Who is following the DeLay Rule voting stuff????

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

I went to http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com and found out all about this. Apparently the GOP in the House of Representatives held a voice vote on Wednesday to turn over a 1993 ethics rule the GOP passed back THEN to punish and hold Dems in line.

Now that DeLay's ass is on the line (AG of Texas is trying to prosecute him), they want to overturn it and make DeLay able to continue on in his role in Congress no matter what the AG or the courts do to him. COOL, huh?

They are ABOVE the law, they are SPECIAL, please remember. Rules, silly rules do NOT apply to them.

Since it was a voice vote, people have had to call the republican representatives to find out how they voted. Most are refusing to say how they voted.

What are they ashamed of?

Also check here, great website: http://dailydelay.blogspot.com

There are 18 so far who voted against it. There are also a handful who are admitting to voting for it. There are some who say they are writing their consituents a letter to tell them how they voted (really?). The majority of them, though, are refusing to say how they voted.

Some staffers try to say it was a secret ballot vote, some try to say it never happened, some say the congresscritter stepped out to the bathroom when the vote was taken.

Go to those websites (especially the second one) and check out the congresscritters we still don't have information on. If you can, call their Washington offices and ask how they voted. The vote was a voice vote on Wednesday on "the DeLay Rule."

[0007]

1. " The vote was a voice vote ofor DeLay" I thought it was wink wink!

Seriously, thanks for the information. I just called Kay Bailey Hutchins and told em I didn't see how they could support a crook.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

2. She's a senator

and the vote didn't take place in the senate but I'm glad you called her offices. Did you talk to her or a staffer?

I can't STAND her. Or Cornyn. They both are immoral assholes.

[0007]

18. I understand that all too clearly my friend.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. What it should tell you is that everything the Republicans do is

targeted for the most strategic damage, but is not the product of any real moral or ethical foundation.

I wish there was some way to throw this in their faces as sheer hypocrisy.

[Randypiper]

5. hypocrisy?

How about Republicans believe felons shouldn't be able to vote but can be in a position of leadership.
I'm waiting for a response from Michael Doyle office, he's a Dem on the House Ethics Committee and one of the Dem's had to vote Yea.
I'm sooooo proud of my senators Specter and Santorum and what they have been doing lately.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

6. No Dems were included or involved in this

it was the GOP Caucus (sp?) who took a voice vote.

[ohioan]

25. This was not an Ethics Committee vote - it was done in the GOP caucus

[Avalux]

4. I've been following it -

DeLay will be allowed to remain in his House leadership role if convicted of a felony by the Texas court. Isn't that nice? I didn't expect it any other way though. Tom DeLay has dirt on everyone and they all owe him favors. They're taking care of him. Great lesson for our children: you too can be successful and powerful by lying, cheating and blackmailing.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

7. I swear

next time ANY repuke tries to tell me they are MORAL and starts beating their chest about VALUES, I am going to have to do a 180 and walk away from them VERY quickly, lest I do something that gets me arrested.

They HAVE NO morals or values. They are CRAVEN.

[Avalux]

8. Money is their only God

They are pure evil.

[Hun Joro]

21. As I understand this, they voted to allow

him to retain his office if indicted - I have heard no discussion of what might happen if he is convicted. And as much as I dislike Tom DeLay, this does not seem terribly unfair, sort of preserving innocence until proven guilty.

[ohioan]

27. I agree that this rule makes sense . . .

The problem is that the Republicans enacted it in response to Rostenkowski's indictment as a way of demonstrating that, unlike those corrupt Democrats, THEY would not tolerate even the APPEARANCE of wrongdoing in their caucus.

Hypocrisy - aka business as usual for Republicans...

[ohioan]

26. Actually, this applies only to an indictment, not a conviction

If DeLay is convicted, House rules require that he be expelled from Congress. And this cannot be undone by the GOP caucus since it is a House rule, not a rule governing the operation of the caucus' internal functions.

[yellowcanine]

9. I am sure there won't be 51% who admit to voting "yes". Funny how that

works. It was probably one of those "All of those for the resolution say aye against nay in the opinion of the chair the ayes have it resolution passes." - all said without pausing to take a breath and no one had the balls to object.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

10. 18 so far say they objected

there is a list of them at the daily delay website.

