HOW LOW CAN SAXBY GO?

Saxby Chambliss' toxic ads are a reprise of his infamous ads linking disabled Vietnam Veteran Max Cleland to Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. But Jim Martin and his bride serenely rise above the sludge spewed by Saxby.


In response to the letter in Monday's Albany Herald from Mr. Crisp Gatewood defending Senator Saxby Chambliss and referring to my analysis as "shallow" and as "nothing more than talking points," let me say that the information I provided came from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports that Senator Chambliss' campaign filed, and it also came directly from Senator Chambliss, whom I have known since he was a trial lawyer in Moultrie, and whose campaign responded to a list of e-mailed questions I sent him just before I attended the WALB-TV televised Senate debate.

Senator Chambliss told me that he sees nothing wrong with accepting money from the defense contractors who depend on his vote in the Senate Armed Services Committee. Here are his answers, word for word, on that subject:

"12. Q. Would you support a law banning federal campaign contributions from companies and their employees who are doing business with the federal government?

a. No. Corporations or companies may not contribute to a federal election. Individuals or employees of any corporation or company may participate in the political process by making personal contributions to federal candidates or, if their employer has a authorized Political Action Committee (PAC), they may voluntarily participate through the employer’s PAC. Every American has the right to participate in the political process. Political contributions are a form of speech and are protected under our Constitution. Furthermore, candidates are required to disclose contributions in excess of $200.

13. Q. Have you accepted any campaign contributions from companies or their employees which have federal contracts? If so, why? If not, why not?

a. Yes. Please see answer to 12."

It is a fact, not a "talking point," established by Senator Chambliss' FEC filings, that on two occasions, first in August of 2007, and later in February of 2008, he accepted tens of thousands of dollars from executives of the top grossing defense contractor, Lockheed- Martin, including their Potomac, Maryland based Chairman and CEO, Robert Stevens, whose job was listed simply as "Lockheed Martin Executive" on the FEC filing. It is also a fact that in February of 2006, I had to write a check for $6,000 for protective vests for my son and other members of his unit just before he went on his second deployment to Iraq. The first time he went was on March 20, 2003, with the original invasion force. He had no ceramic inserts for his vest and his Humvee was canvas covered, a situation which existed for hundreds of thousands of troops for years following.

It is a fact that Senator Chambliss accepted thousands of dollars from mortgage companies, banks, and the real estate industry, and it is a fact that he has opposed regulation of those industries.

I'm going to append to this column all of the FEC filings and summaries in case anyone at the Albany Herald wants to ask Senator Chambliss directly, as I did, why he has accepted money from the industries that have depended on his support in Congress.


BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS:

American Bankers Assn $9,000
Bank of America $5,500
Branch Banking & Trust $1,000
Cash America International $-500
Citigroup Inc $5,500
Credit Union National Assn $7,500
Financial Services Roundtable $2,000
Independent Community Bankers of America $1,000
JPMorgan Chase & Co $6,498
Regions Financial $2,500
SunTrust Banks/Georgia $5,500
Wachovia Corp $2,500
Washington Mutual $1,000
Wells Fargo $5,000

REAL ESTATE:

Fannie Mae $10,000
Fidelity National Financial $5,000
Mortgage Bankers Assn $1,000
National Assn of Realtors $4,000
Wells Real Estate Funds $5,000


MEDICAL PROFESSION:

American Academy of Ophthalmology $2,500
American Assn of Clinical Urologists $1,000
American Assn of Orthopaedic Surgeons $6,500
American Assn/Oral & Maxillofacial Surg $1,000
American Chiropractic Assn $1,000
American College of Radiology $2,500
American Dental Assn $5,500
American Dietetic Assn $1,000
American Interventional Pain Physicians $5,000
American Physical Therapy Assn $4,000
American Society of Anesthesiologists $5,000
Cooperative of American Physicians $2,000
American Hospital Assn $4,000
Federation of American Hospitals $1,000
HCA Inc $2,500
Tenet Healthcare $1,000
Triad Hospitals $2,500
Universal Health Services $1,000

HMO'S AND HEALTH SERVICES:

Acadian Ambulance Service $500
Aetna Inc $3,250
Centene Corp $0
Express Scripts $2,000
Louisiana Healthcare Group $2,000
United Surgical Partners International $1,000
UnitedHealth Group $2,000
Wellpoint Inc $8,000

PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES:

Abbott Laboratories $5,000
Amgen Inc $4,500
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals $5,000
Biotechnology Industry Organization $1,000
Bristol-Myers Squibb $2,500
Covidien US $5,000
CR Bard Inc $2,000
Cryolife Inc $600
Edwards Lifesciences $500
Invacare Corp $1,000
Johnson & Johnson $4,500
Novartis Corp $6,000
Solvay Pharmaceuticals $6,000
Steris Corp $2,000
Wyeth $1,000



DEFENSE AEROSPACE:

BAE Systems Inc $1,000
Boeing Co $3,500
EADS North America $1,000
General Electric $8,500
Goodrich Corp $4,000
Honeywell International $6,500
Lockheed Martin $10,000
Rolls-Royce North America $3,500
Textron Inc $5,000
United Technologies $6,000
Vought Aircraft $1,000

DEFENSE ELECTRONICS:

Advanced Solutions for Tomorrow $3,000
Ball Corp $1,000
DRS Technologies $4,000
General Dynamics $8,500
Harris Corp $2,500
Raytheon Co $6,000
SAIC Inc $2,000
Sierra Nevada Corp $1,000

