POLITICAL SCANDAL

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1929, Page 3

POLITICAL SCANDAL

IN UNITED STATES. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). WASHINGTON, December 13. A most curious combination of circumstances reached a climax when Mr Joseph Grundy was sworn in as Senator from Pennsylvania. During recent weeks, a Senatorial investigation into the national lobbying, for new tariff rates, has been in progress. Mr Grundy is the arch lobbyist of the United States. He appeared before the Investigating Committee proudly, and without reservation he admitted that he was the arch lohby■ist. During the same time the Senate has had before it the case of Mr \ are who was prevented from taking his seat in the Senate, after election, on the ground of having spent money excessively to secure selection. During the hearing of Mr Vare’s case, Mr Grundy has been onq of the principal characters in the enquiry, he having produced evidence that Mr Vare had spent £150,000 in 1J26 to obtain the Primary nomination for Senator for Pennsylvania. Grundy also showed that Varevs opponents of whom Grundy was himself the financial backer, had spent £360,000 to get the nomination V>pp of their men. The Senate refused to give a scat to Vare, on the grounds that he had spent too much money. The law provides that the Governor of the State has the right to appoint a Senator to fill any vacancy such as was created by the rejection of Mr Vare. Governor Fisher, of '’minsylvnnia, has appointed Mr Grundy as Senator instead of •Mr Vare. Mr Grundy himself raised or contributed £80,600 to the campaign fund. This appointment is perfectly legal. The best constitutional lawyers, however. are compelled to say that Mr Grundy’s appointment should be attacked. Thus the United States has thrown out a- man for spending £150,000, and has been forced to accept in his place a man who represented an expenditure of £36,000.