FBI’s DeLay Probe Widens; GOP trashes Katherine Harris; Debate debates; more.
September 6th, 2006
THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE.CONGRESS #1 : FBI LOBBYING PROBE LOOKS AT "NO-SHOW JOB" FOR DeLAY'S WIFE.
According to the Wall Street Journal, FBI agents are investigation if the wife of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) was paid $115,000 for a purportedly "no-show" job with a DC lobbying firm. The firm -- Alexander Strategies -- was run by former DeLay aide Tony Rudy, who already pled guilty to felony corruption charges tied to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Rudy, who is now cooperating with federal agents, admitted in court he accepted bribes while he worked for DeLay and later conspired to bribe other congressmen when he was a lobbyist. According to the newspaper, "investigators also asked about $144,000 that Mrs. DeLay received from one of Mr. DeLay's fund-raising committees, the Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee, which was housed at the lobbying firm's offices." Mrs. DeLay was a "key adviser to her husband and her employment at Armpac and Alexander Strategy was real and valuable," explained a DeLay family spokesman.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.07.06
CONGRESS #2: GOP INCUMBENTS WANT MORE DEBATES.
Traditionally, it is challengers who insist upon holding debates with incumbents and the incumbents who try to dodge debates. The theory is a debate give a challenger free attention. This year the concept is out the window. The Hotline reports that Congressman Chris Shays (R-CT) agreed to debate challenger Diane Farrell (D-CT) a whopping 11 times over the next month. Yup, eleven debates! Congresswoman Thelma Drake (R-VA) started challenging her opponent to debates back in June. Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and his challenger Patrick Murphy -- an Iraq War veteran -- already debated four times. Now comes the news Fitzpatrick is insisting Murphy agree to a series of additional debates. Most amusingly was the recent debate between Congressman Mike Sodrel (R-IN) and former Congressman Baron Hill (D-IN). The two argued about holding more debates during their first debate, with the challenger saying he would not agree to additional meetings unless Sodrel would agree that each debate would focus in detail on separate and specific issues. By contrast, Congressman Leonard Boswell (D-IA) has not agreed to any debates against State Senate President Jeff Lamberti (R-IA). For now, Boswell is non-committal about participated in a single televised October debate. In Illinois, Congresswoman Melissa Bean (D) already held the fourth and final agreed debate with wealthy challenger David McSweeney (R) this week -- held in the summer before most voters even started paying attention to the race -- and with no debates during the remaining two months.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.07.06
CHICAGO: CONGRESSMAN JACKSON JUMPS INTO '07 RACE AGAINST MAYOR DALEY.
Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. (D) on Wednesday launched his run against five-term incumbent Chicago Mayor Rich Daley in 2007 by forming an exploratory committee. Jackson also kicked-off a "listening tour" of the city. Daley (D) is expected to seek reelection next year, but has yet to make a formal announcement. Cook County Clerk of Courts Dorothy Brown (D) and former mayoral aide Bill "Dock" Walls (D) were already announced candidates against Daley in the non-partisan February 2007 primary. Daley has cruised to landslide wins in most his runs. He scored a 3-to-1 victory in 1999, for example, over Congressman Bobby Rush (D).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.07.06
BY THE NUMBERS: LATEST INDEPENDENT NUMBERS.
NEW MEXICO - CD-2: Congressman Steve Pence (R) - 54%, minister Al Kissling (D) - 29%. (Albuquerque Journal).
NEW MEXICO - CD-3: Congressman Tom Udall (D) - 71%, engineer Ron Dolin (R) - 18%. (Albuquerque Journal).
OKLAHOMA - GOVERNOR: Governor Brad Henry (D) - 54%, Congressman Ernest Istook (R) - 33%. (Rasmussen Reports).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.07.06
FLORIDA: REPUBLICANS NOT RALLYING AROUND HARRIS.
If this is any indicator, Congresswoman Katherine Harris' victory in Tuesday's GOP primary for US Senator is not going to put an end to the attacks on Harris from her own party. The latest example is the post-primary statement issued Wednesday by primary candidate, wealthy developer and former GHW Bush Administration official Peter Monroe. Here are just a few excerpts from his written statement: "Yesterday, Florida Republicans selected Katherine Harris as their nominee to take on Senator Bill Nelson this November. Name recognition, no matter how unfavorable, trumped substance and character ... To date, I have supported all Republican nominees. I fully and enthusiastically support [Governor nominee] Charlie Crist, [Attorney General nominee] Bill McCollum and [State CFO nominee] Tom Lee. However, I cannot support Katherine Harris as the Republican Party's nominee. Her anti-Semitic statements made to the Florida Baptist Witness were the last straw in a string of misdeeds during our race. They are indicative of a person who is unfit to serve in public office ... She is an embarrassment to Florida, the Republican Party, our nation, and herself." It goes on, but that gives you the flavor of it. By contrast -- despite the bitter nature of the GOP gubernatorial contest -- primary loser Tom Gallagher plans to campaign with winner Charlie Crist on Friday. No such public rapprochement yet from the Democratic gubernatorial candidates.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.07.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
The other stuff.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.07.06
Entry Filed under: politics