Political Groups Paid Two Relatives of House Leader (Delay)

[Nancy Waterman]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/06/politics/06delay.html?hp&ex=1112760000&en=f02d87bfc214fb91&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Keepin' the heat on. It only keeps getting worse. This sounds bad no matter how much "work" they supposedly did.

The wife and daughter of Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, have been paid more than $500,000 since 2001 by Mr. DeLay's political action and campaign committees, according to a detailed review of disclosure statements filed with the Federal Election Commission and separate fund-raising records in Mr. DeLay's home state of Texas.

Most of the payments to his wife, Christine A. DeLay, and his only child, Dani DeLay Ferro, were described in the disclosure forms as "fund-raising fees," "campaign management" or "payroll," with no additional details about how they earned the money. The payments appear to reflect what Mr. DeLay's aides say is the central role played by the majority leader's wife and daughter in his political career.

snip

Although several members of Congress employ family members as campaign managers or on their political action committees, advocacy groups seeking an overhaul of federal campaign-finance and ethics laws say that the payments to Mr. DeLay's family members were unusually generous, and should be the focus of new scrutiny of the majority leader.

snip

"It's 'DeLay Inc.' " said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a research group that has closely monitored Mr. DeLay and his campaign fund-raising and expenditures. "If it's not illegal, it certainly is inappropriate for members of Congress to use their positions to enrich their families."

[Rose Siding]

1. Weird that they're giving this such prominence

I've read about a dozen different pols doing this very thing.

Good, finally that DeLay's getting a spotlight- every little bit helps but it takes a very lazy media to dog-pile like this now that it's "safe" for them.

[tuvor]

4. A half-mill deserves a...

...kick.

[johnfunk]

15. He's toast - between this item and the WaPo story

Tom "Bugman" DeLay Cavorts With Red Mafia In Former Workers' Paradise of Russia on Shadowy Lobbyist's Dime
By R. Jeffrey Smith and James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, April 6, 2005; Page A01

A six-day trip to Moscow in 1997 by then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) was underwritten by business interests lobbying in support of the Russian government, according to four people with firsthand knowledge of the trip arrangements.

DeLay reported that the trip was sponsored by a Washington-based nonprofit organization. But interviews with those involved in planning DeLay's trip say the expenses were covered by a mysterious company registered in the Bahamas that also paid for an intensive $440,000 lobbying campaign.

That's right, red meat politics fans! Stick a fork in the Orkin man... he's DONE!!

ON EDIT: punctuation fix in link

[Sheila Samples]

76. That's what dogs do...

They sit, stay, heel, speak -- and attack on order. Obviously, Rove's state-owned media "Rovers" have been sicced on DeLay. Couldn't happen to a more deserving guy...

[dave123williams]

2. Thought this part of your snip was the most interesting...

"If it's not illegal, it certainly is inappropriate for members of Congress to use their positions to enrich their families."

Er, it's illegal. Clear conflict of interest and abuse of public office.

It's about time they sewed Delay in to a bag with a wild animal, and threw him in the Potomac.

[kliljedahl]

7. Let me pick the wild animal

PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!!


http://www.kliljedahl.net

[Thor_MN]

14. Damn... That's cruel. To the wild animal.

Can you imagine the horror of being sealed in a bag with Bugman and then tossed into the Potomac???

[UpInArms]

3. sounds rather damning

The payments to Mr. DeLay's family have continued into 2005; the latest monthly disclosure statement filed by Americans for a Republican Majority shows that Mrs. DeLay was paid was paid $4,028 last month, while Mrs. Ferro received $3,681. Earlier disclosure statements show that the two women received similar monthly fees from the political action committee throughout 2003 and 2004.

let's hope he's really going down

[roguevalley]

5. wouldn't it be justice if they all went to jail?

[kliljedahl]

6. That damn Commie New York Times

Wonder what they'll stoop to next. How dare they print facts.


http://www.kliljedahl.net

[seafan]

8. Delay crosses the point of no return.

This story, coupled with his Russian lobbying connections....

Man, oh man, oh man. This is what critical mass looks like.

[Pirate Smile]

9. When it rains, it pours. Couldn't happen to a more deserving guy.

[caligirl]

10. Nepotism, cronyism, Why is the shit hitting

the fan all at once? WaPo/NYT and the repug comments. Will he begone by Friday?

[Erika]

11. Crooks get hungry and don't stop themselves

and in this case their wife or daughter.

[bear425]

12. Interesting. Let's see if it sticks!

recommended.

