Fred Upton (R-MI)-- Strong Contender For Congress' Most Corrupt

With all those hundreds of Members of Congress-- and so many of them in thrall to lobbyists and willing to prostitute themselves to corporate interests-- it says a lot about Fred Upton that he was singled out as the #1 worst enemy of the earth. The ad (below) is a response by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a detestable right-wing attack machine that values Upton as one of its primary corporate tools in Congress and they started running it this week. Why? Because Upton has never had a serious challenger before. Ignored by the DCCC, he has been able to skate by without having to explain himself and without having to be held to account by western Michigan voters. This time a fighting progressive, war vet John Waltz, is giving him a run for his money-- and his corporate allies' money. [Blue Amerida is backing Waltz-- with great enthusiasm-- and you can contribute to his campaign here at our Blue America ActBlue page.]

For two days in a row, congressional crime-busters, Republic Report, have hammered Upton on his apparent corrupt practices. Wednedsay Lee Fang caught him pimping for industrial boilers, hours after the boiler-makers lobbyists poured cash into his campaign war chest, a perfcet example of the worst and most blatant kind of Inside-the-Beltway pay-to-play bribery.

Later today, Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, is hosting a hearing about the purported negative effects of Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) MACT rules. The new rules, which apply to industrial boilers, would place stricter limits on mercury, dioxin, particulate matter, hydrogen chloride, and carbon monoxide-- environmental pollutants known to cause infant brain damage and cancer, among other problems.

But before his hearing, Upton is holding a fundraising breakfast with lobbyists seeking to weaken the EPA rules. A copy of the invite to the breakfast shows that Trent Lott, the former Senator who now works as a corporate lobbyist, is part of the host committee for the event. Patton Boggs attorney Ben Ginsberg, an attorney for Mitt Romney, is also listed as an event host.

Lott happens to represent a major client on issues relating the EPA’s MACT rules. According to disclosures reviewed by the Republic Report, Lott’s firm has been paid at least $240,000 by the American Association of Railroads, a group that opposes the new rules, to lobby Congress on the proposed regulation.

The hearing starts at 10:30am today, only two hours after the beginning of the fundraiser, which is hosted by Lott’s partner lobbying firm, Patton Boggs. Luckily, the Energy and Commerce Committee hearing is a short taxi ride away from Patton Boggs’ office near Georgetown.

Fang followed up yesterday with another revelation, this one involving Upton's sudden Wednesday endorsement of Mitt Romney, just as Rick Santorum is starting to surge.

The announcement-- which can be found here on the Romney website-- omits an important, yet behind the scenes detail.

The morning of the announcement, Ben Ginsberg, an attorney with the mega-lobbying firm Patton Boggs hosted a fundraiser for Upton. Ginsberg is Romney’s campaign lawyer.

“In order to enact the change we are fighting for in Washington, we must change the Administration,” said Upton in his endorsement statement. The change Upton was fighting for, at least during his fundraiser, cost $500 per individual to attend.

His Chamber of Commerce reward for carrying their water:



Oh... and this is the "outside special interests" that the Chamber of Commerce is railing about in the Upton ad: