…while smoking cigarettes.

Giannoulias:

The Giannoulias Democratic Illinois Senate campaign confirmed Monday–after prodding from the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee–that Alexi Giannoulias was in Canada on Sunday attending a fund-raiser at a trial lawyer convention in Vancouver that would benefit his Senate campaign.

Fisher:

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Lee Fisher was in Canada yesterday to attend a reception with a group of American trial lawyers that is supporting his campaign, the Fisher campaign said today.

The Giannoulias campaign didn’t want to admit to the fundraising junket at all, while the Fisher campaign tried the novel technique of trying to frame it in terms of a fact-finding tour about lost Ohio jobs (apparently, Rob Portman has amazing powers over space and time; either that, or he mentally dominated Lee Fisher into losing jobs for Ohio).  I don’t see why evasions and lying – excuse me; ‘jokes’ – are necessary, here.  Trial lawyers are some of the most loyal Democratic donors in existence: they’ve paid out millions (if not billions) in campaign contributions, and get hundreds of billions in protection and opportunities* in exchange.  Shouldn’t the Democrats be proud of their patrons?

Moe Lane
PS: Here’s the list of the candidates who want trial lawyer money, foreign venue or not:

• Michael Bennet (Colorado)
• Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut)
• Robin Carnahan (Missouri)
• Roxanne Conlin (Iowa)
• Jack Conway (Kentucky)
• Chris Coons (Delaware)
• Brad Ellsworth (Indiana)
• Lee Fisher (Ohio)
• Alexi Giannoulias (Illinois)
• Paul Hodes (New Hampshire)
• Charlie Melancon (Louisiana)
• Harry Reid (Nevada) (he got the most, by the way)

If you’re looking for a hobby, making sure that none of these people are Senators next January would be an excellent one.  Particularly since at least 2/3rds of them are doomed anyway.

PPS: One hopes that none of these candidates allowed a Canadian trial lawyer to somehow contribute to their campaign funds.  Because that would be illegal, you know.

*You really didn’t think that the Lily Ledbetter Act was about fighting discrimination, did you? Nope, it was a convenient payoff for the tort industry.  Note how the Democrats ram through stuff like this just fine when they really, really want to…

Crossposted to Moe Lane.