McCain's International Ties Scrutinized

First John McCain came under fire for hiring lobbyists to advise him during his presidential bid after cultivating a reputation for opposing the influence of special interests on government. Now he's being criticized for the specific work that those lobbyists do.

This week, two of McCain's advisers, Doug Davenport and Doug Goodyear, had to step down from their posts after it came to light that they worked for lobbying firm DCI Group, which was paid in 2002 to represent Burma's oppressive military junta. In the first three months of this year, DCI Group has been paid $710,000 for its lobbying work on behalf of all clients, and the firm brought in $3 million total last year. Some of its more recent high-paying clients include Colorado State University, biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. Online advocacy group MoveOn.org blasted other McCain operatives this week for their ties to oil companies and other questionable world leaders. The liberal activists called on McCain to fire adviser Charlie Black for previously working at a lobbying firm that "represented brutal dictators like Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines and Mobutu Sese Seko in Zaire," according to the Washington Post. McCain this week said that his campaign would do a better job vetting the people who work for it.

It seems the advisers and other employees of DCI Group are also among McCain's financial backers, according to Mother Jones. Goodyear and his wife gave $4,600 to McCain's presidential campaign and $2,500 to his PAC. Davenport and his wife, Kelley, gave $6,900 to McCain's presidential campaign and $3,500 to his PAC. McCain has collected a total $20,500 from DCI Group employees.

The Arizona senator had to put out another public relations and political fire this week when the Associated Press questioned his wife, Cindy, about her $2 million investments in mutual funds that have holdings in Sudan-related companies. McCain has spoken out against the mass killings in Sudan's Darfur region and Cindy McCain immediately sold her assets in American Funds-Europacific Growth Fund and Capital World Growth & Income Fund, which were reported on McCain's required personal financial disclosures. As we reported in December, most members of Congress--and the public--aren't aware that they may have a financial stake in Sudan.