March 2, 2005

More Republican House Leader Delay ethics violations uncovered, this time he's linked to a Social Security scare group


More on the most immoral of Republicans (and that's saying a lot) from Raw Story:

A think tank which raised money by targeting elderly Americans with Social Security scare letters paid for more than $130,000 in travel expenses for the House Republican leader, his wife and his staff, RAW STORY has learned.

The National Center for Public Policy Research, a highly controversial and little-known conservative think tank which has been sending Social Security “fright mail” for years, paid for two posh trips for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) in 1996 and 2000, each at the cost of at least $64,000.

NCPPR also gave $1,000 to DeLay’s legal defense fund in 2004.

While another conservative group stole the limelight for an ad linking the AARP to gay marriage, NCPPR has operated below the radar on controversial issues since its founding in the early 1980s.

The group’s letters target seniors of both parties, aiming to convince them their Social Security benefits are in jeopardy and thereby induce them to donate money. The mailings also encourage seniors to keep the mailing secret from others, perhaps even from family members...

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay enjoyed the generosity of the group at least twice. The group paid for a $64,064 trip for himself and his staff to Moscow and St. Petersburg when he was Majority Whip in the summer of 1997.

NCPPR also picked up a hefty $70,000 tab for trip for DeLay and his aides made in mid-2000 to Europe. DeLay and his staff took a junket where he met with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and took a round of golf with conservative leaders in Scotland.

The ten-day “educational” trip was no small affair–NCPPR paid $28,106 for DeLay and his wife alone, splurging on transportation ($20,266.00), cushy lodging ($3,840.00) and meals ($4,000.00)...

On Saturday, the National Journal reported that DeLay may have violated House ethics rules when a top lobbyist shelled out an additional $13,000 for DeLay’s stay at the London Four Seasons hotel during that same trip. House rules stipulate that members or members’ employees cannot accept payment from a registered lobbyist to cover travel costs.

The lobbyist in question? Jack Abramoff, an NCPPR director. Abramoff was also on the board of USA Next—a pro-privatization Social Security group that formed as an offshoot of the Swift Boat Vets and recently ran an ad claiming AARP supported gay marriage.

Since then, Abramoff’s fortunes have soured. Abramoff is under investigation for several lobbying scandals and is involved in ongoing litigation with federal authorities over casino deals. He has since resigned his post at NCPPR.

Abramoff and DeLay have a long relationship on Capitol Hill. DeLay’s former press secretary Michael Scalon joined Abramoff’s firm six years ago and allegedly traded on DeLay’s name to rake in $45 million between them from four American Indian tribes—in a year when General Motors spent just $30 million...

Gee how much more on this guy before they throw him out on his ass....damn, and to think they empeached President Clinton for lying about sex.....We have Delay, and Shrub with his lie about WMDs to get us into a war where over 1500 of our solders are DEAD, untold thousands of dead Iraqi women and children, torture, theft of funds from the Afghan campaign....need I go on, this is totally unbelievable....damn...


doc

Yep...where's the outrage?

About the only places I see outrage about what is happening to our country are on discussion boards like this one.

Catherine

My biggest question is how can the senators and reps go along with Bush, regardless of party affiliation?

Where does loyalty to the political party end and loyalty to America, real freedom, and the Constitution begin?



Catherine