Donations link DeLay, ethics panel

[LynneSin]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=676&ncid=676&e=2&u=/usatoday/20050427/ts_usatoday/donationslinkdelayethicspanel

All five Republicans on the House ethics committee have financial links to Tom DeLay that could raise conflict-of-interest issues should the panel investigate the GOP majority leader.

Public records show DeLay's leadership political action committee (PAC) gave $15,000 to the campaign of Rep. Melissa Hart (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa. - $10,000 in 2000 and $5,000 in 2002. Hart would chair a panel to investigate DeLay if the committee moves forward with a probe.

The same political committee, Americans for a Republican Majority, also has donated to the campaigns of ethics Chairman Doc Hastings of Washington, Judy Biggert of Illinois and Tom Cole of Oklahoma. They are among scores of Republicans DeLay has contributed to. Cole and the remaining committee Republican, Lamar Smith of Texas, contributed to DeLay's legal defense fund. (Related link: Donations from Americans for Republican Majority)

Hart said there is no appearance problem. "That's just normal" for leaders to contribute to campaigns, she said.

There is precedent for ethics panel members recusing themselves when such conflict issues arise. Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., stepped aside in 2002 in the case of then-senator Robert Torricelli, D-N.J., accused of financial misconduct. Reid had given $500 to Torricelli's legal defense fund. "Recusal is pretty much an individual choice, if there is any possibility of a conflict of interest," said Donald Ritchie, a Senate historian.

[SpiralHawk]

1. P.U. - the stink from the Republicans is overwhelming

Step down without Delay. Kicking, and rating 5 on Yahoo.

[mbperrin]

2. OK, so $500 was a problem for Dems, but $15,000 is OK

for pukes? Righhhhhhhhhhhhhhht...........

[liberal N proud]

3. Donate to those who may have to investigate you

then they can't find any wrong doing because it would incriminate them as well?

[MADem]

4. HOLY SHIT, this is HOT

No WONDER Hastert got out in front of this story!!!! They would have had to RECUSE THEMSELVES from voting had this story broken before Hastert did damage control, so they had NO CHOICE but to move forward and sacrifice DeLay if need be. They're acting like they have seen the light, but in reality their ARM was twisted.

This didn't come forward all on its own, following the Hastert attempt to appear conciliatory--someone dug this shit up awhile ago, and gave the GOP an opportunity to do spin control BEFORE they broke this story.

Count on that.

[LynneSin]

5. What worries me is that Delay isn't going to go down....

...without dragging some democrats with them. As I posted in another thread - all the democrats need to clean out their closets and clean up their act. Because if they have even one inappropriate contribution to their name it will be exploited to the fullest extent.

[MADem]

9. Fine, if that is what it takes

But the reason I can't see that happening on a large scale is because there are GOP types who will get caught in the crossfire as well--and it WILL get ugly if that happens. They don't want to get down in the mud, they've too much to lose. You'll see convergence here between the usual enemies; they have way too much to lose on both sides if they pull that crap.

The way to manage this, from a GOP perspective, is to "Lott" the guy, and then leave him twisting in the wind when he is up for reelection. You have to wonder if anyone is sniffing around looking for a likely fellow to challenge him in the primary? If that happens, he's toast, abandoned....and with any luck, the well-known Dem with the right words and phrases can beat him like a filthy rug.

[0007]

11. You've got a damn good point...

Would love to see the Hammer with a broken handle from being beat from a filthy rug.

[acmejack]

12. Nick Lampson is running against Delay

Lampson was redistricted out of Congress by Delay's Texas gerrymander, so he has a bone to pick. Tom, we'll really miss you (not)!

[rodeodance]

13. I have heard? where-that the Repugs caved in so they could not investi-

gate the Dems. Makes sense since the committee was not functioning. this mean fight has just begun.

[rodeodance]

14. yahoo has a new Rating system-but it would not let me rate the story.

RECOMMEND THIS STORY

Your Recommendation:

[thecrow]

15. Email it to yourself then and so it will get the

"most emailed story" rating

[annabanana]

6. heh heh... They should all recuse themselves..

Is the legal defense fund being used to defend him in the same fights that the ethics committee will be investigating him for?

The contributors should DEFINITELY recuse themselves.

[Califooyah Operative]

7. that's crazy. recommended. also rate it on yahoo. nt

[paineinthearse]

8. Unethical!

DeLay has greased so many palms ALL the rethug members of the 109th will have to recuse themselves.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. They should have cut and run weeks ago

Delay has become a major liability and now he will hang like an albatross around their necks.

[Roland99]

16. "That's just normal" for criminals to contribute to criminals' campaigns

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. har, har! It just gets better and better.

These idiots probably were hand-picked on that board to protect Delay, and it backfired on them.