[Nancy Waterman]

13. kick!

xx

[robertarctor]

16. Bugman = toast

And for you astrology fans, guess who's birthday is April 8, the date of an eclipse this year?

Yep. Terminixon himself.

[SoCalDem]

17. I wonder if they reported it to the IRS?

:evilgrin:.. A suite for the Delay family at the GrayBar Hotel, please:)

[Moderator]

18. kick to combine

[TacticalPeek]

19. Political Groups Paid Two Relatives of House Leader - NEW YAWK TIMES!

Political Groups Paid Two Relatives of House Leader
By PHILIP SHENON

Published: April 6, 2005

ASHINGTON, April 5 - The wife and daughter of Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, have been paid more than $500,000 since 2001 by Mr. DeLay's political action and campaign committees, according to a detailed review of disclosure statements filed with the Federal Election Commission and separate fund-raising records in Mr. DeLay's home state of Texas.

Most of the payments to his wife, Christine A. DeLay, and his only child, Dani DeLay Ferro, were described in the disclosure forms as "fund-raising fees," "campaign management" or "payroll," with no additional details about how they earned the money. The payments appear to reflect what Mr. DeLay's aides say is the central role played by the majority leader's wife and daughter in his political career.

Mr. DeLay's national political action committee, Americans for a Republican Majority, or Armpac, said in a statement on Tuesday that the two women had provided valuable services to the committee in exchange for the payments: "Mrs. DeLay provides big picture, long-term strategic guidance and helps with personnel decisions. Ms. Ferro is a skilled and experienced professional event planner who assists Armpac in arranging and organizing individual events."

Ms. Ferro has managed a number of her father's re-election campaigns for his House seat.

His spokesman said that Mr. DeLay had no additional comment.


more
http://nytimes.com/2005/04/06/politics/06delay.html?hp&ex=1112760000&en=f02d87bfc214fb91&ei=5094&partner=homepage



BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Rose Siding]

20. some discussion here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1371758

[TacticalPeek]

26. Oops. Called myself looking for a duplicate.

:)

[DesEtoiles]

21. that liberal media -- reporting the truth again!

[dave123williams]

22. BWAHAHAHA!

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[MADem]

23. Between this, the Russian lobbyist working for Putin and paying him

...and his high handed attitude towards everyone, including the White House, his days are numbered.

Anyone starting a pool?

I smell toast!

[BrklynLiberal]

24. The vultures are circling............

[Indykatie]

28. Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!

Things are piling up on Delay and it's about time.

[Auntie Bush]

36. Self deleted...wasn't lady -like.

[dave123williams]

25. Somebody must have chucked his GOP mood ring in to some lava.

Feels like Sauron just got knocked off, right now. Damn; I needed that.

[Catherine Vincent]

27. Delay is going down!

And it's about fucking time.:-)

[htuttle]

29. "Mrs. Delay provides..."

"...big picture, long-term strategic guidance and helps with personnel decisions."

Um, that sounds like he's paying her $500,000 a year to be his wife.

Let's see: "big picture, long-term strategic guidance" and "helps with personnel decisions"? Yup. That reads like the job description for 'spouse'.

I'm surprised he didn't mention cooking and laundry, too, but I bet they have servants to do those things...

Wonder how many pairs of shoes Mrs. Delay owns? Just curious... :shrug:

[Mark E. Smith]

30. Unrepentant Criminal

Should help lengthen his sentence.

[PA Democrat]

31. Rick man-on-dog Santorum missed the boat

He got the firm to which he gives all of his ad business to hire his wife as a "consultant" but only managed to get her a salary of a mere $40,000 for her fake job.

http://quickstart.clari.net/qs_se/webnews/wed/ce/Uus-santorum.RDvb_DSA.html

[Erika]

32. $500,000 to a wife and daughter for "services"

Mr. DeLay has given the word corruption a new definition. Then you add the trips to Russia and Scotland. How very dirty.

[hector459]

33. Can you imagine if Hillary was "paid" for helping Bill?

Has FOX "News" reported on this yet? Just asking.

[n2mark]

35. The more you roll in the manure the more you smell.

[Zorra]

34. If Delay were a Democrat, the DOJ would have revoked his passport

told him not to leave the country under any circumstances, and would have him under surveillance 24/7. In fact, he would have already been indicted, and be out on bail pending trial.

Since he is a republican, they are forbidden by the WH to investigate and/or prosecute him.

