The Year That Was...

12/22/2003

In any other year, Rep. Tom DeLay's (R-TX) performance on "Meet the Press" this Sunday might have seemed strange. But 2003 was filled with such bitter rhetoric and misleading half-truths from the right wing that DeLay's nutty rantings actually provide fitting closure to the year. Let's take a look at some of his comments, as well as a recap of the year that was 2003.

Rep. Tom DeLay appeared on "Meet the Press" yesterday determined to end the year with a bang, not a whimper. He called the war in Iraq "exciting," and compared Democrats to morons, hippies and (gasp!) the French.

And then he started saying really ridiculous things. Check out this exchange between DeLay and host Tim Russert:

MR. RUSSERT: [President Clinton's] first budget submission which passed without one Republican vote, you'll give him no credit for that?

REP. DeLAY: None at all because it raised taxes and made it even more difficult for us to come back in 1995 and change his economic policies and get us back to balance.

MR. RUSSERT: As long as we have these $500 billion deficits, will you not introduce any more tax-cut legislation?

REP. DeLAY: Tax cuts will lower the deficit and bring us back to balance.

This represents by far the most ludicrous exchange during the interview. First DeLay attempted to take credit for the record economic expansion under the Clinton administration, and then he attempted to once again sell the idea that reduced revenue will actually lower the budget deficit. Besides being mathematically challenged, DeLay's faith-based economic theories are contrary to all the actual experience we've had with supply-side economics. After three successive years of massive tax cuts, the federal budget deficit stands at roughly $500 billion, the largest it's ever been - are we missing something here?

But DeLay wasn't finished. Watching him spew hateful rhetoric is like watching Picasso go to work on a blank canvas. Except instead of using oil on canvas, DeLay's preferred medium is verbal garbage on the public record. Which leads us to this bombshell:

REP. DeLAY: You know, the Democrats want to balance the budget by raising spending and raising taxes. The Soviet Union had a balanced budget.

Apparently sensing he hadn't gone far enough with his comparisons to morons, hippies and the French, DeLay kicked his rhetoric into a higher gear later in the show and compared Democrats to communists because they're pushing for a balanced budget. This statement is the "Guernica" of hateful political diatribes. What better way to cap off a command performance than some good old-fashioned red-baiting? This must constitute getting into the Christmas spirit for DeLay: calling Democrats dirty Greens and treacherous Reds. There is no word whether or not he spent the rest of his Sunday terrorizing the Whoos down in Whooville.

But employing false economic logic and engaging in bitter name-calling has been a hallmark of 2003. President Bush promised in his inaugural address to "change the tone in Washington," and he has - under the Bush administration, things have transformed from typical partisan bickering to outright political garbage-throwing.

Anyone who opposed the president's ill-planned rush to war was labeled a traitor.

Anyone who dared question the president's overstatements of intelligence information was labeled a traitor and a wimp.

Anyone who opposed tax cuts was labeled a tax-and-spend liberal. And a traitor.

And the list goes on.

Democrats in Congress were the most frequent recipients of such attacks, but by far the worst retaliation was administered against Valerie Plame, wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, who dared speak out against the president's bogus yellowcake claim.

President Bush and other administration officials frequently overstated Iraq's WMD capability before the war, from the president's ominous State of the Union address, to Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to the UN shortly thereafter. And let's not forget about Vice President Dick Cheney's quote on "Meet the Press" that Iraq had "reconstituted nuclear weapons."

When Wilson finally called the administration on their elaborate charade, the Bush political team responded with a political whack job - they outted the identity of his wife, a CIA operative, by leaking it to conservative columnist Robert Novak. In the political non-surprise of the year, an investigation that is being conducted by Attorney General John Ashcroft's FBI has not found the source of the leak.

The Plame story stands out as a particularly savage tale, although it would stand out even more if there wasn't a near-constant barrage of political invective and misleading statements generated by the Bush White House. Quick bullet points cannot hope to summarize the president's atrocious record, but they will give an idea of how many ways the administration has failed the American people.

Economy: Treasury Secretary John Snow estimated that the president's plans would create a few hundred thousand dollars of jobs each month. It has not. Meanwhile, the deficit is at record levels, spending is up, and the administration still has not ruled out even more tax cuts.

Environment: President Bush backtracked on earlier promises to create strict mercury restrictions. The so-called "Clear Skies Initiative" significantly undermines the Clean Air Act, and national forests have been opened up to commercial logging interests. And Vice President Cheney's Energy Task Force continues to stonewall investigators searching for transparency in the nation's policies.

Foreign Affairs: Osama bin Laden is at large. Troops are stretched thin in Iraq and Afghanistan, and many are lacking basic provisions like bulletproof vests and fresh water. Meanwhile Halliburton's contracts have netted the company some $2.26 billion.

Medicare: President Bush and Congressional Republicans have touted the new Medicare bill as a significant step forward, and it is - for drug companies and the health industry that get over 61% of the money added directly to their profit margins. But our nation's seniors have been betrayed.

And there's more, much more. It's been a long year, and simply switching the calendar over to 2004 certainly won't be a panacea - after all, it's not like a huge tax cut or anything. But each new year does bring hope: after all, you never know what 2004 will bring. Happy holidays - we'll be back on January 5.

Clark Campaign Beats The Spit Out Of Tom 'Chicken-Hawk' Delay

This morning on Meet the Press, when asked about Clark's criticism of the Bush administration's failure to capture those responsible for 9/11 and his stance that the threat in Iraq was not imminent, Tom Delay said, "unfortunately Wesley Clark must live in a different world."

Clark Campaign Strategist Reid Cherlin responded to Tom 'Chicken-hawk' Delay's latest cowardly comments, "The closest to real combat that Tom 'Chicken-Hawk' Delay has ever come was when he got himself a student deferment from Vietnam and instead suited up in his exterminator outfit and defended the people of Texas against invading cockroaches, marauding red ants and hostile moths. Wes Clark has seen real combat, given his blood for our country, and commanded troops in battle, which is why he believes we need to win the war on terrorism instead of declaring victory when we all know that the terrorists directly responsible for 9/11 are still out there at large. General Clark lives in a world where he believes that America will be stronger, safer and more secure if we are focused on winning the war against the terrorists, getting Osama bin Laden and working with our Allies."

Just to remind people of the Chicken-hawk's views on military service, here is what he has said about his lack of military experience, in an excerpt from the/ Houston Press/:

"He and Quayle, DeLay explained to the assembled media in New Orleans, were victims of an unusual phenomenon back in the days of the undeclared Southeast Asian war. 'So many minority youths had volunteered for the well-paying military positions to escape poverty and the ghetto that there was literally no room for patriotic folks like himself.' Satisfied with the pronouncement, which dumbfounded more than a few of his listeners who had lived the sixties, DeLay marched off to the convention." [/Houston Press/, 1/7/99]

DeLay's Texas PAC investigated
Prosecutors are looking at how corporate money was spent

Texas Ethics Commission's opinions interpreting portions of state law that restricts how corporate money can be used during elections

By Laylan Copelin
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, December 10, 2003

When U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay attends a fund-raiser in Austin today, the invitations to donate to his re-election campaign will warn, "No Corporate Money."

It's a timely reminder.

Just a few blocks from the event at the Inter-Continental Stephen F. Austin Hotel, a Travis County grand jury is investigating whether Texans for a Republican Majority violated state law by using corporate money to help elect state lawmakers during last year's election.

At DeLay's direction, one of his top associates set up the political action committee. DeLay was among the group's advisers and marquee names that drew $1.5 million in donations, including about $600,000 from corporations.

State law prohibits corporations or labor unions from making political expenditures, but their money may be used to establish a political action committee and to pay its administrative costs.

At issue before the grand jury is whether some of the activities that DeLay's group used corporate money to pay for — polling, screening candidates and fund raising — were part of the committee's administrative costs or political expenditures for candidates.

DeLay, the second most powerful member in the U.S. House, is not commenting on the inquiry. But two key associates at Texans for a Republican Majority are confident that what the group did was legal. They outlined their roles in helping to elect the GOP majority in the state Legislature that, in turn, gave DeLay the new congressional map needed to elect more Republicans to Congress.

In past elections, Texas Republicans had political action committees similar to Texans for a Republican Majority. The groups raised money and backed candidates they thought had the best chance at overtaking Democrats' majority in the House. Since 1998, the state Senate and all 27 statewide offices have been in GOP hands.

In 2002, with new state House districts drawn to favor Republicans, the GOP had the inside track to conquer the last Democratic stronghold in state government. Unlike previous elections, DeLay brought his influence and Washington-style fund raising to bear.

"With the opportunity there in the elections in Texas, it was a good chance to emulate what we had done on the federal level," said Jim Ellis, who runs DeLay's Americans for a Republican Majority. The group, commonly referred to as ARM-PAC, is one of the nation's largest "leadership PACs." It donated $1.2 million to U.S. House candidates and the national GOP in 2002.

While Ellis set up the Texas group with DeLay's consent — and helped staff it with DeLay associates — he and others said the majority leader remained at arm's length. "He didn't raise a nickel personally," said John Colyandro, a Texas political veteran whom Ellis recruited as the group's executive director. "But he gave us instant credibility" with prospective donors.

Soon after the Texas committee was formed, Warren Robold, who already was raising corporate money for Americans for a Republican Majority and for DeLay's charity for abused and neglected children, began raising corporate dollars for the Texas effort. In effect, he offered corporations one-stop shopping for giving money to DeLay's three fund-raising efforts.

