McCain's Burma problem: RNC chair resigns after Newsweek reveals pro-junta PR work

The man John McCain picked to organize the Republican National Convention, Doug Goodyear, has resigned today, after Newsweek revealed that his firm made $3 million last year lobbying for ExxonMobil, General Motors and other clients -- so much for McCain's anti-special-interests posturing, eh? More damning: the consulting firm Goodyear heads up, DGI, made nearly $35o,000 in 2002 for work for the Burmese junta, including a PR campaign to burnish the human-rights-violating military dictatorship's image. Newsweek's Michael Isikoff:

Justice Department lobbying records show DCI pushed to "begin a dialogue of political reconciliation" with the regime. It also led a PR campaign to burnish the junta's image, drafting releases praising Burma's efforts to curb the drug trade and denouncing "falsehoods" by the Bush administration that the regime engaged in rape and other abuses. "It was our only foreign representation, it was for a short tenure, and it was six years ago," Goodyear told NEWSWEEK, adding the junta's record in the current cyclone crisis is "reprehensible."

There's more. Lots more.