
Sorry for this off-topic:
Jane,
I’ve been arguing with booman, who has up yet another new post today trying to keep up his spat with you. I’ve been arguing with him only so that you can focus your attention on far more important matters. I don’t see the point even for me to continue arguing with him.
Please consider not linking to his bullshit any more. His arguments on this current conflict are pointless.
TANGy, indeed…
It’s OK if Stevens wants to take a position, but we can’t be expected to cut her any slack when she refuses to directly address the questions being posed. I think that’s fair play.
Oh, and did I mention that “Smokin’ Holy Joe” needs to be stripped of his chairmanship? No? Must have slipped my mind…
I wonder if they will change their tune when people cut their donations. They have lost my annual $500. I will put it to new breast cancer research cause.
Jane, thank you a thousand times over!
These people need to be outed!
I had no idea that the Race for the Cure Folks were so tang-y.
And that they lobbied against Patients Bill of Rights.
C o r r u p t is the word. This whole f-cking health care thing is so f-cking corrupt.
What will it take for people to march in the streets?
Just what does she say in her speech to make that kind of money and who is paying to hear her speech friends of friends Joe helped?
Tax payers should have a right to know this stuff! Seriously I want to know why her speech is worth so much?
That’s exactly why the celebrity pressure needs to be applied. The higher the profiles, the bigger the hit. Nothing concentrates the mind of a foundation quite so effectively as a large ding in its revenue stream – especially in this economy.
No Professors, Engineers with years of experience, papers etc speak all the time for way less than this kind of cash. This amount of cash is popular but maybe not best selling book numbers.
I’m thinking Harry made his money as a boxer taking Dives.
Calling out people by name. Effectively a hall of shame. Yes.
Right now on Dr. Nancy MSNBC Dr Morocco of UCLA Medical Center calling out by name Joe Lieberman and Republicans…there’s a war on in our healthcare system, ERs overburdened, while these people are playing political games [my paraphrase].
You’re right, Jane. Dr. Morocco is right. And the healthcare war has many fronts, as this timely juxtaposition shows.
Booman is a troll with a blog. Don’t worry about him, I only do it occasionally because he’s a bottomfeeder that puts up stuff nobody else will print and then the DNC pushes it. But of his own, he’s meaningless.
Keep up the pressure Jane make them unpopular, unhip and they will never get their cool rep back never go to war with bloggers who can write all day and all night. Cause the commentors work for free so we can out work any PR firm.
has he resorted to the trusty “Jane Hamshers of the left” yet ?
Purging somebody’s wife from an awareness campaign is a “regular and usual” way to influence him?
How about kneecapping her?
NO, giving spouses extraordinary salaries is
1 in 8 as of 2007?
Something is seriously wrong with the air, the water, the soil, the food, or all of the above.
Get rid of Hadassah, for sure, but let’s have an honest scientific investigation.
For little or no work for jobs others do for cheaper and who have more expertise at the job.
Agreed but thats out of my area of expertise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadassah_Lieberman
I am not seeing anything here that qualifies her as an expert in anything but lobbying much less why anyone would pay her such huge speaking fees.
And furthermore, who profits so royally from Charity Work?
What’s her salary for this?
I’ve been having a fun time arguing with him over there, but it’s time to move on to more important things. He’s far beneath you. His arguments are pathetic. Kind of surprised anyone at the DNC
noticesuses him for anything.Nobody teaching at a Catholic school, nobody working at the GoodWill store somehow the rich with little qualifications get the big cash.
He is the best they can recruit:)
Haven’t heard that one, but in response to this:
I put up this:
If they have readers, then let them link on over.
You go, Jane. These people need to be shown for who they are and what they say they do but do not do. I am telling those that call me that I do not respond to appeals for money over the phone.
JoeLie and His Wife are a blot on health care.
That’s their best? Not good for them. Great for Progressives everywhere!
Keep it up Jane.
I long ago gave up giving to national organizations of anything. I buy locally and give locally. Just as my local farmer needs my money, to help her grow more food, so does my local Feminist Health Center need my money to help the poor/needy to have access to everything from regular GYN examinations, abortions, STDs, breast cancer screening, pap smears and birth control methods.
Hadassah can go play with her inflatable Joe Doll for all I gave a hoot.