Ellis said Robold focused on Washington lobbyists who worked for corporations with Texas ties, although not all the companies that contributed to the Texas committee did business in Texas.

In Texas, DeLay's daughter, Dani Ferro, was paid to organize fund-raisers, including an Austin event headlined by Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, who oversaw that state's Bush-Gore recount.

Former state Rep. Bill Ceverha, who works for Louis Beecherl, a Dallas investor and big Republican donor, came aboard as the committee's treasurer. His primary role, Colyandro said, was as the pipeline to big-dollar donors among Texas Republicans.

The efforts worked.

Of the $1.5 million raised, 10 perennial Republican donors in Texas gave a total of more than $600,000. Under Texas law at the time, only money raised from individuals had to be reported to the Texas Ethics Commission.

Another $600,000 came from 33 corporations. Fifteen corporations accounted for more than $500,000 of that money, including $100,000 from an alliance of 14 nursing home companies.

The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care has focused on the congressional debate over Medicare funding, running television and print advertising in Washington to influence members of Congress.

Steve Guillard, the Boston-based chairman of the alliance, said the group sent $100,000 to Texas almost three weeks before the election at the request of two Texas-based nursing homes that are members of the group. He said they were interested in what then was a pending legislative debate over limiting the legal liability of companies, including nursing homes.

Former Texas House Speaker Billy Clayton is chairman of the board for Campaigns for People, an Austin group that lobbies for more disclosure in campaign finance. He questions the size of such corporate donations that went unreported in Texas until now.

"Anybody who gives $100,000 would expect to have some influence," Clayton said.

But it was two smaller donations that landed DeLay in a Washington brouhaha.

Westar Energy in Kansas and Bacardi & Co., the liquor company based in Florida, gave $25,000 and $20,000, respectively, to Texans for a Republican Majority.

DeLay's detractors say those two companies gave money to the Texas PAC only to seek favors from DeLay. Bacardi wanted congressional help in a dispute over a rum trademark. Westar sought exemption from specific federal regulations.

One Westar executive questioned in an e-mail why the Kansas company was supporting a campaign effort in Texas, where the utility had no business. The answer, from another executive, was that DeLay's support was crucial in Congress.

"The corporations that gave, based on the Westar memo, thought they were doing what Tom DeLay wanted," said Craig McDonald, executive director of Texans for Public Justice. "They had an interest in pleasing Tom DeLay because they have a congressional agenda to pursue."

McDonald filed the complaint that instigated the grand jury investigation into Texans for a Republican Majority.

In Congress, attempts to help both companies were dropped after opponents objected to the special treatment.

Ellis said Bacardi is a longtime supporter of DeLay's, but Ellis wasn't even sure who Westar was when the story broke: "I had to look them up."

He said Americans for a Republican Majority tries to insulate itself from allegations of donors seeking favors from DeLay by taking money from a broad spectrum of contributors.

"Tom DeLay," Ellis said, "does not make decisions based on who contributes money."

DeLay did not comment for this story, but he discounted the Westar allegations to the Houston Chronicle earlier this year: "It never ceases to amaze me that people are so cynical that they want to tie money to issues, money to bills, money to amendments."

Ellis and Colyandro say prosecutors will find that Texans for a Republican Majority didn't do anything other Texas political action committees haven't done. But in a printed pitch to corporate donors, DeLay's committee promised corporations more bang for their bucks.

"Unlike other organizations, your corporate contribution to (Texans for a Republican Majority) will be put to productive use," the pamphlet read. "Rather than just paying for overhead, your support will fund a series of productive and innovative activities designed to increase our level of engagement in the political arena."

The committee promised to use the corporate donations for "active candidate evaluation and recruitment, monitoring of campaign progress, message development and communications, market research, and issue development."

Not all the corporate money that Robold sent from Washington stayed in Texas.

Texans for a Republican Majority sent $190,000 to an arm of the National Republican Committee in September 2002. Two weeks later, the national committee sent a total of the same amount on a single day to seven Texas legislative candidates; contributions to the seven ranged from $20,000 to $40,000.

Colyandro said the Texas committee sent the corporate money for party-building activities. He said the organization did not coordinate a swap of corporate money, which candidates could not legally accept, for legal donations from the national committee. He called it a coincidence.

In addition to other uses, the corporate donations paid for a small circle of DeLay associates to assist the Texas committee.

Ellis and Robold maintained offices at a lobbying firm founded by Ed Buckham, DeLay's former chief of staff.

In Texas, Kevin Brannon, a staffer with former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, screened candidates the committee might support and later advised some of the candidates. Austin consultant Susan Lilly was hired to organize breakfasts and luncheons to raise money in Texas.

Colyandro, who ran the committee's day-to-day operations, said corporate cash was kept in a separate account from other donations. He said he tried to be sure the corporate money did not directly benefit a candidate.

"The Legislature did not want corporate or labor money to be used as a campaign contribution," he said. "That is unassailable."

To avoid that, Colyandro said he would pay Brannon, for example, from the corporate account when he was screening candidates for the committee to endorse. When Brannon later advised those candidates, Colyandro said he paid him with money donated by individuals.

Likewise, Colyandro said the account from which a pollster was paid depended upon whether the poll was for a candidate or for the committee's strategy purposes.

One firm was used to make phone calls looking for committee members and to make get-out-the-vote calls. Colyandro said the firm, paid from separate accounts depending on the job, called different people to avoid overlap.

The fund-raisers — Robold, Lilly and Ferro — were paid with corporate dollars whether they were soliciting money from corporations or individuals.

Lilly organized events in Texas, which DeLay often headlined. While the events targeted donations from individuals, some of the invitations also solicited corporate money.

They either said, "Corporate checks are acceptable," or gave Robold's phone number for corporate donors to call. Colyandro defended the corporate-financed fund raising because donors did not give money directly to candidates.

"(Lilly) wasn't raising money for a candidate," Colyandro said. "The money eventually went to candidates, but she raised it for Texans for a Republican Majority."

McDonald said that is not what the Legislature intended when it banned corporate and union money as political expenditures: "Just because people like a company's widgets doesn't mean the CEO can take their money and change the political landscape."

DELAY TURNS 'CHARITABLE'

BY JIM HIGHTOWER

Do you love children? Of course you do. Does your heart break for abused and neglected children? Of course it does. Does your heart yearn so strongly to help such children that you'd be willing to make a tax-deductible contribution of $500,000 to (get ready to sob with the joy of charitable giving): Tom DeLay?

Yes, DeLay, the notorious Boss of the Congress, who is nicknamed the Hammer for his heavy-handed raising of corporate political money in exchange for legislative favors. And now, proving that no low is too low for Tom, he has created a charity named Celebrations for Children using abused and neglected kids as a draw for more corporate money.

Tom's charity was set up specifically to be used as a fundraising funnel at the 2004 Republican National Convention, and it has mailed a slick 13-page booklet to corporate donors that appeals less to their charitable instincts than to their greed. The booklet asks for donations ranging from $10,000 to half a million bucks, promising that the CEOs and lobbyists who give will get exclusive face time with DeLay and other key GOP lawmakers during the convention week. Top donors, for example, are to enjoy a quiet spin on a yacht with Tom, plus play golf with him, and get two private dinners with him and his wife, among other special chances to schmooze with power.

To add to the allure, the corporations are to get a tax deduction for their donations, meaning the rest of us taxpayers will get to subsidize their corrupt powerfest. Also, since it's technically a charity rather than a political fund, Tom doesn't even have to tell us which corporations buy into this scheme, much less what favors they'll get in return.

DeLay indignantly says that his charity is not about politics, yet it's being run by his political team, including his daughter and one of his longtime campaign fundraisers. He professes innocence with the same sincerity of a cat with feathers on its whiskers.

Republicans' Convention 'Cruise' Is Canceled

Associated Press
Wednesday, December 3, 2003; Page A05

NEW YORK, Dec. 2 -- Faced with increasing pressure from New York City officials, industry associations and labor leaders, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) decided Tuesday to cancel plans to house guests for the 2004 Republican National Convention on a cruise ship off Manhattan, his spokesman said.

"Where we hold events for the Republican convention is not something he cares about; it's not worth spending energy on," said DeLay's communications director, Stuart Roy. "He'll go to the mat on things that matter, but this does not."

Also, Norwegian Cruise Line, which owns the ship DeLay planned to charter, said in a statement that it was pulling out of the deal because it determined the use of the ship for the convention would not be commercially viable.

The turnaround came hours after the city's hotel association, labor leaders and Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) urged Republican Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Gov. George E. Pataki (R) to pressure GOP leaders to scuttle the plan, saying the river retreat would draw more than $3 million away from city businesses during the Aug. 30-Sept. 2 convention.

"I'm glad Congressman DeLay has decided to sink this idea once and for all," Maloney said. "It's good for New York and good for the Republican convention."

The plan was to house visiting convention-goers on the Norwegian Dawn, which is usually used to take vacationers from New York to Florida and the Bahamas. The ship features 10 restaurants, 14 bars, several swimming pools, basketball courts, movie theaters and a spa, and it could have accommodated more than 2,200 conventioneers, who critics said would otherwise spend their money in city hotels, restaurants and theaters.

DeLay had argued that a ship docked on the Hudson River, a few blocks from convention headquarters at Madison Square Garden, would allow increased privacy and security for the members of Congress, lobbyists and others who stay aboard.

Federal panel quashes subpoenas of DeLay, Barton in Texas redistricting case

JIM VERTUNO, Associated Press Writer Monday, December 1, 2003

A three-judge federal panel on Monday rejected attempts to force House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Rep. Joe Barton to testify in a lawsuit over Texas' new congressional districts.

The two Republicans had been issued subpoenas for deposition testimony, letters, e-mails and other materials in a lawsuit that seeks to block the new congressional maps.

The federal panel agreed with the lawmakers' attorney that only under exceptional circumstances, such as having unique information in a case, could they be subject to a subpoena.

The panel left open the possibility of reconsidering its decision during trial, which is to begin on Dec. 11.

"We had hoped we'd be able to take the testimony from both members," said Gerry Hebert, a lawyer for congressional Democrats who want to learn more about the role DeLay and Barton played in the redistricting process.

"The court at least recognized that it may be necessary to do so," he said.

DeLay's office was pleased with the ruling.

"The court recognized that allowing political operatives to question their opponents under oath about their political game plan is too ripe for abuse," said DeLay spokesman Stuart Roy.

Republicans redrew Texas congressional districts this year after a lengthy legislative battle. The changes could give Republicans seven more congressional seats. Democrats control the delegation now, 17-15.

Also Monday, the Colorado Supreme Court struck down that state's new congressional districts as unconstitutional. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott's office said that decision is particular to Colorado law.

In the Colorado case, the issue was whether the redistricting map pushed through by Republicans there this year was illegal. The General Assembly is required to redraw the maps only after each census and before the ensuing general election -- not at any other time.

Tom DeLay Sets Up Bogus Children's Charity to Rake Unlimited Corporate Contribututions
Delay's at it again. Using charity as a scam to raise campaign money.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/14/politics/14DELA.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=

November 14, 2003

G.O.P. Leader Solicits Money for Charity Tied to Convention

By MICHAEL SLACKMAN

It is an unusual charity brochure: a 13-page document, complete with pictures of fireworks and a golf course, that invites potential donors to give as much as $500,000 to spend time with Tom DeLay during the Republican convention in New York City next summer — and to have part of the money go to help abused and neglected children.

Representative DeLay, who has both done work for troubled children and drawn criticism for his aggressive political fund-raising in his career in Congress, said through his staff that the entire effort was fundamentally intended to help children. But aides to Mr. DeLay, the House majority leader from Texas, acknowledged that part of the money would go to pay for late-night convention parties, a luxury suite during President Bush's speech at Madison Square Garden and yacht cruises.

And so campaign finance watchdogs say Mr. DeLay's effort can be seen as, above all, a creative maneuver around the recently enacted law meant to limit the ability of federal officials to raise large donations known as soft money.

"They are using the idea of helping children as a blatant cover for financing activities in connection with a convention with huge unlimited, undisclosed, unregulated contributions," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a Washington group that helped push through the recent overhaul of the campaign finance laws.

Other lawmakers may well follow Mr. DeLay's lead. Already Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader, is planning to hold a concert and a reception in conjunction with the convention as a way of raising money for AIDS charities.

Mr. DeLay's charity, Celebrations for Children Inc., was set up in September and has no track record of work. Mr. DeLay is not a formal official of the charity, but its managers are Mr. DeLay's daughter, Dani DeLay Ferro; Craig Richardson, a longtime adviser; and Rob Jennings, a Republican fund-raiser. Mr. Richardson said the managers would be paid by the new charity.

Mr. Richardson said the goal was to give 75 percent of the money it raised to children's charities, including some in the New York area. He said the charity also planned to hold other events at the Super Bowl.

But because the money collected will go into a nonprofit organization, donors get a tax break. And Mr. DeLay will never have to account publicly for who contributed, which campaign finance experts say shields those who may be trying to win favor with one of the most powerful lawmakers in Washington.

Mr. Richardson dismissed such criticism. He said that every convention had parties and that by doing this Mr. DeLay was giving some money to worthy causes. He said Mr. DeLay had a long record of providing money to neglected children through his own DeLay Foundation for Kids, based in Houston.

"We are using the opportunity to throw parties, which happen anyway, but to give money back to abused and neglected children," Mr. Richardson said.

The brochure was obtained by The New York Times last Friday and aspects of it were reported yesterday in the newspaper Roll Call in Washington.

When both parties hold their presidential nominating conventions next summer, it will be the first time that they are staging the events under the constraints imposed by the new election law that limits the ability of federal officials to raise soft money. Though most Congressional leaders raised soft money over the years, Mr. DeLay has often been distinctively aggressive in his efforts.

Mr. DeLay is not alone in trying to find a way to continue to offer entertainment to those attending the convention, including a seat at his dinner table.

Like Mr. DeLay, Dr. Frist, a Tennessee Republican, is tying charity fund-raising to the convention. He is planning to play host to a reception and a concert at Rockefeller Center during the convention that promises to donate money to five AIDS charities.

In a letter sent out on behalf of the "Senator Frist Charitable Event," potential donors — the top tier is $250,000 — are advised, "This is the only event during the convention which Senator Frist will personally host."

A spokesman for Dr. Frist said that the effort was in the early planning stages and that the senator had not yet set up a charitable organization to collect the money.

But his plan is not as ambitious as Mr. DeLay's. Mr. DeLay, among other things, is offering donors private dinner with himself and his wife; the chance to participate in a golf tournament; a late-night party with a rock group; access to a luxury suite for elected officials and donors; as well as the yacht cruise, tickets to Broadway shows and more. Other elected officials are welcome at all of these events.

But by holding events at the convention — and working under the auspices of a charity — Mr. DeLay has stepped into an ethical gray area, election law and tax law experts said.

"The event itself is being put on in a political atmosphere," said Larry Noble, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington and a former general counsel to the Federal Elections Commission. "It is clearly playing off DeLay's political leadership, and playing to people who find it in their political interest to be at the Republican convention."

"In that sense it is political," he added. "But does it make it a political activity on behalf of the charity?"

Mr. Richardson said the new charity has filed a request with the Internal Revenue Service for tax exempt status, which if granted would prohibit the organization from supporting a political candidate.

It would also mean part of the donations would be tax exempt — the amount contributed, minus the fair market value of what the donors get, or enjoy, in their time with Mr. DeLay.

The I.R.S. is barred by law from confirming or denying it has an application. But Marcus S. Owens, who served for 10 years as director of the exempt organization division of the I.R.S., said the link between the charity sponsored event and the Republican convention could raise a red flag at the tax agency.

"It's a factor that suggests the organization may not be nonpartisan, that there may be an element of endorsement involved in the organization's activities," Mr. Owens said.

Whatever its ultimate virtues, the DeLay fund-raising brochure displays a certain out-of-date understanding of the New York scene.

The brochure, in which the size of donations are named for more — or less — exclusive neighborhoods, starts at the Upper East Side as the top $500,000 tier and it ends with Greenwich Village for $10,000, perhaps suggesting Mr. DeLay's people have not surveyed the recent asking prices of town houses in the downtown neighborhood. He also placed Midtown (at $50,000) above SoHo (at $25,000).

"Midtown would be a lot less expensive than SoHo or the Village," said Tory Masters, of Intrepid New Yorker, a relocation firm in Manhattan. "I don't know what they are talking about."

Flake to urge Hastert: Reject DeLay legislation
By Bob Cusack

Trying to kill legislation championed by the No. 2 Republican in the House, a conservative lawmaker is planning to make his case to the chamber’s top decision maker, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.).

To the dismay of Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and some large corporations, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) is seeking to insert a controversial Cuba trademark measure into the defense authorization bill, which is now in conference.

DeLay’s bill — as well as alternative approach crafted by Flake and Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) — were both crafted so that the U.S. trademark laws would be in compliance with a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling. The WTO has held that parts of a law passed in 1999 violate the agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights and has given the United States until the end of this year to change it.

Several large companies are lobbying against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s bill.

Critics of DeLay’s bill say the measure would only benefit rum maker Bacardi-Martini Inc. and harm other businesses that have a significant financial interest in a post-Fidel Castro Cuba.

The majority leader has repeatedly criticized Castro and has vigorously fought legislative efforts to normalize relations with the communist regime. DeLay believes his legislative fix, which has not been formally introduced, would protect U.S. interests and hurt Castro.

Flake calls DeLay’s arguments “baloney,” adding, “He’s wrong. … [His] bill would only help one company.”

The Arizona legislator says businesses “are incensed” about the possibility of DeLay’s bill being signed into law, adding that he is planning to talk directly with Hastert on the issue. That conversation is expected to take place within the next week.

Hastert’s stance on the DeLay bill is politically intriguing. Two large Illinois-based companies, Boeing and Caterpillar, are members of the National Foreign Trade Council, which supports Flake’s legislation (H.R. 2494).

Caterpillar also signed on to a letter that indirectly criticized DeLay’s measure by saying Flake’s bill is “the only way” to comply fully with international obligations and protect U.S. trademarks.

A Hastert spokesman did not return phone calls seeking comment.

This complicated intellectual property debate has pitted some conservatives against DeLay, a major policymaker in the conservative movement. It has also put DeLay and major employers on opposite sides in a fierce lobbying effort that will likely be decided over the next several weeks.

Companies that support Flake’s bill include DaimlerChrysler, DuPont, Ford Motor Co., General Motors, Halliburton, Eastman Kodak, and the Grocery Manufacturers of America.

These companies point out that there are more than 5,000 trademarks registered in Cuba that are vulnerable to counterfeiting and infringement.

Industry lobbyists say they have to tread lightly, acknowledging the awkwardness of taking on DeLay.

Flake, meanwhile, is talking tough. He told The Hill, “We wanted to [fix] this quietly, but if we have to make a lot of noise, we will.”

