Posts Tagged ‘Robert Bauer’

SusanAnne Hiller

Obama’s Refusal to Provide Records on Healthcare Meetings Should Sound Alarms

by SusanAnne Hiller

The obvious question is why?  Why would the Obama administration who boasted open and transparent discussions of such a sensitive subject as healthcare close the door to the opportunity to present its factual case to the American people?  Messaging anyone?  Nope.

Complying with the records request from the House Energy and Commerce Committee “would constitute a vast and expensive undertaking” and could “implicate longstanding executive branch confidentiality interests,” White House lawyer Robert Bauer wrote the committee. Translation: Nice try.

Before the Democrats rammed through the Obamacare bill (and don’t think for one little ol’ minute that our narcissistic President doesn’t love that branding), Obama and WH officials met with several high-profile insurance executives as the WaPo lists:

The list included George Halvorson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Health Plans; Scott Serota, president and CEO of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association; Kenneth Kies, a Washington lobbyist representing Blue Cross/Blue Shield, among other clients; Billy Tauzin, then head of PhRMA, the drug industry lobby; Richard Umbdenstock, chief of the American Hospital Association; and numerous others.

The most concerning is George Halvorson as he was the only executive to meet with Obama.  And here is why:

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Bret Jacobson

Is Union Priority A Dunn Deal For Obama?

by Bret Jacobson

During the Democratic primary, an arm of the powerful Service Employees International Union pressured Hillary Clinton’s campaign to fire its top strategist because he made a good living fighting unions and their policy priorities. So what will the union do now that a top Obama aid is married to a lawyer who’s tied to a firm advising clients on how to avoid unions?

Anita Dunn, White House Communications Director

Anita Dunn, White House Communications Director

The quick back story: In April 2008, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign was forced to demote its top strategist in large part because he was advising a campaign to push a free trade agreement with Colombia and operates a firm that fights union campaigns — both taboo for Democrats’ biggest special interest, organized labor.

But check out this twist, courtesy of LaborUnionReport.com. President Obama’s White House Communications Director, Anita Dunn’s husband is partner in a law firm that advises the president and fights union drives:

Ms. Dunn, according to Politico and other web resources, is married to a man named Bob Bauer. Mr. Bauer is a partner and Chair of the Political Law Group of Perkins Coie LLP.

Interestingly, according to the bio on his law firm’s website, Mr. Bauer is Counsel to Obama for America and General Counsel to the Democratic National Committee, and he has been counsel for many years to the Democratic Senatorial and Congressional Campaign Committees. Mr. Bauer is also the President’s personal attorney.

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