How Establishments Protect their Own

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

by: Matt Stoller, Tue Apr 22, 2008 at 11:16

If you want to know why Democrats don't stand up to do the right thing, look no further than the difficulty of running in a primary. There are very few credible candidates, and one of them, Ed Fallon, is getting attacked by the Iowa state Senate itself because he dared challenge a sitting Congressman, Leonard Boswell. Boswell has run a nasty and dishonest campaign focused on extremely petty characteristics of Fallon's campaign operation. Now the Iowa Senate is getting into the action.

The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that would forbid candidates involved in state-level races from using campaign funds to pay themselves a salary. The issue has flared during a Democratic primary that pits Congressman Leonard Boswell against former State Representative Ed Fallon who paid himself a salary from his campaign funds when he ran for governor in 2006.

This is just a crazy slap in the face to progressives and to those who are not wealthy. There are huge hurdles to running for office already, so adding another one - you have to go without salary for six months - simply privileges the wealthy and entitled incumbents like Boswell. Does Boswell have to give up his Congressional salary? No. But Boswell is sending out extremely pricey mailers from his House office on his accomplishments in office.

Moreover, passing this so close to a primary election is entirely political. People in the Iowa establishment just do not like Ed Fallon, and they are making it known by abusing their power.

I'm going to guess that Boswell will vote against supplemental funding for the Iraq war, and then, if he wins reelection, immediately flip to be as hawkish as the person he endorsed in the primary, Hillary Clinton.