Posted on 03/28/2009 9:20:46 AM PDT by Born Conservative
Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell’s recent decision to criticize the Sunoco oil company for laying off 750 workers raises a number of intriguing questions. While the governor held a press conference last week solely to excoriate Sunoco, calling the company’s decision “unconscionable,” he has been notably silent concerning the 3,000 layoffs — four times the number at Sunoco — that Comcast has executed in the past year.
Since the governor’s election in 2002, SUN PAC, Sunoco’s political action committee, has contributed $55,000 to Mr. Rendell, with Sunoco employees donating an additional $2,650.
During that same time period, Comcast’s PAC, its employees, and the spouses of its top executives, donated $634,350 to the governor. Additionally, Comcast spent at least $100,000 on Mr. Rendell’s inauguration festivities in 2007, being designated as a“Benefactor” by the governor, the highest level of a contributor.
The David Cohen Factor
The governor’s closest ally at Comcast is Executive Vice President David Cohen, who has contributed $80,000 to Mr. Rendell. Mr. Cohen is a longtime Rendell confidant and fundraiser, serving as chief of staff when Mr. Rendell was mayor of Philadelphia. Prior to joining Comcast, Mr. Cohen served as chairman of the Ballard Spahr law firm, where Mr. Rendell worked while campaigning for governor in 2002.
Ballard, which provides legal counsel to Comcast, has come under intense media and legislative scrutiny for the frequency and amount of the secretive no-bid contracts it has received under the Rendell administration. In addition, it received almost $800,000 for legal work related to the 2007 Pennsylvania Turnpike privatization initiative without a contract.
Ballard Spahr LLP has contributed $481,000 to the governor’s campaigns, with its attorneys donating an additional half million dollars.
(Excerpt) Read more at thebulletin.us ...
Fast Eddie ping.
Comcast’s hq is virtually across the street from The Bulletin.
ping
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