Add this to the list of Sen. John Kerry's (D.-Mass.) hypocrisies: The Washington Post reports that on the stump the Democratic frontrunner often uses the term "Benedict Arnolds" to describe companies that send their operations overseas to avoid U.S. taxes. On the other hand, he has accepted fundraising assistance and campaign contributions from the top executives of such companies.
According to the Post, Kerry's presidential campaign has raked in $140,000 from employees of the firms. Citizen Works, a left-wing corporate watchdog, claims Kerry has received $119,285 from "the 25 Fortune 500 corporations with the most offshore tax-haven subsidiaries." He has taken $20,000 more, the Post reports, "directly from individuals at companies with mailing addresses offshore to avoid paying U.S. taxes, records show."
Moreover, "two of Kerry's biggest fundraisers, who together have raised more than $400,000 for the candidate, are top executives at investment firms that helped set up companies in the world's best-known offshore tax havens." The article points to Thomas Steyer and David Roux, each of whom has helped expatriate at least one American company.
Bush has taken more money than Kerry from such companies, the Post notes, but "the President has not made a major campaign issue out of clamping down on them."
"Kerry has come under attack from President Bush, as well as some Democrats," noted the paper, "for criticizing laws he voted for and lambasting special interests after accepting more money from paid lobbyists than any other senator over the past 15 years."
