Representative Knollenberg Gives Friend & Big Donor Millions of Dollars in Government Contracts

Vote No on JOE!!

Congressman Knollenberg has gotten himself snared in the Culture of Corruption in Washington, D.C. The December 11, 2005, New York Times (“Congressman Adds More Vegetables to Amtrak’s Load) reported that Knollenberg threatened to withhold $8.3 million dollars from Amtrak if they did not increase the amount of freight they hauled.

The only company that supplies the rail cars that Amtrak would have to buy to haul such freight is a company named ExpressTrak which is owned by a Detroit-area resident named Anthony Soave. According to the New York Times article, Mr. Soave and his family and his employees have donated $46,000 to Knollenberg’s campaign.

Given that Knollenberg has been a critic of Amtrak's primarily for their difficulty in making a profit, Knollenberg turns around and forces them to enter into a contract that is a losing proposition for them. It is a huge "winning" proposition though for Knollenbergs crony friends.In addition to forcing Amtrak to take on business that will result in economic losses to Amtrak, this past summer, Congressman Knollenberg tried numerous times to make severe cuts to Amtrak's budget. He even tried to pass a bill that would have prevented Amtrak from using federal funds on certain subsidized routes.

Had the Knollenberg plan been adopted, Amtrak would have had to eliminate 18 routes in 24 states. They basically would have had to shut down all of their long-distance routes.So, while complaining that Amtrak isn't making a profit, Knollenberg keeps trying to force them into even more situations where the result would be that they would lose even more money. According to an Amtrak spokesman, if Knollenberg's budget for Amtrak was adopted, it would likely have gone out of business within a year. tried to get Amtrak’s budget cut down so far it would likely have gone out of existence within a year.

There is one more twist to this story – apparently there was a lawsuit between the almost bankrupt Amtrak and ExpressTrak. ExpressTrak’s lawyers were apparently trying to settle the lawsuit with Amtrak for – oh, could this just be a coincidence -- $8.3 million. So, by budgeting $8.3 million dollars to the nearly penniless Amtrak, Knollenberg was assuring that the Company would have just enough money to pay-off one of his largest campaign donors.

Now, after this suspicious little arrangement has been made public, Knollenberg says he will try to get the funds rescinded.

Unfortunately, you cannot un-ring a bell.

A bad act is a bad act even if you apologize afterwards.

What is the culture in Congress that these people think it is okay to accept tainted money until they get caught with it and the scandals become public?

Where does it stop?

Where is their integrity?

Michigan residents deserve an honest government.

Knollenberg has demonstrated that he is a member of the Culture of Corruption "Club" in Congress.

Vote to force Representative Knollenberg to retire so he can't misuse or abuse the interests of the American people.

Vote No on Joe!