Louisianans United for Reform: More Lobbyists, More Special Interests and More LCRM for Lance Maxwell (R – Bought & Bossed)

So a PAC named Louisianans United for Reform has decided to adulterate our soundscape with 10 days of negative radio advertisements produced by Media Strategies and Research of Fairfax, Virginia. The goal, of course, is to distort the record of Chris Roy, Jr. How convenient for little Lance Maxwell: now that he has condemned the LCRM for airing an egregious and misleading advertisement about Chris Roy, Jr., during the jungle primary, a new PAC that ostensibly supports the reformation of the political process will dump $9,000 of more political toxic waste in Rapides and Vernon parishes on Maxwell’s behalf and on behalf of the LCRM. Out with the LCRM and in with Louisianans United for Reform: this is the new strategy of which Lance Maxwell will be the main beneficiary and the main accomplice. And yes, it is a strategy, for all the same Republican operatives, DC lobbyists and political donors connected with the LCRM are involved in one way or another with Louisianans United for Reform. So much for actual reform.

Louisianans United for Reform was incorporated on 1 NOV 2007, approximately three weeks after Lance Maxwell repudiated the radio advertisement the LCRM aired against Democratic candidate Chris Roy, Jr. A new PAC that was established for the sole purpose of attacking candidates for the state House who happen to have the letter D attached to their names during the final weeks of the runoff period, Louisianans United for Reform has a very specific purpose and a very warped agenda. The organization’s Chairman is a certain Mark Zelden of New Orleans, LA, and the person Mark Zelden paid to file the paperwork for the incorporation of this new PAC goes by the name of James Burland.

Mark Zelden is a lobbyist who earns his living cavorting with operatives and other special interests in Washington, DC. He has worked for The c2group, a lobbying firm that represents many industries, and Murray, Sheer & Montgomery Consultants, a lobbying firm in Washington, DC. A DC lobbyist who has contributed to all that is wrong with Washington, DC, politics is now the standard bearer for reforming politics. One wonders if this Mark Zelden ever learned the definition of hypocrisy.

That Zelden is a DC lobbyist who pressures legislators to represent special interests surfaces in his campaign finance reports. Even the most cursory review of his donation history at the Federal Electon Commission’s website reveals that Zelden is a DC insider with Republican leanings: notice how he contributed to vulnerable Republican incumbents during the 2006 election cycle; notice how he contributed heavily to David Vitter’s senatorial campaign in 2004; and notice how he has contributed to corrupt members of Congress such as Jerry Lewis (R – CA), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Roy Blunt (R – MO), Minority Whip in the US House, Curt Weldon (R-PA), a Republican who lost his reelection bid in 2006 after it was revealed that he was illegally steering Russian business contracts to members of his family through his Congressional office, and Heather Wilson (R-NM), who telephoned US Attorney David Iglesias and implored him to release sealed indictments she could politicize during the final days of her competitive reelection bid in 2006. No one who touts reform would ever donate to these politicians.

Here is Zelden’s complete donation history. And yes, the list is long. But be sure to scroll to the bottom, as the essay continues.

Contributions to Political Committees
ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112
SELF EMPLOYED/CONSULTANT

ADERHOLT, ROBERT B. VIA ROBERT ADERHOLT FOR CONGRESS
	06/29/2007	1000.00	27990243843

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112
SELF/CONSULTANT

BONILLA, HENRY VIA TEXANS FOR HENRY BONILLA
	05/10/2002	500.00	22991285622
	06/23/2006	1000.00	26930223621

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115

FLETCHER, DEWEY LEE VIA FLETCHER FOR CONGRESS
	03/13/2002	500.00	22990714543
	06/28/2002	500.00	22991369708

ROGERS, MICHAEL VIA MIKE ROGERS FOR CONGRESS
	08/13/2002	500.00	22992210634

WELDON, CURTIS W. VIA WELDON VICTORY COMMITTEE
	09/01/2006	250.00	26930464372

WILSON, HEATHER A VIA HEATHER WILSON FOR SENATE
	08/19/2002	500.00	22992093970

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP LLC/ADMINISTRATION

JINDAL, BOBBY VIA COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT BOBBY JINDAL
	03/17/2005	600.00	25980477672

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP/CONSULTANT

TAYLOR, CHARLES H VIA CHARLES TAYLOR FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
	06/12/2006	500.00	26930228655

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP/EXECUTIVE

REYES, SILVESTRE VIA REYES COMMITTEE, INC., THE
	09/27/2006	250.00	26960446561

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP/GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS

GRAVES, SAMUEL B ‘SAM’ VIA GRAVES FOR CONGRESS
	09/30/2004	500.00	24962424933

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP/LOBBYIST

AMERICAN LEADERSHIP COUNCIL PAC
	11/08/2005	1000.00	26990162719

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP/PARTNER

LOUISIANA REFORM PAC
	07/14/2005	500.00	26970087140

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2GROUP/ADMINISTRATOR

ABERCROMBIE, NEIL VIA ABERCROMBIE FOR CONGRESS
	03/30/2007	500.00	27930489339

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
MURRAY SCHEER AND MONTGOMERY/CONS

VITTER, DAVID B VIA DAVID VITTER FOR CONGRESS
	05/05/2001	500.00	21990369296

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
MURRAY SCHEER MONTGOMERY

COOKSEY, JOHN CHARLES VIA COOKSEY FOR SENATE
	12/27/2001	1000.00	22020843209

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
SELF-EMPLOYED/LOBBYIST

FORTENBERRY, JEFF VIA JEFF FORTENBERRY FOR UNITED STATES CONGRESS
	08/28/2006	250.00	26940432985

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70118
THE C2 GROUP/LOBBYIST

LOUISIANA REFORM PAC
	06/15/2006	4000.00	27940057070

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70124

COOKSEY, JOHN CHARLES VIA COOKSEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
	09/30/2000	500.00	20036241080
	09/30/2000	500.00	20036241080

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70124
CONSULTANT

VITTER, DAVID B VIA DAVID VITTER FOR CONGRESS
	05/01/2000	250.00	20035730416

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70124
MURRAY SCHEER AND MONTGOMERY/CONS

VITTER, DAVID B VIA DAVID VITTER FOR CONGRESS
	09/30/2003	2000.00	23992070117

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70124
MURRAY SCHEER MONT

BLUNT, ROY VIA FRIENDS OF ROY BLUNT
	07/06/2000	500.00	20035910141

HAYES, ROBERT C (ROBIN) VIA HAYES FOR CONGRESS
	11/07/2000	500.00	20036651854

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70124
MURRAYSCHEER MONTGOMERYTAPIA ETC.

CALLAHAN, HERBERT L VIA CALLAHAN FOR CONGRESS
	08/09/2001	1000.00	22990179729

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70124
SELF-EMPLOYED/CONSULTANT

LEWIS, JERRY VIA LEWIS FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
	05/18/2001	1000.00	21990223295

ZELDEN, MARK
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
C2GROUP

JINDAL, BOBBY VIA COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT BOBBY JINDAL
	06/20/2006	200.00	26930242495

ZELDEN, MARK
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
C2GROUP/CONSULTANT

DEFEND AMERICA PAC
	08/16/2006	500.00	26960367532

ZELDEN, MARK
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
C2GROUP/EXECUTIVE

CAROLINA MAJORITY PAC
	06/29/2005	500.00	25970741657
	06/22/2006	250.00	26950225241

ZELDEN, MARK
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
C2GROUP/GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

FREEDOM & DEMOCRACY FUND
	07/17/2006	500.00	26960426043

ZELDEN, MARK A
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP

SHELBY, RICHARD C VIA SHELBY FOR U S SENATE
	05/14/2003	1000.00	23020270936

ZELDEN, MARK A
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP LLC/CONSULTANT

FUND FOR A CONSERVATIVE FUTURE
	10/13/2004	500.00	24971766710

FUTURE LEADERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
	04/24/2003	1000.00	25980486588

LEWIS, JERRY VIA LEWIS FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
	06/30/2005	1000.00	25970661231
	03/29/2007	500.00	27930610369

ZELDEN, MARK A
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70124

RILEY, BOB VIA BOB RILEY FOR CONGRESS
	12/05/2000	250.00	21036850640

ZELDEN, MARK A
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
C2 GROUP/PRINCIPAL

PASTOR, EDWARD L VIA PASTOR FOR ARIZONA
	06/26/2007	500.00	27980070375

ZELDEN, MARK A
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
C2GROUP/LOBBYIST

HEINRICH, MARTIN VIA MARTIN HEINRICH
	06/29/2007	500.00	27930922145

ZELDEN, MARK A MR.
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP/CONSULTANT