And given the banking crisis last year I’m thinking even with inside stock tops its impossible.
Money paid to spouses is one of the primary ways that cash is “passed through” to members of Congress. You can’t call for “campaign finance reform” and then suddenly defend the #1 way a Senator can personally benefit.
Hadassah Lieberman is, like her husband, using her influence on behalf of pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer in ways that are antithetical to Komen’s stated objectives. There’s no good reason for them to be paying her money. They might as well be writing a check to Billy Tauzin.
We can’t forget to include that Joe is an agent of a foreign government first, and a senator second. Who doesn’t know this, and why doesn’t it get any coverage at all? Why in the hell is he walking around free is the most important question. He is a criminal. If he is, what does that say for the little woman?
Hadassah Lieberman is, like her husband, using her influence on behalf of pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer in ways that are antithetical to Komen’s stated objectives.
Ding! Go Jane!
I hope the Komen Foundation spends its hundreds of millions in assets and millions in earnings on more than Hadassah Lieberman. What’s the ratio of its “administrative” vs. project funding costs and how does it compare with the Gund or Ford foundations, for example.
Good works and good deeds have long been used by bad people to atone for or to hide their sins. Not an excuse, an explanation. It doesn’t mean that enriching the Lieberman household by hundreds of thousands of dollars a year – with Hadassah as a cut-out for Joe – should be tolerated. The same would be true were it the Gores, the Feingolds or the Graysons.
Ms. Lieberman may be more talented than her husband – not a stretch – but it should not be assumed without proof that she or any spouse of an elected official is worth what they’re paid by corporate interests deeply invested in influencing the spouse in Congress. If Mrs. Obama were in the same boat, for example – and were paid a million a year by industries profiting from her husband’s policies – it’s possible that one or two Republicans would be crying foul.
The problem with any progressive Reform for the people is the Democratic Senate — Not the House Democratis who Did vote for a strong public option and do vote for progressive reform. It is the small minority of the majority in the Senate that makes things so difficult to pass, espeically when the small – majority have a few Democratic Senators who act more like the minority party or Republicans than Democrats. No, the answer is more Democratic Senators who are true progressives and not ConservaDems!
In regards to healtcare reform, while some Senators want to slow the process down or kill it all together, there are people all over America who are sick and dying or cannot afford their medicine, they can’t slow things down. There are people who are losing their health care insurance because employers just cannot afford it any more. They don’t want the processed slowed down. These Senators do not feel a sense of urgency because it is not happening to them. They are not really connected to the pain of people or to there heart, and since there is no heart connection, they should not be representatives of the people!
Great Question
If Mrs. Obama were in the same boat, for example – and were paid a million a year by industries profiting from her husband’s policies – it’s possible that one or two Republicans would be crying foul.
Think that might make it on “Fox News?” Um…does a bear…?
And if you can show that she is being paid large and unlikely sums, then you might be able to make a case for what otherwise is an unseemly bit of excess partisanship applied to what appears to be an effort in a good cause.
Proof. Then sentencing.
Yes, we should give Lieberman the benefit of the doubt one more time, it’s worked so well for us in the past.
I recommend Breast Cancer Action
https://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6098/t/7381/content.jsp?content_KEY=1550
Much better organization.
I ask because it’s not unknown for the wealthy or their non-working spouses to club together and form “charities” that – while nominally serving a valid public purpose and qualifying under federal tax rules as a charity – are run primarily for the financial benefit and egos of their members. I have no knowledge of whether the Komen Foundation fits that description or not.
Here is the charity navigator report on Susan Koman.
Joe’s 2008 Senate Financial disclosure form says Hadassah is paid as a “consultant” to Komen, but all he is required to say is that she made “more than a thousand dollars.”
However, Joe’s net worth seems to be steadily increasing.
Since domestic espionage is illegal, getting ahold of the exact figures requires Mrs. Lieberman’s permission, and she has steadfastly refused to do that during any of his races. But if you’re questioning that she is being paid, that proof is provided in the links we took the trouble to provide in the post.
Your right given the large amount of cash Joe and his wife made Jane’s is assuming they made that much cash legally if unethically however she has no proof Joe and the wife could be making that cash illegally.
If he made it in the stock market I would like to know how F Ben Stein F Cramer I wanna here Joe!