BTW, does anyone know whatever happened in the Valerie Plame investigation?;-)

[Dr Fate]

40. That- and every top Republican would be on TV demanding an investigation.

So where are our top DEMS- why are they not demanding DeLay go under oath about this matter???

[NewJeffCT]

99. don't forget

if he was a Dem, there would also be a half dozen Scaife and/or Murdoch paid reportes tailing him on a full time basis.

[NewJeffCT]

100. don't forget

if he was a Dem, there would also be a half dozen Scaife and/or Murdoch paid reportes tailing him on a full time basis.

[stevedeshazer]

37. Beautiful

Major nepotism exposed.

This ought to be clear to anyone.

[Erika]

38. I think most Americans see Delay as a crook based

on his actions.

[Dr Fate]

39. If DEMS had guts, they would say "Go under oath now or resign."

Kerry, Hillary, Obama & Dean would be on TV everynight demanding that he be investigated and placed "under oath" in order to clear this matter up.

But they are too afraid- and that is why this story will die, just like Gannongate, yellow cake and every other GOP scandal dies.

[msongs]

41. ....but they don't. eom

[Dr Fate]

45. This story will be dead as a doornail in week.

And we can thank our DEM leaders for it.

I hope to be proved wrong.

[catzies]

42. I read " a skilled and experienced professional," but I hear a daddy

who's trying to justify what he spends on his Princess. :eyes:

[Straight Shooter]

43. His daughter's job was official champagne cork-popper at hot tub parties.

Heh heh.

[dArKeR]

44. I want to see the Tobacco/Patriot Act money DeLice got

(As I remember Delay was shown to be the one who changed the Patriot Act for American Tobacco. American Tobacco is using gangs, mafia, some elements who aid terrorist to smuggle American manufactured cigarettes from the USA to South and Central America. The original writing of the Patriot Act would have be able to be exercised against American Tobacco. That is until Tobacco paid off Delice to change it which he did.)

Big Tobacco - by Mark Schapiro

Tobacco is one of the most globalized industries on the planet. More cigarettes are traded than any other single product, some trillion "sticks," as they're known in the business, passing international borders each year. As a result, American brands have been propelled into every corner of the world, with just four companies controlling 70 percent of the global market. Marlboro, Kool, Kent: They have become as omnipresent around the world as they are here in the United States. With declining sales in this country, foreign markets have become increasingly critical to the tobacco companies' financial health: The top US tobacco firms now earn more from cigarettes sold abroad than in the United States. How they got there is a tale that leads straight into a global underground of smugglers and money launderers who have played a key role in facilitating the tobacco companies' entry into foreign markets…

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020506&s=schapiro

+++++++++++++++++++

How Big Tobacco Subverted Anti-Terror Act

How Big Tobacco nicked terror act Firms accused of smuggling cigarettes feared language on laundering

Mark Shaprio
MSNBC

NEW YORK, June 13 — On the one-month anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the tobacco industry took aim at Congress’ first effort to respond to the crisis with a major piece of new legislation — the Patriot Act. Why would America’s largest tobacco companies take an interest in a bill designed to go after America’s terrorist adversaries?

THE ANSWER: legal liability. Not that the tobacco companies are terrorists, but some of their marketing and distribution strategies look awfully similar to the illegal financing systems used by terrorists. At least they do from the U.S. Department of Justice perspective.

To get to the bottom of this story, we need to return to those traumatized days last fall, in which our lives were filled with fears of another terrorist attack, the retaliation of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, and shock and horror at the revelation that anthrax had contaminated the halls of
Congress.

http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/intl-tobacco/2002q2/000750.html

++++++++++++++++

Cigarette giant denies smoking leads to cancer - Imperial Tobacco

A giant British tobacco company is to take the unprecedented step this week of denying there is a proven causal link between smoking and lung cancer in the first case against a cigarette firm to go to a UK court.

The unique defense, to be heard in Scotland's Court of Session, denies decades of scientific proof of such a link, which was accepted by the British Government in 1957.

Imperial Tobacco is being sued for £500,000 (US$835,000) by Margaret McTear, whose husband, Alf, a 60-a-day smoker from Beith near Glasgow, died of lung cancer in 1993. The case, which starts tomorrow, will be scrutinized across Europe by lawyers who want to bring similar actions against tobacco firms.


http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2003/10/06/2003070628

[elizm]

46. DeLay's wife and daughter paid more than $500,000 since 2001

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/06/politics/06delay.html?hp&ex=1112760000&en=f02d87bfc214fb91&ei=5094&partner=homepage

WASHINGTON, April 5 - The wife and daughter of Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, have been paid more than $500,000 since 2001 by Mr. DeLay's political action and campaign committees, according to a detailed review of disclosure statements filed with the Federal Election Commission and separate fund-raising records in Mr. DeLay's home state, Texas.

