Joe Lieberman, Howard Rich, Louisiana, and AQAH

The MSM has duly taken note that the North Carolina legal firm of Moore & Van Allen is doing work for “AQAH,”  aka  “Americans for Quality Affordable Healthcare,”  which is anything but, as it’s fighting to kill the reform legislation,  but its spokesperson refuses to name the clients who have hired them.  In the ways of the MSM, the search engine is broken… or lacks motivation.  We do have confirmed sightings in NV, ME, and LA.  It was named as Republican astroturf in a front page post at GOS, a start, but didn’t go any further.

It’s going to be the same special interests, just using more identity masks.

Nevada, Maine, Louisiana.    

First thing that makes me think of is the Tea Party Patriots doing their tour bus routine with the Russo Marsh/Move America Forward Republican PR firm, because that PAC did a bunch of anti Harry Reid advertising this summer and toured thru Nevada doing teaparty rallies  (which the FEC is all over their butts for with that filing of Our Country Deserves Better PAC  ). And Prop 8 money from Utah and CA was recently in Maine, letting the 2 moderate lady Republican Senators, Snowe & Collins, know that the Tea Party apparatus was gearing up for Maine 2010.  Louisiana, that’s easy, Sen. Landrieu is on the Republican’s list of mostly likely to be swingable, and she’s also a top recipient of Dem Senate Campaign Committee funding. Louisiana is an oil state.

We’re going to go do some deep sea exploring.  

This “AQAH” is a retread organization, same old, new name. Look at this link here from the Republican site, “health care horserace.com” in July 2009, which is about the AQAH, Americans for Quality Affordable Insurance

http://healthcarehorserace.com…

The first thing I see under the AQAH piece, is the ALA logo at the bottom “American Liberty Alliance.”  Hey, didn’t I write about these clowns already ?  http://www.dailykos.com/story/…

This is Big Oil astroturfing. When is the MSM going to acknowledge this, so I can stop sounding like a permanent hiccup “Koch, Koch, Koch Oil” ?

American Liberty Alliance is the new name for Eric Odom and the “Don’t Go Movement” which originally was an energy policy protest to advocate for offshore oil drilling. The “Don’t Go Movement” was more Oil astroturf, had a spokesperson who had the same name listed as an oil drilling company seminar participant.  Odom works with RNC hack Patrick Ruffini. Ruffini was the webmaster for Bush/Cheney’s 2004 campaign. http://www.engagedc.com/patric…

Eric Odom, Tea Party Cabaña Boy, is a Republican shapeshifter who puts up and deletes websites and PACs almost faster than anyone can keep up with them.

Eric Odom’s Website, July 15 2009 to  Nov 16 2009   http://taxdayteaparty.com/auth…    

See how Eric Odom is now trying pretend that Tea Party Express Bus Tour wasn’t  part of HIS GROUP, what a crock.

7/15/09 Today marks the official full launch of the American Liberty Alliance website and activist hub  http://www.americanlibertyalli…

7/28/09  Announcing Nationwide Recess Rally

8/5/09 Time to show them what a real grassroots mob looks like

9/2/09  American Liberty Tour  –  The American Liberty Alliance is teaming up with Americans for Limited Government, American Majority, and the Sam Adams Alliance, on Sept 10th 2009 our crew will begin trekking across the country visiting 15 states

9/14/09  Urgent Action American Liberty Tour Fundraiser – the American Liberty Tour, a project of American Liberty Alliance, is looking to raise money

10/13/09 Tax Day Tea Party 2010 – The Liberty Movement has completely caught the entire government flat footed

11/10/09  Action Items – Tea Party launches Grassroots Pledge, a new project of the Liberty First PAC,  pledge to oppose incumbents

11/11/09  Our Statement: TaxDayTeaParty.com is Stacy Mott of Smart Girl Politics, Eric Odom of Don’t Go Movement & American Liberty Alliance, Ken Marreno , Michael Patrick Leahy of TCOT.  The original crew included Amy Kremer (Tea Party Patriots),

“For the record,  TaxDayTeaParty.com , its current administrators, and I are NOT associated with the Tea Party Patriots. Yes, we did help them get started back in April, … but that was the extent of our involvement.

