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Politico: Baucus Using Power to Influence Campaign Contributions

By Beacon Staff

Politico reported on March 1 that Democratic Sen. Max Baucus is warning lobbyists that supporting Republican Congressman Denny Rehberg, who is running against Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, will have repercussions.

Citing unnamed sources, the story says Baucus is using his position as Senate Finance Committee chairman to try to influence campaign contributions.

According to Politico:

The case K-Streeters are making to their clients: It will be a hard sell next year to get Baucus’s support on business-friendly tax perks set to expire or the Bush-era tax cuts that must get through his committee.

The game of hardball is a bold example of a powerful chairman willing to leverage his power to protect his party’s majority, his home-state colleague and potentially his own seat.

Kate Downen, spokeswoman for Baucus, issued a response the following day:

“This anonymous claim made by unnamed lobbyists is not just completely untrue, it’s entirely motivated by politics, and it would be unfortunate to let it distract us from the work of moving our economy forward and making sure we leave Montana, and our country, worthy of our kids and grandkids.”