Feb. 14th - Pro-CAFTA representatives saw boost in corporate PAC cash, report shows

Valentine’s Day Events Across Country Highlight Continued Backlash by Voters Against Lawmakers Whose Pro-CAFTA Votes Betrayed Public

Protesters Outside Rep. Melissa Bean's Office

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The handful of representatives whose votes led to the narrow passage of the controversial Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) last year have since received a total of $2.8 million in corporate campaign cash, according to a new report released today by Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch division. 

Lawmakers are now facing backlash from voters angry about lawmakers’ pro-CAFTA votes.

“Forget the Valentine’s Day chocolates and roses, the handful of congressional lawmakers whose startling votes for CAFTA pushed this slimy deal through Congress appear to have received campaign cash as a reward for the corporate dangerous liaisons, and many of the voters whose hearts they broke are considering permanent separations from these congressional betrayers of their interests,” said Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch.

To highlight the report’s findings, local protests were held today and Monday outside the district offices of pro-CAFTA Reps. Melissa Bean (D-Ill.), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) and Charlie Taylor (R-N.C.), who did not vote on CAFTA.

Read the entire press release (for a pdf version, click here).

Download the report, "CAFTA Dangerous Liaisons - Skip the Roses and Chocolates: Members of Congress Providing Decisive Votes on Trade Deal Receive Jump in Corporate Campaign Cash - Public Plans Divorce" 

• Tell a friend about this new report

View Photos from the Valentine's Day protest outside Melissa Bean's district office (from Chicago Jobs With Justice).

"Protesting Taylor's Vote," Asheville Citizen Times, February 15, 2006.

"Report Says Fitzpatrick Rewarded for CAFTA Vote," Bucks County Courier Times, February 15, 2006

Take Action! Call your Representative about their CAFTA vote, or the result won't be different next time.

Find out more about CAFTA.  

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