Few Republicans in House Are Expected at DeLay Event

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/12/politics/12delay.html

Few Republicans in House Are Expected at DeLay Event

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: May 12, 2005

WASHINGTON, May 11 - When 900 conservatives gather at a downtown Hilton hotel on Thursday night to pay tribute to Representative Tom DeLay of Texas, the House majority leader who is caught up in a swirl of accusations over his fund-raising and ties to lobbyists, only about three dozen House Republicans will be there.

Representative Melissa A. Hart, a Pennsylvania Republican who serves on the ethics panel that is likely to investigate Mr. DeLay, will not be among them.

"They were confused," Ms. Hart said Wednesday, after organizers of the event said they were initially told that she would attend. "My initial response was no."

The sparse attendance by House members, and the miscommunication about Ms. Hart, suggest the delicate nature of having a dinner in Mr. DeLay's honor. Organizers say they purposely steered clear of selling tickets to lobbyists and refrained from asking Speaker J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois to suggest that House Republicans attend.

<</SNIP>>

[democracyindanger]

1. BAHAHAHA! Tom Who?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. so sad when you throw a party....

and nobody shows....















:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[AlCzervik]

3. you know when they have a big party for you

it's really more of a send off.

[stillcool]

4. Thats a good one....They were confused!!!.....

Is she feeling a little heat?

[wallwriter]

21. They call her Rick Santorum in a dress

Although I think RIck Santorum is secretly Rick Santorum in a dress. Seriously, she's a stupid opportunist scumbag.

[BattyDem]

5. Enjoy the swim, Tom

Tom Delay ---> <--- GOP Congress

[meganmonkey]

17. And the Best Use of Smilies Award goes to.....

BattyDem!

:toast:

[Psephos]

6. Chinese proverb: no one tries to catch a falling knife n/t

[calimary]

22. Oh, MAN! That is utterly EXQUISITE!

Mind if I spread that one around?

It's all about PERCEPTION, people. If he's PERCEIVED, by evidently increasing numbers of people in his own party, as having Loser Stench, then for all practical purposes, he really DOES have Loser Stench. PERCEPTION, PERCEPTION, PERCEPTION.

[Pithy Cherub]

7. This was hair washing night for the republicans. Quickly

followed up by sorting their junk mail and cleaning the garage. Just too too busy tonite to be support hose for DeLapse. :crazy:

[Rose Siding]

8. Roll Call covers the planned protest: "DeLay Con Carnie"

Looks like Thursday’s big tribute to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) could turn into a regular carnival.

When hundreds of conservatives show up at the Capital Hilton to show solidarity with their embattled leader, liberal protesters dressed like carnies will be standing outside the hotel causing all kinds of trouble. In fact they even plan to set up a mini carnival.

The fake carnies, donning skimmer hats and all, are bringing in a 17-foot striker with a big bell at the top and a sign on it that reads: “Drop the Hammer, Smash Corruption.” They’ll also have a wheel of corruption listing “all the things that DeLay has done wrong,” as protest organizer Scott Goodstein puts it. Step right up and spin the wheel. If you land on “corruption” — well, by golly, you win a free bar of soap.

Goodstein said the protesters, organized by the group Campaign for a Cleaner Congress, a project of America Family Voices, will hand out bars of soap to DeLay supporters as they enter the dinner so they can “clean up their act and scour their ranks of Tom DeLay.”...more...

from Roll Call (subscription only) via
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=2596

[Mountainman]

9. I wish I could be one of the carnies, will the freeps have one of their

giant counter protests. Let's see maybe 10 freepers and 5 porta potties for use by conservatives only. You'll have to sign a loyalty oath to pee.

[yellowcanine]

16. What, no Scottish golfers? Missed opportunity if not. They need a couple

of guys in kilts swinging golf clubs, just to "remind" the true believers about the lobbyist paid golf junket to St. Andrews golf course in Scotland.

[Moderator]

10. kick to combine

[Hissyspit]

11. Conservatives Honor DeLay With Gala As Ethics Questions Linger

Ick. Whatever... AP story first and then Ameriblog.org posting about it below:

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBSZMQMM8E.html

Conservatives Honor DeLay With Gala as Ethics Questions Linger
By Sharon Theimer
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Portraying ethics questions faced by Tom DeLay as a liberal plot, the majority leader's conservative supporters are staging a high-profile show of support by throwing a gala in his honor.

About 900 people had tickets to Thursday night's $250-per-plate dinner at the Capital Hilton, organized by about a dozen conservative groups. The money will be used to pay for the event, organizers said.

- snip -

About three-dozen congressional Republicans planned to attend, including House Majority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri. President Bush and Vice President Cheney were not invited, but Republican National Committee officials including Chairman Ken Mehlman were expected at the dinner, Lessner said.

The ethics questions DeLay faces from Democrats and other critics stem in part from foreign travel arranged by Jack Abramoff, a lobbyist accused of defrauding tribal clients of millions of dollars.

MORE AT LINK

Tomorrow's the big dinner for DeLay
by Joe in DC - 5/11/2005 09:29:00 PM

And tomorrow's NY Times has part of the guest list. No real surprises (except not many of his House colleagues)....mostly it's just the worst of the worst:

Instead, the attendees will seem like a who's who of the right, including the Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition; Ken Melhman, the chairman of the Republican National Committee; and his predecessor, Ed Gillespie.

Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, a Christian conservative advocacy group, is among the hosts, as is Paul M. Weyrich, considered a founding father of the modern conservative movement. Dr. James C. Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, will pay homage to Mr. DeLay by videotape.

This being Washington, some lobbyists are still expected, among them Mr. Keene; Charlie Black, a Republican strategist with close ties to the White House; and Cleta Mitchell, who met Mr. DeLay when she ran an organization advocating term limits for lawmakers - an idea he vehemently opposed.

Funny thing is, most members of the House aren't attending. Some, like Melissa Hart, maybe were initially, but aren't now. Somehow, there was confusion with Hart's response to the American Conservative Union...you know...that whole yes/no thing really catches people off guard:

"They were confused," Ms. Hart said Wednesday, after organizers of the event said they were initially told that she would attend. "My initial response was no."
The sparse attendance by House members, and the miscommunication about Ms. Hart, suggest the delicate nature of having a dinner in Mr. DeLay's honor.

"Delicate nature" -- you think? But, doesn't it sound like a really fun night?

[aquart]

12. Republican ethics is an oxymoron.

[Hissyspit]

13. kick after updating

[magellan]

14. Honor the Criminal is a Rightwing value (nt)

[bushisanidiot]

15. Take note of who attends to honor a criminal.

Sounds like Rove told Delay not to invite pres. nosepicker and little Dick.

heh..

You sleep with dogs, you wake up with fleas.

[Not_Giving_Up]

18. And so it begins

His former friends don't want to be associated with him in public anymore. I'm sure they still huddle behind closed doors to discuss how to screw the American people...but no association anywhere that might have cameras.

[Stinky The Clown]

19. Tommy .... I think you're very sweet ... I'll have dinner with you ... but

only if you buy me that expensive champaigne .... and a really expensive dessert ..... then we can go back to your place ..... and ..... well ....

<smoooooooch> ..... call me, sweetie ...... okay? :)

Earth to Tommy .... you be fucked, bud! And we're so glad for ya .... ya rat bastard motherfucking slime ball bigot-assed fuckwad.

[gratuitous]

20. How Toxic is Tom?

Congressmen turning down a free meal at the Hilton! THAT's toxic.