August 16, 2008 9:03 PM

A Bargain Bayh For Corporate Interests

In case you thought Evan Bayh (D-IN) had no controversial parts of his career that might complicate his Mr. Clean vice-presidential image, make sure to check out this story from the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette:

WASHINGTON - Since leaving Indiana as a first lady, Susan Bayh has become a professional board member, earning more than $1 million a year in director fees for advice she gives to companies that make pharmaceuticals, operate radio stations, sell health insurance policies, offer online banking and distribute ingredients to fast-food restaurants.

In the past four years, Bayh collected more than $1.7 million in pre-tax income when she exercised stock options from two of the corporations. Her actual income from exercising stock options is higher, but the details of one transaction were not publicly reported.

During the same time, her husband, Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., cast more than 3,000 votes, including some on issues of keen interest to the pharmaceutical, broadcast, insurance, food-distribution and finance industries.

It goes down hill from there. Read the whole article here.

h/t poputonian