Delay duped his constituents to raise legal fees

[Oilwellian]

From the Post ...

DeLay was determined to hang on to his seat at least through the primary, said Carl Forti, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. That was because he considered his three Republican challengers gadflies and traitors and he was determined to try to block them from succeeding him.
...

An additional impetus for putting off the resignation until now was suggested by John Feehery, a former aide to DeLay and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). "He needed to raise money for the defense fund. That was the bottom line," Feehery said. "He wanted to make sure he could take care of himself in the court of law." Under federal campaign rules, any reelection money a lawmaker raises can be used to pay legal fees stemming from official duties.

So the GOP candidate will be selected by party chairs. And a main reason for DeLay to stay in the race this long was to raise legal fees under the guise of raising money to run a political campaign.

-- Josh Marshall

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/008119.php

[NVMojo]

1. the is no end to the perversion of every rule known to politicians like

DeLay ....

[BlooInBloo]

2. In the immortal words of Khan...

"To the last will I grapple with thee...from hell's heart I stab at thee...for hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee..."

[WiseButAngrySara]

Enjoyed the quote! Wish it were his last hateful breath. ....n/t

[UCLA02]

4. I thought it was some guy with a whale of a "dick" who said it

But Khan certainly did it justice...

;-)

[BlooInBloo]

5. I only know it from Khan...

Coulda been someone else for all I know....

:)

[MercutioATC]

8. Kahn was quoting Captain Ahab...

[BlooInBloo]

12. Thank you!

Knew I shoulda read that book... lolol

[unblock]

31. no. no, you shouldn't. too long. get the cliff notes

:evilgrin:

[unblock]

30. herman melville, actually, from the character captain ahab from moby dick.

but khan did it better.

who knew that fantasy island guy could actually act! ;)

[The Doctor.]

35. Just what Jesus would say.... n/t

[justice1]

3. Did they knowingly contribute to his defense?

I am trying to figure out if the contributors were looking for a way to help him, while getting a tax deduction, or did he mislead donors?

Either way, it's a loophole that needs to be changed, not that I'll be holding my breath.

[Oilwellian]

9. That's a good question

If he were honest with them, it would have been common knowledge. Delay is a crook and very deceptive when it comes to money.

[Kber]

21. But if he were an honest man

he wouldn't have to raise money for his legal defense in the first place.

It's just this kind of monetary bait and switch that landed him in trouble.

[ToeBot]

11. I'm sure he misled them, his nature demanded it, but...

political contributions don't qualify as tax deductions. They are not viewed as charitable donations.

[gasperc]

18. probably not, but THEY CAN ASK FOR THEIR MONEY BACK

Lampson should mock and shame Delay's contributors, as well as Delay himself, for this tactic. Although, money Delay is spending is probably better than getting re-funneled into a new GOP contender in TX-22.

[Sgent]

34. You don't get a tax deduction

for political contributions -- at least not one I can find.

[BuyingThyme]

6. Does the "official duties" clause require him to return the money

if the jury, or some other body, determines that the duties were not "official?" It it was illegal, is it automatically unofficial?

[Botany]

7. but he talked about his spirtual growth w/ Tweety

and his walk with Jesus .... so he couldn't be lying to his constituents just for money.

[ClintonTyree]

32. This confirms my idea about politicians using religion as a tool...

to dupe the rest of god's flock into supporting them. I think very few politicians really believe the whole christian myth but profess allegiance to the religious just to garner favor. The problem is the gullible fools buy it, they really think they're on board the god train. Delay personifies this grand illusion to a tee.

I don't think I've ever been aware of such a despicable maggot as Delay. Even Bush or Cheney haven't stooped to the depths of Delay's contempt and evil, in my opinion. I rarely wish ill will toward anyone, but in Delay's case I wish him all the agony and pain imaginable in this world. He deserves no better. :grr:

[MADem]

10. His contributors ought to sue his ass for getting their dough under false

pretenses. It would at least force him to spend money for purposes other than his defense in the Abramoff and Earle imbroglios.

[0007]

13. Tom DeLay's stench will open your eyes.

[yodermon]

14. kicking

for the lurking freeps

[callous taoboy]

15. This hit me last night on Newshour- What a cock!

[gasperc]

16. yeah, caught this last night, what a Dick

Lampson should use the issue in his ads somehow. Possibly to shame or mock Delay's contributors to ask for their money back

[LibDemAlways]

17. Of the 31,160 votes cast in the repuke primary

in DeLay's district, he received 20,558, even though he had three challengers. Repukes in Texas must love the stench of corruption.

[callous taoboy]

27. The Repukes that voted for Delay

will be lining up to bring him goodies in the poky. That's how deranged they are.

[ClintonTyree]

33. Texas breeds a particularly vile type of Republican...

for some reason unknown to me. Maybe it's all the phony Texas bravado they're raised with, that Texans in some way are above all others simply because, by an accident of birth, they inhabit a piece of ground named, Texas.

Whatever the reason, I've had it up to my eyeballs with Texas Republicans and will do everything within my power to see that not one more is elected to office in my lifetime. These slime-balls in Texas that support the likes of the Bushs and Delays must, as you say, be deranged. Fuck 'em! :grr:

[callous taoboy]

36. I'm from Texas, and my dad told me when I turned 18

to, "Vote your pocketbook." Yup, he's a big-time MEpublican.

[Beausoir]

19. A fool and his money are soon parted.

I heard this last night and LMAO at those tools down there in Sugarland.

C'mon, yawl, pony up for our Leader's legal fees!!

[Catherine Vincent]

20. So that's why he was hanging on so long eh?

Not surprising. But why should we care, he duped republicans. :evilgrin:

[formercia]

23. Same people he duped into voting for him in the first place.

must be the stench from the refineries causing brain damage.

[Peanutcat]

22. I'd like to know--

How is it fucking legal to use campaign money for legal fees? The man's a God-damned crook, and he has the gall to say the reason everyone's after him is because he's a Christian. If he's a "Christian", then I'm the Pope.

[Roland99]

24. I knew it!! I called this two days ago!!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2549930&mesg_id=2549930

[BrklynLiberal]

28. delete. wrong place

[centristo]

25. you get what you pay for... nt

[neuvocat]

26. I just can't feel sorry for the people who voted for him.

They voted for a guy who is more crooked than a barrell of snakes despite all the scandals he has been guilty of. This isn't a matter of smart vs. dumb but a matter of moral vs. immoral. They voted for a guy who reflected their values (which consist mainly of screwing over everyone else and an "every man for himself" mentality) and they knew it!

Ye reap what ye sew and so shall ye reap.

[BrklynLiberal]

29. Not a shock. Leftchick, like Roland, pointed this out on Tuesday.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x842523

The man is a complete and total SLIMEBALL!
Of course this article does point out the additional motive that by running in the primary, Delay was able to undermine his primary opponents, and continue his career of destroying any shred of free elections and fair play, even in his own party..