Rainville donor caught up in Cunningham probe

WILLISTON — A powerful GOP leader who donated $2,000 to Republican hopeful Martha Rainville is now the focus of a federal probe into a growing corruption scandal linked to defense contractors.

In a May 11 story, the Los Angeles Times reported that Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-CA, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, was being investigated by federal prosecutors.

Rainville, who returned a $1,000 donation to Rep. Don Sherwood, R-PA, because of allegations that he abused a former mistress, is not ready to give back Lewis’ donation, a spokesman said.

“It is too early to speculate, and we will wait for more information to be released from the U.S. Attorney's Office,” said Nathan Rice, Rainville’s campaign manager.

The U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles has issued subpoenas in an investigation into the relationship between Lewis and a Washington lobbyist linked to disgraced former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-CA, the Times reported.

Cunningham resigned last November in the face of a growing corruption and bribery scandal. He later pleaded guilty to accepting more than $2.4 million in bribes from a defense contractor, and is serving eight years in federal prison.

Earlier this year, three top GOP officials sent a letter to their national counterparts asking them to waive a rule that bans the national party or related PACs from contributing to a candidate before the primary.

Immediately afterward, Rainville collected roughly $130,000 from top GOP leaders in Washington, including many with close financial ties to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who resigned his congressional seat earlier this year amidst a growing cloud of legal problems. He officially steps down June 9.

Democrats and some Republicans have criticized Rainville for taking money from some of the same GOP leaders whom she herself criticized in a campaign kickoff speech as having “lost their way,” and as a result lost “the respect of many Americans.”

Despite this criticism, Rainville is expected to see a big boost on Friday, when she welcomes First Lady Laura Bush to the Inn at Essex for a private reception and a public lunch. Tickets are $5,000 per couple for the reception and $200 per person for the lunch. As of Tuesday, there were still tickets available for the event.

On May 11, Reps. Nancy Johnson, R-CT, Deborah Pryce, R-OH, and Heather Wilson, R-NM, hosted a fund-raising lunch for Rainville at a Washington townhouse, with a suggested contribution of $1,000 per political action committee (PAC) and $500 per individual.

Rice would not say how much was raised, or how many people attended the Washington event.

Along with Rainville, the state’s former adjutant general, former Burlington restaurateur Dennis Morrisseau, and State Sen. Mark Shepard are vying for the chance to face Windsor Democrat Peter Welch, the state Senate president pro tem, in the November election. The Republican primary will be held in September.

Rainville has refused to debate her fellow Republicans before a statewide straw poll convention on May 20.

A recent poll conducted by WCAX-TV shows that Rainville and Shepard would fare about equally against Welch in the fall. Of 400 likely voters, 27 percent said they would vote for Welch and 15 percent for Rainville if that were the race. Shepard would receive 15 percent to Welch’s 27 percent. Most voters, 57-58 percent, were undecided in either race. Morrisseau was not mentioned in the poll.

Gay and lesbian fund begins accepting donations

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Vermonters and their allies can now make regular charitable contributions through a new organization.

Formed in late 2005, the Gay & Lesbian Fund of Vermont is ready to accept and pass along gifts to the charities donors specify, according to a press release.

It was started to raise awareness of the important charitable contributions made by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Vermonters and their allies. “We do this primarily by making monetary donations to other … nonprofit organizations on behalf of our donors and by facilitating volunteer support to such organizations,” the press release states.

“I think some Vermonters feel that the gay community has taken something from others or is, at least, always asking for something,” said Bennett Law, the fund’s co-founder and board president, in the press release. Six years after the bitter debate that ended in the passage of Vermont’s civil unions law, Law said he still passes lingering protest signs during his daily commute.

“Our goal is to help lessen homophobia,” he said, “by drawing attention to the positive, constructive contributions the LGBTQIA community makes to the general population through charitable giving and volunteerism.”

The nonprofit organization also sponsors Out for Good, a program that coordinates volunteer support for non-profits. Out for Good brings volunteers together for projects and activities that benefit other non-profits.

Posted May 16, 2006

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