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DeMaio's foe backed by big spending biotech lobby
French lobbying contest winner’s employer hails "elected official of the year”
Carl DeMaio and Scott Peters
Not many familiar with San Diego politics and the torrents of lobbying dollars that pour into the local and national political system each year would be surprised at this week's news conference to announce San Diego–based Biocom’s "elected official of the year."
That would be Scott Peters, the freshman Democrat from La Jolla locked in a tight re-election race with GOP ex-city councilman Carl DeMaio.
"This year he has introduced legislation allowing increased research tax credits to incentivize and accelerate biomedical research, to provide tax credits for biofuel production, and to establish a Commission to quantify the overall health care savings that can be achieved through utilization of wireless health technologies," notes an October 23 Biocom news release about the Peters designation.
Regardless of the purported merits of tax breaks for big-money biotech and algae-energy mavens, they likely didn't happen by accident.
According to the website OpenSecrets.org, so far this year Biocom has spent $155,201 on lobbying the House, Senate, Department of the Navy, and Department of Agriculture regarding a host of issues, including taxes and copyrights.
Laure Fabrega
Alcee Lamar Hastings
The group's in-house lobbyist, Laure Fabrega, hired last year, emerged directly from the staff of Democratic congressman Alcee Lamar Hastings, making her eligible for the OpenSecrets revolving-door list.
"Prior to joining Biocom," says Biocom's website, "Laure worked for the U.S. House of Representatives for 4 ½ years, most recently as a Senior Legislative Assistant, overseeing health care policy, intellectual property policy, and appropriations & budget, among others.
"She also did a summer internship in the Washington offices of Eli Lilly & Co. Laure has a Masters of Arts in Public Affairs and Political Communication from the Institute of Political Studies in Bordeaux, France.
"Among her accomplishments, she was the winner of the French National Lobbying Contest in June of 2008."
While a U.S. District judge in Florida, Hastings was convicted in a 1989 Senate impeachment trial and removed from office for taking a $150,000 bribe in a 1981 racketeering case. He'd been acquitted of that crime in a 1983 criminal trial after an alleged co-conspirator refused to testify. After unsuccessfully contesting the impeachment conviction, Hastings won his House seat in 1992.
Arguably his most famous quote, for which he later apologized, came during Barack Obama's 2008 presidential race against Arizona Sen. John McCain and his running mate, Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
"If Sarah Palin isn't enough of a reason for you to get over whatever your problem is with Barack Obama, then you damn well had better pay attention," Hastings told a conference sponsored by the National Jewish Democratic Council.
"Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don't care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks. So, you just think this through."
Jerry Sanders and Scott Peters at a Biocom event
Among those making an appearance at Biocom's Peters endorsement event was Republican ex-mayor Jerry Sanders, a major beneficiary of political juice from La Jolla Democratic billionaire Irwin Jacobs, a big Peters backer who has long done battle with his wealthy political nemesis and fellow La Jollan Douglas Manchester.
The GOP U-T San Diego owner is backing DeMaio with both favorable editorial coverage, money, and, critics contend, convenient omissions of reporting regarding DeMaio's shortcomings and scandals.
As previously reported here, Qualcomm, the cell-phone giant founded by Jacobs, has funneled $50,000 to San Diego's chamber of commerce, where Sanders is currently employed as head honcho.
In addition, the chip maker has coughed up $645,000 for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has produced an anti-DeMaio TV hit spot on behalf of Peters in the campaign's waning days.
Here's something you might be interested in.
DeMaio's foe backed by big spending biotech lobby
French lobbying contest winner’s employer hails "elected official of the year”
DeMaio's foe backed by big spending biotech lobby
French lobbying contest winner’s employer hails "elected official of the year”
Carl DeMaio and Scott Peters
Not many familiar with San Diego politics and the torrents of lobbying dollars that pour into the local and national political system each year would be surprised at this week's news conference to announce San Diego–based Biocom’s "elected official of the year."
That would be Scott Peters, the freshman Democrat from La Jolla locked in a tight re-election race with GOP ex-city councilman Carl DeMaio.
"This year he has introduced legislation allowing increased research tax credits to incentivize and accelerate biomedical research, to provide tax credits for biofuel production, and to establish a Commission to quantify the overall health care savings that can be achieved through utilization of wireless health technologies," notes an October 23 Biocom news release about the Peters designation.
Regardless of the purported merits of tax breaks for big-money biotech and algae-energy mavens, they likely didn't happen by accident.
According to the website OpenSecrets.org, so far this year Biocom has spent $155,201 on lobbying the House, Senate, Department of the Navy, and Department of Agriculture regarding a host of issues, including taxes and copyrights.
Laure Fabrega
Alcee Lamar Hastings
The group's in-house lobbyist, Laure Fabrega, hired last year, emerged directly from the staff of Democratic congressman Alcee Lamar Hastings, making her eligible for the OpenSecrets revolving-door list.
"Prior to joining Biocom," says Biocom's website, "Laure worked for the U.S. House of Representatives for 4 ½ years, most recently as a Senior Legislative Assistant, overseeing health care policy, intellectual property policy, and appropriations & budget, among others.
"She also did a summer internship in the Washington offices of Eli Lilly & Co. Laure has a Masters of Arts in Public Affairs and Political Communication from the Institute of Political Studies in Bordeaux, France.
"Among her accomplishments, she was the winner of the French National Lobbying Contest in June of 2008."
While a U.S. District judge in Florida, Hastings was convicted in a 1989 Senate impeachment trial and removed from office for taking a $150,000 bribe in a 1981 racketeering case. He'd been acquitted of that crime in a 1983 criminal trial after an alleged co-conspirator refused to testify. After unsuccessfully contesting the impeachment conviction, Hastings won his House seat in 1992.
Arguably his most famous quote, for which he later apologized, came during Barack Obama's 2008 presidential race against Arizona Sen. John McCain and his running mate, Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
"If Sarah Palin isn't enough of a reason for you to get over whatever your problem is with Barack Obama, then you damn well had better pay attention," Hastings told a conference sponsored by the National Jewish Democratic Council.
"Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don't care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks. So, you just think this through."
Jerry Sanders and Scott Peters at a Biocom event
Among those making an appearance at Biocom's Peters endorsement event was Republican ex-mayor Jerry Sanders, a major beneficiary of political juice from La Jolla Democratic billionaire Irwin Jacobs, a big Peters backer who has long done battle with his wealthy political nemesis and fellow La Jollan Douglas Manchester.
The GOP U-T San Diego owner is backing DeMaio with both favorable editorial coverage, money, and, critics contend, convenient omissions of reporting regarding DeMaio's shortcomings and scandals.
As previously reported here, Qualcomm, the cell-phone giant founded by Jacobs, has funneled $50,000 to San Diego's chamber of commerce, where Sanders is currently employed as head honcho.
In addition, the chip maker has coughed up $645,000 for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has produced an anti-DeMaio TV hit spot on behalf of Peters in the campaign's waning days.
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