I still want to know what Hadassah is saying to get that speaking fee cash.
Wow, I didn’t know this factoid!
Yet another reason to deeply question Gore’s judgment in 2000.
This is high-stakes politics in 21st century America, not a court of law. “Trust, but verify”, would be more apt. This is not a case of the Red Queen saying, “Sentence first, verdict afterwards!”. It is a public tired of its politicians and the wealthy (the Liebermans are also multi-millionaire landlords) gaming the system for themselves and actively hurting the public on top of it.
And we’re fighting in Afghanistan for the rights of women, or so macaquerman would have us believe.
Neither do I but until the Senate starts having some real reporting rules they leave the door open. Joe can volunteer his records at any time and as a tax payer paid public figure he should.
Oh yeah Joe maybe we should hold up aid to Israel until every American gets the healthcare Israel has?
I just sent you an email on this topic. I could be wrong.
♪You see this cat Hamsher is a bad mother–
(Shut your mouth)♫
But I’m talkin’ about Jane ♪
(Then we can dig it)♫
jesus Jane, I am certain you knew in undertaking this action they’d send hordes of beribboned flying monkeys your way. they are gonna liken it to shooting Santa Claus. that my dear is what granny cbl called courage. I am praying Joe’s current toxicity levels will play in our favor
No Jane, I’m not questioning that she’s being paid. I’m questioning where it decent to assume that she’s being paid exhorbitantly and for political influence and using that assumption to call for her to be purged.
I don’t see Joe demanding a balanced budget for that.
LOL I’d love to know how much money Short Ride has raised for Israel.
I would?
I’ll bet the NSA has the figures.
You make a good point: the Senate’s disclosure rules are abysmal, both as to content and timing and digital posting.
I am outraged with the behavior of the Lieberman family. While millions are struggling with health care nightmares the Liebermans are financially benefiting from their cozy relationships with the ins. co.s.
If Ms. Lieberman truly wanted to do something credible about breast cancer she would put a stop to this nonsense her husband is perpetrating or is she in cahoots???
SIMPLY SHOCKING!
Lieberman deserves to be stripped of his role as a Senator asap.
If you want to compare Jane to a Red Queen, that’s your business.
I want no part of that.
Neither do I want any part of calling it 21st century politics in an effort to justify unethical behavior.
Does the “pay for play” have to be “exorbitant” before it will cause any concern in your mind?
“Here’s $5; now go kill that guy” would trouble me. I wouldn’t wait for the pay-off to reach $5000 before I got concerned.
The way I see it it doesn’t matter how much she’s being paid. The simple fact that is she’s being paid while her husband is using his clout in the Senate to stifle any health care reform that doesn’t generously reward the insurance industry. Doesn’t matter if a hooker makes a dollar a trick or a thousand a trick, she’s still a hooker. Apologies to hookers for the analogy.
Gee, hasn’t that been one of your arguments for continuing the disaster on Siun’s and other threads?
With the exception of Lieberman, the so called conservative democratic Senators, a better description is “stand patters” such as existed in 1908, are all from red states with much less popular vote than the majority progressive democratic Senators. But this is how the Senate is formed under the Constitution. Lieberman and his cohorts coulda/shoulda been called out back in October. Now you have Bill Clinton with his standpatter “any bill is better than no bill” pro business speech to the Democratic caucus and you complete the standpatter circle. Clintons, who have been so damaging to progressive causes, are the leaders of the standpatters.
The only course is to pass a bill with 60 votes which can later be amended without 60 votes. I would not waste a moment of time going forward with the Liebermans. Get Snowe and the other standpatters and pass something now. Amend it later.
Great minds think alike — and simultaneously!!
Wink.
no sense derailing this one
Joe has said he will filibuster a Dem bill I do not see how Harry Reid can let him keep his Senate leadership position. I do not see how Harry can not punish him and expect to keep his own job.
I do not see how Harry helps his son get elected office by being so weak.
Jane,
This action made the CNN Political Ticker: Hadassah Lieberman under attack over industry ties.
Going back to look through the 300 comments.
And vice versa
Whoa, I didn’t look at the comments when I ran across the piece. On the front page no less.
Jane, CNN is covering this action !!!
just started reading the comments – doesn’t look good for Big Pink !
Working for breast cancer awareness doesn’t quite equate to “Go kill that guy”.
