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Politics : THE 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Orcastraiter who wrote (1458)	2/19/2004 8:49:43 PM
From: GROUND ZERO™	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2164

Importing Democracy to Iraq will bring that region into the community of world trade partners... when that happens, all countries benefit, including the U.S., but trying to explain that to a moronic isolationist is impossible, it's way over your head... GZ

To: Orcastraiter who wrote (1458)	2/19/2004 9:17:28 PM
From: PROLIFE	Respond to of 2164

LA Times: Firm Owner Who Gave Kerry Money Faces Sentence Thu Feb 19, 1:56 AM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry (news - web sites) wrote 28 letters on behalf of a California defense contractor, who pleaded guilty last week to illegally giving money to the Massachusetts senator, The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday. Parthasarathi Majumber, owner of Science and Applied Technology in San Diego, also pleaded guilty to giving money to four Republican members of the House of Representatives. "Members of Congress often write letters supporting constituent businesses and favored projects. But as the Democratic presidential front-runner, Kerry has promoted himself as a candidate who has never been beholden to campaign contributors and special interests," the newspaper said. Kerry is the prohibitive favorite in the race to oppose President Bush (news - web sites) in November's general election after winning 15 of the first 17 primary elections and caucuses. According to the Times, the Massachusetts senator wrote letters on behalf of the California firm between 1996 and 1999, while Majumber and his employees were donating $25,000 to him. The newspaper cited court records and Dwight L. Morris and Associates, which tracks campaign contributions. "The contractor told his employees they needed to make political contributions in order for him to gain influence with members of Congress. He then reimbursed them with proceeds from government contracts," the newspaper reported. "It obviously raises questions about whether the campaign contributions bought action from Kerry," Steven Weiss, communications director of the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, told the newspaper. Last week, Majumber, 52, pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal campaign contributions after the government dropped another 38 counts. He faces a possible six years in prison. He has agreed to repay $3 million to the government to settle a civil suit, according to the newspaper. "Kerry's letters were sent to fellow members of Congress -- and to the Pentagon (news - web sites)," in a campaign to gain federal money for a missile system Majumber's firm was trying to build for U.S. warplanes, the Times said. In a denial issued on Wednesday, Kerry's campaign said the letters were aimed at protecting jobs at Millitech, a Massachusetts firm that was a subcontractor for Majumber, who is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in India. Majumber admitted giving illegal contributions to Kerry and to Republican Reps. Randall Cunningham and Duncan Hunter of California, John Murtha of Pennsylvania and Joe Scarborough of Florida. Contributions totaled $95,000, the newspaper reported. story.news.yahoo.com