Walt Minnick Admits Others can be Better Quality, Better at Governing
| Washington– During a recent question and answer forum with Idaho Representatives Mike Simpson and Walt Minnick, an audience member asked if they would support banning healthcare industry PAC contributions while Congress debates the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare. Minnick rudely laughed and immediately answered “no,” only to backpedal later on his “flippant” answer:
“I can answer that no, Mike, how about you?’ Minnick responded amid laughter.
“Minnick then said, “A slightly less flippant response than my first one.” If the system were reformed, he said, “I think we would get better quality people running, and the people we elect would be” able to spend more time studying legislation and dealing with constituents’ concerns, “if we didn’t have to spend so much time trying to raise money.” Minnick said if a voluntary system of spending limits, shortened campaigns, and open access to the media for qualified candidates so they have an “equal amount of opportunity to get their message across,” plus some public financing, were put in place, I think we would be better off to ban PAC contributions.” He said, “We’d get better governance and we’d get better politicians.” (Spokesman Review, “Ban health PAC contributions?,” 08/31/09)
“It’s about time that Walt Minnick admits that there are other better quality people out there who can govern better than he has,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Walt Minnick’s flippant answer and subsequent backpedaling appears to be an inadvertent admission that he is more concerned with those who fill his campaign coffers than the constituents he represents.”
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Minnick has lined his campaign coffers with:
If Minnick truly believes he would be better off banning PAC contributions, why does he continue to accept such a large amount?
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