They are mostly from northern states, I noticed. No red state GOP voted against it.

[JerseygirlCT]

11. There should absolutely be no such thing

as a "voice vote" or a secret ballot.

Every single vote - big or small - should be recorded and public. They work for us.

I had heard about this, though, and heard that my state's Republican's voted against it -- so I thought that the votes were public. Interesting.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

14. Well

it was not really public. But some representatives were willing to say how they voted.

A lot are still not saying.

[JerseygirlCT]

19. Chickens

If they believed in what they voted, they shouldn't have any problems fessing up. Obviously they know they've got something to hide.

And I'd define public in this case as any official action taken by those holding positions in the congress. I don't care if they get together to vote on who has the prettiest eyes -- if they do it as Congressman Soandso and not as Bob, the guy drinking beer next to you, then it ought to be public.

Just my humble opinion, of course!

[ohioan]

28. This is not an official vote . . .

It is a vote on the internal workings of the Republican caucus. Such votes are not recorded and they are not official since they do not involve legislation nor do they govern the operation of the House as a whole, only the management of one party's caucus.

[JeffInRick]

12. Time to make them look bad.

I think the Dems could make them look really bad if they'd pass a resolution like the ones the repugs have killed for Delany.

[offcenter]

13. Rep. Scott Garrett, NJ 5th District

is on the "letter writers" list at talkingpointsmemo ... so I called.
A nice sounding gentleman "really wasn't sure how he voted" (yeah right), so I gave my name, address & phone # for Mr. Garrett to please let a constituent know how he's voting on these issues.

I'll probably be receiving all sorts of "thanks for your support & please donate" junk mail. Ah well.

Please call your rep if they are Repub & ask for an answer.
When the indictments come down, this could be a big issue for blue state Repubs.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

15. Yes

we are focusing mainly on republicans who just barely won re-election (or election) in mostly blue areas or areas rapidly going blue.

Keep that mail if you get it. Keep a file for that representative. The stuff he sends out could be very useful later.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

16. Called my PA Rep to complain...

Melissa Hart in Western PA was one of the voice voters for DeLay so I called her DC office to voice my complaint/concerns. They were kind of apologetic about it. Good. Need to keep them on guard.

Everyone should call their republican reps to voice concerns...they need to know that the public is watching them.

They can use the word "mandate" if they like but they still have to answer questions from the regular voters.

I also called Senator Santorum's office to ask "Is it true that Rick Santorum doesn't even live in PA?" Turns out he has a million$ home in Virginia and keeps this 2 bedroom rental near Pittsburgh...HE HAS 6 KIDS and a WIFE.

[jzodda]

17. I think its great

He will get indicted and then the Reps can have a criminal as their leader in the House. It will be a great gift to all the Dems running for the House in 2006.

[peterh]

20. Ed Royce…40th district…California….

I sent email yesterday (18th) and have yet to receive a reply….I called his office his morning and got a “we’ll have to call you back on that matter” reply. Called again a little awhile ago was told that you’re on our list to call back, but we don’t have a direction yet from the chief of staff….I commented that that sounded like a yes vote and while she agreed, she added that I shouldn’t be too sure in that conclusion.

This district is so rabid repug that I would think only a “no” vote would cause him any concern…..I guess it’s hard work to frame your vote in the right light….of course he could just do what Chris Cox (a little south and in an even safer repug district) did and just say…it ain’t any of your stinkin’ business how I voted….and that’s that….with his sheep saying “you da man Chris”…..unfuckingbelievable….

[mortypoo]

22. SEND A LETTER TO DELAY'S PASTOR

I found this interesting take on the DeLay problem. Check out this blog, he went ahead and wrote a letter to DeLay's Pastor

http://chuckcurrie.blogs.com/chuck_currie/2004/11/send_a_letter_t.html

I guess we all should do this.

[juliagoolia]

23. church email address

[e-mail]

This is Delay's church email address. Ask them what is their stance on what a person is to do when they make a big boo boo.

Should they blame someone else? Should they accept the responsiblity and ask God to Forgive them>


Be nice now..

[JerseygirlCT]

29. Dr. RAMBO?

Sorry that one just struck me as funny.

Maybe it's just been a long day.

[babylonsister]

24. Perhaps this vote was 'fixed' as well?

:shrug: