"Sugar Daddy" Saxby Chambliss
Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss got himself into hot water last year, berating a whistleblower from Imperial Sugar, shortly after a tragic and deadly explosion at that company's Savannah-area location.
In a shock to no one, Imperial Sugar corporate officers are among Saxby's top political donors.
Beyond his role as Imperial Sugar's hatchet man, Saxby has made a long career out of looking out for the special interests (and himself), using his political cash on lavish golf trips and expensive dinners.
- Chambliss took thousands in political contributions from Imperial Sugar, its corporate officers, and the sugar industry.
As a U.S. Senator, Chambliss has raked in $58,000 in sweet campaign money from the sugar industry.1
- Chambliss "lit into" Imperial whistleblower.
In Senate hearings following the tragic explosion at Imperial Sugar, Chambliss "lit into" an Imperial employee who testified about deplorable safety conditions at the site,2 even going as far as to "twice [say] he doubted Graham's sincerity and cut him off before he could answer a final question."3 The whistleblower's attorney accused Chambliss of, "espousing the company line in an effort to discredit and blunt Mr. Graham's testimony."4 Imperial's president, however, defended his pet attack dog, saying that he thought Chambliss "behaved ... with character and integrity."5
- Dodging a subpoena in the sugar case.
In October 2008, Chambliss was subpoenaed in the Imperial Sugar case, but dodged having to testify (and possibly go into detail about his cozy relationship with the sugar industry), by claiming senatorial privilege.6 A non-partisan watchdog group found that there was no merit to Saxby's claim of privilege.7
- More than just campaign cash, trips too!
The sugar industry also paid Saxby's way to Boca Raton, Florida and Asheville, North Carolina for lavish junkets, prior to the passage of stricter ethics laws by a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate.8
- In fact, Chambliss' office is a "revolving door" for former staffers turned lobbyists.
According to Senate public records and the Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act Database, at least 12 former Chambliss staff members were, or are currently, lobbyists.9 And, since he has been in the Senate, lobbying firms, their clients who former Chambliss staff members lobbied for and companies that employ former Chambliss staffers as lobbyists have given Chambliss $345,799 through their employees and PACs.10
1. "Sugar industry sweetens Saxby's pot" Savannah Morning News: 8/2/08
2 - 4. "Chambliss in sugar furor" Savannah Morning News: 7/30/08
5. "Imperial Sugar executive defends Chambliss" Savannah Morning News: 11/20/08
6. "Chambliss says he doesn't have to obey order to testify in Imperial Sugar lawsuit" Savannah Morning News: 11/16/2008
7. "Senator Chambliss is wrong: The Speech or Debate Clause Does Not Prevent Him From Testifying In Imperial Sugar Case" Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington: 11/18/08
8. Secretary of the United States Senate
9. Senate Public Records, Senate Lobbying Disclosure Database
10. Center for Responsive Politics; Senate Lobby Disclosure Database
