Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Secretary Thompson’s Flirtation Continues
Report Claims Thompson is ‘Separating Himself From His Business Interests?’
MADISON – According to a report in the conservative Weekly Standard today, the likelihood of former Bush Administration Secretary Tommy Thompson getting into the GOP primary for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin has increased, and Thompson is “separating himself from his business interests.”
Like many other ‘reports,’ the latest doesn’t mention what Secretary Thompson’s “business interests” actually are. Thompson has spent the last five years as a Washington insider, cashing in on his work for corporate interests – including health insurance and pharmaceutical companies, and the finance industry.
Secretary Thompson has refused to release a list of who his clients are, and when asked in February to disclose to the media who he works for, he couldn’t even name the corporate interests he receives a paycheck from.
“The people of Wisconsin deserve someone who’s standing up for them, not the corporate interests in Washington,” said Mike Tate, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. “How can he fight for us, when he has been working for them?”
Today’s article does mention the bizarre ‘board game’ Secretary Thompson played last week when it was announced that Secretary Thompson was resigning from the CNS Response Inc. Board of Directors effective immediately. However, in the same release that announced Thompson’s resignation, CNS announced that he will now become Chairman of its Advisory Board.
“Resigning from one board, to become Chairman of another, doesn’t really meet the smell test,” Tate continued. “With a report out yesterday that showed 1% of Wisconsin voters have a favorable opinion of a ‘Washington Lobbyist,’ Secretary Thompson’s going to have some explaining to do.”
