To the editor:

On Saturday, Feb. 23, the Journal-World printed an article about Sen. McCain’s response to criticisms that have been leveled against him that his senior campaign team is largely made up of lobbyists. Sen. McCain was asked how the image he strives to project as a fighter of special interests squares with his close association with high-powered lobbyists. According to the article, Sen. McCain responded:

“I square it one way. The right to represent interests or groups of Americans is a constitutional right. There are people who represent firemen, civil servants, retirees, and those people are legitimate representatives of a variety of interests in America.”

The “Democracy Now” radio program, however, reports that Sen. McCain’s closest advisers actually are lobbyists for such entities as Verizon, SBC Telecommunications, AT&T, Alcoa, JP Morgan, US Airways, Southwest Airlines, Fannie Mae, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, and the Saudi government.

Didn’t Sen. McCain shade the truth?

Jane Frydman,

Lawrence