Firedoglake takes Lieberman to task following last night’s debate

Evidently after the debate Lieberman walked up to Ned and said "You goddamn sonovabitch," and something to the effect of "how dare you run those direct mail pieces accusing me of voting for the energy bill in 2005 because of campaign contributions from the oil companies."

Don't know what Joe's so angry about. He should be proud of that record-breaking $15 million dollar war chest, and the things he's done to raise it:

LIEBERMAN REWARDED FOR HIS "BIPARTISAN' ANTI-ENVIRONMENT VOTES WITH ENERGY INDUSTRY CASH: Lieberman has cashed in from his willingness to cast key votes against the environment. In the last year and a half alone, he has received more than $72,000 in corporate PAC contributions from the energy industry – that's almost $1,000 in energy PAC contributions per week since 2005. Since 2000, he's raked in more than $285,000 from the energy industry. This includes PAC contributions from, among others, Texaco, Conoco, British Petroleum and Occidental Petroleum. It also includes contributions from the natural gas industry that will benefit from Lieberman's support of stripping Connecticut's ability to regulate the construction of natural gas terminals in Long Island Sound. Specifically, Lieberman has received contributions from the American Gas Assocation, Consolidated Natural Gas and the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America. Meanwhile, Enron lobbyist Michael Lewan (also formerly Lieberman's chief of staff and a top fundraiser for John Rowland) continues to hold K Street fundraisers for Lieberman in Washington, D.C. [Sources: Center for Responsive Politics, Lieberman report, 2001-2006 Center for Responsive Politics, Lieberman PAC report; Hartford Courant, 8/4/06.]

Update: Joe Lieberman said in 2005 that “The health of the Long Island Sound is crucial to our region’s economy, quality of life and heritage.” Yet just a few months after saying that, he was the only Democrat in the New England to vote for President Bush’s Energy Bill – a bill that strips Connecticut’s right to prevent Long Island Sound from being the site of potentially hazardous liquid natural gas terminals. After casting his vote, Lieberman was rewarded with more than $50,000 in campaign contributions from the energy industry – a ten-fold increase in energy contributions from what he had received in previous years in the same time period. That included Lieberman recently being the guest of honor at a lavish fundraiser sponsored by, among others, Edison Electric and the American Gas Association – both energy special interests that will make a fast buck from Lieberman’s vote to sell out Long Island Sound.

Why, who would ever think that there was any quid-pro-quo going on?