Thursday, August 23, 2012

Sleazy heels and cozy deals

Why, yes, I am talking about Obama and his cronies. From the New York Times: “Ties to Obama Aided in Access for Big Utility”
Exelon’s top executives were early and frequent supporters of Mr. Obama as he rose from the Illinois State Senate to the White House. John W. Rogers Jr., a friend of the president’s and one of his top fund-raisers, is an Exelon board member. David Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s longtime political strategist, once worked as an Exelon consultant, and Rahm Emanuel, the Chicago mayor and Mr. Obama’s former chief of staff, helped create the company through a corporate merger in 2000 while working as an investment banker.

With energy an increasingly pivotal issue for the Obama White House, a review of Exelon’s relationship with the administration shows how familiarity has helped foster access at the upper reaches of government and how, in some cases, the outcome has been favorable for Exelon.

White House records show that Exelon executives were able to secure an unusually large number of meetings with top administration officials at key moments in the consideration of environmental regulations that have been drafted in a way that hurt Exelon’s competitors, but curb the high cost of compliance for Exelon and its industry allies.

In addition, Exelon, which provides power to more than 6.6 million customers in at least 16 states and the District of Columbia, was chosen as one of only six electric utilities nationwide for the maximum $200 million stimulus grant from the Energy Department.


“Sheesh! An’ I t’awt I hadda good t’ing goin’ wit’ Mayor Big Bill Thompson!”



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Deborah Leigh said...$200 million stimulus? For an electric company? Guess they weren't gouging enough. Why is it that most companies have to operate on profit, unless you are a utility, green jobs, railroad, or post office?

CNN told the story of a company in Michigan, I think, that manufactures solar powered extraction fans for attics. Obama trotted this guy and his company out as a shining example of American green jobs. The components of the fan are all made in the US, except the solar panels which are from China. He tried to use the only domestic company but they didn't meet the owner's quality standards. Now comes the fun part. Recently, he was advised by Customs that he will be assessed a large fee. It will effectively shut him down. He turned to his "friends" at the White House, who told him they'd get back to him asap. It has been a month. Clearly, they lost a vote or more since he may have to close his doors. Obama kiss of death once more.