Since retiring from Warner Bros. a few years ago, I've been involved in an unrelated new endeavor--political activism, through my blog, DownWithTyranny! I have also formed the Blue America PAC, which targets corrupt politicians, both Republicans and Democrats. Right now, we're trying to help a progressive Democrat beat a very reactionary Democrat in Pennsylvania, in an area where I lived briefly. The good guy in this race is Matt Cartwright and the villain is Tim Holden, a virulently anti-Choice, anti-healthcare, anti-gay Blue Dog who has voted more frequently with the Republicans than almost any other Democrat in Congress.
Blue America put up a few billboards in Pennsylvania pointing out that Holden is a major proponent of fracking, for which fracking corporations have paid him handsomely. He flipped out and sent out a press release attacking me as a "billionaire Hollywood record executive." As David Kahne said, laughing, when he saw it, "I sure wish he was right about you being a billionaire. You could spend some bucks and PAC him outta his gig."
I see his remark as a disparagement of our industry and what we do. I responded to him about all the good the music business has done in Pennsylvania and about the many local artists we worked with at Sire, Reprise and Warner Bros. I'm hoping that you might consider chipping in something to amplify the campaign we're waging in Pennsylvania, either here at our Act Blue Page or by check to Blue America PAC, PO Box 27201, L.A., CA 90027.
Sincerely,
Howie Klein
proud ex-record company executive