The outspoken Arizona legislator is known for bucking his leaders on key matters; he voted against the House GOP Medicare reform bill, supported the drug reimportation measure and endorsed a bill that seeks to lift the travel ban to Cuba.

Other House Republicans who support H.R. 2494 include Jim Ramstad (Minn.), Judy Biggert (Ill.), Amo Houghton, Jr. (N.Y.), Nancy Johnson (Conn.) and George Nethercutt (Wash.).

Opponents of DeLay’s bill maintain that it would help Bacardi secure the rights to the rum label “Havana Club” while jeopardizing the trademarks of other companies. These officials say DeLay seeks to change parts of the law that WTO objected to instead of repealing them – as Flake’s bill would do.

They add that unless the law is completely repealed, Castro could have a legal basis to infringe on all American trademarks registered in Cuba. If Bacardi’s label is protected, Castro might infringe on other trademarks in retaliation.

Bacardi’s problem is that Pernod-Ricard, a French company that works with the Cuban government to sell a Havana Club rum, has argued that it has the rights to the label. This dispute moved from the courts to Congress after the 1999 law was
passed.

DeLay spokesman Jonathan Grella maintains DeLay’s approach would protect U.S. companies from “predatory” French businesses that work closely with Castro.

Citizens Against Government Waste, a conservative group, has also spoken out against DeLay’s effort to help Bacardi.

Bacardi officials did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Flake and three House Democrats last month notified the House and Senate committees on armed services of the DeLay bill. The Oct. 14 letter stated, “It is important to note that the [DeLay language] did not go through the committee process. … It would be unfortunate if the purported ‘fix’ language also was not properly reviewed in the Judiciary Committee.”

A House Armed Services aide declined to comment on the fate of the DeLay language, saying only that a vote on the defense authorization conference report is expected soon.

John Ullyot, a spokesman for the Senate Armed Services Committee, declined to comment but pointed out the DeLay language was not included in either the House or Senate bills.

Lobbyists who support Flake’s measure say they expect DeLay to attach his language to any vehicle that is moving through Congress this year.

A legal watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, has called on the IRS to investigate why the Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee failed to report Bacardi as a contributor to a 2002 golf event hosted by DeLay in Puerto Rico.

The group’s director, Melanie Sloan, said, “This is just another example of Tom DeLay playing fast and loose with ethics laws.”

Grella has disputed claims that DeLay’s actions are a result of Bacardi’s political contributions.

An IRS spokesman said the agency never comments publicly on whether an investigation requested by a third-party has been launched.

What DeLay Left Out of His "Iraq by the Numbers"

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay put out the following press release on 10/16:

Iraq By the Numbers
Here is what was known about Iraq based on its own admissions:

3.9 -- Number of tons of VX nerve gas Iraq produced in the years immediately prior to the first Gulf War
25 -- Number of missile warheads containing germ agents (anthrax, aflatoxin, and botulinum) Iraq produced
157 -- Number of aerial bombs Iraq produced that were filled with germ agents
500 -- Number of bombs Iraq had fitted with parachutes for the purpose of delivering poison gas or germ payloads
550 -- Number of artillery shells Iraq had filled with mustard gas
805 -- Number of tons of ingredients for the production of more VX
4,000 -- Number of tons of ingredients to produce certain types of poison gas Saddam produced or imported
8,500 -- Number of liters of anthrax Saddam produced
107,500 -- Number of casings for chemical weapons Iraq had produced or imported
(Robert Kagan, William Kristol, Weekly Standard, October 10, 2003)

0 -- Number of Americans made safer by Ted Kennedy and the Democrats' weak and indecisive foreign policy
9 -- Number of presidential candidates who will pathetically claim DeLay is questioning their patriotism

However, this is what DeLay left out:

0 -- number of WMDs Iraq claimed it had after destroying its stockpiles
0 -- Number of WMDs discovered by UN inspectors
0 -- tons of VX nerve gas discovered
0 -- number of bombs fills with germ agents discovered
0 -- number of missiles filled with poison gas discovered
0 -- number of artillery shells filled with mustard gas discovered
0 -- number of tons of VX ingredients discovered
0 -- number of liters of Anthrax discovered
0 -- number of Bush's prewar claims proven true
0 -- number of Americans made safer by invading Iraq
("war in Iraq has probably inflamed radical passions among Muslims and thus increased al Qaeda's recruiting power and morale..." International Institute for Strategic Studies, Annual Report)

Read Enron's E-Mails -- Here's One of Our Favorites!
14-Oct-03
Enron
To: Ken Lay and Steve Kean
From: Enron governmental affairs executives Rick Shapiro and Linda Robertson
Date: June 1, 2001
Subject: The President's Dinner, A Congressional Salute Honoring President Bush and Vice President Cheney, June 7, 2001

With the assistance of... Tom DeLay, we were able to apply our previously contributed soft money toward this dinner. Consequently, we will be credited as giving $250,000 to this event, even though we are being asked to give only $50,000 in new soft money... Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has requested that Enron give her some credit for raising the money.

...In addition, ...Tom DeLay has asked Enron to contribute $100,000 to his leadership committee, ARMPAC, through a combination of corporate and personal money from Enron's executives. ARMPAC funds will be used to assist other House Members as well as the redistricting effort in Texas. We will be meeting this request over the course of this calendar year.

Tom DeLay Stops Congressional Vote on FCC Rules

Big Media companies keep getting bigger, with more and more power over our lives. This week's deal between General Electric (GE) and Vivendi means that GE'S NBC, which helped elect Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor of California, has just picked up not only Universal Studios, but the USA, Trio, and Sci-fi cable channels to go with CNBC and MSNBC, all part now of a $43 billion dollar empire.

Then there's radio. The non-partisan Center for Public Integrity is out with a new study showing that in each of 43 different cities a third of the radio stations are owned by a single company. No company's supposed to own more than eight in any market, but the media giants thumb their nose at the rules all the time. In 34 of those 43 markets, one company owns more than eight stations.
The big daddy of all is Clear Channel Communications — 1200 stations altogether. In Mansfield, Ohio, Clear Channel owns eleven of the seventeen radio stations in your town. In Corvallis, Oregon, over half of what people hear is decided by Clear Channel — seven of thirteen radio stations.

Cumulus Media is the second biggest radio empire. Cumulus, remember, banned the Dixie Chicks. Cumulus owns eight of the fifteen radio stations in Albany, Georgia.

It's a similar story in television. No single company is supposed to control more than one television station per city, except in some big markets. But look at what's happened in Wilmington, North Carolina, where there are three network affiliate stations: Fox, NBC and ABC. This year, the Fox station changed hands. On paper, the new owner was Southeastern Media Holdings. But then Southeastern Media announced that Raycom Media would help manage the company. Raycom already owns the NBC station, so it combined the two news departments and laid off much of the staff.

But hold on to your hat. Raycom and Southeastern Media Holdings turn out to be part of the same company. Now there's not only one less independent news operation in Wilmington, there's also one less media company.

The flimflam-ery goes on. In 33 other cities, stations that are supposed to be competitors have found clever ways to undermine the existing rules, mergers and takeovers, for example. Remember when Viacom married CBS and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp ponied up for the television stations owned by Chris-Craft? Those deals put both conglomerates in violation of the rule that no one company can control stations that reach more than thirty five percent of the total audience. But so what? The FCC just rolled over, winked, and gave both conglomerates temporary waivers of the rule. A little time passed and this summer the FCC raised the limit to give the big guys what they wanted, anyway. But that giveaway brought protests from over two million citizens; they turned the FCC into a beseiged Bastille on the Potomac. Such indignation from the grass roots caused even the Senate to say, "Whoa, something's going on. People really care about this issue." And the Senate stopped the FCC in its tracks. There are enough votes to do the same in the House. But then General Electric, owner of NBC; News Corp, owner of Fox; Viacom, owner of CBS; and Walt Disney, owner of ABC, brought on the hired guns — the lobbyists — to wage a Trojan War on Congress. A passel of former insiders moved through the revolving door, rolodex in tow, trading their influence for cash — top aides of the Senate Majority Leader, the House Majority Whip and of John Ashcroft himself.

Now the most powerful Republican in Congress — Tom Delay, the House Majority Leader — won't let a vote happen. The effort to reverse the FCC is dead in the water, sinking the democratic process with it.

Bill Moyers on Big Media

Kennedy stands by criticism of Bush on Iraq
DeLay says Democratic senator 'went too far'
By Sean Loughlin
CNN Washington Bureau
Friday, September 19, 2003 Posted: 6:32 PM EDT (2232 GMT)

Sen. Edward Kennedy: "The American people want answers."

Sen. Ted Kennedy tells The Associated Press that the Iraq war was 'made up in Texas.'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Under fire from Republicans on Friday, Sen. Edward Kennedy defended his harsh criticism of President Bush's policy on Iraq, in which he charged that the threat from Saddam Hussein was exaggerated by the administration for political purposes.

"This is a failed, flawed, bankrupt policy," the Massachusetts Democrat said on CNN's "Judy Woodruff's Inside Politics." "The American people want answers."

Kennedy spoke in the wake of an interview with The Associated Press in which he said the threat from Iraq was concocted to suit the administration's political agenda.

"There was no imminent threat," Kennedy told the AP. "This was made up in Texas, announced in January to the Republican leadership that war was going to take place and was going to be good politically. This whole thing was a fraud."

Kennedy also said Bush is "bribing" world leaders to send troops to Iraq. Republicans have challenged the lawmaker to offer proof of that charge.

Kennedy's comments were denounced by leading congressional Republicans, including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas.

