Murkowski’s “Troubling” Conflicts on Troubled Assets

Senator claiming to “fight for Alaskans” had thousands invested in Wall Street banks and had taken thousands in Wall Street contributions when she voted for $700 billion Wall Street bailout.

Anchorage, Alaska. October 5, 2010 — Senator Lisa Murkowski had substantial and troubling conflicts of interest when she voted for the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, also known as TARP.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics (www.opensecrets.org), Murkowski’s campaign committee has received more than $217,000 in campaign contributions from Securities and Investment firms, including several that received funds from the Wall Street bailout the Senator voted for. Among these are CitiGroup, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.

All the more troubling is the very real conflict of interest that Murkowski had when she voted for the $700 billion Wall Street bailout. At the time, the Senator and her family had upwards of $335,000 invested in Wall Street banks and institutions who, in turn, received billions of dollars in bailout funds. Among them was Morgan Stanley. The information is publicly available on Murkowski’s personal financial disclosures.

“It is clear that Lisa Murkowski sold out the interests of Alaskan and American taxpayers by voting for special interests and her interests,” Miller campaign spokesman Randy DeSoto said. “At the very least, she should have recused herself from the vote. Or, she could have done the right thing for the taxpayers by voting against the bailout.”

While Murkowski has waffled on her support for TARP, Joe Miller’s opposition to the program has been steadfast and clear. The bailouts and budgets have added trillions to the national debt.

Joe Miller is the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate. Joe is a graduate of West Point and Yale Law School, a decorated combat veteran from the First Gulf War, a former state magistrate and federal magistrate judge. He and his wife Kathleen are the proud parents of eight children and live in Fairbanks where he is a practicing attorney.