Web Video: John Sununu Keeps Tainted Oil Money from Indicted Senator

By Brian Lawson, PolitickerNH.com Reporter

For Immediate Release
August 4, 2008

Alex Reese
(603) 768-1714
Web Video: John Sununu Keeps Tainted Oil Money from Indicted Senator
Sununu continues to hold $39,000 in tainted campaign cash from indicted Senator Ted Stevens and his friends in Big Oil; refuses to give it back.

(Manchester, NH) - The New Hampshire Democratic Party today released a web video calling on John Sununu to return $39,000 in tainted contributions linked to Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska who faces a seven count federal indictment for perjury. Over the course of his career Sununu has received $45,000 in contributions from Stevens directly and another $6,000 from executives at VECO, an oil company connected to Stevens' alleged crimes. While Sununu announced he would return $10,000 of the tainted money he received from Stevens and $2,000 of the tainted money from VECO employees, he is keeping the remaining $39,000. [Union Leader, 7/29/08]

Click below to see the video:

"John Sununu puts the oil industry ahead of middle class New Hampshire families, and in return he gets dirty money from Ted Stevens and his friends in Big Oil. By keeping $39,000 in campaign contributions linked to an alleged felon and the oil industry, Sununu is showing his vote has been bought," said Alex Reese, press secretary for the NHDP's Coordinated Campaign. "Sununu's priority is to protect his Washington cronies and his big oil buddies instead of helping New Hampshire families that are struggling with skyrocketing energy costs -- that's why he's just part of the problem."

A 2007 investigation by National Public Radio's Marketplace revealed that "Six other hotly contested races for the Senate [in 2002] received similar support - but none quite as much cash as Sununu." [NPR Marketplace Radio, 10/11/07] Among the contributions Sununu recieved:

4/15/02 - Senator Stevens' Northern Lights Political Action Committee gives Sununu $5,000

6/25/02 - Senator Stevens' Northern Lights Political Action Committee gives Sununu another $5,000

6/25/02 - Stevens linked VECO Executive Roger J. Chan gives Sununu $1,000

6/29/02 - Stevens linked VECO Executive Steven J. Leathard gives Sununu $1,000

6/30/08 - Stevens linked VECO Executive Bill J. Allen gives Sununu $1,000

6/30/02 - Stevens linked VECO Executive Mark J. Allen gives Sununu $1,000

6/30/02 - Stevens linked VECO Executive Peter Leathard gives Sununu $1,000

6/30/02 - Stevens linked VECO Executive Richard L. Smith gives Sununu $1,000

Mid October to November 2002 - Northern Lights' non-federal Political Action Committee gives Sununu another $25,000

March 2007 - Senator Stevens' Northern Lights Political Action Committee gives Sununu $2,500

November 2007 - Senator Stevens' Northern Lights Political Action Committee gives Sununu $7,500

Source: NPR's Marketplace Radio, 10/11/07; FEC Reports; IRS Disclosures; Center for Responsive Politics

"The Bush-Sununu-Big Oil agenda is hurting New Hampshire," Reese continued. "Two weeks ago we learned of the $118,750 Sununu has taken from Iraq War contractors. At the beginning of last week we learn that Sununu is sitting on $39,000 in contributions received from an indicted felon and his big oil cronies. At the end of last week, we hear that Exxon has once again set a record for quarterly profits while New Hampshire families are hurting. This is Washington at its worst. John Sununu has shown very clearly that if we want a new direction in this country, New Hampshire needs a new Senator."

Click here to see the video.

BRIAN LAWSON is a PolitickerNH.com Reporter and can be reached via email at brian.lawson@politickernh.com.

Related topics: John Sununu, Ted Stevens, Veco, oil money