DeLay Fundraising Plied Special Interests

[Career Prole]

WASHINGTON - Fundraisers for a political committee founded by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay routinely solicited donations by identifying legislative actions that prospective givers wanted, from video gambling to lawsuit limits, memos show.

"What companies that you know of would be interested in tort reform in Texas with asbestos problems that might support TRMPAC?" one DeLay fundraiser wrote in a memo prospecting for donors to the Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee (TRMPAC).

That memo elicited an answer identifying several large companies and interest groups nationwide interested in lawsuit-limiting legislation in Congress and Texas, the documents show.

The fundraisers also discussed using DeLay himself to make calls to round up some of the bigger donations, and referred to delivery of at least two checks they collected directly to the House majority leader...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&ncid=703&e=2&u=/ap/20050411/ap_on_go_co/delay_fund_raising

Much grist for the DeLay mill! :evilgrin:

[AlCzervik]

1. uh-oh, looks Ronnie earle may have gotten people to flip

or Rove has decided to take Delay down.

[Career Prole]

2. This exchange looked real good...

In an interview, Lilly said of the notations next to the names of prospective donors, "These were my personal notes. It was just my personal knowledge of what a person likes or dislikes. They were notes I took at the meeting."

<snip>

A note next to the top executive of Alabama-based Compass Bank read, "Want to clear up home equity lending." Another notation said "22 K direct."

Four days after the meeting, Compass Bank's political action committee made $22,000 in contributions of $1,000 each to candidates in 22 Texas House races, according to an analysis by the Texas Observer newspaper.

How to explain that away, I wonder? "Hey...22's my lucky number, that's all!" :eyes:

[truthisfreedom]

3. lilly didn't think the phrase "it was just..." was telegraphing guilt?

this is some special stuff, i tell ya.

[Beetwasher]

4. Quid Pro Quo

Does it get much clearer?

[Moderator]

5. kick to combine

[wicket]

6. Fund-raisers for DeLay PAC linked solicitations to issues

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2002238698_delay12.html

Fund-raisers for a political-action committee founded by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay routinely solicited donations by identifying legislative actions that prospective givers wanted, from video gambling to lawsuit limits, memos show.

"What companies that you know of would be interested in tort reform in Texas with asbestos problems that might support TRMPAC?" one DeLay fund-raiser wrote in a memo prospecting for donors to the Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee (TRMPAC).

That memo elicited an answer identifying several large companies and interest groups nationwide interested in lawsuit-limiting legislation in Congress and Texas, the documents show.

-snip-

Federal law and congressional ethics rules prohibit government officials from connecting political donations to their official actions.

[collin]

7. Is anybody surprised?

What arrogance they have.

[warrens]

8. But, but, but AL GORE SPOKE AT A BUHDDIST TEMPLE, you lieberals...nt