DeLay said Kennedy "went too far" and he called on Democrats to repudiate Kennedy's comments.

"It's disturbing that Democrats have spewed more hateful rhetoric at President Bush than they ever did at Saddam Hussein," DeLay said in a written statement.

But Kennedy would not back down and said Republicans attack the patriotism of those who question White House policies.

"The fact is the American people are asking the questions," Kennedy told CNN.

The Senate's leading liberal said the administration needs to better explain how it aims to restore the peace in Iraq and how much the reconstruction effort will cost.

Kennedy has been a consistent and persistent critic of the administration's policy toward Iraq. He repeatedly raised questions about the need to go to war before the U.S.-led invasion of that country in March, and he was one of 23 senators who opposed the resolution last year that authorized Bush to go to war. He has since called on Bush to work more closely with other nations in reconstructing Iraq.

On Monday, the White House sent Congress its $87 billion budget request for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan next year.

At the State Department, a senior official took issue with Kennedy's comments.

"To say they were acting in bad faith is quite a serious charge," the official said. "You can take issue with the policy, but to attack character and integrity is serious and uncalled for."

CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash and State Department producer Elise Labott contributed to this report.

Twisted Tom Delay's Latest Press Release Says Dem Block of Estrada was a 'Hate Crime'!
04-Sep-03

Tom Delay is coming unglued - there's no doubt about it. Now that the Democrats are pushing back against his abusive bullying, both in Washington and in Texas, he just can't take it! His Boss Hoggish illusions of power are crumbling and he now appears to be in the throes of one long and continuous tantrum, played out in vicious press releases to US Newswire and postings at his House web site. The tantrum was ramped up a notch this week with the successful blocking of Miguel Estrada's Supreme Court nomination.

BushRove is Orchestrating the Texas Redistricting Mess
21-Aug-03
Texas Redistricting
Josh Marshall writes, "If you're wondering whether the Texas redistricting fracas is being orchestrated from Washington, look at this article in today's Dallas Morning News. The one Republican who's broken ranks over redistricting is Bill Ratliff. He's not just any state senator. Bush was succeeded by then-Lt. Governor Rick Perry. Ratliff's colleagues then chose him to serve as acting Lt. Governor, an extremely powerful office in that state. Today Ratliff revealed that 'in the summer of 2001 he was asked by Tom DeLay ... whether he, as acting lieutenant governor, would suspend the Senate's two-thirds rule so the GOP could push through a favorable congressional redistricting plan during a special session.' Add that to this from the Houston Chronicle in mid-June: 'Rove called state Sen. Ratliff.... Ratliff, who is undecided, said Rove stopped short of saying Bush wanted him to vote for the bill but 'indicated that it could be important to the president.'"


Joe Klein asks 'Who Killed Teach for America?' - Take a Wild Guess
21-Aug-03
Education
TFA founder Wendy Kopp "was optimistic that TFA, one of the flagship AmeriCorps programs, would have a future in a Bush Administration. Indeed, Kopp was invited to sit in the First Lady's box at Bush's first budget message to Congress in February 2001.... She says she was assured by John Bridgeland, the Bush voluntarism czar, that TFA's annual grant from AmeriCorps was safe. On July 11, however, a form letter arrived in the Teach for America offices.... 'We regret to inform you,' it said, 'that your application was not selected for funding.' ... 3,200 TFA members recruited so far who will not be receiving scholarship money this year. More broadly, AmeriCorps itself faces a reduction from approximately 55,000 to 35,000 members. Just before the summer recess, the Senate passed a $100 million appropriation to restore these cuts, but House majority leader Tom DeLay - who has made no secret of his desire to kill AmeriCorps - blocked the money.'"

Democrats Tried to Invest $350 Million to Upgrade Electric Grip, But Tom DeLay Said NO

15-Aug-03
Blackout 2003
Daily Enron reports, "When Bush weighed in on the issue he quickly politicized the situation. He argued in favor of modernizing the grid, adding that he's 'said so all along.' This statement should immediately be filed under the long list of Bush administration falsehoods concerning energy policy. In June 2001, Democrats in the House advanced a proposal that would offer $350 million in federal loans for the express purpose of updating the outdated power grid. House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX) blasted the proposal, calling it 'pure demagoguery' and arguing that Democrats 'have no credibility on this issue whatsoever.' House Republicans voted it down. Then they voted it down again. And then a third time. Three straight party line votes killed the bill, while the White House worked behind the scenes to orchestrate the death blow. After the bill was scuttled, Democrats issued a supplemental report once again arguing for the need to address the situation."

Wesley Clark Blasts Bush and DeLay

17-Aug-03
Wesley Clark
Former NATO Commander "Wesley Clark... attacked the Bush administration Sunday for launching a war with Iraq on 'false pretenses' and spreading the military too thin amid the global war on terrorism. 'You'd be taking them to the Better Business Bureau if you bought a washing machine the way we went into the war in Iraq,' Clark said on CNN's 'Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer.'... Clark has called on Congress to investigate allegations that the Bush administration overstated intelligence about Iraq's weapons programs. Clark also lashed out at House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a Texas Republican... 'When our airmen were flying over Kosovo, Tom DeLay led House Republicans to vote not to support their activities -- when American troops were in combat,' Clark said. 'To me, that's a real indicator of a man who's motivated not by patriotism or support for the troops but by partisan political purposes.'... Clark said Sunday that he will decide whether to run for president in two to three weeks."

On the Road Again
NY Times

emocratic legislators in Texas have once more fled the state to foil a brazen effort by Tom DeLay to add six more seats to his Republican House majority through an extraordinary gerrymandering of Democratic Congressional districts. Eleven Senate Democrats flew to New Mexico two weeks ago after Republicans changed the rules to dilute the Democrats' power to oppose the DeLay gambit in the Legislature. In May, Democrats from the Texas House fled to deny Republicans a quorum.

The standoff is far graver than indicated by all the jokes it has spawned, or the bemusement Texans feel at reports that the singer Willie Nelson was comforting the exiles with bandannas, whiskey and outlaw songs.

Justice Department officials have issued a report documenting an attempt by Mr. DeLay, the House majority leader, to abuse the machinery of homeland security by using it to track and arrest the Democrats. They wisely rejected demands from Mr. DeLay's aides for rawly partisan muscle from Washington as "wacko," but that does not make the efforts of the staff less outrageous.

Texas is crucial to Republicans' determination to follow their stunning victories last year with a final push toward party hegemony. Across 30 years, the Democrats' national edge in popular preference has quietly shrunk from 22 percentage points to a mere 3 percentage points over Republicans. Mr. DeLay and Karl Rove, President Bush's political field general, aim to use the G.O.P.'s current control of government prerogatives to seal Democrats into a long era of minority status.

The Republicans, who languished unhappily under Democratic Congressional control, have every right to try to maximize their advantages in an effort to remain in power. But out-of-season redistricting to give one party an easy ride is a bad tactic, no matter who is trying to get the upper hand. Every year the number of truly competitive Congressional seats is smaller, public interest in politics is lower, and elections become more like a ratification of the inevitable.

Initially, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, a Republican, rated redistricting a low-level priority. He has since devoted two special sessions to it in obeisance to Mr. DeLay's shameless bidding.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/14/opinion/14THU3.html?ex=1061833465&ei=1&en=4106f13af1af1f02

Remove Tom DeLay from Office

http://www.petitiononline.com/tdl0000/petition.html

To: U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [R-Texas] has been a disgrace to the United States and the world since he entered Congress in 1984. His latest partisan power grab is to lead the effort to gain more Republican seats in Congress by redistricting Texas – eight years before the state is scheduled to do so again. Texas has been forced to spend millions this year just to satisfy DeLay’s lust for more power, while healthcare, education and other needs go unmet.
DeLay, a former bug exterminator, is known for extortion, illegal fundraising and blackmail. DeLay has obstructed justice for low-paid sweatshop workers on the island of Saipan by taking large campaign contributions from Saipan's chief lobbyist and blocking any Congressional investigation of the appalling conditions there. DeLay has obstructed justice by lying to the FBI when he charged that the reporter who broke the Henry Hyde adultery story in the 1990s had been working with the White House to expose Hyde. DeLay led the campaign in the House to impeach Bill Clinton, while rumors of extramarital affairs of his own continue to circulate.
DeLay’s far-right extreme agenda includes to repeal environmental protection laws by dismantling the EPA and gutting the Clean Air Act, allow big polluting companies to continue to pollute our air, water and other resources, teach creationism in public schools, abolish separation of church and state, and outlaw abortion in all cases. DeLay also opposes campaign finance reform and has taken more money from tobacco interests than any other Texas legislator.
During a deposition for a lawsuit filed by a former business partner in the pest company in 1994, DeLay lied that he had not been an officer of the company for two or three years. On congressional financial disclosure forms filed in 1995, he listed himself as chairman of the company’s board of directors. Allegations included that DeLay illegally used company money to pay political campaign debts. The lawsuit was ultimately settled with an undisclosed amount paid to the business partner.
In 1997, DeLay actually shoved Rep. David Obey [D-Wisconsin] and called him a "chickenshit" on the House floor. That same year, DeLay tried to impeach federal judges he didn’t like.
In 1998, he said that people with “foreign-sounding names” probably aren't Americans.
Finally, a story goes that DeLay lit up a stogie in a restaurant, and a waiter told him it was a government building, where smoking was not permitted. DeLay reportedly retorted, "I am the government."
We need to send a message to DeLay that he is NOT the government and he does NOT represent most Americans as a leader of Congress. We need to remove DeLay from office, without delay.