If we use the budget bill to get this passed we need 51 votes. If we tell Joe no aid for Israel until this is passed we got his vote.
If Obama told the GOP either we fund Healthcare and the war first or I blame you for both failures and pull all the troops out now we would have had every GOP vote.
Harry and the Blue Dogs only think they are helpless.
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my. My comparison was to your down the rabbit hole characterization of these comments as if they expressed the Red Queen’s judicial philosophy, an analogy that doesn’t fit comments here, but which would describe, for example, Bush and Obama’s detention policies.
The topic here is whether the obvious, apparent conflict of interest in Ms. Lieberman’s work and pay are real. Even if she were paid nothing, her work would stand in sharp contrast with her husband’s. Perhaps not unusual, but still damaging to a charity for which appearance should mean as much as substance, though that concern may be as unseemly in Greenwich as a peddler.
Things:
That scenario would prolly work for most of the House and Senate.
I don’t want one damn dime of my cancer money going to Hadassah Lieberman or anyone else who lobbies for PhRMA.
Nice job setting the bar at “exorbitant,” though. That’s your litmus test? If you want to pay her, that’s fine, write her a check, but people think they’re giving that money so that it will go to cancer research. If Komen is paying her to talk, that’s not where it goes. And only a scumbag would defend that deception on the grounds that it’s only wrong if it’s a “lot of money.”
I bet someone who races and raises a thousand dollars thinks it’s “a lot of money.” Maybe we should tell them not to bother, because it only matters if it’s “exorbitant?”
Agreed thanks:)
Hmmm….can you spell E-v-a-n B-a-y-h (D-Wellpoint)?
SIgned seethed and delivered.
I smell veal.
Joe Lieberman should be stripped of his committee assignments because he’s not a Democrat. He doesn’t support the party, he actively campaigns against it.
Mr. Lieberman is not a reliable 60th vote in the Senate. He is reliably in the minority camp, but loves thinking of himself as the fulcrum the Democrats will use to lift the world. He is no such thing. He’s simply greedy and careless with other people’s lives, something his spouse is entitled to overlook, but not the voting and taxpaying public whose interests he does so little to serve.
I’ll bet Short Ride’s staff has its shorts/panties in a collective wad over the comments. I guess we can count on a real dressing down next time Short Ride gets in front of a camera.
Hey, Short Ride! Yeah, you, shithead. Fuck you.
As much as I respect you and despise Leiberman, purging his wife is a wrong move.
I fear this “reconciliation” budgetary approach should come later as an amendment passing a strong public option but first get a bill passed and signed which addresses pre-existing conditions. With some adroitness by Reid and Emanuel we should not be in the position we are now, playing games with Lieberman and the insurance industry. The strategy employed by Reid and many of the blogs has been a non-starter.
frankly I can already see him and the Beard, tsk tsking this horrible woman going after a wonderful charity that does so much for so . . .
Hadassah is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life
So the Charity employs someone who is paid to lobby against national healthcare or everyone getting the a cure? Whose husband votes against everyone getting a cure?
This charity seems to prefer funding treatments only for women rich enough to afford them.
Despite going from 1-22 to 1 -8 women getting breast cancer the charity wants a cure drug companies can charge for rather than a cause that can be removed from the environment.
At this rate of growth though though do we really have the time to humor Joe and Hadassah? If we separate immigrants from native born lived here all their lives I wonder if the numbers get worse?
We can run a real campaign for green everything with these numbers.
Could not have said it better.
I’d rather have a strong bill now rather than hope the Senate will do right by me later. I can’t afford to wait for Senate time.
C’mon Harry, cut a deal with Lieberman
Ok but it would have been clever to have done an end on the standpatters by passing a plain vanilla bill back in October on 60 votes with a plan to amend it at year end with a “reconciled” public option with 51 votes. Our President may still have this in mind on a different schedule. Pass what you can with 60 votes and move on to fify one votes with amendments.
The deal even with the weak Medicare expansion was already worse than the status quo. The WH would be wise at this point to stop encouraging this train wreck.
Most ridiculous idea! Leave Hadassah’s current work on behalf of SBK separate from her past lobbying activities and certainly apart from her husband’s political leanings (even if misguided). Pressure the senator for his positions, not his wife for her associations!
