Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) has long been a champion for education and the disabled. His signature legislative achievement is the Americans With Disabilities Act. So it is unusual to say the least that the relationship between Harkin and Au Clair School founder Ken Mazik goes back more than 17 years. In December 1993, as Mazik was gearing up to lobby welfare reform, Mazik and his business associates and employees contributed at least $14,000 to Harkin’s campaign committee, “Citizens for Harkin.”
Contributions have flowed into the campaign coffers of Harkin connected campaign and leadership PAC accounts ever since. But the relationship between Harkin and Mazik appears to have taken on more than the ordinary relationship of a donor who supports a politician who in turn is of course, grateful.
Take for example the time Harkin’s campaign apparently made use of Mazik’s plane. On August 3, 2000, Harkin’s campaign committee reported disbursing $1,735 to Mazik for “payment plane use airfare.” Check it out for yourself. You’ll find the disbursement in his campaign committee’s Year-End 2000 campaign finance report on record with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on the bottom of page 80 of the .pdf file.
So what was the plane used for? Well, it was most likely for a fundraiser or event of some sort. If it was a fundraiser, how’d Harkin make out? It looks like if there was a fundraiser it was actually in May, not August. On May 30, 2000, Harkin deposited $2,000 from Mazik. He also pocketed $6,000 from other known associates of Mazik.
On June 28, 2001, a strange contribution to “Iowa Senate 2002,” a joint-fundraising committee (JFC) between Harkin’s campaign committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), was deposited. Records on file with the FEC show a soft-money contribution to the JFC from “431 Corporation”, for $20,000. You’ll find the disbursement in the DSCC’s July Monthly 2001 campaign finance report on record with the FEC on the bottom of page 257 of the .pdf file. The corresponding address for the contribution was 4185 Kirkwood-St. Georges Road, Bear, DE, 19701. As you may have already guessed, the address is identical to that of Mazik’s AdvoServ Delaware location as well as other business entities associated with Mazik.
On June 14, 2001, approximately two weeks before depositing Mazik’s $20,000 contribution, Harkin sponsored an amendment to Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization bill, concerning disciplining students with disabilities.
ESEA Reauthorization – Disciplining Students With Disabilities. “Harkin, D-Iowa, amendment to the Jeffords, I-Vt., substitute amendment. The Harkin amendment would allow education agencies to establish and implement uniform discipline policies regarding all students under their jurisdiction. It would provide that if a child’s behavior is disability-related, or the school has failed to provide a required service, then the child cannot be segregated out of the classroom without following current policies and procedures. If a disabled child’s behavior is not disability-related, then the child may be removed from the classroom pursuant to general discipline code and must receive services in an alternative setting.” (S.1, CQ Vote #187: Rejected 36-64: R 4-45; D 31-19; I 1-0, 6/14/01, Harkin voted Yea)
Supporters Of The Amendment Argued That Harkins Legislation Would Allow Educators To Better Enforce Discipline. “The Senate on June 14 rejected an amendment by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, to amend the Individuals with Disabilities Act in regard to discipline. Those in favor of the amendment say it will allow educators to better enforce discipline. Those opposing the amendment argue that a uniform policy of discipline for students with or without disabilities is appropriate.” (“Congressional Votes For The Week Of 06/08 - 06/15/2001,” States News Service, 6/15/01)
On July 12, 2004, Harkin paid tribute in the Senate to Ronald Mazik, who would appear to be the father of Ken Mazik:
Harkin: Tribute To Remember Ronald R. Mazik. “Mr. President, today I want to take a few minutes to remember Ronald R. Mazik and pay tribute to the many contributions he has made to his community, to his profession, and to this country.” (Senator Tom Harkin, “Tribute To Ronald R. Mazik,” Congressional Record, 7/12/04, Pg. S7932-S7933)
• “Ron conceptualized and initiated innovations in the use of video and advanced communication systems, which are revolutionizing the way health services are provided to people with exceptional needs. His seminal work in interactive video promises to improve both the accessibility and quality of supports to those with developmental, mental and physical challenges, and brings us closer to our dream of insuring that all citizens lead a full and healthy life. The intellect and energy that Ron applied toward that goal must be regarded as an olympic performance.” (Senator Tom Harkin, “Tribute To Ronald R. Mazik,” Congressional Record, 7/12/04, Pg. S7932-S7933)
Harkin Noted Tribute Was To Father Of Ken Mazik. “Of Ron’s contributions to the field of telehealth and to society, those close to him knew that he most valued his role as a father to his sons, Ron and Ken. With his many accomplishments, he unfailingly looked to his sons as his greatest source of pride and of joy. (Senator Tom Harkin, “Tribute To Ronald R. Mazik,” Congressional Record, 7/12/04, Pg. S7932-S7933)
• “It is an honor to recognize Ronald R. Mazik for his contributions to all of our lives.” (Senator Tom Harkin, “Tribute To Ronald R. Mazik,” Congressional Record, 7/12/04, Pg. S7932-S7933)
On June 30, 2004, about two weeks before paying tribute to Ronald Mazik, Harkin’s leadership PAC - To Organize a Majority PAC (TOM PAC) - deposited $17,000 from Ken Mazik and Mazik’s known business associates.
On June 27, 2007, Harkin introduced S. 1710, the “Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act” of 2008. The related bill in the U.S. House was H.R. 3043, introduced by then-Representative David Obey (D-WI).
On June 29, 2007, two days after Harkin introduced S. 1710, Harkin’s campaign committee deposited $13,800 from Mazik and Mazik’s known business associates. $2,000 of the $4,600 Mazik originally contributed was refunded the next day, keeping $2,600. Neither Mazik nor his known business associates appear to have contributed to Obey.
Mazik’s company, AdvoServ, spent $50,000 in 2007 lobbying Harkin’s bill, S. 1710 and the House related bill, H.R. 3043. Reports by AdvoServ’s lobbyist, U.S. Strategies Corp, indicate AdvoServ’s specific lobbying issue was “Medicaid Funding, Developmental Disabilities/Autism, Telhealth/Telemedicine, Labor HHSE Appropriations S1710/HR 3043 FY ’08 Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations; provisions relating to centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS).”
Harkin’s bill, S. 1710 never came up for a vote in the Senate. However, the related bill that originated in the U.S. House (H.R. 3043) did. Harkin voted in favor of passage of the approps bill:
Fiscal 2008 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations – Passage. “Passage of the bill that would appropriate $605.5 billion, including $149.9 billion in discretionary spending, in fiscal 2008 for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education and related agencies. It would provide $63 billion for the Education Department, including $14.5 billion for Pell Grants; $14.9 billion for the Labor Department, including $3.6 billion for training and employment services; and $479.1 billion for HHS, including $29.9 billion for the National Institutes of Health and $401.4 billion, most of which is mandatory spending, for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.” (H.R. 3043, Vote #391: Passed 75-19: D 44-0; R 29-19; I 2-0; 10/23/07, Harkin voted Yea)
After the U.S. House and Senate concurred to the appropriations bill, President George W. Bush issued a veto. The House voted to override the veto on November 15, 2007, but failed.
Perhaps this is all coincidence, but questions remain. Above and beyond any relationship Harkin may have to Mazik, the biggest question is whether Harkin is the right man for the job to push education reform as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions.
Tomorrow, I’ll finally wrap this all up by trying to make sense of all these posts the past two weeks or so and wrap up my education reform rant.
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