Those darned do-gooders! They've been giving to charity again.

[vibrantcolor]

From today’s NYT:
Now a Lobbyist, an Ex-Senator Uses Campaign Money"In all, he has spent almost $900,000 from his account since leaving Congress, much of it on gifts to charities and nonprofit organizations like hospitals

Comments

[spf566]

While the media being used as an organ for the established conservative status quo is unsurprising, I wonder if this wasn't someone's petty vendetta against Torricelli coming into play. Being he was a senator from New Jersey I expect he had to deal with the NYT on a more regular basis than most. Wouldn't shock me to find out he pissed off some editor there who decided to tweak him when he found an opening. Either way the article seems like an attempt to find a big scandal where at best a tiny conflict of interest exists. Which seems kind of useless when covering Washington, where there are plenty of real scandals to talk about.

More appalling is the fact that apparently $10,000 of that went to Rod Blagojevich. Judging by the recent cluster in Springfield I'd say there had to be some better use for that money.

[rhonan]

If it were just casual mud-slinging against a Dem, that would be one thing. What irks me here is that this is a standard play by the right to say, "See, they do almost the same things," when the two things being compared are completely different.

[mahanaxar]

Maybe the NYT is trying to shake its "liberal" reputation. It certainly would be inappropriate for a senator to use taxpayer money in such a way, but this is small potatoes. If I had contributed to his campaign I might be a tad miffed, however.

[vibrantcolor]

How would you expect him to spend the money? Would you prefer that he hunt down every person who ever contributed it to him and give it back? Seriously. How would you prefer he spend it? He's GOT the money. Wouldn't it make sense that he use it to support people, issues and causes that he believes in; the beliefs that people gave him the money to champion in the first place?

[mahanaxar]

I would have personally been disappointed if I had contributed to the campaign because I think Blagojevich is a douchebag.

[chainsawmessiah]

Argh!!!

Doctors have still not determined why people have aneurysms. After reading that I now know.

[nixtress]

pssssssssst

where you been? i miss you and your wonderful northern boobs.