Amy Kremer, who was just kicked out of Odom’s group – or was she ? says the  ” Tea Party Patriots was originally going to participate with Tea Party Express.” (Express- that’s the RMR/MAF bus tour, but there are links at a Koch backed site to the bus tour site)

Eric Odom wrote a scathing hit piece on his ericjodom.com/blog site criticizing Newt Gingrich’s endorsement of moderate Republican Dede Scozzafava, who lost the NY23 Congressional race, which has been taken down but is still available on google cache.  “Oct 22, 2009 Liberty Movement vs The Establishment, The Full Scoop on the NY 23 Race. ”  He isn’t dumping Gingrich yet, but warning him:

 “We’re now seeing some ugly true colors float to the top. Take Newt Gingrich, for example. Remember when Newt Gingrich joined in with the Tea Party Movement and openly endorsed our website at TaxDayTeaParty.com ? …..  And the message is simple…. the liberty movement is not going to tolerate liberal Republicans any more.  

In case you didn’t check, Hoffman, the TeaParty Republican candidate running against Scozzafava as a “conservative,” was getting Texas oil money. ‘Nuf said.

___

Now, let’s have another look at Americans for Quality Affordable Healthcare

from the July piece by Ellen Carmichael for “AQAH”

this “horserace” site is part of the “Liberty” loop  “Healthcarehorserace is a project of ALA” link goes to American Liberty Alliance – that’s Eric Odom’s work.

The American Liberty Alliance also does the American Liberty (Bus) Tour,  which had the people from RussoMarshRogers/MoveAmericaForward swiftboating PR firm on the same list of performers !  

http://americanlibertytour.com/  

Coming to a town near you, Sacramento Sept 10th, Salt Lake City Sept 12…..  Lloyd Marcus

http://www.americanthinker.com…    Lloyd Marcus describes bus touring with fellow RMR/MAF operatives Mark Williams and Deborah Johns. Marcus claims the liberals hate him because they’re racist.  Marcus conveniently leaves out the part where Williams calls President Obama  a “Muslim Terrorist Welfare Thug.”  Denial just ain’t just a river in Eqypt.

A funny smackdown on this at TPM:  http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpoi…

on Healthcarehorserace (ALA, Odom ) in July:

“HCHR Exclusive: Americans for Quality and Affordable Healthcare Editorial

“Americans for Quality and Affordable Healthcare, a group comprised of medical professionals and citizen activists, submitted the following editorial to Healthcare Horserace, explaining that while the American system of health care has its flaws, it is ultimately “the envy of a world.” They indicate that a public option would stifle the very economic growth that institutes the reforms that would improve the system….  ”

_________

Ellen Carmichael is a political consultant and commentator from Baton Rouge, La. Previously, she served as a communications associate at Americans for Tax Reform in Washington, D.C. and in the newsroom for Baton Rouge’s newspaper, The Advocate. She is currently the state coordinator for Patients First in Louisiana for Americans for Prosperity. Additionally, Carmichael has worked for several campaigns as both a consultant and staffer. ”

According to Sourcewatch, and quoting off of my earlier dailykos diary, where I discussed how the RMR/MAF Teaparty Our Country Deserves Better bus tour was hooked up with “American Liberty Tour.com” and the “Americans for Limited Government” (think of this as an episode of the dreadful sitcom “Friends”- they’re all connected in a common endeavor):

According to Sourcewatch, this group (Americans for Limited Government) is run by ultrawealthy New York real estate developer Howard Rich.

   “Organizations associated with Rich have funneled nearly $7 million into 2006 state initiatives aiming to limit government in 12 states, according to an investigation” published October 4, 2006, by The Oregonian, PBS wrote. “Rich has generally declined to reveal how much of the money comes from his personal wealth, and is not required by campaign finance laws to report how much he privately funds his various groups.”[1]

   “Early in his career, Rich was active in the Libertarian Party and worked with other leaders of the party, such as powerful billionaire Charles Koch, to promote their small-government, free-market causes.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/ind…

Charles Koch is a billionaire co owner of Koch Industries, with his brother David, which is the largest Oil, Refinery, and Pipeline Company in the United States.  David Koch also is the chairman of the board of his own astroturfing teabag grassroots group, “Americans for Prosperity.”  http://www.sourcewatch.org/ind…

“Americans for Prosperity” also fronts for Phillip Morris in fighting Tobacco and smoking regulations.