BUSH, GEORGE W VIA BUSH-CHENEY ’04 (PRIMARY) INC
	04/06/2004	1000.00	24961374338

ZELDEN, MARK A MRS
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70124

RILEY, BOB VIA BOB RILEY FOR CONGRESS
	12/05/2000	250.00	21036850640

ZELDEN, MARK A.
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115

SWEENEY, JOHN E. VIA SWEENEY FOR CONGRESS INC
	03/26/2003	500.00	24961293952

ZELDEN, MARK A.
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C 2 GROUP/GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

BONNER, JO VIA JO BONNER FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
	05/31/2002	1000.00	22991802100
	06/20/2002	1000.00	22992377604

ZELDEN, MARK A.
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP LLC/CONSULTANT

FUTURE LEADERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
	09/30/2002	1000.00	22992333790

ZELDEN, MARK A.
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP/CONSULTANT

BAKER, RICHARD H VIA BAKER FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
	03/29/2006	250.00	26940055990

ZELDEN, MARK A.
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2GROUP/GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

ALEXANDER, RODNEY MR. VIA RODNEY ALEXANDER FOR CONGRESS INC.
	12/02/2005	2100.00	26970045155

ZELDEN, MARK A.
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
MURRAY MONTGOMERY & O’DONNELL/GOV

PASTOR, EDWARD L VIA PASTOR FOR ARIZONA
	08/13/2002	500.00	22991668476

ZELDEN, MARK A.
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70124
MURRAY SCHEER MONTGOMERY/SENIOR A

DEFEND AMERICA PAC
	10/05/2000	1000.00	20990238578

ZELDEN, MARK A.
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
C2 GROUP/ASSOCIATE PARTNER

PRYCE, DEBORAH D. VIA PRYCE FOR CONGRESS
	07/31/2002	250.00	23990819885

ZELDEN, MARK A. A
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
MURRAY MONTGOMERY & O’DONNELL (C-

OGSBURY, JAMES DONOVAN VIA JIM OGSBURY FOR CONGRESS
	09/07/2007	250.00	27990832277
	09/07/2007	500.00	27990832291

ZELDEN, MARK A. MR.
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70124
MURRAY SCHEER & MONTGOMERY/LOBBYI

BUSH, GEORGE W VIA BUSH FOR PRESIDENT INC.
	07/17/2000	1000.00	20990189459

ZELDEN, MARK MR.
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP/CONSULTANT

DAVIS, ARTUR G VIA COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT ARTUR DAVIS TO CONGRESS, THE
	09/18/2002	500.00	22992203911
	06/25/2003	500.00	23991410287

ZELDEN, MARK*
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C 2 GROUP/LOBBYIST

ROGERS, MICHAEL VIA MIKE ROGERS FOR CONGRESS
	08/13/2002	500.00	22992607057
	08/06/2003	1000.00	23992083514
	03/12/2004	500.00	24991054792
	09/24/2004	500.00	24981341213
	06/21/2005	250.00	25970654698
	03/31/2006	500.00	26960051900

Total Contributions: 42650.00

Also observe how Zelden has contributed to Democrats, particularly liberal Democrats such as Neil Abercrombie of Honolulu, Hawai’i. Zelden apparently believes lobbyists and only lobbyists can contribute to Democrats. After all, those donations were made on behalf of special interests, and only special interests have a role in government if one is a lobbyist. Citizens, however, cannot donate to Democrats, lest they become the victims of overly partisan advertisements that attempt to distort their records. But we have a Republican lobbyist on our hands, and lobbyists will do and say anything in order to ensure that their interests and the special interests are represented in government, whether it be local, state or federal. Hence the interest in Lance Maxwell, who will represent these Washington, DC, interests on Zelden’s behalf in Baton Rouge.

James Burland, the man who filed the paperwork for the establishment of Louisianans United for Reform on Zelden’s behalf with the Louisiana Ethics Board, is not a prolific donor. But the following donations are significant:

Contributions to Political Committees

BURLAND, JAMES
BATON ROUGE, LA 70808
BURLAND & ASSOC

VITTER, DAVID
VIA DAVID VITTER FOR US SENATE
10/18/2004 500.00 24021092433

BURLAND, JAMES
BATON ROUGE, LA 70808
BURLAND & ASSOC./PROFESSIONAL

VITTER, DAVID
VIA DAVID VITTER FOR US SENATE
03/31/2007 1500.00 27020140081

Similar to Zelden, Burland was a major contributor to David Vitter’s 2004 senatorial campaign. I emphasize this, as David Vitter coordinates all the activities of the LCRM, the PAC that has showered virtually every Republican candidate for the state legislature with lavish funding and with various forms of logistical support. Readers of my diaries are also aware of the various forms of bundling in which the LCRM has engaged. And yes, Louisianans United for Reform is just another extension of the LCRM’s bundling network.

