Liberty MavenMore disgusting back-room dealmaking shenanigans in Congress
November 11th, 2009 11:08 pm | by Mike Miller | Published in Big Government, Politics, congress, law | 0
We hear stories so often about how secret back-room deals are struck in order “secure” votes for a particular piece of legislation that the following is hardly news. But if you’re even slightly masochistic, read on. It certainly made me sick:
Rep. Dennis Cardoza just couldn’t take yes for an answer.
Democratic leaders thought they knew how to lock in his vote. They’d add a last-minute provision authorizing up to $500 million to create medical centers that could benefit a college in Cardoza’s California district.
He’d vote for the health reform bill.
Usually that’s enough: Give a lawmaker his “ask,” and get his vote. But according to several sources familiar with the situation, Cardoza wanted more — a guarantee that the program would actually be funded — before he would agree to cast a “yes.”
He spent much of Friday and Saturday on the phone with Rob Nabors, the No. 2 man in the White House budget office, and a good portion of Saturday holed up in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.
Nabors, Pelosi and countless other administration and congressional officials worked to seal the deal. Cardoza voted for the bill and issued a Saturday press release proclaiming his victory for the local community.