Howard Rich, who gives millions of dollars to Republicans, is clever enough to make sure many public references of himself as being one is past tense.

Howard Rich, according to TPM Muckraker, was accused of trying to intimidate Democratic donors from making contributions in 2008, by sending them letters that their donation activities were being put in a “database” of “leftist” activities and monitored. The FEC attempted to investigate but was blocked at the time by the 3 Republican commissioners.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpoi…  

Howard Rich’s bio on nndb  http://www.nndb.com/people/528… shows that not only is he President of the “Americans for Limited Government”, he’s

with “Friends of Joe Lieberman.” http://www.nndb.com/org/516/00…

That’s what is known as a smoking… donation.

Joe Lieberman is part of the Tea Party Patriots movement, via this connection with real estate billionaire Howard Rich and the “Americans for Limited Government.”

Howard Rich also donated a great deal of money to Republican neocon Congressperson Tom McClintock (R, Elk Grove Automall, Carpetbag to CA- 04) who is another product of the Russo Marsh Rogers/MAF swiftboat and TeaParty astroturfing machine, who ran several town halls with heavy Tea Party participation and virulent anti health care reform attitude (think Death Panels on Steroids)  this past September. McClintock has also done several public rallies with the Tea Party movement, in Sacramento and Grass Valley. Howard Rich of New York City gave McClintock of Southern CA $4,600 during the primary, and another $4,600 during the 2008 general election.

Rich’s recent donations:

http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/by…

and the tip of the iceberg, small donations: Howard Rich doesn’t do his big money influence in public, just gives hints, like markers: http://watchdog.net/contrib/01…

Cantor, Coleman, Saxby Chambliss, Lautenberg, Lieberman

Per opensecrets, Howard Rich just dumped $2,400  twice into the Tea Party Republican “Conservative” Doug Hoffman NY 23 campaign account on Oct 9, 2009, which is $4,800 and $200 over the limit.  http://www.opensecrets.org/ind…

Where he insinuates his money, is mostly in state level races, if you want to see extraordinary amounts of Howard Rich cash being chucked around, nationwide, see here~

http://www.followthemoney.org/…

Howard Rich also fancies himself the political pundit. Note his contempt for health care reform when he blogs at Townhall. http://townhall.com/columnists…

Here is Rich’s  “Americans For Limited Government” Website. Is the url the same ? Oh, hell, no, it’s mandatory to have as many permutations of the thing as possible, it’s called Get Liberty.org

http://blog.getliberty.org/

Newest blog entry-  Attacking the Public Option

getliberty.org  11/16/2009

Stupak Amendment or No, The Real Issue is the Public Option

…. This leaves Senate Republicans and fiscal hawks like Senator Joe Lieberman with a daunting challenge.

Their Senate colleagues-and their constituents-must hold their feet to the fire to hold the line on a successful filibuster. The point is to kill the bill, not just a single provision.

So Joe Lieberman’s a “fiscal hawk” this week. Who knew.

And don’t bother looking Howard Rich up on wikipedia, he has people whitewashing the entry.

Instead, try this, the blog “Stop Howard Rich.”

http://stophowardrichsc.blogsp…

Note his involvement in South Carolina politics. (and money given to Gov.Mark Sanford of hiking the Appalachian trail to Argentina fame).

Howard Rich’s involvement in South Carolina politics involves three main prongs:

1. Bypassing state contribution limits by using numerous LLC’s to fund political candidates in local races.

2. Funneling even more money into SC campaigns from Pennsylvania, New York, and elsewhere through a network of wealthy associates.

3. Establishing and funding “grass-roots” voucher lobbying groups in South Carolina to give the appearance of support for his agenda in our state.

Howard Rich’s substantial involvement in South Carolina politics and the methods used to support his private school voucher plan have profound implications for South Carolina’s government, our public schools, and the integrity of our state’s political processes.