Senators wage war of words over DeLay barbs
Kennedy served in military; House GOP leader didn't
Friday, August 1, 2003 Posted: 6:31 PM EDT (2231 GMT)

Rep. Tom DeLay incurred the wrath of some Democrats with his comments about Sen. Edward Kennedy.

I certainly don't want to see Teddy Kennedy in a Navy flight suit.
-- Rep. Tom DeLay

This country deserves more patriots like Senator Kennedy, not more chicken hawks like you who never served.
-- Former Sen. Max Cleland

WASHINGTON (AP) -- "I certainly don't want to see Teddy Kennedy in a Navy flight suit."

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay used that image in a speech last week as he accused Democrats of a lack of leadership on national security. His joke at the expense of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, touched off a verbal war Friday.

"To try to gauge just how out of touch the Democrat leadership is on the war on terror, just close your eyes and try to imagine Ted Kennedy landing that Navy jet on the deck of that aircraft carrier," DeLay, R-Texas, told a group of college Republicans. "I don't know about you, I certainly don't want to see Teddy Kennedy in a Navy flight suit anytime soon."

DeLay spokesman Jonathan Grella called it "tongue-in-cheek" humor, but Democrats came to Kennedy's defense.

Former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia, a Democrat and a Vietnam veteran who lost a bitter re-election race in 2002, dashed off a letter to DeLay calling the comments "reprehensible" and finishing up with his own barb: "This country deserves more patriots like Senator Kennedy, not more chicken hawks like you who never served."

Former Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, also a Democrat and Vietnam veteran, chastised DeLay in a letter Friday for his "tasteless and unnecessary smear of Senator Kennedy." The remark's tone, he said, seemed to question Kennedy's military service record.

Kennedy served in the Army. DeLay did not serve in the military.

Kennedy spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said the incident was "another missed opportunity for DeLay to set a good example in front of an audience of young people rather than promote the politics of personal destruction."

While criticizing the Democrats for failing to see the humor in DeLay's remarks, Grella said there is a serious issue involved.

"The Democratic party has a lot to answer for in terms of their decimating our intelligence and not being there for our military and our national defense," he said. The military veterans in Congress, he said, don't have exclusive rights to opinions on national security.

It's Time for America to Stand Up to Tom DeLay
13-Jun-03

Paul Krugman writes, "Last year I tried to illustrate just how far to the right America's ruling party has moved by quoting some of Representative Tom DeLay's past remarks. I got some puzzling responses. 'Who cares what some crazy guy in Congress says?' wrote one liberal economist, chiding me for being alarmist. Some crazy guy? Public images are funny things. Newt Gingrich became a famous symbol of Republican radicalism. By contrast, most people know little about Mr. DeLay, the House majority leader. Yet Mr. DeLay is more radical - and more powerful - than Mr. Gingrich ever was. Maybe Mr. DeLay's public profile will be raised by his success yesterday in sabotaging tax credits for 12 million children... Many of those who minimize the threat the radical right now poses to America as we know it would hate to live in the country Mr. DeLay wants to create. Yet by playing down the seriousness of the challenge, they help bring his vision closer to reality."

DeLay Thanks Lobbyists With Vegas Trip
Golf Weekend, a Reward to Big Donors, Also Raises Funds

Correction:
Based on information provided by aides to House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), a Sept. 22 article reported that DeLay had traveled to Las Vegas on a plane provided by Federal Express. DeLay flew on a Yona Aviation chartered flight.

By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 22, 2000; Page A08

House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), legendary on Capitol Hill for his aggressive efforts to cultivate corporate interests, hit on a new way of rewarding his friends last weekend, flying more than 30 lobbyists to Las Vegas for a golf tournament and a round of partying.

The weekend, aimed at raising money for the whip's political action committee, was also described by DeLay aides as a reward to corporate donors who helped underwrite his activities at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia this summer. DeLay raised roughly $1 million from corporations to help pay for chauffeur service for GOP lawmakers, a Blues Traveler rock concert and other activities.

The trip also offered a particularly pointed example of the freewheeling money culture that now dominates Capitol Hill, where DeLay and other lawmakers--of both parties--aggressively solicit large contributions from corporate interests and provide special access to those who pay the price.

United Parcel Service provided a chartered flight between Washington and Las Vegas for between 50 and 60 people--including lobbyists, top aides and political supporters--at DeLay's request, according to a company spokesman. DeLay flew separately on a Federal Express corporate jet. Lobbyists with the National Association of Manufacturers, the D.C. law firm Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand, and the National Association of Convenience Stores were among those present for the weekend.

The weekend included a late-night party Saturday in DeLay's suite at the Rio Hotel and Casino, which featured a living room, bar and hot tub on the balcony. DeLay was not present, aides said; the event was hosted by his daughter, Dani Ferro, the campaign manager for DeLay's reelection campaign. After the party, Ferro told associates that a lobbyist poured champagne on her while she was in the hot tub.

Ferro did not return calls seeking comment yesterday, and aides said DeLay would not comment.

DeLay is by no means the only lawmaker who has entertained donors on a lavish scale; the congressional campaign committees of both parties have hosted events such as Colorado ski weekends or trips to Hyannisport, Mass. Still, the DeLay festivities, first reported yesterday in Roll Call newspaper, drew sharp criticism from public watchdog groups.

"It says what every American fears about how business is done in Washington," said Common Cause legislative director Meredith McGehee. "This kind of reciprocal favors, back-scratching and wining and dining sends a clear message. If you're not in the inner circle, your cares and concerns get left off the agenda."

DeLay aides said there was nothing wrong with the event. "It was an effort to thank those who had taken part in our convention activities," said DeLay deputy chief of staff Tony Rudy, who made the trip.

Jim Ellis, executive director of DeLay's PAC, Americans for a Republican Majority, said DeLay organized the trip to raise money and accommodate some donors to the GOP convention who had not been able to participate in the golf tournament there. Some participants paid $5,000 and the weekend netted $50,000, Ellis said, adding that it cost roughly $20,000 to sponsor.

UPS spokesman Ted Segal said the company donated the plane as an "in-kind" contribution to DeLay's PAC and was still tabulating the costs based on comparable commercial flights. He added that the contribution would likely range between $30,000 to $50,000.

"From time to time we do get requests from different members on both sides of the aisle. When it works out, we're happy to provide it," he added. He said the company has lent its 727 planes "a couple of times" to Democrats and Republicans alike.

Lindsay Hutter, spokeswoman for the National Association of Convenience Stores, said her group's director of political affairs, Dan Mulvaney, attended the event in recognition of the $50,000 contribution the association made to the convention package of DeLay and Chief Deputy Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).

"It was a trip to say, 'Gosh, thanks. We're part of the political process and we want to share in the celebration of an event people were very proud of," Hutter said, adding that the association made similar contributions to the Democratic convention.

Several members of the group, including Blunt and some lobbyists, also attended a fundraiser on behalf of Nevada state Sen. Jon Porter, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley.

Drug firms aid church group

Claim about import measure stirs anger

By Jim VandeHei and Juliet Eilperin
THE WASHINGTON POST

July 23 — A Christian lobbying group fighting the proposed importation of low-cost prescription drugs has received behind-the-scenes help from the drug industry, the latest example of pharmaceutical companies trying to influence Congress clandestinely.

THE TRADITIONAL Values Coalition, which bills itself as a Christian advocacy group representing 43,000 churches, has mailed to the districts of several conservative House Republicans this sharply disputed warning: Legislation to allow the importation of U.S.-made pharmaceuticals from Canada and Europe might make RU-486, called the “abortion pill,” as easy to get as aspirin.
The Traditional Values Coalition (TVC) portrays its campaign as a moral fight for the “sanctity of life.” Documents provided to The Washington Post, however, show that drug lobbyists played a key role in crafting its argument and in disseminating the information to lawmakers. Pharmaceutical companies oppose the legislation — which would legalize the reimportation of U.S.-made prescription drugs that sell for less in Canada than in the United States — not over abortion but because it would erode their profits.

The bill, likely to be voted on this week, is popular with many lawmakers seeking to reduce the cost of medicine for older Americans without relying on government subsidies. Opponents say it would open the door to unsafe and less regulated drugs and drain profits that companies use, in part, to research and develop new medicines.
A recent TVC letter sent to Congress was signed by the coalition’s executive director, Andrea Sheldon Lafferty. It was originally drafted, however, by Tony Rudy, a lobbyist for pharmaceutical companies and a former top aide to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), computer records show. Lafferty also circulated a memo — linking the legislation to RU-486’s availability — that was drafted by Bruce Kuhlik, a senior vice president at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a trade group funded by the nation’s biggest pharmaceutical firms.

FUNDS FOR DIRECT-MAIL
A Republican close to TVC said Rudy also helped arrange funding for the group’s direct-mail campaign, which targeted nearly two dozen Republicans even though they generally oppose abortion rights. Several Republicans said pharmaceutical companies, through their lobbyists, contacted other conservative groups, including the Christian Coalition, about waging a similar campaign against the reimportation measure. The Traditional Values Coalition was the only taker because several abortion opponents questioned the accuracy of the drug industry’s argument, according to lawmakers and conservative activists.
PhRMA, one of Washington’s most influential lobbying groups, has long paid other organizations — often those with friendly-sounding names such as the United Seniors Association — to promote legislation favored by Pfizer Inc., Eli Lilly and Co. and other leading drugmakers. The idea is to make the campaigns appear driven by seniors, who spend the most on medicines, or, in this case, Christian activists. Government watchdog groups say such campaigns, which generally do not have to disclose their financing, are deceptive and misleading. In the legislative fight over imported drugs, the United Seniors Association is warning lawmakers and voters of the “dangers of imported drugs.”
In a letter to lawmakers, Lafferty said the reimportation bill would create new “avenues” for buying abortion drugs and would “effectively repeal” the law that prohibits the sale of abortion products through the mail. Proponents of the bill say it would do nothing to make RU-486 more available, because patients would still need a doctor’s prescription.
Advertisement

With the House vote expected to be close, PhRMA is trying to peel off supporters one by one, tailoring its argument to individual lawmakers’ concerns. In this case, the TVC mailings to abortion opponents included a picture of a baby and asked whether the targeted lawmakers will “miss an opportunity to protect the sanctity of human life.”

