By Joel Thurtell
Kudos to The Detroit News and reporter Tom Greenwood for their story today, January 28, 2010, about the influence-buying habits of billionaire Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel “Matty” Moroun.
According to the News, in the past decade, Matty donated 100 grand to “judicial elections, political action committees, members of the Detroit City Council, local and national political races and to both the Democratic and Republican parties.”
Matty knows that basic rule of human nature: Money talks.
If money talks, and Matty can pass it to the politicians, then he boosts his own talking power.
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has made it legal for businesses to pay unlimited amounts for political advertising, I expect Matty to open his wallet and shower more money on political hacks who, he believes, will do his dirty work.
For a man who seems to file lawsuits daily against government agencies, it’s interesting, though hardly surprising, that he’s buying influence with judges, too.
It’s encouraging, though, that despite his largesse, the troll under the bridge is meeting increased resistance to his demand that he be allowed to build a second bridge without proper permissions.
Money talks, but dollars signs are not the only ones speaking.
Drop me a line at joelthurtell@gmail.com
