Common Cause accuses Tom Delay of running a scam

[Eric J in MN]

Check this out. It's a letter from Common Cause saying that Representative Tom Delay is collecting up to $500,000 per person supposedly for a charity, but only the "net" (money not otherwise spent) will go to charity. Much
of the money will go for luxuries for Republican donors.

http://www.commoncause.org/publications/120503_irs.pdf

Maybe this is an issue his Democratic opponent can use.

[Fuzz]

1. He was on MTP acting indignant that someone would question him and

and his charitable giving.

Here's the exchange:


MR. RUSSERT: Before you go, Congressman, as you know, you have come under some criticism about your fund-raising activity. This is an article in the Associated Press. "Two watchdog groups filed a complaint against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, asking that the IRS deny a tax exemption to a DeLay-backed charity that will throw parties and offer a luxury suite for major donors to watch President Bush's acceptance speech at the 2004 Republican Convention. `Celebrations for Children' will raise money for abused and neglected children by using the events at"--a--"New York convention in August as"--the--"drawing card, paying for them with a portion of the donations to the group. Representative--`DeLay is using the nation's charity tax laws and the pretext of helping children as a cynical cover to raise and spend huge amounts of prohibited soft money to finance political activities,' said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21." What's your response?

REP. DeLAY: Well, first of all, Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21 is a leftist organization that is supported by Democrats and supports Democrats. Secondly, I think it's pretty sad that hehas taken in after our ability to raise money for abused and neglected children. My wife and I are very much involved in trying to build a community that gives abused, neglected children a safe, permanent home. The foster care system in this country is abominable. What we're doing to children is outrageous and we need to change it. And we're trying to do that. And we're trying to raise money to do that. And we're trying to raise money any way that we can. And I don't think it's wrong--and you raise money around this country all the time by having galas, or parties, or golf tournaments, giving people some fun activity so that they will contribute to your cause, and that's what we're doing. I don't see anything wrong with it. I think it--what's wrong here is people are attacking our effort to raise money, to take care of abused, neglected children, the most vulnerable children in this country, and they can criticize me all they want to. But I'm going to take care of these kids.

MR. RUSSERT: Mr. Wertheimer will say that his group brought actions against Hillary Clinton, and Al Gore and the Democratic Party, that they are, in fact, non-partisan, and that he asked "Why would you mix politics and helping children? Why not just give all the money to the kids rather than hosting political parties?"

REP. DeLAY: We are giving all the money to the kids. But you have to have a party to attract people to come and have a draw to raise the money. And I might say Mr. Wertheimer always points out that he brought one action against Hillary Clinton. He's been in his leftist business for, I don't know, 20 or 30 years. Most of his actions are after Republicans. And he's a leftist organization. But that aside, the point here is abused, neglected children in this country have to have a safe, permanent home. They have to have roots. They have to be shown and raised instead of warehoused. And we're trying our best to change that system, and doing it in a meaningful way and we will continue to do so despite what the left says.

MR. RUSSERT: Congressman Tom DeLay, we thank you for sharing your views with us this morning.

[Eric J in MN]

4. Russert could have also asked,

Russert could have also asked, why the money shouldn't go to a charity with a long, successful record instead of a "charity" created by Delay and his associates within the past few years.

[otohara]

6. Let's count how many times Delay goes after Wertheimer

leftist organization that is supported by Democrats and supports Democrats

He's been in his leftist business for, I don't know, 20 or 30 years

Most of his actions are after Republicans And he's a leftist organization.

will continue to do so despite what the left says.

[alfredo]

7. Notice how many times he repeated the phrase,

"Abused and neglected children"?


What a piece of work he is.

[judgegina]

2. The Austin American-Statesman

has been running some good stories about DeLay's sleazy fund raising. I'll try to find a link.

[KissMyAsscroft]

3. Everyone who questions him is a leftist...

yawn....that tired repuke bullshit is wearing thin even on republican ears....

[oasis]

5. Tom DeLie came up with some lame excuse for that on MTP. Of course

Russert didn't challenge him on any of it.

[cosmicdot]

8. DeLay tried a scam on doctors, and there was that brush with RICO

2001
GOP fund-raising strategy targets physicians

Republican campaign committee invites doctors to join its "Physician's Advisory Board" as a hook for soliciting contributions.

Washington -- Julie Isaacson, MD, was surprised and flattered when she received a phone call inviting her to join a select panel of doctors who advise congressional Republicans on health care issues.

The "Physician's Advisory Board" counsels GOP leaders on such topics as HMO reform and reducing government interference in medicine, explained the caller, who said he was a representative of House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R, Texas).

Dr. Isaacson was intrigued by the opportunity to have her views heard. "I thought, why not? I have a lot of input." So the Newburg, Ore., orthopedic surgeon agreed to join the board, thinking that, as a Democrat, she might be able to "balance" the views of other members.

But after saying she would join the panel, Dr. Isaacson was promptly asked for a $500 donation, which came as a surprise.
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2001/07/30/gvl20730.htm

````````````````````````````````````````````````````
2000
While denouncing Washington insiders and an amorphous "cultural elite," though, DeLay found himself in legal trouble after being hit with a RICO racketeering lawsuit filed yesterday by Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Patrick Kennedy (R.I.) The action charges DeLay and several organization with "massive illegal conduct," and even extortion and money laundering. Word of the suit broke in the capitol hill paper "Roll Call" and later in The New York Times and The Washington Post.

The suit is the third legal effort in the past year to curb DeLay's aggressive fundraising operation which pundits refer to as "DeLay Inc."

"Mr. DeLay is unfortunately conducting these activities under the color of his office," Kennedy said. "He seeks through the use of systematic extortion to coerce the contribution of millions of dollars to Republicans and intimidate those inclined to support Democrats."

~snip~

The RICO suit, though, targets a secondary layer of little-known PACS or "political action committees" which seem to exist in the subterranean world of insider fundraising. The DCCC charges that DeLay "extorted" monies through donors, and funneled them through a network of groups like Americans for Economic Growth, U.S. Family Network, and the Republican Majority Issues Committee.

~snip~
http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/cong10.htm

[SharonAnn]

10. Oh, he also did it on businessmen. There was even an article

in our paper last summer about a local businessman who was now on a "Business Advisory Panel" headed by Tom DeLay to provide information, suggestions and advice to Congress. They didn't mention the "small fee" that was required.

[ochazuke]

9. Jail the Bastard

God, I hate that piece of shit.