Frankly, I don’t think this is about his wife. It’s about not having obvious conflicts of interests. It’s about Americans doing what’s right. Quoting Joe Conason’s article at Salon:
She doesn’t need to be a global ambassador to make a real difference.
We are all Palestinians now….
If they dump her, then somone else can make up my donation to Komen. Because politics plays no part in cancer research. Typical Liberal rubbish tying everything to their political agenda. Cancer doesn’t only strike liberals, but if [Edited by Moderator Please do not wish violence on others].
Firedoglake needs to understand that passing THIS type of reform is detrimental to the breast cancer cause because it will limit the number of times a woman can be checked and also raise the age of when a woman would be able to start being tested. This adminis+ra+ion has already tried this tactic and it fai|ed. Limited testing will be included in this fiasco of an attempt at reform. Sen. and Mrs Leiberman are doing more good for breast cancer awareness and firdoglake should just S T F U. (New |ibera| senator lingo speak)
There you go,
57% of Americans do not want health care reform as it is currently written. Yet you idiots, think you know best, and are willing to destroy Komen. OK, I’ll remove Komen from anymore support from our family. you better start listening to Americans. You are a special interest group that is just like Haliburton. Willing to destroy anyone to get what you want. Be proud, losers.
It’s a creepy groupthink kind of day here at the Lake.
Hadassah Lieberman is not an employee of SBK, and we don’t even know if she receives honoraria or fees for her work. I wouldn’t be surprised if the >$1,000 listed on Joe’s disclosure forms merely cover her travel and related expenses as “global ambassador,” eg, for the trip to Israel and Egypt last month. It would be prudent to list such expenses on a financial disclosure form to avoid any appearance of concealment, for example, if it later becomes known that Lieberman took a non-Komen-related side trip or two while “ambassadoring.”
Even if she is receiving fees or honoraria, they’re doubtless a pittance compared to what she’s bringing in to the organization through her connections. If she weren’t rainmaking, SBK wouldn’t need a pressure campaign to drop or curtail its relationship with her. The notion that donations to SBK are being stolen from breast cancer patients to fatten the Liebermans is ridiculous; like it or not, Hadassah’s scary Rolodex pays dividends for SBK. And again, they may not actually be paying her anything — just whisking her around and wining/dining.
The funneling of industry largesse to Joe’s family coffers by way of his wife’s past flackery is indeed scandalous even if technically adherent to ethics rules. But from what we’re reading here, she’s not working for any of those firms currently. The SBK issue is separate.
Yes, it’s a creepy day when I find myself agreeing with macaquerman.
And after reading Jane’s wonderful reporting, you cease to wonder why most of the country despises the mainstream media.
You ACTUALLY politicize something like breast cancer. What next, you’re going to write a piece about Lucky Charms being racially biased towards the Irish. How ridiculous can you be?
No wonder the standard media outlets are failing miserably. But then, if you bow to the “Chosen One” and praise the never-ending attempt to socialize America, then maybe your payoff will be a taxpayer funded bailout.
This type of “news” certainly won’t sell to subscribers, or at least not to those of us who work to make a living. Maybe it will sell to the “moochers” (i.e., those who live off the taxpayers), but then they don’t have any money to buy your product, do they?
The whole point of a congressman or senator becoming a lobbyist is to capitalize on those contacts made in the past. Ergo, her past contacts matter; I fail to see how anyone cannot see this as a clear conflict of interest.
http://breakfastintheruins.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/pigs_flying.jpg
You are correct about whom cancer strikes, but anyone who works in the development department for any large non-profit will tell you that:
1. Most non-profit charities depend heavily on donations from individuals to do their work. This ranges from 45 to 60% of all income, depending on the level of government support. Corporate support is generally half or less than that from individuals.
2. Many demographic surveys of charitable giving over the years show that most individuals who donate to non-profit charities are people of what many might call lesser means, and that they also tend to be Democrats, percentage-wise, followed by Independents, than most conservatives or Republicans would like to discuss in public.
3. Just like the threat to voter turnout the Democratic Party faces if weak health care reform is all we get, the commitment of this donor ‘base’ that probably makes up the majority of the individuals who donate to Race for the Cure is similarly threatened as publicity about the Liebermans grows.
http://smoke.ph/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/snowball.jpg
Huh? Yes, her past contacts matter, as I noted. SBK is capitalizing on her international contacts (especially in Israel, where she clearly helped open a lot of doors last month) and possibly her industry contacts as well to reap funds for breast cancer research. So what?
