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January 20, 2016

MAYDAY.US, a cross-partisan, grassroots campaign to fight big money corruption in politics by electing reformers, today followed up on new research on corporate executive Kathleen Matthews’ pay-to-play past, by releasing a second graphic which they say shows “Kathleen Matthews is willing to put corporate profits ahead of the issues she claims to support.”

More info after the graphic.

At issue is a personal contribution of thousands of dollars Matthews, currently a candidate for Congress, made to conservative Republican Senator Roy Blunt who is currently running for reelection in Missouri. She made the contribution the same day her company’s PAC donated to Blunt. According to media reports,* Matthews had a record of coordinating her company’s advocacy efforts.

Matthews made the maximum contribution allowed by law to Blunt’s campaign committee just over a year ago, despite Blunt having consistently voted against women’s access to abortion services, equal pay legislation, birth control funding guarantees, and equal marriage rights for same sex couples.

“It is the height of hypocrisy for Kathleen Matthews to campaign saying she feels strongly about these issues,” said Cyrus Patten, Executive Director of MAYDAY.US, “because her actions show that her values take a back seat when they conflict with corporate profit.”

Matthews has said she made the contribution in question because Blunt was a supporter of legislation for which she advocated. Within a month of contributions from her and fellow executives, Congress authorized $100 million per year for a program that directly led to increased profits for her company and her industry.

“This is the same shameful pattern we see all the time, and why corporate special interests get what they want and the taxpayers get the bill,” continued Patten. “Fortunately, Matthews’s chief opponent, Democrat Jamie Raskin, has consistently rejected the influence of corporate special interests and has a record of legislative leadership to show it.”

The heading on the graphic MAYDAY.US released today reads, “Matthews claims she has a 40-year record of working for women. But $2,600 says she favors corporate interests more.”

MAYDAY.US is supporting Raskin in the campaign because they say he has led by example and is a strong champion of election reform to end these kinds of pay-to-play giveaways.

“The contrast between the two candidates could not be more stark,” Patten concluded. “Jamie Raskin has personally rejected the corrupt system, has fought against it, and has been a model of effective leadership for the people of Maryland as a result. While Kathleen Matthews was buying influence and drowning out the voices of regular citizens, Jamie Raskin was lifting those voices up and making a real difference.”

The Democratic Primary is April 26, and also includes Del. Ana Sol-Gutierrez, Del. Kumar Barve, David Anderson, Will Jawando, and Joel Rubin.