David Axelrod's former company is making a lot of money from players in the health-care field - and it also owes him 2 million dollars (soon due to be paid). If Axelrod has been taking part in deals bewteen certain health-care constituents - part of a coalition called "Healthy Economy Now" - paying the company that is paying him, there would be conflict of interest violations described as "surprising" because they cross barriers well known to people who work in Washington.
Hugh Hewitt (a conservative lawyer) wrote today:
"If Axelrod has been negotiating any part of any deal involving any of these players which are funneling money to the firm that owes him money, or if he is advising the president on the deals with any of these groups, that's a conflict of interest. Laundering the money through a "coalition" doesn't remove the conflict much less the appearance of impropriety. The coalition is in effect partially funding David Axelrod's severance package though its members might have done so unknowingly. These forthcoming payments to Axelrod are much more significant than the sort of "retained ties" that Democrats blasted Dick Cheney for vis-a-vis Halliburton even though there was no high level negotiations between the vice president and his former company...If it was Karl Rove in a similar set of circumstances, the blogs and some in MSM would already be demanding a special prosecutor."
David Axelrod's Very Big Problem
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog
Politico has a a bit about the situation today:
"David Axelrod's ties targeted in health fight"
Critics of President Obama?s health-care overhaul are zeroing in on his senior adviser David Axelrod, whose former partners at a Chicago-based firm are the beneficiaries of huge ad buys?now at $24 million and counting?by White House allies in the reform fight.
The unwelcome scrutiny, largely from Republicans, comes at an inopportune time as Obama seeks to shore up support for health care reform. It revolves around two separate $12 million ad campaigns advocating Obama?s health care plan that were produced and placed partly by AKPD Message and Media, a firm founded by Axelrod that employs his son and still owes Axelrod $2 million..
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/s...240.html#ixzz0OdjcA1cx
A bloomberg article also came into play the past weekend:
"Obama Campaign Ad Firms Signed On to Push Health-Care Overhaul"
Aug. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Two firms that received $343.3 million to handle advertising for Barack Obama?s White House run last year have profited from his top priority as president by taking on his push for health-care overhaul.
One is AKPD Message and Media, the Chicago-based firm headed by David Axelrod until he left last Dec. 31 to serve as a senior adviser to the president. Axelrod was Obama?s top campaign strategist and is now helping sell the health-care plan...
Axelrod was president and sole shareholder of AKPD from 1985 until he sold his interest after Obama?s victory, government records show. The firm owes Axelrod $2 million, which it?s due to pay in installments beginning Dec. 31. Axelrod?s son, Michael, still works there. He didn?t return a phone call. The firm?s Web site continues to feature David Axelrod?s work on the Obama campaign.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/...chive&sid=aV3dLt6wmZH4
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Anandtech Senior Moderator
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