John Kerry

Walmart Withdraws from ALEC, Wallows in Bribery Scandal

Submitted by Paul Chesser on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 11:07

Mike Duke photo In an unsurprising, capitulatory move last week, Walmart joined several other major companies and withdrew its membership from the American Legislative Exchange Council, which advances the principles of free markets and limited government at the state level through legislative idea exchanges.

The move preceded Friday’s annual shareholder meeting, in which executives emphasized their commitment to principles of integrity. That came into question especially since April, when the New York Times revealed that company officials authorized millions of dollars in bribes in order to expedite building permits and other favors in Mexico.

Can Taxpayer-Subsidized Battery Maker A123 Survive?

Submitted by Paul Chesser on Tue, 03/06/2012 - 11:26

The taxpayer-funded ($279 million) battery supplier that gave big raises and parachutes to its executives shortly after it cut “Green jobs” at its Michigan factories, reported last week it would suffer big losses again for 2011.

A123 Systems, whose fortunes were entwined with those of electric vehicle startup manufacturer Fisker Automotive, also announced it would look to China and India in order to survive.

After Layoffs, Execs Get Big Raises at Taxpayer-Funded A123

Submitted by Paul Chesser on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 21:05

A taxpayer-funded electric vehicle battery company, that is considered in great danger due to its dependency on troubled EV company Fisker Automotive, has awarded its top executives big salary increases despite a steep downward trajectory in its stock price.

Massachusetts-based A123 Systems -- which received $279.1 million in stimulus money from the Department of Energy, and up to $135 million in incentives from the State of Michigan -- boosted the base salaries of two vice presidents and its chief financial officer on February 8.

Taxpayer-Funded Green Job Losses Easy as A123

Submitted by Paul Chesser on Fri, 12/02/2011 - 09:40

It’s another day, and another round of layoffs by a recipient of millions of dollars under the Obama Administration’s renewable energy initiatives, administered by the mismanaged Department of Energy.

This time the Recovery Act largesse – taken out of the hide of taxpayers – went to A123 Systems, Inc. The Massachusetts-based energy storage company was given $249.1 million to help launch two battery-manufacturing plants in Michigan. A123 also received grants and tax credits from the state that could total more than $135 million. In a separate federal grant as a subcontractor for another grantee, A123 received nearly $30 million for a wind energy storage project.

John Kerry’s Yacht: Another Tax on Rich Republicans

Submitted by Ben Johnson on Thu, 07/29/2010 - 17:05

Kerrry boat Sen. John F. Kerry has just passed another tax onto wealthy Republicans - by having his wife pay half-a-million dollars in back taxes on his yacht.

Kerry has been docking his $7 million, 76-foot yacht, Isabel, in Rhode Island, which has no yacht tax, since he purchased it in March. However, Massachusetts has a 6.25 percent "use" tax on any item bought elsewhere for use in Taxachusetts. State officers regularly track down those purchasing tires, alcohol, or other consumer goods in neighboring states, such as tax-free New Hampshire.

Kerry Appears With Union Bosses Tainted By Corruption at Jesse Jackson Conference

Submitted by Carl Horowitz on Mon, 07/05/2004 - 00:00

Peter Flaherty, Pres. of the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), accused Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) of "making a mistake" in agreeing to speak at an "International Labor Breakfast" at the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and Citizenship Education Fund Annual Conference in Chicago on June 29. The other two speakers at the breakfast are associated with unions having long histories of corruption. They were John Wilhelm, Pres. of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees (HERE), and John Coli, Pres. of Teamsters Joint Council 25 in Chicago.