The American Conservative Union asked FedEx for a check for $2 million to $3 million in return for the group’s endorsement in a bitter legislative dispute, then flipped and sided with UPS after FedEx refused to pay.
For the $2 million+, ACU offered a range of services that included: “Producing op-eds and articles written by ACU’s Chairman David Keene and / or other members of the ACU’s board of directors. (Note that Mr. Keene writes a weekly column that appears in The Hill.)”
The conservative group’s remarkable demand — black-and-white proof of the longtime Washington practice known as “pay for play” — was contained in a private letter to FedEx that was provided to POLITICO.
The letter exposes the practice by some political interest groups of taking stands not for reasons of pure principle, as their members and supporters might assume, but also in part because a sponsor is paying big money.
In the three-page letter asking for money on June 30, the conservative group backed FedEx. After FedEx says it rejected the offer, Keene signed onto a two-page July 15 letter backing UPS. Keene did not return a message left on his cell phone.
Maury Lane, FedEx’s director of corporate communications, said: “Clearly the ACU shopped their beliefs and UPS bought.”
[...]
FedEx and UPS, fierce competitors in the package delivery business, are at war over a provision under consideration in Congress that would expand union power at FedEx.
David, the VP of ACU says they support FedEx.
So that is pretty weak blackmail.
From the letter that supposedly represents switching sides
Weʼve been on record as opposing federal bailouts of failing businesses…So when FedEx claimed that UPS was seeking a government bailout, we were prepared to jump all over another wasteful government program. But after looking into FedExʼs claims, we realized that FedEx was not telling the truth. UPS was not seeking any taxpayer funds — only regulatory reform that would insure equal treatment of both companies under our nationʼs labor laws…since UPS is not seeking even one dime of taxpayer money, the campaign is essentially a disinformation campaign and should be stopped. If FedEx wants to oppose the regulatory reform being sought by UPS, that is fine. But FedEx should use honest arguments and refrain from disingenuous and dishonest labels.
#22, Lyin’ Mike
What letter?
The letter FedEx sent to POLITICO says nothing of the sort. The problem was a change in regulations that would have impacted FedEx by allowing local bargaining instead of only national bargaining. UPS is already saddled with local bargaining.
When Fed Ex refused to pay, ACU did an about face and supported the position that FedEx should have local bargaining. This is contrary to the usual conservative position of less regulation and less organized labor.
So what other lies are you planning to tell Mike?
Conservatives are dirty filthy animals who live in shit. They will do anything for a dime, there is no lower life-form than a conservative pigrat.
It sounds like ACU does some in-house disavowing of its own…from the ACU response:
“Mr. David Keene’s name was on a letter prepared by another organization. This was a personal decision on his part and he was not representing ACU at the time. No permission was given by ACU, and no logo was provided by ACU, to the organization who issued the letter in question.”
Mr. Keene is an adult; he can endorse anything he sees fit. If the public wish to connect his endorsement with the ACU it is none of Mr. Keene’s or the ACU’s concern.
Fusion, still haven’t taken reading comprehension courses? Read the article. They mention two different letters, with links to both.
Ahhh ha ha ha.. you are all idiots, this story is NOT about the ACU changing sides, this about the reporter doing a stitchup job… like they all do:
“The ACU supported Fedex, then David Keene from the ACU flipped sides and took a payment from UPS to support them”
The article is written in such a way that in the minds of the reader it looks like the ACU is changing sides for money.
Lets check the facts:
ACU supports Fedex: true
David Keene is a chariman of ACU: true
David Keene sent UPS a letter: true
The ACU changed sides for money: false
The article DID NOT say the ACU changed sides so the article didn’t lie, they just make it look that way….so the ACU cannot go after them. It’s you idiots with no brains to comprehend that are the problem.
Open your eyes idiots, the “news” is NOT about facts, it is NOT about truth, it is ALL about ratings…. the more entertaining the more the ratings, the more the ratings the more they “win”.
Try an experiment, do not listen or read ANY so called ‘news’ anywhere for 30 days. I bet you can’t, I did and when you start looking at it again you have a completely different perspective.
One channels story is about a slave driving bastard boss, the other channel does the same story about lazy bum workers that are sending the business down the shitter.
Same story different “angle”, all are fucked up.
Jim, David Keene will automatically be associated with ACU. That’s why UPS wanted his signature.
I wish this reporter would find out what UPS paid
Maybe some people have been confused about what the ACU stands for. Acquiring Cash Ultimately. The people in charge are more concerned with raising the money they need to make sure they keep their jobs than anything else. This is true of most organizations political or otherwise.
Does anyone know how much clout this organization actually has? If they can’t move some Democrat votes I’d say they have none and the Democratic party has already been bought by the Unions.
I’m sure that ACU isn’t the only ones to do this. I suspect some “religious” and “family values” concerns, also play this game. An online “consumer protection” website was offering paid memberships to vitamin makers. And in exchange they’d report glowingly about their members’ products. Not, and they’d likely denounce their products’ efficacy. And a certain Tv station in my area, was endorsing the website. Probably got paid to.
Free market baby, where your soul is on sale!
#27, hazza,
The article DID NOT say the ACU changed sides so the article didn’t lie, they just make it look that way….so the ACU cannot go after them. It’s you idiots with no brains to comprehend that are the problem.
Keene is the CEO of the ACU. That means he gets to decide most of the policy of the ACU. When he speaks (or writes) with the “Chairman of the ACU” under his name, the whole of the ACU is attached. Especially when the logo of the ACU is on the letterhead.
If President of the United States Barrack Obama was quoted as saying (for example) abortion is wrong, is that the President speaking or the man?
Repuke WHORES !!! Drive each and every one of the from office, coast to coast !!!