DeLay to Be Subject of Ethics Complaint

Rep. Chris Bell Will Accuse House Majority Leader of Multiple Violations
By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 15, 2004; 8:25 PM

A Democratic congressman plans to file a wide-ranging ethics complaint today against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), shattering the remnants of a seven-year-old, unwritten ethics truce between the two parties and possibly nudging the House back toward a brand of political warfare that helped topple two speakers.

<snip>

The 18-page document has three components.

Westar: Officers of Kansas-based Westar Energy wrote memos in 2002 citing their belief that $56,500 in campaign contributions to political committees associated with DeLay and other Republicans would get them "a seat at the table" where key legislation was being drafted. Bell's complaint says DeLay "illegally solicited and accepted political contributions in return for official action," but DeLay has said he did no such thing.

TRMPAC: Bell repeats earlier claims that the Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee, created by DeLay, laundered $190,000 in corporate donations through the Republican National Committee, which sent $190,000 to Texas GOP candidates. State law bars such candidates from using corporate donations. DeLay and other Republicans deny the charges.

Federal Aviation Administration: Bell's complaint says DeLay "improperly used his office" when it asked the FAA to help locate a private plane last year. The plane was thought to be carrying Texas Democratic legislators who were preventing a quorum that Republicans needed in Austin to pass their contentious redistricting plan. DeLay has denied any wrongdoing.

More:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41568-2004Jun14.html

I want THAT scumbag out of MY HOUSE OF REPRESENATIVES!!!!!!!!!!

Pardon the pun, please. ;)

:headbang:

Tom Craddick, go down also?

Maybe the GOP caucus in the Texas Legislature and U.S. Congress will fold like a house of cards.

(on edit: correction)

Part I: Tom DeLay's Axis of Influence

"It is well known that Enron lavished money and attention on political figures all over the nation's Capitol. But for an insight into how carefully the company cultivated members of Congress, look no further than its efforts to please Representative Tom DeLay." (The New York Times, Jan 16, 2002)


By the time Enron collapsed, its tentacles had penetrated deep into our federal government. No investigation into just how deep would be complete without a comprehensive examination of House Majority Whip, Tom DeLay.

In researching this story, it quickly became apparent that Tom DeLay's deep and personal involvement with Enron was not an exception but part of a pattern of controversial relationships that reach back to DeLay's earliest days in Congress.

All these relationships were consistent with a far-right, free-market, anti-regulatory philosophy that DeLay has raised to nearly religious status and upon which he has created a lucrative and ruthless power base.

Among other discoveries, we found a startling contrast between the wholesome, born-again, pro-family image DeLay portrays to voters back home in Sugarland, Texas, and the controversial causes and companies he backs in Washington.

A closer examination of Tom DeLay seems particularly important now, not so much because of his Enron entanglements, but because of his pending political promotion. With the announced retirement of House Majority Leader, Dick Army, (R-Tex) Tom DeLay is widely expected to ascend to that important post, making him the second most powerful person in the House of Representatives.

more --------> http://www.alternet.org/story/13104

You've gotta be shittin' me. I shudder to think what the House would be like under his leadership. It's corrupt enough as it is with a GOP majority.

Please, God - let the House Ethics Committee have a conscience.

his opponent, Richard Morrison, and I'm not even in his district. The postcard said that only 36% of the voters in the district want to re-elect DeLay.

able.

DeLay is an absolute, total scumbag. These charges being leveled against him are a long time coming.

Can't wait to see that sawed-off dirtball finally out of Congress.

... 65% of the vote in 2002, I think. There are lots of fundies in Sugar Land, and DeLay preaches to `em in their churches during election season....

I hope that percentage is an indication of the number of non-voting people in his district that are going to vote this year.

by DeLay and Enron...We plan to get revenge at election time. :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke::nuke:

... to wake up Sugar Land voters about DeLay, then I hope they all remember, for a long time, what happened when they kept putting him in office. Geez, I would love to see that sleazebag back in Houston, squashing cockroaches.

I hate that fact that Bell is getting screwed by Delay's redistricting plan. I hope that the ethics committee takes this complaint serously.

YEAH!!!!!

The Washington Post Magazine did a story on DeLay a few years back - a real sappy piece about what a hardscrabble childhood DeLay had and something about his adopting and helping out kids who'd had similar experiences to his.

I almost :puke: 'ed.

:bounce:

...is still out there doing good work...

Rock on Chris!!!

A DeLay ally, Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.), said Republicans "are going to have to respond in kind" by filing ethics charges against key Democrats. From now on, he said in an interview, it's a matter of "you kill my dog, I'll kill your cat." Doolittle said he plans to file ethics charges against a prominent Democrat but would not name the target.

Who'd you think he's got in mind?

The cover story of this week's Houston Press is about DeLay and his "charities". You can read it here. Only in Texas!
http://www.houstonpress.com

Another wonderfully wicked site hammers the Hammer with the true wit and charm of a Southern Texas Lady. Sort of a Ann Richards/Molly Ivins. Miss Juanita doesn't miss a thing, poor little roachman.
http://www.brazosriver.com/howmany.htm

In the meantime, I'm thinking Chris Bell for Governor of Texas!!!

:hi:

Texas is a great state, but they've got some lousy politicians. :scared:

...for the Miss Juanita link. I really enjoyed that one and have it bookmarked now.

Duplicate, please continue discussion in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=620999&mesg_id=620999

Sorry! :(

I wish Patricia Ireland would write about how she felt when she came to talk to the Republican Senate (?) and I think it was Helms who told her in a condescending manner, (and I'm paraphrasing) how do we get you a seat at the table?

The Republican party had just taken control of our government, and I couldn't help feeling that Patricia Ireland looked helpless and defeated. Those words stuck with me, because I realized what it meant. Openly he was saying, you have to play by our rules and the only way that we'll acknowledge your existence is if you do exactly as we ask.