Blunt: Another DeLay?

[UpInArms]

http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-blunt0116.artjan16,0,5872050.story?coll=hc-headlines-nationworld

WASHINGTON -- Connecticut Reps. Christopher Shays and Nancy L. Johnson are early, enthusiastic backers of Roy Blunt - Tom DeLay's hand-picked deputy - to succeed the embattled DeLay as House majority leader.

<snip>

Blunt has been the House's No. 3 Republican for the past three years, in charge of rounding up votes for DeLay, the Texas Republican who stepped down from his leadership post this month to await trial on charges that he violated campaign finance laws.

"Republicans need someone who's not Tom DeLay, in a big way. Roy Blunt is not the same, but he's similar," said Michael Surrusco, director of Common Cause's ethics campaign.

<snip>

Blunt defended himself on "Fox News Sunday," saying he had adhered to high ethical standards. But rival John B. Shadegg, an Arizona Republican, made it clear Blunt's ties to DeLay and others would be questioned. "We need real, dramatic reform," Shadegg said.

...more...

Blunt Falsely Denies Paying Hundreds of Thousands to Abramoff Firm

Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MI) now claims he has enough votes to win the race for House Majority Leader.

This morning on Fox, Blunt was asked about the fact that his political action committees have paid $485,000 to the released Friday:[br />
Ten of Blunt’s biggest contributors have hired ASG as their lobbying firm. Blunt’s committees paid ASG $485,485 since 1999 for fundraising and consulting services. ASG’s clients, meanwhile, have funneled $581,866 into Blunt’s committees.

Blunt spokeswoman Burson Taylor was asked to respond to the report by the Washington Post. She dismissed the findings as “a rehash of old charges,” but apparently did not challenge their accuracy.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. It will be either be a Blunt or a Boner - great choices, eh?

RW scum.

[UpInArms]

2. flying the corporate jets

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/15/AR2006011500690.html

excerpt:

Congressional leaders of both parties, and other influential lawmakers such as committee chairmen, are especially frequent fliers. According to a report in The Post last May by R. Jeffrey Smith and Derek Willis, a dozen current and former leaders, in both houses and both political parties, flew on corporate jets at least 360 times between January 2001 and December 2004; Republican leaders took 265 trips, Democrats 95. Mr. DeLay and then-Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), now seeking to take Mr. DeLay's place, were the two top users, accounting for at least 140 trips between them; Mr. Blunt alone hitched a ride on about 30 companies' planes.

[xchrom]

3. blunt is going to jail.

[robbedvoter]

4. I was wondering when they get around to him.

Waiting for Hastert now.

[Greeby]

5. Blunt has no challenger, see this table

http://www.barrywelsh.org/fiftystate/

Anyone in Missouri wanna step up before the deadline?

[rodeodance]

6. "saying he had adhered to high ethical standards" the echo

chamber!

[rodeodance]

7. if you hear it on fox it is true. te he.

[zann725]

8. Then it's time the Dem's be "blunt" about "Blunt" before history repeats

...perhaps worse this time.

[ixion]

9. hmm...let's see... rethug? check. * supporter? check. unethical? check.

yep, I'd say he's another DeLay in the making.

[UpInArms]

10. looks like DeLay, Blunt and Abramoff had some sort of

money laundering scheme (jmho)

DeLay, Blunt swapped money between secretive groups

excerpt:

Much of the money, including one donation to Blunt from an Abramoff client accused of running a "sweatshop" garment factory in the Northern Mariana Islands, changed hands in spring 2000, a period of keen interest to federal prosecutors.

<snip>

"You see Abramoff involved and see the meetings that were held and one gets the sense Abramoff is helping this along in order to get access and push his clients' interest," he said. "And at the same time, you see Delay and Blunt trying to hide the root of their funding.

<snip>

Blunt's group, a non-federal wing of his Rely on Your Beliefs Fund, eventually registered its activities in Missouri but paid a $3,000 fine for improperly concealing its fundraising in 1999 and spring 2000, according to Missouri Ethics Commission records.

<snip>

The next month, the state GOP began spending large amounts of money to help Blunt's son, Matt, in his successful campaign to become Missouri secretary of state. On July 25, 2000, the state GOP made its first expenditure for the younger Blunt, totaling just over $11,000. By election day, that figure had grown to more than $160,000.

<snip>

Exchanges of donations occurred again in the fall. Just a few days before the November election, DeLay's ARMPAC gave $50,000 to the Missouri GOP. A month later, the Missouri GOP sent $50,000 to DeLay's group.

...more at link...