From NYT: Corker Says He Faced ‘Tough’ Decision in Supporting Republican Tax Bill

Yeah, Whether the Corker Kickback was Large Enough to Buy His Vote, Or Did He
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Because the media doesn't understand the technicalities of taxes they have focused on the change of heart by Sen. Bob Corker (R, Tn) who changed his vote on the tax bill from negative to positive.  This happened after the Conference Committee added a provision that would likely benefit Corker by millions.  But instead of flat out admitting what he did Corker has put out fake outrage about the story, and is trying to claim he acted on prinicipal.

WASHINGTON — A day before Republicans are expected to begin voting on their $1.5 trillion tax cut, the big question was not whether it would pass but why the lone Republican Senate holdout, Bob Corker of Tennessee, suddenly flipped his position to support a bill he once said was fiscally irresponsible.

The theories varied from political to financial. Some suggested Mr. Corker, who has said that he will not seek re-election to the Senate, may be rethinking his political future, while others claimed he was bought off by a late-added provision that would benefit people with large real estate holdings, including him.

In an interview on Monday, Mr. Corker dismissed those theories and said he faced a wrenching decision as a Republican lawmaker with deep concerns about the country’s mounting debt and a strong desire to overhaul the tax code. In the end, he said, he put his fiscal principles aside on the assumption that the nation would be better off with the tax cuts than without.

Senator Corker was a hard no, a very hard no, a very public no. What changed? Well not the essence of the bill which had only minor differences from the Senate version he voted against. So the only thing that is likely is that he got a whisper from the leadership, support the bill and we will do a nice thing for you. Sen. Corker is very wealthy, but his greed apparently knows no limits. He is leaving the Senate, his departure probably his only contribution to the welfare of the nation.