The LCRM has a history of donating to PACs with the intent of maximizing the revenue and support the LCRM’s donors can funnel to various Republican candidates for the state legislature. On 4 September 2007, the LCRM donated $5,000 to Louisianans in Action, an organization that utilized these funds in order to create phone banks for Republican Gerald Long, a candidate for the state Senate, throughout the state. By the way, James Burland’s company, Burland & Associates, Inc., received $325 from Louisianans in Action for maintaining one of these phone banks. But to return to the topic of this paragraph, because the LCRM already donated the maximum amount of $5,000 as stipulated by campaign finance reform laws to Gerald Long, they had to funnel this in-kind contribution to his campaign through a different PAC. As I wrote in a different diary, the LCRM supports its candidates through the exploitation of loopholes in our state’s campaign finance reform laws. So much for reform.

And so much for Louisianans United for Reform’s committment to reform. For similar to Louisianans in Action, they too are a mere extension of the LCRM. And the benefits for Lance Maxwell of this collusion between this new PAC that was incorporated solely for him and the LCRM are twofold: Lance enjoys the benefit of receiving in-kind contributions from the LCRM above and beyond the $5,000 limit stipulated by campaign finance reform laws; and Lance does not have to rationalize yet another negative advertisement from the organization he has already repudiated, for the LCRM’s money and support has been transferred to Louisianans United for Reform.

Criminals, detectives say, always leave a trace at the scene of the crime. And when Mark Zelden incorporated Louisianans United for Reform, he left the trace of his name on the document available at the Louisiana Board of Ethic’s website. Following this trace, I happened upon the following entry in Zelden’s donation history as chronicled at the FEC’s website:

ZELDEN, MARK
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
C2 GROUP/PARTNER
LOUISIANA REFORM PAC
07/14/2005 500.00

Because the name of the organization to which Zelden donated in 2005 is eerily similar to that of Louisianans United for Reform, I decided to peruse all the donations to Louisiana Reform PAC, an organization in Shreveport that supports Republican candidates for federal offices throughout the nation. What I discovered when vetting this organization’s list of contributors at the FEC’s website are the following names, names one finds in the campaign finance reports of the LCRM:

DICKSON, ALLEN SHREVEPORT
LA 71135 04/20/2006 500.00 MORRIS DICKSON LLC/PARTNER 27940057065
DICKSON, MARKHAM SHREVEPORT
LA 71135 04/19/2006 500.00 MORRIS DICKSON LLC/PARTNER 27940057064
DICKSON, PAUL SHREVEPORT
LA 71135 04/19/2006 500.00 MORRIS DICKSON LLC/PARTNER 27940057064
DICKSON, PAUL SHREVEPORT
LA 71135 02/27/2007 1500.00 MORRIS& DICKSON LLC/MEMBER 27931036452
DICKSON JR., MARKHAM SHREVEPORT
LA 71135 04/19/2006 500.00 MORRIS DICKSON LLC/PARTNER 27940057072
GARDNER, RICHARD NEW ORLEANS
LA 70112 09/15/2006 4500.00 SELF-EMPLOYED/GEOPHYSICIST 26960677933
MOCKLER, GARY BATON ROUGE
LA 70810 08/23/2005 2000.00 MOCKLER BEVERAGE COMPANY/EXECUTIVE 26970087139
PERRY, BOB HOUSTON
TX 77234 09/29/2006 5000.00
26960677930

Gardner, Perry, Mockler and the Dicksons: all are founding donors of the LCRM. And with their friend Mark Zelden, the Washington, DC, lobbyist with an address in New Orleans, they decided to incorporate a PAC with the Louisiana State Ethics Board with a name similar to that of their federal PAC for the sole purpose of supporting Lance Maxwell, even though or precisely because Lance Maxwell denounced the LCRM’s tactics during the jungle primary. Simply change the name. But please, keep all the LCRM money flowing, and keep the negative advertisements on the air.

Will Maxwell denounce the LCRM and Louisianans United for Reform for this latest attempt to exploit loopholes in our state’s campaign finance laws, or will Lance allow the LCRM and their donors to mislead the voters of Rapides and Vernon Parishes once again? If Lance does not repudiate Louisianans United for Reform as an organization that is simply an extension of the PAC he has already denounced, he is complicit with all this political chicanery. The decision is his to make. And if he does not make the correct decision, the voters ultimately will.