Monday, June 23, 2008

Weiner's quid pro quo

MODEL-$$ BOOST FOR WEINER
By MAGGIE HABERMAN, NY Post

An immigration lawyer supporting a bill that Rep. Anthony Weiner is pushing to give foreign models easier entry is holding a fund-raiser for the likely 2009 mayoral hopeful, The Post has learned.

Immigration lawyer Eric Bland, whose firm has represented some top modeling agencies, will play host to a June 30 event to boost Weiner's mayoral run.

Bland reportedly also helped raise $10,000 from top modeling agencies for Weiner's 2005 failed mayoral run.

Political experts said the timing of the fund-raiser, soon after Weiner's bill was revealed, raised eyebrows.

"Clearly it looks like a quid pro quo, and anything that looks like a quid pro quo is not good," said Baruch College political science expert Doug Muzzio.

Bland dismissed that, saying he hadn't spoken to Weiner after 2005 until last March, adding, "Quite honestly, I [just] really like Anthony . . . I haven't had any conversations with him [about the bill]."

Weiner's bill calls for placing foreign models in a separate immigration category. They now compete against tech workers for precious H-1B work visas.

An aide said Weiner, a House immigration-subcommittee member, has long favored the move, which gives "job preservation" for industries like stylists and photographers, and that he has "many supporters in the fashion, publishing and advertising sectors, part of the creative class that helps create thousands of good jobs."

maggie.haberman@nypost.com

Today, the News looked at Special interest money in Weiner's congressional race.

Rep. Anthony Weiner has sworn off special interest money for his mayoral campaign next year - but he's raking it in for his congressional reelection bid this fall, federal records show.

The Queens Democrat collected $42,500 from unions and political action committees in the last filing period even as he has spurned their cash in the city race, saying, "We need to restore faith in transparency."

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The Queens Democrat collected $42,500 from unions and political action committees in the last filing period even as he has spurned their cash in the city race, saying, "We need to restore faith in transparency." "

So, transparency is a virtue that can be turned on or off whenever it is useful?

Weiner is just another sleaze like his master/mentor: Press Conference Schumer.

Frank Lloyd Crap said...

I agree with Anthony, I think the treatment of foreign models is the most important problem we have to solve in Congress. Fuck the economy, oil prices, national security and the environment: these are all secondary issues. Let's help models first.

Maybe he figures this is his only shot at dating a foreign model.

Anonymous said...

Now here is a story that should be in the Daily News

Weiner gave $282,000 for a counseling program for small business at the Sephardic Angel Fund in Brooklyn. That is the same program that That is the same program that Councilman City Domenic Recchia was in the papers and Queens Crap connect the dots reporters

Recchia sponsored thousands of taxpayer dollars for a nonprofit that gave a wealthy board member an improper interest-free loan

Anonymous said...

"Maybe he figures this is his only shot at dating a foreign model."

You hit the nail on the head.

Anonymous said...

They have to decide between Cynthia Masasi or a tech worker? I think it's a no brainer but hell, if all it takes is legislation to make it easier for beautiful people to enter this country, I'll vote for him through to the Presidency to see it happen.

Anonymous said...

What the hell do models want him for?

He's got a giant nose on a stupid face.

Anonymous said...

"Maybe he figures this is his only shot at dating a foreign model."


Actually, a similar statement like this made the Economist Magazine (all the problems we face and he gets world-wide exposure on this!)