Independence Party Senate candidate Dean Barkely use to "big tobacco" lobbyist.

Redrant:  After the first Senate appointment by then Governor Ventura Dean Barkley worked as a lobbyist for tobacco giant Lorillard for $3K per month.  I've done some checking and there is no evidence that either Barkley or "big tobacco" did anything to help oppose the Minnesota smoking bans.  First my comment at the story and then the story link and text.

"Greg Lang (Greg Lang)Says: 

October 20th, 2008 at 8:32 am

Dean Barkley taking $3K per month from “big tobacco” doesn’t necessarily make him an advocate or friend of Minnesota smokers. I have been following the 2005 Minneapolis and then Minnesota bar smoking bans at my http://freedomtoact.com

I don’t recall Dean Barkley’s name ever coming up. Big tobacco did little if anything to oppose the bar ban. The proponents of the ban were very heavily finances by Minnesota tobacco settlement money diverted from the Minnesota taxpayer and Blue Cross awards. (sort of like lobbying by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac)"

http://www.minnesotademocratsexposed.com/2008/10/19/mde-from-archives-barkley-not-against-lobbyists-contributing-to-his-campaigns/#comments

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MDE FROM ARCHIVES: BARKLEY NOT AGAINST LOBBYISTS CONTRIBUTING TO HIS CAMPAIGNS

By Michael B. Brodkorb | October 19, 2008

Former U.S. Senator Dean Barkley appeared on KSTP tonight (I’ll have more on his appearance later) and railed against the evils of special interest money.  Throughout this campaign Barkley has spoken out against contributions from lobbyists and special interest money, often boasting that he hasn’t accepted money fom lobbyists.

What Barkley has failed to disclose in this campaign is that he has previously accepted campaign contributions from lobbyists:

“In September, the governor was the chief attraction at a $100-a-head reception in St. Paul to retire old congressional campaign debts for Dean Barkley, Ventura’s campaign chairman and state planning director. About 15 lobbyists helped that event raise $6,500, Barkley said.” Source: The Associated Press, December 6, 1999

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“The event was planned by Barkley’s campaign committee, which includes lobbyist and longtime friend Maryann Campo. At least 60 people attended. At one point, Campo said she counted up to 18 lobbyists in the room, although people came and went quickly. She also told several reporters to leave the room. Neither Barkley nor Ventura accepts money from political action committees. Ventura didn’t accept campaign money from lobbyists and has made much of the fact that he develops policy without consulting them. Barkley, however, said many of Ventura’s commissioners often meet with lobbyists to talk policy. ‘I’ve never discriminated against anybody based on their profession,’ Barkley said.” Source: Associated Press, September 9, 1999

How do you spell hypocrite? B-A-R-K-L-E-Y.

Please check back to Minnesota Democrats Exposed for more information on this developing story.

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