McHenry defends House leader DeLay against ‘baseless’ ethics charges

[Judi Lynn]

McHenry defends House leader DeLay against ‘baseless’ ethics charges
Amelia Townsend
The Star

(16171-5/16/2005-LN)

SHELBY — Despite all the allegations and investigations surrounding U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, North Carolina’s freshman Republican staunchly defends DeLay.

Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C. 10th, called DeLay a “strong conservative leader” and said the charges of ethics violations are “baseless.”

“Some members of Congress go on trips to speak to different groups paid for by the groups,” McHenry said. “Democrats do it more than Republicans because they like free trips. They are attacking Mr. DeLay because of partisan politics,” McHenry said.

Questions swirl around foreign trips that DeLay took, centering on whether the trips were paid for by a lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, who is now under criminal investigation. DeLay is certain to face an ethics inquiry this year because he has requested one.
(snip)

http://www.shelbystar.com/portal/ASP/article.asp?ID=16171

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Franks stands by DeLay

May. 16, 2005 12:00 AM

Just one of Arizona's six GOP House members attended Thursday night's $250-per-plate event at Washington's Capital Hilton honoring Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas: Rep. Trent Franks. And Franks says he's proud of it.

The American Conservative Union dinner of about 800 conservative leaders was to show solidarity behind the embattled DeLay, the subject of nagging ethics accusations.
(snip)

But most of the Arizona Republican representatives were already winging their way home, since the House completed its voting for the week by afternoon. Of those ethics questions that are dogging the majority leader, Franks said he believes they are the result of a "concerted, deliberate, planned and outrageous Democratic strategy."
(snip)

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0516AZinDC16.html

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Posted on Mon, May. 16, 2005

New woe for DeLay: A real reelection battle

Democrats are betting voters in his "Texas 22" district will simply be tired of scandals soon. The GOP stands by its man.

By Dick Polman
Inquirer Political Analyst

SUGAR LAND, Texas - In 10 successive elections, Republican Tom DeLay racked up easy victories in his congressional district on the outskirts of Houston. His Democratic opponents were either hapless or broke, and he would always return to Washington and resume his work as a key architect of the conservative revolution.

But life on the home front is not so idyllic anymore. The embattled House majority leader, plagued by ethics and legal investigations in Washington and Texas, will be strongly targeted in his 2006 race by Democrats and outside watchdog groups. And DeLay, in his early preparations, appears to be taking the threat seriously.

The battle for the "Texas 22" district figures to be the most expensive House race nationwide, a magnet for all the ideological passions of the moment. Indeed, over the next 18 months, DeLay may well be ranked with Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania as the most targeted incumbent Republican in the land.

Democrats are betting (or merely hoping) that a sizeable number of voters here will be suffering from scandal fatigue by November 2006. After all, the bipartisan House Ethics Committee, which has admonished DeLay four times for unethical behavior, is poised to launch a new probe of DeLay's relationship with lobbyist Jack Abramoff - himself the target of multiple federal investigations. The new ethics probe could ensure that DeLay stumps for reelection under a cloud.
(snip)

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/special_packages/election2004/11656018.htm

[benburch]

1. OK, that bastard is NEXT.

When I find out who is running against him, that person gets a donation.

[merwin]

2. If there are so many democrats doing this, why can't they name

them?

[gratuitous]

3. Notice that Toxic Tom's defender is a newbie?

Wassa matter, Tom? Can't get any of the old guard to defend you? Where's Denny Hastert? He should be out in front of everybody, doncha think? Is it only the rookies who owe their recent election to DeLay and his control of the RNC money who bother to defend him anymore?

[kainah]

4. indeed!

You'd think that a freshman, in the 4th MONTH of his service, might have the brains to keep his mouth shut until he learns a bit more about the realities of the place. Then again, this McHenry has a very big mouth.

[Fovea]

6. Yes, he wins the Bob Dole, Nixon Defender award!

And gets the date with KKKarl.

[bemildred]

5. Him and Barney the DINOsaur. nt

[Guckert]

7. Baseless??? Ha, what a tool. does he still think the Iraqi war was based

on facts????

[leftofcool]

8. And Nixon was framed.....eom

[aquart]

9. The Dems forced DeLay to play golf?

Cruel.

[punpirate]

10. More rats...

... swimming toward a sinking ship....

[killbotfactory]

11. "It's okay, everybody does it!"

I wish Tom luck if that's the way he's going to defend himself in a court of law.