OTHER DEFENSE:

Alliant Techsystems $1,000
Armor Holdings $1,000
Emergent BioSolutions $9,700
General Atomics $1,000
Northrop Grumman $7,500
SRA International $1,000
Washington Group International $1,000


LOCKHEED-MARTIN INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS:
FROM FEC DISCLOSURE REPORT BY SAXBY CHAMBLISS:

Chairman, President, and CEO Robert J. Stevens
2007 Sales (mil.) $41,862.0 (41 billion dollars)
2007 Employees 140,000


BRUNO, SALVATORE
FREMONT, CA 94536
LOCKHEED MARTINVICE PRESIDENT GEN 02/28/2008 1000.00

BURBAGE, TOM
ALPHARETTA, GA 30005
LOCKHEED MARTINEX. VICE PRESIDENT 08/10/2007 1000.00

BURICK, RAYMOND
KENNESAW, GA 30152
LOCKHEED MARTIN VICE PRESIDENT 08/02/2007 1000.00

CESSARIO, NICHOLAS
MARIETTA. GA 30063
LOCKHEED MARTIN PROGRAM MANAGER 08/03/2007 1000.00

CHAUDET, STEPHEN
ARLINGTON, VA 22201
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE 08/02/2007 1000.00
#2 03/06/2008 1000.00

CRANDALL, MYLES
PLEASANTON, CA 94566
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP.VP STRATEGIC 02/28/2008 1000.00

CROCKER, JAMES
CASTLE ROCK, CO 80104
LOCKHEAD MARTIN CORP.VICE PRESIDENT 03/28/2008 1000.00

CROWLEY, MARK
MORGAN HILL, CA 95037
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP. VICE PRESIDENT 03/24/2008 500.00

DAHLBERG, GREGORY
ALEXANDRIA, VA 22308
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE 08/02/2007 1000.00
#2 (misspelled as “Delberg in #2) 03/07/2008 1000.00

DAILEY, BRIAN
ARLINGTON, VA 22209
LOCKHEED MISSILES & SPACE BUSINESS 08/02/2007 1000.00
#2 (misspelled as “Brien” in #2) 03/06/2008 1000.00

DUNCAN, LAWRENCE
BETHESDA, MD 20816
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP.EXECUTIVE 04/11/2008 500.00

GRANT, JAMES
COLLEYVILLE, TX 76034
LOCKHEED MARTINE XECUTIVE 08/02/2007 1000.00

HAINES, DAVID
MARIETTA, GA 30068
LOCKHEED MARTIN VICE PRESIDENT 08/10/2007 1000.00

HEATH, RALPH
ALEDO, TX 76008
LOCKHEED MARTIN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT 08/01/2007 1000.00
#2 03/06/2008 1000.00

INGLEE, WILLIAM
ALEXANDRIA, VA 22309
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE 08/02/2007 1000.00

JOHNSTONE, J BRIAN
MARIETTA, GA 30064
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 08/02/2007 500.00


KRISCH, CHARLES
NEW HOPE, PA 18938
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP.EXECUTIVE 03/06/2008 1000.00

KUBASIK, CHRISTOPHER
POTOMAC, MD 20854
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE 08/02/2007 500.00

MAGUIRE, JOANNE
MANHATTAN BEACH, CA 90266
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE 02/28/2008 1000.00

OVERSTREET, JACK
BURKE, VA 22015
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP.V.P.LEGISLA 08/02/2007 1000.00

REYNOLDS, ROSS
ACWORTH, GA 30101
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE 09/21/2007 1000.00

RHYANT, LEE
ROSWELL, GA 30075
LOCKHEED MARTINEXECUTIVE 08/02/2007 1000.00

RUE, STACIE
SAN JOSE, CA 95120
LOCKHEED MARTIN GOVT RELATIONS 03/06/2008 500.00

SEALBACH, MARIJEAN
SUNNYVALE, CA 94087
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP.VICE PRESIDENT 02/28/2008 1000.00

SHREWSBURY, JUNE
COLLEYVILLE, TX 76034
LOCKHEED MARTIN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT 03/06/2008 1000.00

STEVENS, ROBERT
POTOMAC, MD 20654
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE
(note: he is Chairman,
President & CEO but
did not list that) 08/01/2007 1000.00
#2 03/07/2008 1000.00

STEVENSON, RICHARD
ALEDO, TX 76008
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE 08/02/2007 1000.00

STREATKER, JOHN
SAN JOSE, CA 95148
LOCKHEED MARTIN VICE PRESIDENT 03/06/2008 1000.00

SWISTKOWSKI, LEONARD
SAN JOSE, CA 95138
LOCKHEED MARTIN VICE PRESIDENT 03/06/2008 1000.00

THOMSON, J R
LOS ALTOS, CA 94024
LOCKHEED MARTIN VICE PRESIDENT 02/28/2008 1000.00

TRICE, ROBERT
ARLINGTON, VA 22207
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE 08/22/2007 1000.00

VALERIO, MARK
EVERGREEN, CO 80439
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP.
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT 03/06/2008 1000.00

WALTERS, GREGORY
VIENNA, VA 22182
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP. VICE PRESIDENT 04/11/2008 1000.00

WILDFONG, D JOHN
CENTREVILLE, VA 20120
LOCKHEED MARTIN EXECUTIVE 08/01/2007 1000.00