[Career Prole]

47. Here's hoping that rather than fall gracefully on his sword

the Bugman instead goes totally ballistic for being "thrown to the wolves" and starts ranting particulars of other high crimes and misdemeanors such as he may be privy to.
Flip out, Bugman! Turn state's evidence!!

[burn the bush]

56. yes n/t

[Erika]

48. This should be combined with an earlier post

[Stand and Fight]

49. Please Pay Attention to the LBN Forum Rules!

3. Do not post duplicate topics about news events that have already been posted. Please note that we are very strict about duplicates in the Latest Breaking News forum. Multiple discussion threads about the same topic are not permitted. If you would like to share a new article about a news item that is already being discussed, please add it to the thread that is already open on that topic.

4. When posting articles, always use the published title of the article as the title of the discussion thread. Additional information may be included in a thread title (in parentheses) if it helps to make the title more clear.

POSTED HERE ALREADY:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1371800

HERE ARE THE LBN POSTING RULES:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x87249

[elizm]

50. Sorry...Looked but didn't see it.

[Stand and Fight]

51. No Problemo!

Welcome to DU!

[NVMojo]

58. We get so caught up in rules sometimes ...

Welcome to DU!!

[Stand and Fight]

60. Welcome yourself...

:eyes:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

64. LOL!

[xultar]

52. Delay, the gift that keeps on giving! n/t

[Technowitch]

53. Somebody in a position of great political power in the GOP...

...wants the Bugman gone. This much excrement doesn't hit the spinning blades all at once without intent behind it.

My theory is Rove decided that DeLay needs to be convinced it's time to 'retire gracefully.' I'm betting the open threats against the Judiciary was the last straw. That, and the increasing likelihood of indictments.

[leesa]

54. Excellent! I think Tom DeLay will do well in jail, don't you?

[dodger501]

55. The only service rendered by Delay's daughter

that I am aware was entertaining Republican mucks at a hot tub party during NaziCon 04.

[NVMojo]

57. Damn, this is disgusting!!!!

[monobrau]

59. Dead man walking

Impeachment is nothing. Ronnie Earl better serve up some prison time when this is said and done.

[oasis]

61. Delay's going to be poison come the 2006 elections. Reps will avoid him

like the plague.

[Skittles]

62. more popcorn please

keep it coming

[annabanana]

63. couldn't happen to a better SOB...............n/t

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

65. Hey Tom! Look out for the guy with the Lightning Bolt Tats on his

forehead when he asks you to pick up the soap.

[Chomskyite]

66. If true, he ought to be gone by tomorrow

This is a no-no no matter which party you're in. Money that could have been used to elect your people is going toward hot tubs for your daughter and who knows what (safety tongs and masks?) for your wife. Buh-bye Tom. Take your buttboy Dennis Hastert with you.

[truthisfreedom]

67. i wonder if he's looking to adopt a son?

man, i could earn that friggin' money...
/sarcas

[callous taoboy]

68. Skewer the rat-bastard.

I've been donating money whenever possible to run this turd out of political office.

[wicket]

69. Tom DeLay, the gift that keeps on giving

[Beetwasher]

70. The METHODICAL and DELIBERATE Deconstruction of Delay

Lovin' it!

[Mist]

101. I'm wondering if it's a pre-emptive destruction - to keep Delay

from taking others down with him. But I don't think the Bugman will play that game...he's too vindictive.

[TygrBright]

71. Political Groups Paid Two Relatives of House Leader (DeLay)

WASHINGTON, April 5 - The wife and daughter of Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, have been paid more than $500,000 since 2001 by Mr. DeLay's political action and campaign committees, according to a detailed review of disclosure statements filed with the Federal Election Commission and separate fund-raising records in Mr. DeLay's home state, Texas.

Most of the payments to his wife, Christine A. DeLay, and his only child, Dani DeLay Ferro, were described in the disclosure forms as "fund-raising fees," "campaign management" or "payroll," with no additional details about how they earned the money. The payments appear to reflect what Mr. DeLay's aides say is the central role played by the majority leader's wife and daughter in his political career.