Another site to see- Howard Rich Exposed

http://www.stopballotfraud.org…

Rich has been behind bad ballot measures with sweet Libertarian sounding names in many states- note the video about signature gathering for an anti LGBT referendum #71 in Washington state on this page,  http://www.stopballotfraud.org…   which also has a link to a Las Vegas, Nevada Journal article about a Rich- backed group trying to get an anti union measure on the 2008 ballot disguised as “Clean and Open Government.” The front person for that was named Kris Munn.

Howie(Howard) Rich has a well established history of hiring signature gathering firms who have been charged with defrauding voters to qualify his pet initiatives.  These firms include National Voter Outreach, Arno Political Consulting and National Ballot Access.

—- Back to Lousiana…. the Gingrich/Vitter/Rich connection

Here’s the GOP club in Ascension, Louisiana, that Ellen Carmichael of “AQAH” likes to hang out with, and do anti health care reform rallies with, look at the names and the photos of the politician’s she works with~

(but really, click on the link to see the first hilarious picture of them posing with the books by Ann Coulter and Glenn Beck, then scroll down for the pics of Vitter and Gingrich, and that big “Americans For Prosperity” Hands Off My Health Care tour bus, with the big red handprint. Then see the big red “Americans For Prosperity” Hot Air Balloon with the logo “CAP AND TRADE MEANS LOST JOBS HIGHER TAXES LESS FREEDOM.” Remember that “Americans for Prosperity” = Koch Oil brother David.)

http://ascensiongop.org/arw.htm

associated names:

Kevin Kane President of the Pelican Institute

Suzanne Haik Terrell project GOPink

Joyce LaCour

Gisela Chavalier

Bernie Pinsonat

Senator Dave Vitter

Newt Gingrich

Diaper Dave Vitter, obviously, is a creature of the Lousiana Oil Industry. How else possibly could he still be in office ? But he’d be useful to befriend for somebody ambitious, planning another political coup, like Newt Gingrich. Hence Odom is merely annoyed with Gingrich, for now.

http://www.opensecrets.org/pol… David Vitter’s 3 top donor industries, 2010:

Health professionals  $354,450

Oil and gas            $302,850

Lawyers and Law Firms   $284,019

Vitter’s Leadership PAC, top 3 donor categories:  

Lawyers

Oil, gas

Health pros

The top 2 Senators who receive the most from the Oil Industry:

1. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) $210,300

2. David Vitter (R LA)  $157,450

—

12. And there’s Landrieu (D LA) at 12th place

Top 3 Democratic Senators threatening to fillibuster against the health insurance bill with a Public Option, November, 2009:

Lieberman, Landrieu, and Arkansas Blanche Lincoln

Vitter’s already in the bag and posing with the Koch Oil hot air balloons.

Lieberman’s being worked by NYC’s Howard Rich and friend David Koch.

Landrieu’s getting squeezed. So’s Lincoln.

Vitter’s top PAC donor category – Oil and Gas

http://www.opensecrets.org/pol…

AGL Resources $1,000

American Gas Assn $1,000

Anadarko Petroleum $3,000

Cheniere Energy $1,500

Chesapeake Energy $2,500

Chevron Corp $10,000

ConocoPhillips $2,500

Devon Energy $2,500

El Paso Corp $2,000

Exxon Mobil $5,000

Halliburton Co $2,000

Hornbeck Offshore Services $1,500

Independent Petroleum Assn of America $2,500

Koch Industries $7,500

Marathon Oil $5,000

McDermott International $2,000

Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Assn $500

Murphy Oil $2,000

Occidental Petroleum $2,000

Spectra Energy $1,000

Tesoro Petroleum $2,500

Tidewater Inc $5,000

Valero Energy $5,000

Williams Companies $2000

All of the above gave Vitter money…

Vitter’s top 20 donor list, regular

1. Edison Chouest Offshore Shipbuilders   $30,000

4. Chevron    $25,00

15. Koch Oil  $15,500

_______

So, you want to get this health care reform insurance bill passed ?

Start asking Joe Lieberman why he’s involved in the Tea Party Patriot movement.

Howard Rich. “Americans For Limited Government.” Bus Tours. Death Panels.  “Friends of Joe Lieberman.”

And start asking the Oil Industry why they think the price of a barrel includes 20% of Americans not having health care.

God Bless You, Mr. Olberman, for bringing that clinic to New Orleans. Good Night, and keep it up.