Consumer Watchdog Calls On Senators To Skip Fundraiser Set For Google Headquarters

Consumer Watchdog Calls On Senators To Skip Fundraiser Set For Google
Headquarters

Public Policy Should Be Decided In Hearing Room With Sunlight And
Transparency, Group Says

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Warning that a
Democratic Senate Campaign Committee Fundraiser scheduled to be held at
Google's headquarters in Mountain View, CA., on Friday created an appearance
of a conflict of interest, Consumer Watchdog called on the seven Senators
scheduled to appear not to attend.

The nonpartisan, nonprofit group said the Senators should avoid fundraisers
posing as public policy forums. "Public policy matters should be decided in a
hearing room with sunlight and transparency not in a $5,000-per-seat-minimum
venue on the Googleplex Campus," wrote Jamie Court, Consumer Watchdog
president and John M. Simpson, consumer advocate with the nonprofit,
nonpartisan group, in a letter to the Senators.

"Senators should discuss public policy issues in open forums accessible to
anyone who is interested. The public must not be locked out of a policy
discussion that is taking place behind closed doors of a donor-funded forum
because average Americans cannot afford the price of admission," the letter
said. "This is a private hearing, bought and paid for only by those with a
vested interest in the outcome."

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) plans to host a "National
Innovation Conference" featuring Joel Benenson, pollster to President Obama,
at Google's headquarters on Friday, Nov. 13. Senators Jeff Bingaman, Diane
Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Tom Carper, Mark Warner, Jeff Merkley, and Mark
Begich are scheduled to attend. "Hosts" are being asked to contribute $30,400;
"sponsors" would give $10,000 and "guests" pay "$5,000." Read the DSCC's
invitation here: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/DSCCNICFlyer.pdf

"Holding this fundraising event on Google's campus supposedly to discuss
technological innovation gives the company and other Silicon Valley
high-rollers a private audience with Senators that will define the terms of
the policy debate in a vacuum," the letter said. " This fundraising forum
raises the specter of pay-to-play politics when so many issues of concern to
Google and the rest of the Silicon Valley technology community are on the
table."

Read Consumer Watchdog's letter here:
http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/LtrDSCC111009.pdf

Here are the three panels planned for Friday's event:

Innovation and Technology: Sen. Merkley; Sen. Warner; David Cohen, Comcast;
Adam Grosse, Foundation Capital; Daniel Lewin, Microsoft; Mike Nevens, Permira
and Moderator: John Doerr.

Health Care and Technology: Sen. Bingaman; Sen. Begich; Ross Jaffe, Versant
Ventures; Bob Klein, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine; Nate
McLemore, Microsoft; and Moderator: Javeed Siddiqui, University of California.

Energy and Environment: Sen. Bingaman; Sen. Boxer; Sen. Begich; Eric
Dresselhuys, SilverSpring Networks; Vinod Khosla, Khosla Ventures; Stephan
Dolezalek, Vantage Point; Eric Schmidt, Google; and Moderator: David Yarnold,
Environmental Defense Fund.

"This is about money and access for Google, Microsoft, Comcast and venture
capital," the letter said. "Each of you would complain bitterly if the GOP
held a fundraiser called the 'National Conference on the Future of Energy' at
Exxon headquarters in Houston, aimed at donors across the oil patch. How is
this event different?"

The Senate will soon be deliberating a myriad of issues concerning Google,
Microsoft, Comcast and other technology giants. These issues include antitrust
concerns, online privacy rules, patent reform and Internet regulation.

"This event puts policy and campaign cash in the same breath and needs to be
cancelled before anyone's ethics are tarnished," the letter concluded.
"Lending your names to this event as currently planned will serve neither you
nor the Democratic Party. We call upon you not to attend fundraisers posing as
public policy forums."

Consumer Watchdog, formerly the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights,
is a nonprofit, nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization with offices in
Washington, DC, and Santa Monica, CA. Our website is www.ConsumerWatchdog.org

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog

John M. Simpson, +1-310-392-0522, ext 317; Cell: +1-310-292-1902, or Jamie
Court, +1-310-392-0522, both of Consumer Watchdog