Mr. DeLay's national political action committee, Americans for a Republican Majority, or Armpac, said in a statement on Tuesday that the two women had provided valuable services to the committee in exchange for the payments: "Mrs. DeLay provides big picture, long-term strategic guidance and helps with personnel decisions. Ms. Ferro is a skilled and experienced professional event planner who assists Armpac in arranging and organizing individual events."

His spokesman said that Mr. DeLay had no additional comment. Although several members of Congress employ family members as campaign managers or on their political action committees, advocacy groups seeking an overhaul of federal campaign-finance and ethics laws say that the payments to Mr. DeLay's family members were unusually generous, and should be the focus of new scrutiny of the Texas congressman.

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050406100109990001&ncid=NWS00010000000001

WOO-HOO! The dominos are falling FAST!!

happily,
Bright

(ed: formatting error)

[rodeodance]

72. So, what does take to dump the Hammer? just what will do it??

[July]

73. Any fallout for DeLay "clients" like my Congressman (Ferguson)?

I believe Mikey was the biggest beneficiary of DeLay's PAC money. How I would love to see some of DeLay's shit stick to him.

[LiberalEsto]

74. DeLay paid wide & daughter $500,000 in campaign funds

NY Times:

Political Groups Paid Two Relatives of House Leader
By PHILIP SHENON
Published: April 6, 2005
WASHINGTON, April 5 - The wife and daughter of Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, have been paid more than $500,000 since 2001 by Mr. DeLay's political action and campaign committees, according to a detailed review of disclosure statements filed with the Federal Election Commission and separate fund-raising records in Mr. DeLay's home state, Texas.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/06/politics/06delay.html?ex=1270440000&en=7e2ad081118890cd&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt

Nice work, if you can get it.

[OETKB]

75. Striking while the iron is hot

The DNC should be taking advantage of Delay's misfortune by finding the right candidated to oppose him now and by getting the money in place for a strong campaign. The focus should be on a strong message geared to strong progressive solutions to local problems. I think people will give a listen, in spite of oppositional beliefs. They're ringing pretty hollow for Bushco and company right now. The Democrats should not let these opportunities pass by. The time for our agenda and leaders is now!

[Moderator]

77. kick to combine

[NNN0LHI]

78. Troubles Mount for DeLay

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4584116

April 9, 2005 · Political groups are reported to have paid House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's wife and daughter $500,000 in recent years. Added to ongoing ethics investigations, the news stirs speculation that DeLay has become a drag on the Republican party. Ross Ramsey, executive editor of Texas Weekly, offers more details.

[derby378]

79. So, is Karl Rove going to encourage * to cut DeLay loose?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3969238247&ssPageName=ADME:L:DS:US:8

[JoFerret]

80. He IS French after all

...but why let the rethugs off the hook so easy? Let him swing slowly until next year.

[saigon68]

97. Just another right wing fundie hateful Whack-Job

He'll pop back up into power I'm sure.

The CHIMPANZEE needs him to fire up all the homophobic, God and Jesus loving rustic NUT CASES.

[cliss]

81. Fun fun fun!

As DeLay's Sweating reaches hysterical proportions, my laughter will increase by the same amount. They've been playing a few clips of this Desperate Man on AAR, and it's funny I tell you.

Terrorized Tom promises to be very entertaining over the next few weeks. Watch him hold on to the moulding with his fingers, as they try to pull him out by his feet. He might even take a hostage! Just so they'll leave him alone and let him keep his "job" in Washington.

I'm expecting big fireworks over the next few days. There IS justice, after all! (jeez this guy is tenacious, though isn't he? like a cockroach)

[jaysunb]

94. Thanks

it's been a long day & I needed a good laugh. Your post was just the ticket ! :toast:

[Ironpost]

82. Probably suicided

Geeeeze

[illflem]

83. The Last-Ditch Excuse

Allies of Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas have finally gotten around to the "everybody does it" justification of the ethical lapses of their guy, the No. 2 Republican in the House. It's the excuse used after more specific defenses, such as "he couldn't have known where the money was coming from," begin to sound hollow.

In response to one recent discovery, the $500,000-plus paid by DeLay-controlled political committees to DeLay's wife and daughter, Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri (the No. 3 Republican in the House) said, "The things that Tom has been criticized about in one way or another every member of Congress could be criticized about…. I think he's taking arrows for all of us."

Let the arrows fly where they belong, then. If all members are shoveling that kind of special interest money to their kin, the voters would like to know the specifics.

