OOIDA spells it out

By The Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group

The Real Time ticker kicked out this new filing with the Federal Election Committee–the OOIDA PAC, which stands for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association Political Action Committee. I googled “OOIDA” and found the group’s Web site — it’s a remarkable model of candor:

OOIDA is just one of hundreds of representative groups vying for the attention of lawmakers and candidates. In recent years, OOIDA’s Washington office staff has made great progress in reaching out to members of Congress and their staffs, educating them on the needs of professional truckers and securing their support. The association follows a strategic plan that concentrates on those lawmakers who are members of the important transportation and infrastructure committees. A key element of those activities is supported by the OOIDA Political Action Committee (PAC). The OOIDA PAC is a valuable resource that gives OOIDA’s representatives the opportunity to see key Washington lawmakers at their campaign events and discuss our positions on important issues. In conjunction with our lobbying and Call-to-Action grass-roots efforts, the OOIDA PAC raises the visibility of truckers’ views, interests and concerns among influential lawmakers. … Every year, special interest groups contribute millions of dollars from their PACs to politicians and political parties. In fact, when it comes to politics, the greatest advantage that large trucking corporations, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and other political opponents have had over small-business truckers and professional drivers is the amount of money they contribute to political campaigns.

This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, but rarely does one see an organization spell things out so clearly. “The OOIDA PAC is a valuable resource that gives OOIDA’s representatives the opportunity to see key Washington lawmakers at their campaign events and discuss our positions on important issues.” Nancy Watzman, call your office.

The Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group is part of the Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan Washington, D.C.-based organization that uses cutting-edge technology and ideas to make government transparent and accountable.