The serious money she made previously, flacking for industries with major interests in legislation Joe could influence, was a conflict of interest, even if not strictly actionable, as I noted.
FYI, the >$1,000 figure was listed as a “consulting fee” on the disclosure form.
SGK Foundation raised over $300 million dollars last year.
How do we find a cure? We give money to big pharma. Hadassah is their Ambassador to Big Pharma, she’s paid to tell them who to give their millions TO. You know, because if they invest in the BP that finds “the cure,” SGK will benefit. Unlike the US Government, which has no return on investment in them, unless we pass a crappy “reform” bill that simply guarantees big insurance a windfall profit. The JoeLies WIN.
This blog is a sad sad sad piece of work.
I thought the “liberals” were all about “HOPE” and “CHANGE” these days? And about how we SHOULDN’T attack others that have opposing views from us. Come now. Maybe you guys should stop trying to take your toys and go home because you don’t like what big bad Joe Lieberman has to say. Oh, and attacking his wife…nice move. Go after the WOMAN instead of attacking the MAN. Bunch of pansy asses.
And LET ME ADD that it’s PATHETIC the way the Liberals rely on celebrities to do their dirty work. One of you idiots is always calling on Hollywood to make your case for you. Grow up, put on some big girl panties and cause some noise YOURSELF if you want CHANGE. As usual though, Liberals always want someone else to do the work for them because they’re TOO DAMN LAZY.
Stop focusing on Joe Lieberman’s wife being the Global Ambassador for Komen. You might want to start putting that energy into making sure nutjobs like Pelosi and Reid still have jobs come next election.
Welcome to the Lake.
Margaret, is that you?
And to all of you whining and crying about ER’s being overburdened, etc….
Here’s the thing. ER’s WILL BE overburdened when people use them as a doctors office. They come in with the SNIFFLES and then don’t pay their bill when it comes in. So, because a hospital incurs BAD DEBT from worthless pieces of shit that don’t PAY…costs go up. YOU PAY FOR THEM. In the end, maybe if lazy bastards who sit on their asses all day and didn’t work (and trust me…there are MORE than ample places hiring right now) didn’t run to the ER every 2 days because they have a cold or need some more freakin PAIN PILLS…hospital costs wouldn’t be so high.
“Hadassah made $328,000 in speaking fees in one year.”
Was this sum earned totally in her role for this group?
The specifics please. I am getting tired of being mislead by people who like to play with words.
If not, what part of it was?
If she is getting paid to represent this group why do you is she termed a volunteer?
Does she only represent this group?
A lot of words. Not enough information.
Someone like Hadassah generally won’t make most of that money THROUGH Komen. She’s paid for speaking engagements, just like anyone else. Speech fees for ANYONE in the media/political/medical arena are quite high, a fact that most people don’t take into account. Being a guest speaker is a lucrative career.
This is a swell idea! Maybe we can get the Liebermans’ kids fired from their jobs too! And their grandkids banned from schools. Then we can ask all these celebrities to make another movie about those horrible 50s blacklists! There must be no dissent!
Hey everybody, Karl Rove is in this thread! Come say hello!
In other words having her removal will not really affect her cash flow, but might affect Komen?
Please explain to me how this will help women in their fight against breast or any other kind of cancer.
My wife is a two time cancer survivor and I find the pettiness of this article really upsetting.
If you don’t follow our agenda we will cut off our nose to spite your face.
I also have a real problem with those who say that the amount of money she brings in is not significant.
For a charity all donations are significant. Otherwise they would black mail the government like so many other groups.
You people are pathetic and a bunch of hypocrites. Who would you prefer should be the global ambassador, the sickos who say women should delay getting routine mammograms until their fifties? Ms. Lieberman is also a survivor, and unlike the Liberal sickos, who value costs savings over life, I’m sure she does not espouse the “Don’t get your mammograms to you’re 50″ theory!
I DESPISE hypocrites!