This is about lobbyists lining the DeLay family's pockets. The political committee, Americans for a Republican Majority, or ARM, is funded largely by lobbying groups eager to influence DeLay or to rent his power on behalf of their interests. The committee pays wife Christine DeLay's consulting fees, or salary, or whatever they call it. Daughter Dani DeLay Ferro runs her own obscure Texas political consulting company. It received $222,000 over four years from Texans for a Republican Majority, the state version of DeLay's ARM and funded in the same manner. Lobbyists seeking access to DeLay are ultimately Ferro's paymasters.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-delay8apr08,0,6119004.story

[Kimber Scott]

84. I don't understand why DeLay would be any more of a drag than Rummy.

Look at the war. Or, Condi. Look at the war. Or, Cheney. Look at the war. Or, George Tenet. Look at the war. I suspect DeLay will get a promotion.

[TwentyFive]

85. I hope they ALL end up impeached and in jail.

Man, if the Democrats win back the congress in 2006, there will be HELL to pay. Bush and Cheney will be impeached in a heartbeat. DeLay, Rummy, Ashcroft, Rice et. al. sent to the slammer for about 5 life sentences each.

What these people have done to this country is horrible and unconscionable. Everything from destroying the environment to taking away freedoms, installing RW justices, out-of-control deficits.....but the illegal war, stolen elections, and financial kickbacks will do them in.

[gordianot]

87. I have had my doubts about 2006.

DeLay makes a 2006 Democratic return look much more likely. Only problem is what will 2006 look like?

[TwentyFive]

88. Nothing surprises me anymore. The RW has several tricks up their sleeve.

They stole last election....they can be even more blatent about it in 2006. However, I do hold out a sliver of hope that something will break in this Bush Crime Syndicate.

I mean if John Gotti got sent up the river, there is hope that Bush and Cheney will see impeachment.

[gordianot]

92. When you look closely at the RW they are stupid and greedy.

Can't buy gas, lines at the Supermarket, will eliminate any pretext of RW support. Similar circumstances drove my Grandfather into the Democratic party in the 1920's-30's. In time freepers will be in the trash can of history. It's coming.

[TwentyFive]

93. I think you're right.

I just paid 40 bucks to gas up my car today. Meanwhile, my customers tell me to lower my price, or they will switch to a company located in India.

Republicans used to just annoy me....they provided good fodder.... guys like Reagan, Newt and Dan Quayle were baffoons who were restrained by moderate republicans and democrats. But now, the kooks are in charge, and there is nobody to restrain them. They will destroy themselves, just like they did in the 20's/30's.

I just hope they don't take us all over a cliff first.

[onager]

96. Ditto...

The last time the Repubs held this much power for this long, they took the country over the cliff into the Great Depression.

The good news: it kept them out of power for about a generation, except for a few minor glitches. (One of them, oddly enough, being 1942...during a real big war. IIRC, the GOP won a majority in Congress that year.)

[leftofthedial]

86. I don't recall a sleazier politican ever in my lifetime

and that's a long list of sleazy politicians.

[Skittles]

89. I AM RUNNING OUT OF POPCORN HERE

yes INDEED

[derby378]

91. I nominate Skittles to kick DeLay's ass

And I'll cook the next batch of popcorn while I watch!!

[Skittles]

95. he is so f***ing slimy he would keep slipping off my foot

:puke:

[despairing optimist]

90. We're gettiing the old bait-and-switch here

Not that putting out the trash is a bad idea, especially when it's been fermenting for more than a decade. But what about the sleaze-in-chief and the powers behind his throne?

To mix metaphors, it's the Republican version of acupuncture, to eliminate the pain signals coming from a certain area of the body politic by overwhelming the nervous system with signals from another area. Good to a point, but a cure requires frequent and regular sessions. Who's next on the list after DeLay is spent?

[truthisfreedom]

98. you can work on your mental health in the long term, (the head being

the administration in my rather limited metaphor) but even when you're crazy, you need to lance a boil on the way to complete wellness.

[splat@14]

102. Its gonna take more than this..

to get rid of this guy but its a good start. Hes pretty entrenched down here in Bush country and has been pulling this kinda crap for years. I'm encouraged to see it getting more national press, both in print and the media. The more noise made the better as the Republicans seem to respond to unarguable embarrassment issues. Delay is a national issue as he controls so much power in the House. I'm sure there are other states out there with the same sort of stuff going on and we all need to hear about it wherever it occurs.

[struggle4progress]

103. It takes a minimum wage earner over 40 years to make $500K. eom