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Folks, it appears that the oligarchs will do anything to ingratiate their bottom line. That includes hiring a public affairs company to add some “spin” to the $78 million taxpayer fleecing.
For those that have not been following the ongoing saga, we are referring to Tradepoint Atlantic. This particular article shines the spotlight on the company KO Public Affairs.
Our readers might be interested in this quote from a “Happy New Year” message from KO:
Last month, we closed out the year by helping Tradepoint Atlantic secure $78 million in infrastructure funding to unlock the value of its already-booming 3,200-acre Baltimore County site. This project pushed the total value of infrastructure funding KO has helped clients achieve over $1 billion. Read More
Here’s the kicker to that quote. When you click on the words “Read More,” you go right to a Baltimore Sun article that reads like a full-blown commercial for TPA, including a video for which the VP of Corporate Affairs, Aaron Tomaricho, is featured as the “talking head.”
We here at the Baltimore Post call that shilling for corporate welfare.
The swamp becomes even more polluted when you start to connect the dots. Two of those dots, or ink smudges if you prefer, lead right back to Johnny O and the new (clueless) Council Chairman, Tom Quirk, whose website still indicates that the late Kevin Kamenetz is still our county executive.
You will notice many of our articles dealing with the rich and powerful include the term “oligarchs.” We believe this is justified–as the saying goes, “The proof is in the pudding.” Below is an interesting quote regarding the CEO of KO Public Affairs, Steve Kearney:
He has been a strategist on many of the MidAtlantic’s most challenging public policy and development projects, and has served as a consultant to European, South American and African governments seeking to improve relationships within the United States. He also helped lead debate prep for Governor Martin O’Malley’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Is it really wise to brag about prepping former “1%” Presidential Candidate Martin O’Malley? Then again, after the O’Malley boondoggle, why would they brag about securing a $78 million taxpayer-funded loan to TPA?
That answer may be found in the word campaign contributions. Shall we take a look at who received some of the cash from the oligarchs?
The total amount of money doled out to the politicians in Baltimore County from KO Public Affairs was $11,650, with Johnny O taking in $4,850 of that amount. Council Chairman Tom Quirk also received some loot from the KO folks.
You can see how we connect the dots once again.
On the TPA side of campaign contributions, the amount were slightly higher. The total amount of cash headed for the campaign coffers of the various politicians was for $12,840.
The total amount between TPA and KO is $24,490. One has to be thinking, based on the wealth of those pushing for corporate welfare, they figure that the politicians will sell taxpayers out for next to nothing.
Let’s put it to you this way–the only person currently in power in county government, and that includes the council and the executive, was Councilman Wade Kach.
There was an announcement of a new tenant down at TPA’s high-rent district made with little fanfare. The state and Gov. Larry Hogan put out this little ditty through the Department of Commerce:
Perdue AgriBusiness, a division of Perdue Farms, announced today a $30 million investment to open an organic grain receiving and storage facility at Tradepoint Atlantic in eastern Baltimore County to meet the rising demand for organic feed ingredients for Perdue Foods and other companies in the region. The facility will also include grain and oilseed processing/milling and support more than 25 new jobs.
Despite the politicians willing to sell their souls to the highest bidder and all the propaganda that keeps promising 17,000 jobs emanating from TPA, our RINO governor felt was necessary to announce a total of 25 new jobs for nothing more than a grain elevator.
Very sad when you consider the cost to the taxpayers, not to mention the ramifications of having the largest logistical support on the east coast one and the damage to those communities surrounding it.
Maybe this whole issue of corporate cronyism and welfare comes down to one significant issue–who has the biggest (insert term here). Judging by the above photo of the yacht belonging to Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, this almost absurd monstrosity borders on complete decadence.
Could it be that Steve Bisciotti and his cousin Jim Davis are asking for government handouts in order to have a bigger (insert term here) than Jerry Jones?
Here is the final quote from the CEO of KO, Steve Kearney, that may give this article some real clarity:
Win.
Whether it’s the unique story-telling, the cutting-edge creativity, the winning strategy, the essential organizing or the spot-on tactics, KO gets results.
Our clients deserve the best, and that’s what we aim to deliver.
Helping our clients take care of their most pressing issues of the day or strategizing about their next business focus is what makes us tick. Whether it’s passing legislation in state capitols or major ballot initiatives, promoting the R&D tax credit across the country, educating the public about the opioid crisis, or recruiting support from the grasstops, we are here to get it done.
America’s toughest firm comes from the heart of the grittiest city. Where uncertainty is opportunity, peril is promise, and fight is form.
Fight.
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