MyDD :: New Action Alert Concerning the Latest DeLay Bombshell Scandal

New Action Alert Concerning the Latest DeLay Bombshell Scandal

by MurshedZ, Fri Mar 11, 2005 at 10:08:03 AM EST

From the diaries--Chris

I imagine most of you already had a chance to read the latest bombshell ethics scandal implicating Tom DeLay this morning in The Washington Post. Based on the latest story, we are expanding the lobbying targets of our phone calls to the Capitol Hill demanding full scale investigation into the latest ethics scandals implicating Tom DeLay. Specifically we are targeting the GOP House Leadership.

Folks we really need everyone here to read this diary and make the calls. The Congressional leadership is finally feeling some real heat as stories after stories are now emerging on Tom DeLay's alleged ethics transgressions. We have been on this issue for months and it is good to see the mainstream media finally being lot more aggressive in covering the stories about all the ethics abuses that have gone in Congress for last few years. So please recommend this diary so that everyone can get information and phone numbers for making this grassroots call to the Capitol Hill. More after the jump.

First, if you haven't done it yet, please put in phone calls to the Ethics Committee members urging them to launch investigation into DeLay's latest ethics mess. Since we sent our supporters an email on Tuesday afternoon, these ethics committee members have been feeling the impact of their calls. Keep them up.

We also want everyone to call the offices of the following members who represent the leadership of the majority party. Call their offices and demand them to urge the Ethics Committee to investigate the latest allegations against their colleague who we believe is ethically unfit to serve as the majority leader of the people's house:

Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL): 202-225-2976
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Majority Whip: 202-225-6536
Rep. Eric J. Cantor (R-VA), Deputy Majority Whip: 202-225-2815
Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH), Conference Chair: 202-225-2015
Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA), Conference Vice-Chair: 202-225-583
Rep. John T. Doolitte (R-CA)
Conference Secretary: 202-225-2511
Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ),Policy Chairman: (202) 225-3361
Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY), Chair, National Republican Congressional Committee: 202-225-5265

When you are calling these members representing the Republican leadership in House, please keep in mind that you can call them and lobby them even if you are not in his or her district. The members listed above who make up the Republican leadership are accountable to all Americans, not just the citizens who live in their districts. The same is true for the Ethics Committee members - they may not be your representatives in Congress, but as a citizen concerned about the ethical behavior of current Congress, they are accountable to you.

Let us know how your calls are going.

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Permalink :: 8 Comments :: Post a Comment

Thanks for posting this Chris (none / 0)

We really appreciate it. There have been new developments since last evening. Rep. Mollohan actually showed a lot of courage last night standing up against the proposed rules changes in ethics process which is pushed by the GOP to totally neuter the current ethics process. I posted a new entry on our blog this am. I will post it here in entirety. Thanks again. Here is the post:

Support Mollohan's Effort to Unlock the Gridlock in the Ethics Committee

From Post's Mike Allen:

House Ethics Panel in Gridlock
Democrats Refuse to Participate Under New GOP Rules

By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 11, 2005; Page A02

The House, facing new controversy about the travel of Majority Leader Tom DeLay and other lawmakers, was left last night with no mechanism for investigating improper behavior by its members when Democrats shut down the ethics committee by refusing to accept Republican rules changes that restrict the panel's power.

Democrats said they do not plan to allow the ethics committee to organize until Republicans repeal a series of rule changes they pushed through in January, making it more difficult to initiate an investigation unless at least one Republican member supports the probe.

The committee met in secret for 2 1/2 hours. It was the first meeting since House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) replaced the chairman and two other members with lawmakers more loyal to the leadership. "These rules undermine the ability of the committee to do its job," Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (W.Va.), the panel's top Democrat, said in an interview after a 5 to 5 vote that stalemated action. "An ethics committee has to do a good job if it's going to do any job at all."

Everyone should support Mollohan's efforts to reverse partisan changes to ethics rules forced on the House at the start of the 109th Congress that would essentially shut down the ethics process.

The GOP leadership changed the ethics rules despite concerns from members from their own party - former Ethics Committee Chairman Joel Hefley (R-CO), who specifically stated that ethics reform "must be bipartisan and this is not bipartisan."

If the current leadership in the House is serious about enacting reforms to the House ethics process, they must do so in a bipartisan legislative manner, not push it through leadership as part of a rules package. This is why we are calling the Congess to adopt Mollohan's resolution that will rescind the ethics rules changes, including the most damaging one that effectively dismisses a complaint in the event of a deadlock within the ethics committee. A committee divided equally between Democrats and Republicans. This is important because if the change requiring that at least one member of the Ethics Committee must break rank with his or her political party in order for an investigation to begin, it is highly doubtful that a single ethics complaint will ever be investigated.

Given what has transpired this week, the Congress must act fast. The Ethics Committee must investigate. But it also needs in place ethics rules that allow it do its job. So keep calling the congressional offices of the Republican leadership. The Republicans control the House and as the party in majority it falls to them to roll back these unacceptable changs to ethics rules.

by MurshedZ on Fri Mar 11, 2005 at 10:55:57 AM EST

DeLay's Heart (none / 0)

On page 6A, USA Today (March 11, 2005), a story states that "Tom DeLay was treated for a heart condition..." According to the head of cardiology "DeLay, 57, has arrhythmia, or an irregular heartbeat."

This is important to note because

We know he has a heart.
He must be under an extreme amount of stress to go have tests done to check the status of his heart.

We wish him a speedy recovery.

by Marie Smith on Fri Mar 11, 2005 at 11:21:55 AM EST

Re: DeLay's Heart (none / 0)

We do?

by craverguy on Fri Mar 11, 2005 at 11:25:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DeLay's Heart (none / 0)

Of course we do, we're liberals and we work for everyone's welfare.

Plus it would just be unfair that terminal illness or death should cheat us of seeing the Bug Man styling in some flashy orange jumpers or...be still my beating heart...seeing him in prison.

by Kentucky Blogger on Fri Mar 11, 2005 at 12:09:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Heart? (none / 0)

Has anyone actually see this alleged heart? If so, how long did it take for the doctors to locate it, and will there be a special on The Discovery Channel?

by Tod Westlake on Fri Mar 11, 2005 at 12:11:10 PM EST

Re: Heart? (none / 0)

I saw something about it this past Christmas. Turns out his heart is two sizes too small.

by Curt Matlock on Fri Mar 11, 2005 at 01:19:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Heart? (none / 0)

Ahh, of course. Thanks for the clarification, Curt.

by Tod Westlake on Fri Mar 11, 2005 at 02:06:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

But those are long-distance. (none / 0)

eom

http://operationyellowelephant.blogspot.com/

by Vote Hillary 2008 on Fri Mar 11, 2005 at 10:26:07 PM EST

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