From Deseret News archives:
Porn firms donated to Cannon, report says
But only if you believe respected companies like Marriott International and General Motors are pornographers.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released the report Friday, naming Cannon, 10 other House members and four senators who they say took contributions from "corporations and executives who derive substantial profits from selling pornography."
The group says Cannon, who is adamantly opposed to pornography, took $24,000 from skin purveyors during the 2002 and 2004 election cycles.
"It is one thing to be silent on the issue and accept porn purveyors' contributions," said CREW executive director Melanie Sloan. "However, these members of Congress attempt to slap pornographers with fines and legislative restrictions with one hand and turn around and accept porn profits with the other."
"This is just absurd," said Charles Isom, communications director for Cannon. "Congressman Cannon is on the national advisory board of Character and Morality in Entertainment, he is an original co-sponsor of numerous pieces of legislation to combat child pornography and he has been a vocal supporter of the Family Movie Act."
"Pornography is a serious issue, and Congressman Cannon has a long and serious record of fighting pornography," he added. "This report, however, is not a serious part of the dialogue, and to suggest that the likes of Marriott International and GM are pornographers is laughable."
In fact, you won't find pornography icons anywhere on the list of contributors. The CREW study takes the approach that since in-room pornographic movies result in substantial profits for hotels, and that a portion of cable and satellite company revenue comes from pay-per-view porn, therefore any contribution from those companies constitutes a contribution from pornographers.
Among the offending pornographers named were Marriott International (which has deep Utah ties), Holiday Inns, Comcast Cable, Time Warner and even General Motors, which owns Direct TV.
CREW did not identify Cannon as the worst offender in Congress. That dishonor went to Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., who was labeled the "biggest hypocrite of all" for writing a letter to former Vice President Al Gore demanding that he return a contribution from an adult entertainment Web site and for "ranting" at Viacom executives for caring more about profits than morality.
She accepted $47,000 in porn profits, the group claims.
E-mail: spang@desnews.com
