Never mind DeLay,Democrats take most trips-"nonpartisan watchdog

[Algorem]

group".Great timing for this "nonpartisan watchdog group" to put out this report that newspapers etc. can use to take spotlight off DeLay and Republicans:

"April 26, 2005, 10:22PM

Study explores travel by legislators

Findings show Democrats move around more than Republicans

By MICHAEL HEDGES and DON JORDAN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - House Majority Leader Tom DeLay traveled on official business less than dozens of members of Congress, who took 5,400 official trips at a cost of $16 million in the last five years, according to a study released Tuesday.

Democrats traveled more frequently than Republicans.

Most of the trips were hosted by nonprofit organizations that accepted money from lobbyists and others who could not pay directly for congressional travel — a funding setup at the center of the controversy over some of DeLay's trips, according to a report by the PoliticalMoneyLine, a nonpartisan watchdog group that focuses on campaign finance issues.

The most traveled Texan was Rep. Gene Green, a Houston Democrat. He took trips costing $165,000..."
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3155431

Cleveland Plain Dealer puts on front page(DeLay's on back page)with headline pointing at evil Dem Stephanie Tubbs Jones-

"Tubbs Jones 7th on list of Congress' travelers

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Sabrina Eaton
Plain Dealer Bureau

Washington- Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones ranks seventh among U.S. representatives and senators in the number of trips taken since 2000 that were paid for by outside groups, according to a study of congressional travel compiled by PoliticalMoneyLine.

The Cleveland Democrat's 47 trips were the most any Ohio member of Congress took in that period. Private groups paid more than $75,000 for her to deliver speeches and learn about issues in destinations as exotic as Taiwan, Malaysia, Egypt and Antigua, and as familiar as Cleveland, Cincinnati and Dayton.

Members of Congress say such trips expose their legislative priorities to broad audiences and give valuable educational opportunities without billing taxpayers. But watchdog groups like the Congressional Accountability Project say privately funded trips let special interests buy influence with members of Congress.

"In general, these trips help provide members of Congress with a high-flying lifestyle that leaves the rest of America in the dust," said accountability project director Gary Ruskin, who said privately funded excursions should be banned..."
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1114594735272150.xml

Looked at group's site, http://www.politicalmoneyline.com/ ,at "About" page:
http://www.politicalmoneyline.com/cgi-win/indexhtml.exe?MBF=about

Principal Officers-
Kent Cooper,Tony Raymond,Kirk Ervin

Kent Cooper-"...served in U.S. Army Intelligence from 1969-1971 where he specialized in document control and security." "http://www.politicalmoneyline.com/cgi-win/indexhtml.exe?MBF=kcbio

Tony Raymond-"...was a senior analyst and webmaster at the Federal Election Commission for 17 years..."
http://www.politicalmoneyline.com/cgi-win/indexhtml.exe?MBF=trbio

Kirk Ervin-"...From April 1994-November 1999 Mr. Ervin was a Computer Programmer with the Federal Election Commission in Washington, DC. At the Commission Mr. Ervin maintained the FEC Imaging System that uses VMS and interfaces to a HP WORM optical jukebox..."
http://www.politicalmoneyline.com/cgi-win/indexhtml.exe?MBF=kebio

Just being paranoid.It's fun.

[smoogatz]

1. It's a red herring.

The point isn't that DeLay took trips--it's who paid for them. His trip to Scotland was paid for by Abramoff, a lobbyist. That's a clear violation of House rules. DeLay should be censured.

[ChickMagic]

3. He actually used Abromoff's credit card

himself. This is a total stinkscreen.

[Selteri]

2. Standard attack tactics with this administration and party N/T

[Dr Fate]

4. Gannongate is a better scandal.

n/t

[smoogatz]

5. They're both pretty good.

Gannongate goes to the White House. This goes to the wingnut power base in Congress. So much for the Republican party's ethical high ground.

[Dr Fate]

6. But with Gannon, there is no "DEMs were doing it to."

Of course, no DEMs are going on TV and backing Conyers on this, so that scandal will die soon.

[smoogatz]

8. With Gannongate, there's no clear-cut ethics violation

DeLay took at least one trip on a lobbyist's tab--Abramoff's credit card records prove it. That's against House rules, as it should be. With Gannongate, there's no actual government rule that says you can't let a gay prostitute posing as a right-wing reporter into the White House 204 times. It's likely, obviously that something illegal or unethical did occur re Ganuckert, beyond what's already apparent--but we don't know for sure what it is. With DeLay, we know at least that he took a bribe from a lobbyist in the form of a golf junket to Scotland.

[Dr Fate]

11. There is in an 'ethics violation" the eyes of the voting public.

But they have to hear about it first.

Agaqin, the GOP owned media will not repeat our allegations/questions for us- we have to do it ourselves.

[Roland99]

7. There's a BIG difference between them (at least most) and DeLay

DeLay purposefully went on those trips and accepted money from lobbyists in return for promised efforts to support the lobbyists's efforts into legislation or reduce regulation to benefit the lobbyists.

Giving a speech is a far cry from supporting sweatshops in SE Asia or redistricting Texas to benefit the GOP.

[hector459]

9. The issue is who "paid" and who has power in Congress?

The issue is also hypocrisy and lying.

[napi21]

10. I heard ALL Wash officials have been filing forms and late reports

in a frenzy since this DeLay thing has surfaced. It doesn't surprise me in the least that they're ALL taking freebees. The question is WHO directly paid the bills, and more importantly, WAS THERE IN KIND FAVORS OF LEGISLATION PASSED.

I'm sure more people will have dirty linen in this mess than we now realize. Lets just hope the REALLY DIRTY STUFF falls on the MAJORITY!