As we have been reporting on our blog for a while now, the Republicans running for the U.S. Senate here in Tennessee have some serious ethical problems to deal with.Whether it be taking money from indicted Former House Leader Tom Delay and John Gregory, latching on to Majority Leader Bill Frist, who himself is under investigation, or condoning the obvious cronyism in the Bush Administration, the list just keeps going and going.
To make matters worse, yesterday the Times Free Press reported on Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary's second career as lobbyists.
The Free Press writes, "Former U.S. House members Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary became Washington lobbyists after losing elections in 2002. They now are opponents in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Majority Leader Bill Frist, RTenn. Sen. Frist has said he will not seek re-election in 2006. Mr. Bryant lobbied for Blue-Cross BlueShield of Tennessee and Methodist Healthcare, but he has said he ended all lobbying work to run in next year's Senate election.
"Mr. Hilleary lobbied for SMS Holdings Corp., a Nashville based security company, and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. He told the Chattanooga Times Free Press earlier this month he has no plans to stop lobbying for SMS."
In fact, during his tenure as a lobbyist for Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ed Bryant helped lobby for the disastrous, pork riddled Medicare Modernization Act in 2003.
Call me old fashioned guys, but isn't this what we are trying to weed Washington D.C. free from? With all the corruption that has taken place under the current Republican leadership, the last thing we need is more lobbyists turned politicians taking office.
Time after time the Republicans running for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee have demonstrated that they lack the leadership and judgement needed to be a U.S. Senator.
Instead of steering clear of cronyism and corruption, the GOP candidates have embraced it.
Tennessee deserves better than the status quo and Ed Bryant, Van Hilleary and Bob Corker.
We need someone who actually has a vision for the future and someone that brings real leadership to the table to be our next U.S. Senator. Harold Ford Jr. is just the right man for the job.