Sen. Lieberman, I beg you, do not cave in to pressure and support this healthcare bill and those who value costs savings and the dollar bill more than life itself. Stand firm to your ideals, protect life, for there is nothing more valuable than life itself, even the “cost effective” healthcare bill and those who regret saving Terry Schiavo’s life… Wink, wink.
What, did RedState stage a purge?
Obviously anyone who is for the healthcare bill hasn’t read it or is for government control. The bill allows the govt. to access your medical records and financial accounts. Shame on you. They already have a plan for rationed healthcare and it starts with women. Did you not hear that women would not be able to receive mammograms until the age of 50? Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and the Post Office are all bankrupt. Did you know cash for clunkers cost the American people $24,000 per car. The govt. can’t run a business and you think the govt. can run healthcare.
If you delete this again, you will show what a bunch of cowards you truly are!
Now, As I said in my previously sent post…
As a three time breast cancer survivor, I do not believe that those who “race for the cure”
Let’s all hope the forth time is a charm!
[Mod Note: around the Lake, we don't wish that on anyone, including those who wish it on others, so yes, future comments like this will be deleted.]
I’ve always thought that these “run for this” and “walk for that” sorts of fundraisers were, well, dim – what does walking have to do with breast cancer, anyway? – but, really, trying to get at Sen. Lieberman through his wife?? That’s just pathetic.
Yep, you caught me you pathetic bleeding heart bastard. It’s me, Karl Rove.
*rolls eyes*
No, really though…it’s just an intelligent human being who goes to work, pays taxes and takes care of all of the people you liberals keep putting on federal welfare programs…and quite frankly, I’m pissed off because I’m sick of paying for the sad pieces of shit that sit at home and draw off MY money.
So yeah…call me Karl Rove if you wish. In reality…I’m the change in the tide. Remember all of us in 2012…we’re pissed off and sick of all of YOUR parties messed up policies. ;)
AMEN AMEN AMEN!
In reply to this:
Maybe you should realize that comment was coming from a cancer survivor who WISHES people would walk in THEIR SHOES. That doesn’t mean that said person is, in fact, wishing bad upon someone. Stop being so damned politically correct. That’s one of the downfalls of this freakin world.
perhaps you do not realize the author of this post is a 3 time cancer survivor and the founder of this blog. fdl does not permit threats of violence or fantasy violence. hoping someone gets cancer a 4th time is such a comment.
Perhaps someone who has survived cancer three times should read the healthcare bill in detail and make sure it would save them should the worst happen again, no?
And FYI…I hardly think that would be considered a “threat” as I doubt that someone on a blog can give someone cancer. Just saying.
so why are you here on a post from monday morning? what is your point? there is no bill to read yet — it has not been released.
Did you NOT read what passed the House…what is now being watered down? Did you pay any attention at all? OR is your head in the ground like most liberals?
I’m here because it’s PATHETIC that you guys are all attacking Joe Lieberman’s wife like spoiled children because he might not vote YOUR way. It’s the adult equivalent of throwing a temper tantrum.
My POINT is that I’m sick of paying for all the lazy bastards that you people want to “save” when those people don’t want to SAVE THEMSELVES.
your insults certainly show your true face and it reflects very poorly on you
Just as your ignorance reflects poorly on you, dear.
And my insults come from dealing with the people that WON’T save themselves every day at my job.
Imagine hearing THIS every day:
“I ain’t gettin no job. The government gon pay for me! President Obama said he would!”
Ah, the Limbaugh Gambit once again.
As long as that asshole can grind them out, you and yours will be regurgitating them here and everywhere else.
There is no sense in suggesting that you look into Mrs. Lieberman’s history, as defending her and her shit-for-a-soul husband comes not from knowing about what has come before, but rather a reflexive spouting of whatever drivel came out of your radio this morning.
Welcome to the Lake.
Hmmm…so, as a liberal, YOUR ideas are fresh, original and “outside the box”? But MINE are regurgitated from a radio because I think for MYSELF?
Guess that would be ABOUT right for the communist regime we’ve got running things.
And FYI, I don’t listen to Limbaugh. Never much cared for him. Instead, I’m something FAR worse…someone who reads the news AND the facts and forms her OWN opinion. I know, I know…not something you guys can fathom well. People like me do exist though.
And don’t talk to me about looking into anyone’s wife’s history until YOU look into Michelle Obama’s history of hatred for her country AND her husband’s willingness to sit idly by.