Fri, May 16 2008
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Published May 10, 2008 05:35 pm - How much information about a candidate is too much? Where is that line between their personal life and their professional life? Is there even a line? Andy Ostmeyer: Too much information can breed cynical voters By Andy Ostmeyer
Globe Metro Editor How much information about a candidate is too much? Where is that line between their personal life and their professional life? Is there even a line? We in the media don’t have those answers, although I think the higher the office, the lower the bar. Bad personal behavior from reckless politicians makes the news a lot. There’s Eliot Spitzer, ex-governor of New York, and now embattled Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann, who hired former Globe editor Ed Simpson. I’m of the opinion that some details of some candidates’ personal lives are relevant, including infidelity, particularly if they are indulging themselves either on the public’s dime or in ways that compromise their office or ability to lead. “A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other,” Harry Truman said. There’s advice public figures should live by. But how much more do we deserve to know about politicians? This week, members of Congress and other top officials in the executive branch will turn in financial disclosure forms listing their assets, income, debts, investment property, gifts and more. The forms are sufficiently vague enough that it is impossible to ascertain exactly how much a senator or representative may have to the penny, but they paint a broad picture. All these documents are available on the Internet through Web sites such as opensecrets.org. U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt’s wife worked for Altria Group, according to his 2007 financial disclosure, the last required so far. And while her actual salary isn’t public, the couple have an investment fund via Altria listed as having between $100,000 and $250,000. They also have a 401(k) fund worth between $250,000 and $500,000. Why is that important? Altria was the parent company of Philip Morris, among others, which is one of the largest tobacco companies in the world. It’s worth knowing, every time Roy Blunt casts a vote on health care and tobacco regulation and subsidies, what his connections are to the Altria, which also is the parent of Kraft Foods and many other household names. The same holds true for Lockheed Martin. Blunt has between $15,000 and $50,000 invested with that defense contractor. 
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