Thirty-one House Dems quizzing Toyota execs got UAW campaign cash February 24, 5:34 PMCar News, Views, and Reviews Examiner<http://www.examiner.com/x-12977-Car-News-Views-and-Reviews-Examiner>Mark Tapscott Previous<http://www.examiner.com/x-12977-Car-News-Views-and-Reviews-Examiner~y2010m2d24-Members-of-Congress-explain-why-they-love-their-Toyotas-Yes-you-read-that-right> Next<http://www.examiner.com/x-12977-Car-News-Views-and-Reviews-Examiner~y2010m2d24-LaHood-Issa-tangle-over-DOTs-apparent-favoritism-toward-GMs-Cobalt> <http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-12977-Cars-Examiner~y2010m2d24-Thirtyone-House-Dems-quizzing-Toyota-execs-got-UAW-campaign-cash?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning+Bell#>15 comments <javascript:doNothing();>Print<http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-12977-Cars-Examiner~y2010m2d24-Thirtyone-House-Dems-quizzing-Toyota-execs-got-UAW-campaign-cash?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning+Bell#> Email <javascript:donothing();>RSS<http://rss.examiner.com/RSS-12977-Car-News-Views-and-Reviews-Examiner.rss> Subscribe<http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-12977-Cars-Examiner~y2010m2d24-Thirtyone-House-Dems-quizzing-Toyota-execs-got-UAW-campaign-cash?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning+Bell#>
Two committees in the U.S. House of Representatives are holding hearings this week concerning allegations of sudden acceleration problems in Toyota cars and trucks sold in this country. Among the witnesses appearing today at the hearing of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform was Toyota CEO Akido Toyoda, grandson of the company founder seen in the AP Photo to the right. On Tuesday, James E. Lentz, Toyota USA's top sales executive, appeared before the Committee on Energy and Commerce. There is a combined total of 59 Democrats serving on these two panels, which hold potentially life-and-death power over Toyota's ability to continue offering its products to American consumers. So far this year, 31 of the 59 have received re-election campaign contributions ranging from as low as $500 to as high as $10,000 from the United Auto Workers union. Why is that significant? Because the UAW is a major stockholder of Toyota's top U.S. rival, General Motors. Also, Toyota has successfully resisted UAW attempts to organize the Japanese firm's estimated 31,000 assembly line workers employed in five plants here in America. Democrats have been telling America for years that special interest money corrupts government. I wonder if that is not the case now in these hearings in which Toyota executives are being grilled and are being subjected to an avalanche of negative coverage in the Mainstream Media. Coincidentally, Toyota sales are down and GM sales are up. Nothing to see here, folks, now move along! Here are the names of the 31 recipients, their home states, and the amounts they have received in 2010, according to OpenSecrets.org<http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php> : *Committee on Oversight and Government Reform:* Elijah Cummings, Maryland ($1,000) John F. Tierney, Massachusetts ($1,000) William L. Clay, Jr., Missouri ($1,000) Gerry Connolly, Virginia ($3,000) Michael Quigley, Illinois ($10,000) Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Island ($1,000) Danny K. Davis, Illinois ($1,000) Chris Van Hollen, Maryland ($1,000) Paul Rhodes New Hampshire ($2,500) *Chris Murphy, Connecticut ($5,000) *Peter Welch, Vermont ($1,000) Judy Chu, California ($500) *Committee on Energy and Commerce:* Henry Waxman, California ($2,500) John Dingell, Michigan ($1,000) Rick Boucher, Virginia ($1,000) Frank Pallone, New Jersey ($2,000) Bart Stupak, Michigan ($2,000) Elliot Engel, New York ($1,000) Gene Green, Texas ($1,000) Diana DeGette, Colorado ($1,000) Lois Capps, California ($1,000) Mike Doyle, Pennsylvania ($1,000) Jan Schakowsky, Illinois ($5,000) Charles Gonzalez, Texas ($1,000) Jay Inslee, Washington ($1,000) Mike Ross, Arkansas ($1,000) Baron Hill, Indiana ($5,000) Doris Matsui, California ($1,000) *Chris Murphy, Connecticut ($5,000) Bruce Braley, Iowa ($1,000) *Peter Welch, Vermont ($1,000) ** Murphy and Welch are members of both committees, but received only one contribution from the UAW, of $5,000 and $1,000 respectively.* -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
