The votes sure seem to follow the money.Â
I don’t believe that anyone in the process said, “We’ll only contribute if you agree to support the voucher bill” or “We contributed to your campaign you have to support the voucher bill.” I think the influence of money is subtler - it buys access, preferential treatment when you’re on the Hill during the session, and a greater perception of credibility with many legislators.
As I’ve been digging through the candidate’s financial disclosure reports, one name came up repeatedly - Parents For Choice In Education (PCE). This pro voucher group (which received almost half its funding from an out of state group funded by anti-public education DeVos family , founders of Amway) gave with amazing generosity to a number of candidates. On HB 148 - the school voucher bill - I wondered how did Legislators who received contributions from PCE vote on the voucher the bill?
The House.
The “yeas” first.
HB148 - the voucher bill - was sponsored by Stephen Urquhart who received $3000 in campaign contributions from PCE. It passed by one vote in the House.
Andersen - $2000, Barrus - $250, Buxton - 0, Clark, D - $2500, Clark, S - $250, Daw, $500, Dee - 0, Donnelson - $300, Dougall - $250, Draxler - 0, Fowlke - 0, Frank - $500, Froere - 0, Garn - 0, Gibson - 0 , Grover - 0, Harper $250, Herrod - 0, Hughes - $1055.37, Hutchings - $500, Kiser - $250, Last - 0, Lockhard - $500, Morley -0, Neuenschwander - 0, Newbold - 0, Noel - 0, Oda - $1500, Painter - 0, Sandstrom - 0, Sumison - 0, Tilton - $1000, Urquhart - $3000, Walker -  $1706.97, Wheeler - $1,000, Wimmer $4,976.64, Wyatt - 0, Greg Curtis - $2931.57. (Just under $25,000.)
The ”nays”:
Aagard - 0, Allen - 0, Becker - 0, Bigelow - 0, Bird - 0, Biskupski - 0, Bowman - 0, Brown - $1000, Cosgrove - 0, Duckworth - 0, Dunnigan - 0, Ferry - 0, Fisher, Janice - 0, Fisher, Julie - 0, Gowans - 0, Hansen - 0, Hemingway - 0, Hendrickson - 0, Holdaway - 0, Hunsaker - 0, Johnson - 0, King - 0, Litvack - 0, Mascaro - 0, Mathis - 0, McGee - 0, McIff - 0, Menlove - 0, Morgan - 0, Moss - 0, Ray - 0, Riesen - 0, Seelig - 0, Shurtliff - 0, Snow, G - 0, Wheatley - 0, Wiley - 0. ($1000 total.)
The Senate. For the Senate, the members who were up for election in 2006 are in italics - members not up for election in 2006 would not necessarily have been fundraising in 2006, though they might have received some contributions (unlike Representatives, Senators serve 4 year terms are elected every other election - 2000, 2004, 2008).
The “yeas” first.
Senate Floor sponsor was Bramble who received $1000 - even though he wasn’t up for re-election.
Bell - 0, Bramble - $1000, Buttars - 0, Christensen - 0, Dayton - 0, Eastman - $1000, Hickman - 0, Hillyard - 0, Jenkins - 0, Killpack - $1000, Knudson - $1000, Madsen - 0, Niederhauser - $2609.62, Peterson - $500, Stephenson - $1383.66, Stowell - 0, Waddoups - 0, Walker - 0, Valentine - $3000. ($11493.28.)
Nays
Davis - 0, Dmitrich - 0, Fife - 0, Goodfellow - 0, Greiner - 0, Jones - 0, Mayne - 0, McCoy - 0, Romero - 0, Van Tassell - 0. ($0.)
I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
#1 by Richard Warnick - April 17th, 2007 at 10:36
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Not only are our legislators for sale, they’re for sale at bargain prices. Thanks, Glen, for publishing the proof. The daily newspapers and the TV stations won’t do an honest story on the voucher fiasco.
#2 by capitalcarnage - April 17th, 2007 at 11:33
wouldn’t it make sense to support (I.E. donate to) candidates that have similar stances on issues that are important to you?
#3 by Richard Warnick - April 17th, 2007 at 14:19
Let me take back what I said. I was unhappy with KSL-TV in particular because a few nights ago they did a story featuring a pro-voucher group, where some little tyke had tears in his eyes (presumably because the bad people wanted to take his voucher away). It was sickening, all these people (the adults anyway) were paid supporters. They didn’t interview any voucher opponents for balance, either.
But KSL, it turns out, did pick up on the money trail– I must have missed it on TV.
#4 by Larry Bergan - April 17th, 2007 at 21:58
The numbers are crunching us.
#5 by Emily - April 17th, 2007 at 22:26
Sniffing it out further…
Check out the Dick DeVos family tree!
“DeVos’ wife Betsy served for several years as the chair of the Michigan Republican Party. Her brother, Erik Prince, is the founder and owner of Blackwater Security Consulting, the private tactical training facility providing security forces in Baghdad. ”
Looks like this family is in the business of privatizing *everything* at taxpayers expense!
#6 by Frank Staheli - April 18th, 2007 at 08:29
This part of the voucher equation disturbs me as well, despite the fact that I still am in favor of them.
In light of these facts, I think a referendum would be a good idea. What I wish, though, is that both sides would stop throwing Molotov cocktails (false information) at each other, and let’s ALL trust that the people are smart enough to make up their own minds.
#7 by lowlights - April 19th, 2007 at 13:05
That’s right - stop in today and pick up a Utah legislator; at these rock-bottom prices, their allegiances won’t last long.
Buy two Congressmen and we’ll throw in the referendum of your choice; whether you want a street named for a basketball player or just to store hot nuclear waste.