Debbie Wasserman Schultz-- Sugar And Spice And... Nothing Nice

First Jewish Speaker? How about one who isn't steeped in corruption?

Want to know if your physician is competent? Has he asked you about your sugar consumption? If he hasn't, find another doctor. Sugar contributes to many of the maladies that most effect mankind, from cancer, diabetes and heart disease to tooth decay and dementia. But the powerful sugar industry is as willing to fight regulation as the tobacco industry was. And, like the tobacco industry did, the sugar barons have plenty of powerful allies (or, more accurately, bought-and-paid-for minions). Worst of the lot is the head of the DNC, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a cog in the Fanjul brothers corrupt, sugary empire.

Last February when Joe Pitts (R-PA) introduced H.R. 693 we took a look at how Wasserman Schultz teamed up with Republicans to derail the bill. Five years earlier she flexed her political muscles on behalf of sugar and the Fanjuls in a way that shocked many in Washington. This is what I wrote at the time:

Wasserman Schultz is a funnel for far right Cuban money to Democratic members of the House and for sugar cane money (which is behind anything that will keep the U.S. from normal relations with Cuba). In fact... to help everyone get a better picture of what a complete bucket of slime Wasserman Schultz is, since she has been very successful at portraying herself as an up-and-coming progressive Democrat with a bright future. This is from the August 15, 2007 Hill:

When Democrats gained control of Congress, hopes were high that Cuba travel and trade restrictions would be eased by a party historically opposed to a so-called hard line on Cuba.

So far, however, the Democratic-led House has been tougher on Cuba than when Republicans controlled the lower chamber.

Sixty-six House Democrats-- including 20 members of the freshman class-- recently voted against a farm bill amendment offered by Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) that would have made it easier for U.S. farmers to sell agricultural goods to Cuba.

...Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) was instrumental in winning Democratic votes against the Rangel amendment. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) told the Miami Herald that Wasserman Schultz was “a tiger” on the Rangel vote, while Antonio Zamora of the U.S.-Cuba Legal Forum described her as a key party in building Democratic opposition.

“I was about as active as you could be,” said Wasserman Schultz, a second-termer who serves as a deputy chief whip for Democrats. At the same time, she said other members such as Reps. Albio Sires (D-N.J.) and Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) also worked hard to whip opposition.

...Wasserman Schultz’s position on Cuba puts her at odds with some Democratic leaders, but she said she has no worries that this might affect her if she seeks a higher leadership position in the future.

Two of the purveyors of DeLay-level corruption in the House leadership, Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn voted against Rangel's amendment (Wasserman Schultz's corrupt mentor Rahm Emanuel abstained) as another right-wing front group in cahoots with Wasserman Schultz, US-Cuba Democracy PAC, forked over $320,000 to Democrats in the current cycle.

Fifty-two of the 66 Democrats who voted against Rangel’s amendment have received one or more contributions from the U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC since the beginning of the 2007-2008 cycle, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

It has given $56,000 to 22 Democratic freshmen this year, and 17 of those freshmen voted against Rangel’s amendment. The giving began during the run-up to the 2006 election. Freshman Reps. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), Brad Ellsworth (D-Ind.), Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), Phil Hare (D-Ill.), Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), Albio Sires (D-N.J.), Zack Space (D-Ohio) and Charlie Wilson (D-Ohio) received donations before they were elected, and all but Giffords voted against Rangel’s amendment.

The votes of the freshmen are a concern to those who believe the current U.S. policy on Cuba is ineffective. “At this point we must as a matter of urgency prevent a generation of Democratic legislators from becoming permanent embargo supporters,” wrote Robert Muse, a Washington, D.C., lawyer with expertise in U.S.-Cuban policy, in an analysis of the vote.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz has a PAC which has given nearly a quarter million dollars to Democrats running for re-election and election in the House. Between the US-Cuba Democracy PAC and her own sleazy Democrats Win Seats PAC this is how much loot Wasserman Schultz was able to direct to Democratic freshmen willing to sell her their votes, even from congressmen representing agricultural districts where this amendment would have had widespread support. The first amount comes from the US-Cuba Democracy PAC and the second came directly from the shady Wasserman Schultz PAC:

Jason Altmire (PA-04) $8,000 + $5,000
Mike Arcuri (NY-24) $4,000 + $2,000
Bruce Braley (IA-01) $5,000
Chris Carney (PA-10) $7,000 + $7,500
Kathy Castor (FL-11) $2,000
Joe Donnelly (IN-02) $3,000 + $5,000
Brad Ellsworth (IN-08) $3,000 + $3,000
Gabby Giffords (AZ-08) $5,000 + $5,000
Kirsten Gillibrand (NY-20) $8,000 + $4,000
Phil Hare (IL-17) $9,000 + $1,000
Ron Klein (FL-22) $10,000 + $4,000
Tim Mahoney (FL-16) $10,000 + $7,500
Harry Mitchell (AZ-05) 0 + $4,000
Patrick Murphy (PA-08) $6,000 + $4,000
Joe Sestak (PA-07) $1,000 + $2,000
Heath Shuler (NC-11) $7,000 + $5,000
Albio Sires (NJ-13) $10,000
Zach Space (OH-18) $7,000 +$4,000

This year Wasserman's PAC looked at the House races coming up and has only contributed money to conservative Democrats, 4 to be exact: Cheri Bustos (IL), Dan Maffei (NY), Patrick Murphy (FL) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ). In the 2012 campaign she contributed $391,000 to 90 candidates. The biggest recipients were arch-conservatives Ron Barber ($14,500) and Patrick Murphy ($10,000). The cycle before, shecontributed $582,000, although most of it went to Blue Dogs and new Dems who were defeated. This is how corrupt careerists like Wasserman Schultz build power. They take money from criminal elements like the Fanjuls and then spread it around to members of their own party, building personal loyalty-- and guaranteeing the contributors that they can deliver the votes needed to prevent reform. Wasserman Schultz has her eyes set on the speakership and has appropriated Rahm Emanuel's dream of being the first Jewish Speaker. Got oyfhitn undz fun yener khurbn!