‘UNACCEPTABLE TACTICS’
House Republicans were so offended by the mailings that they recently barred the TVC and its leader, the Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, from attending future meetings of the Values Action Team, an umbrella group of socially conservative Republicans. “We stand united in opposition to the unethical and unacceptable tactics you have employed to force pro-life members of Congress to support your views,” Rep. Joseph R. Pitts (R-Pa.) said in a letter to Sheldon.
Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), an abortion opponent who was targeted by the TVC mailings, said in an interview: “It makes me so angry I could spit.”
It is unclear who paid for the direct-mail campaign, although several Republicans said drug companies were behind it. Rudy, whose clients include PhRMA and Eli Lilly, declined to comment for this story.
Lafferty said she promised the House “leadership” she would not talk to reporters about the matter. She neither confirmed nor denied that the TVC received money from Alexander Strategy Group, which is headed by Rudy and former DeLay chief of staff Ed Buckham. PhRMA spokesman Jeff Truitt would not comment.
Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) and several other conservatives are blaming the drug companies for the mailing campaign, though they offered no specific evidence linking the mailing to PhRMA or individual companies.
“I do not understand . . . how a religious organization can be manipulated by the pharmaceutical industry to do this sort of thing,” Burton said. “They are supposed to be moral people. And yet I am confident, in fact I am dead sure, that the Traditional Values Coalition did not have the money to mail this kind of trash out to congressional districts all across the country.”
The National Review, a conservative magazine, reported last week that other socially conservative groups were offered money to spread the message that the legislation could lead to more abortions. Since then, several GOP lawmakers have called on Sheldon to disclose who paid for the campaign.
DeLay, an ally of the drug companies, vowed yesterday to defeat the legislation, which he called “horrible policy.”

BUZZFLASH INTERVIEW WITH MOLLY IVINS
Excerpt:

BUZZFLASH: Now tell us a little about Tom DeLay. I mean, it's hard to understand what makes this guy tick.

IVINS: It's truly an astonishing case, isn't it? I'm not sure what we have. I don't even think it's compartmentalization. What you have, I think obviously, is a man who believes that he is a dedicated Christian, who is, I think, observably corrupt. That he has for years, collected huge amounts of campaign cash and it influences not only his vote, but the agenda of the House, and the way he works bills. I am absolutely fascinated at how he services large Republican campaign contributors. Now, how do you square that with a Christian commitment? And so you've got to think, okay: A) he could be a huge hypocrite. That's a possibility. B) he could be one of those people who rigidly manages to compartmentalize his life, so there's no overlap. I really don't know him well at all. He was a very minor figure when he was in the Texas legislature.

I think what you're looking at is someone who is so convinced of the moral superiority of his end that he doesn't care about the means at all.

BUZZFLASH: The Washington Post had a story about him a while back in which it stated that he doesn't talk to his mother. He's alienated from his brother. DeLay's daughter, a D.C. lobbyist, joined him on a trip to Las Vegas with campaign contributors. And she was in a hot tub with men pouring champagne over her. And it hardly seems like the lifestyle of a Puritanical, virtuous Christian. If this isn't "moral relativism," what is?

IVINS: I think Tom . . . there is an extent to which, and it's an unfortunate trait -– and it's a trait of Bush's too. And I don't know what it means, but that's life. As we say in our crude Texas fashion, he thinks that his shit don't stink. And that's very characteristic of Bush, who very often reverses course, and then lies. I really have a hard time believing that Tom Delay is a conscious hypocrite. I think that an assumption of righteousness is sometimes the unfortunate side effect of intense religious experience.

Enough DeLay
Micah L. Sifry is a senior analyst with Public Campaign. Most recently, he co-edited The Iraq War Reader: History, Documents, Opinions (Touchstone, 2003). The views expressed here are his alone.

A few days ago, The Washington Post front-paged a story linking House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) to $56,500 in campaign contributions made in 2002 from a Kansas-based energy company, Westar. One executive of Westar e-mailed his colleagues that "we have a plan for participation to get a seat at the table" of the House-Senate conference committee on the Bush administration’s energy plan. "The total of the package will be $31,500 in hard money (individual) and $25,000 in soft money (corporate)," and included "$11,500 in immediate needs for a group of candidates associated with Tom DeLay, Billy Tauzin, Joe Barton and Sen. Richard Shelby."

Given that the Bush-backed bill was doling out more than $27 billion in targeted tax breaks to energy companies, this was not an unusual investment. Westar was seeking relief from regulatory oversight that would have allowed it to transfer $3 billion in debt off its balance sheets and, potentially, onto the monthly bills of consumers through rate hikes. The Westar exec’s e-mail went on to say that Rep. DeLay’s "agreement is necessary before the House Conferees can push the language we have in place in the House bill." And so 13 Westar officials paid $31,500 to the candidates they were told to support and the company gave $25,000 to Texans for a Republican Majority PAC, a committee closely tied to DeLay. Rep. Barton put the company’s exemption into the law, with Reps. DeLay, Tauzin and Barton all voting to keep it there when Democrats tried to strip it out. Later it was withdrawn after a grand jury started investigating the company for securities fraud.

Rep. DeLay’s office has insisted that there was no quid pro quo between Westar’s donations and the exemption. "When people contribute to Delay or causes he supports, they are supporting his agenda, we are not supporting theirs," a spokesman insists. He admits that DeLay met with Westar officials last year, but asserts, "We have no control over any fantasies they might have about what they might get for a campaign contribution."

Hmmm. Let’s see. America’s businessmen are the smartest in the world, DeLay no doubt believes, but they’re dupes when it comes to investing $56,500 of their hard-earned dollars on some leading Congressmen?

It might be possible to believe DeLay’s denials if this weren’t part of a pattern of behavior. But consider this history:

On Apr. 3, 2001, the Associated Press reported that DeLay was making recorded calls to small business owners, promising them meetings with top Bush officials where they could voice their opinions on issues like tax reform in exchange for a $20,000 contribution to join his Business Advisory Council. It is against the law for elected officials to promise favors for political donations.

DeLay is no stranger to the other side of the game, either. On May 14, 1996, Edwin Lupberger, then the CEO of Entergy Corp., wrote DeLay a letter to thank him for meeting with him during a dinner for Republican Team 100 donors -- people who gave or raised over $100,000 for the Republican Party -- and discussing pending legislation. "There is an issue before Congress of significant importance to our company and industry -- repeal of the Public Utility Holding Act of 1935," Lupberger wrote. He urged DeLay to push the relevant committee chairmen to act on repealing the act. Over the summer, Entergy gave $20,000 in soft money to the National Republican Congressional Committee, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In September, DeLay went to the floor of the House to push the law's repeal.

In October 2001, DeLay added a provision to anti-terrorism legislation that would have prevented foreign governments from recouping billions from tobacco companies in lost revenues and damages. Public Citizen reports that a political committee he controls (known as a "527" organization) took in $131,500 from tobacco interests in the year prior to that.

In the fall of 2002, Congress passed legislation creating the Department of Homeland Security that included several special interest provisions roundly attacked by many lawmakers. These included limits on legal liabilities for companies that produce vaccines (a sop to pharmaceutical maker Eli Lilly), a boondoggle for Texas A&M University, and a provision undoing an amendment sponsored by the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) that would have barred companies using offshore tax havens from getting homeland security contracts. The leaders of the Senate promised to take up corrective legislation removing these provisions, but DeLay only said he would "consider" allowing the House to vote on such changes. This January, Congress removed the Lilly provision. But DeLay's tough line worked. Congress eviscerated the Wellstone rule, and special liability protections for airport screening companies have been retained as well.

DeLay's rise in politics was fueled by Enron. The rogue company hosted the first fundraiser for his leadership PAC, raising $280,000 for him at the event. And DeLay fought hard for the company's agenda of regulatory relief. Not only did Enron reward Delay with $32,700 over his years in Congress (making him its number eight top beneficiary overall), it gave two of his top aides a $750,000 consulting contract and paid his wife Christine $40,000 for a no-show job.
"If you want to play in our revolution, you have to live by our rules," DeLay tells lobbyists. He has two lists of the 400 largest PACs, those who he deems friendly and those he deems unfriendly. "We’re just following the old adage of punish your enemies and reward your friends," DeLay says. He once told Congress Daily, "Money is not the root of all evil in politics. In fact, money is the lifeblood of politics." Clearly, money is Tom DeLay’s lifeblood. Maybe, if the Justice Department can be moved to investigate this latest Delay scandal, it could be his downfall as well.

