Rudy's PAC and Sweeney's record

The Village Voice: Power Plays reports that John Sweeney (R NY) is one of the Republicans that Rudy Giuliani's Political Action Committee (PAC), the "Solutions for America PAC" has funded ($5,000 in 2005). For more on Rudy's PAC, see their post, here.

Sweeney does another about face in response to Kirsten Gillibrand's attention to his real voting record. One blogger reports on his sudden siding with Democrats to support a hike in the minimum wage. Democratic Minority Leader, Steny Hoyer (D MD) sponsored the wage increase and said of Republicans:

"Now we'll see what they do with it. We're going to make a very pointed issue out of this."

The minimum wage hasn't been raised since 1997. In 2004, the Economic Policy Institute noted that "Seven years of federal inaction have allowed rising inflation to eat away at the buying power of the minimum wage. Moreover, the last three years have seen a slack labor market that has produced stagnant wages and incomes."

In March of 2006, the Times Union Blog reported that Gillibrand has highlighted Sweeney's bad record:

Calling Sweeney’s representation “contrary to the district’s needs,” Gillibrand points specifically to the Republican congressman’s votes against raising the minimum wage and in support of CAFTA. ...Gillibrand stresses a message of “accountability, responsibility and trust.”

No wonder Hoyer was in the region last month to support Gillibrand's campaign, saying, "We want to indicate this is one of the most important races in the whole United States." See our May 22nd post.

If what is really needed is a representative who will side with the Democrats, then voters here should elect Gillibrand instead of keeping Representative Johnny Come-Lately. It's getting pretty obvious, right?