Political Fundraising in Texas Is Target of Probe

[zimv20]

link (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-finance3jan03,1,7968111.story?coll=la-home-headlines)


AUSTIN, Texas — Authorities are conducting a criminal investigation into whether corporate money, including hundreds of thousands of dollars linked to U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, improperly financed the Republican Party's takeover of the Texas Capitol.

The probe is focused on several political and fundraising organizations run by Republican activists, investigators said. One of the organizations, the political action committee Texans for a Republican Majority, has direct ties to DeLay, a Texas Republican and one of the most powerful politicians in Washington.
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At issue is whether the organizations improperly used corporate contributions to help finance the campaigns of more than 20 Republican candidates for the Texas House of Representatives in 2002, according to documents and interviews with prosecutors and government investigators.

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[Sayhey]

"This represents the corruption of the democratic process by large amounts of money given by people with a stake in who gets elected — whose profit depends on who holds the regulatory range of government," he said. "Basically, it's an attempt to buy influence in government, to use secret money from hidden sources to hijack democracy."


DeLay put the "slime" in "slimeball." There is no lower form of political animal in the Congress.

[Desertrat]

I'm in favor of maximum punishments for any crookedness, okay? However, such an investigation has as good odds on finding those who did the same for the Democrats as for Republicans.

I'd bet that any wrong-doing by corporate types was split between the two parties; most Big Bidness types copper their bets in contributions.

And, I'm not surprised that losers try to find some way to change the results. Face it, the winners don't care about the losers' crookedness...

You should pardon my cynicism. :)

'Rat

[mactastic]

Originally posted by Desertrat
I'm in favor of maximum punishments for any crookedness, okay? However, such an investigation has as good odds on finding those who did the same for the Democrats as for Republicans.


Good. Don't mistake my progressive philosophy with any kind of party loyalty. Anyone who is involved in illegal political campaign maneuvering should go to jail and be banned from further participation in any campaign activites. Pete Rose style. But don't expect any tears from me for Delay, who has far more power than someone who's views are so outside the mainstream of our society should. Can you imagine if Barbara Lee (http://www.house.gov/lee/) was the house majority leader? That's how far out Delay is on the other side. If you think Pelosi is a liberal....