DeLay Opens His House with the Special Interest Buffet
09-Jan-03
Tom Delay
Campaign for America's Future writes, "In his first substantive act as House majority leader, Mr. DeLay introduced new rules for the 108th Congress that were voted into law with the support of every Republican member. What were the rule changes the DeLay Republicans made? To open the House up to public scrutiny? To enforce term limits? To limit the access of lobbyists to the back rooms. Not exactly. The rules of Tom DeLay's House are clear: pay to feast. So the DeLay Republicans acted immediately to: Gut House ethics rules to enable lobbyists to cater fine meals for members' offices... End embarrassing votes to raise the national debt... Mandate voodoo economic analysis of budget bills so tax cuts appear cost-free... It only took 2 hours for Tom DeLay to put these deceptive rules on the books - with the support of every single Republican. Imagine what they'll do with 2 years to work. 'Welcome to DeLay's Special Interest Buffet: would you like some tax cuts with that?'"

THE GRINCH WHO STOLE THE CHILD TAX CREDIT...DeLay Says No Child Tax Credit Relief for Low-Income Families

[Washington, D.C.] House Majority Leader Tom DeLay today said that the House would not consider moving legislation to expand child tax credits for the families of 12 million left out of the Republican tax bill passed last month.

Rep. DeLay said that Republicans are moving on to other tax cuts, like repealing the estate tax, Congressional Quarterly reported today. He said that the child tax credit could be re-opened as part of that broader legislation. "I think it's pretty shameable that they now are crying for [the child tax credit]..." said Rep. DeLay (CQ, 06/03/03)

"It is shameful for Tom DeLay to use the child tax credits of low-income families' as a bargaining chip to win bigger tax cuts for his rich friends," said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Robert T. Matsui. "House Republicans will have a hard time explaining why they spent hundreds of billions in tax breaks for the wealthy and left out 12 million children whose families need tax relief most."

The $350 billion tax bill the President signed into law last week provides roughly $90 billion in tax cuts to approximately 200,000 households that make over $1 million. In contrast, the bill will provide no benefit to 8 million children and will only provide limited benefits to an additional 4 million. Additionally, it will provide $100,000 (up from $25,000) dollars in tax-breaks to businesses.

To provide benefits to low-income children, House Republicans could have reduced the top income tax rate to 35.3 percent from 2003 to 2005, and 35 percent thereafter, resulting in a savings of $3.9 billion. This small reduction would have resulted in $400 million more than needed to provide a tax-credit for America's low-income children. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, May 29, 2003]

HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS CALL ON REPUBLICAN LEADER DELAY TO APOLOGIZE FOR REMARKS
4/25/03

WASHINGTON, DC -- House Democratic Caucus Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman James E. Clyburn (D-SC), Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX) today sent the following letter to House Republican Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) demanding an apology for his recent remarks attacking African-Americans and Hispanics opposed to his re-districting plans for Texas:
April 25, 2003

The Honorable Tom DeLay (R-TX)
Majority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
H-107, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman DeLay:

We are writing to express our outrage over your recent comments accusing minority State Legislators and community organizations in Texas of not representing their constituents. Such accusations are preposterous, and on behalf of those very constituents, we demand an apology for your reckless and partisan jabs at minority representatives.

Such arrogance is offensive not only to us, but also to the Hispanic and African-American constituents we represent across this country. What makes you think that you know better than we do what’s in the best interest of our constituents? On issues of great importance to our communities – civil rights, health care, education, economic opportunity – your voting record suggests quite the opposite. According to the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda vote ratings, you supported Hispanics on their issues only 7% of the time; and according to the NAACP vote ratings, you supported African-Americans on their issues only 21% of the time. Compare those numbers to the 80% and 82% ratings of Democratic Members of the Texas Delegation, and it becomes very clear who is really fighting for the best interests of Hispanics and African-Americans.

Furthermore, you have criticized African-American and Hispanic leaders in the Texas State Legislature for failing to support a proposal that they have not even seen, much less been consulted on. We have worked too long to earn fundamental rights and respect to have you come to the Texas legislature and say the Chairmen of the Legislative Black Caucus and Mexican American Legislative Caucus are not representing “their people”. We don’t appreciate this paternalism. It seems to us that if you are truly interested in doing what’s best for minority communities in Texas, you would at least consult with minority leaders in the body responsible for considering such a proposal.

Your efforts to disguise your own highly partisan land grab as a new-found concern for minority representation is completely transparent, and makes your accusations against minority organizations and elected representatives even more outrageous. It is clear that your goal in reopening redistricting in Texas is to reduce the number of voices advocating the interests of minority constituencies, not expand them. This partisan assault on minority voters should stop, and we demand an apology for your insensitive comments and accusations. Minorities in the State of Texas, and indeed, throughout the United States, deserve nothing less.

Sincerely,

Robert Menendez
Chairman, House Democratic Caucus

James E. Clyburn
Vice Chair, House Democratic Caucus

Ciro Rodriguez
Chairman, Congressional Hispanic Caucus

Elijah Cummings
Chairman, Congressional Black Caucus

Report: Feds Joined Texas Posse

ARDMORE, Okla., May 15, 2003

Rep. Paul Moreno, far right, joins other Texas Democratic Representatives in prayer at a hotel in Ardmore, Okla. (AP)

"Way to go. Stand your ground."
A note Texas Democrats claim to have received from Willie Nelson

Congressman Tom DeLay, a Republican, apparently asked a staff lawyer if federal officers could intervene in the dispute. (AP)

(CBS) Several Democratic Texas Congress members have asked federal law enforcement agencies to disclose any help they gave to state officials trying to locate Democratic state lawmakers who've fled the state to block a vote on redistricting.

Most House Democrats secretly left the state Sunday night to prevent Republicans from pushing through a bill that would redraw boundaries for U.S. congressional districts that were already adjusted once after the 2000 census.

The Democrats fled Texas to avoid the reach of state troopers, who had been told to round them up, until that order was rescinded Tuesday night.

House rules allow for the arrest of members who intentionally thwart a quorum — which requires at least 100 of the body's 150 members to be present.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that an arm of the Homeland Security Department was asked by what the paper called "Texas law enforcement" to locate an airplane belonging to former Democrat House Speaker Pete Laney.

The agency tried to find the plane but failed.

All but one of Texas' congressional Democrats demanded that U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and FBI Director Robert Mueller disclose whatever help was provided.

U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, the driving force behind the Texas redistricting effort, said Tuesday that he consulted an attorney in his office to determine for Craddick whether FBI agents and U.S. marshals could be used to arrest the Democrats.

"This ought not to be Tom DeLay's personal police force," said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas.

Nearly 300 miles from the Texas Capitol, the 51 "missing" House Democrats are whiling away their days at a Holiday Inn, chatting on cell phones by the pool, snacking at Denny's and caucusing in a conference room.

The standoff compelled the speaker to adjourn the House on Wednesday so Republicans could do committee work. Democrats say they won't be back until Friday, by which time the redistricting bill will die unless two-thirds of the House approves it.

"You get to a point where you draw a line in the sand and make a stand on principle," said Democratic state Rep. Pete Gallego. "We've reached our limit."

Republicans are furious the redistricting bill and hundreds of others are being lost to the ticking clock; the regular session ends June 2. "This is not democracy, it is extortion," said GOP Rep. Dianne White Delisi.

The Young Conservatives of Texas released a list of the "Top 10 Differences Between Fugitive Texas Democrats and Saddam Hussein." "Saddam ran an oil-for-food program. Texas Fugitive Dems are running a blackmail-for-quorum program," was number three.

Republican Gov. Rick Perry accused the Democrats of jeopardizing bills that address the multibillion-dollar state budget, children's health care and homeowners insurance. "I don't think the people of the state of Texas appreciate the work stoppage, the walking away from the important issues of the day," he said.

Others in Texas and Oklahoma are hailing the Democratic House members as heroes. Dozens of Democrats have flocked to Ardmore, about 30 miles north of the state line, wearing patriotic attire and bearing fruit baskets, balloons, cookies and barbecue.

Several newspapers across Texas also support the lawmakers.

"If they (House Democrats) believe their principles are worth fighting for, and they have only one means to fight for them, it's difficult to fault them for it," the Houston Chronicle said in an editorial.

Democrats deny that their absence threatens important state programs. They said Wednesday evening that they offered to come home immediately if House Speaker Tom Craddick promises not to bring up redistricting.

Later Wednesday, several Democrats said they had not gotten a reply from Craddick, who has repeatedly said he won't drop the redistricting proposal.

But the lawmakers said they had received bandannas, whiskey and a note from country singer Willie Nelson, who wrote "Way to go. Stand your ground."

DeLay sees assault weapons ban expiring in Congress
Bush supports ban
Wednesday, May 14, 2003 Posted: 11:29 AM EDT (1529 GMT)

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay says there are not enough votes to renew a ban on assault weapons.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The House of Representatives will not extend a 1994 assault weapons ban set to expire next year despite President Bush's call for its renewal, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said.

"The votes in the House are not there to reauthorize it," said DeLay, a Texas Republican and staunch foe of gun control.

The 1994 ban on military-style assault weapons expires in 2004 unless Congress renews it. Bush, who generally opposes additional gun control legislation, has said he believes the ban should remain in effect.

A group of mostly Democratic senators last week opened a drive to get the extension passed in the Senate, and called on Bush to help.

They said they were optimistic it would clear the Senate but that it would need active help to win in the House, where pro-gun sentiments are stronger and Delay has considerable control over the agenda.

The influential National Rifle Association opposes extending the ban that applies to semi-automatic assault weapons like the Uzi and the AK-47 that have high ammunition capacity.

Another top NRA priority, a bill giving gun makers and gun sellers broad protection against lawsuits, recently passed the House and is pending in the Senate.