Ryan Anderson at the New Nebraska Network reported this morning on the increased chatter that Republican businessman Tony Raimondo was considering running for Senate… as a Democrat. This is a terrifying proposition, as I will explain in a moment, but worse than that is the information that we are hearing from several sources: the DSCC and the NDP are actively recruiting Raimondo to run for this Senate seat. Their logic? Money trumps all. Because it worked so well for 2006 Republican Senate candidate Pete Ricketts.

In 2004 Tony Raimondo was the Bush Administration’s pick for the newly created position of “manufacturing czar”, but after an outcry from the left (led brilliantly by the John Kerry campaign) his name was withdrawn from consideration. Why?

TONY RAIMONDO OUTSOURCED AMERICAN JOBS: When President Bush created the position last year he said the nation had “lost thousands of jobs in manufacturing…some of it because production moved overseas.” And some of the jobs moved overseas were moved by Tony Raimondo. In 2002, just four months after laying off 75 U.S. workers, Raimondo announced he planned to build “a $3 million factory in northwest Beijing…employing 180.” For his part, Raimondo was “unavailable for comment” because he was on a “business trip to China.”

TONY RAIMONDO IS HOSTILE TO WORKERS: Raimondo is “a longtime board member of the National Association of Manufacturers,” a group that is notorious for opposing efforts to improve conditions for American workers. NAM has lobbied to strip 8 million workers of federal overtime protections, consistently opposed any effort to increase the minimum wage to keep up with inflation and fought workplace safety laws.

TONY RAIMONDO IS A UNION BUSTER: According to the business publication Inc. Magazine, shortly after Raimondo took over Behlen in 1982 he pushed hard to decertify the labor union operating at his company. Raimondo coached management to sweet talk likely union supporters just prior to the vote and, on a close vote, was able to bust the union. Later, Raimondo said that had he not been able to get rid of the union he was not sure he would “have had the courage or determination” to continue operating the company.

TONY RAIMONDO FACED FINES FOR WORKPLACE VIOLATIONS: Under Raimondo’s leadership Behlen has been accused by the federal government of maintaining unsafe working conditions. On 5/16/98 The Omaha World-Herald reported “the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed a $123,000 fine against Behlen Manufacturing Co. of Columbus for alleged safety violations that resulted in an employee being injured.”

TONY RAIMONDO SHILLED BUSH’S TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY: On 2/7/01 the Omaha World-Herald reported “Bush was meeting with Nebraskan Tony Raimondo and dozens of other small business executives as part of his weeklong effort to build momentum for his tax package.” Raimondo was a natural ally - he had twice given the maximum contribution to Bush’s presidential campaign. The tax cuts Raimondo supported will cut the taxes of a middle class manufacturing worker (making about $35,000 year) $560 next year. Meanwhile the top 1% of earners (who make, on average, about $1 million a year) will rake in over $41,000 because of the tax cuts.

Will the next item on this list be: TONY RAIMONDO IS YOUR NOMINEE FOR SENATE?

We need to fight this. We have the opportunity to recruit a real
warrior in this race, Scott Kleeb, who will make Democrats stand up
and be proud. But we are in danger of having Scott passed over in
favor of a George Bush Republican with a large bank account. We need
to send the DSCC a strong message today: our party is not for sale.
Not to Tony Raimondo. Not to George Bush. Not to anyone.

On the Web: Draft Kleeb