DeLay's war chest grows to $1.4 million

[Judi Lynn]

April 17, 2006, 11:12PM
DeLay's war chest grows to $1.4 million
He raised nearly $500,000 in the six weeks before announcing his resignation

By MICHAEL HEDGES
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay raised campaign money at a relatively high rate in the six weeks before revealing that he planned to give up his congressional seat, according to disclosures made available Monday.

The $484,475 received by his campaign from Feb. 15 to March 31 helped bring his total cash reserve to $1.4 million, which can be used for legal expenses or political activities.

DeLay awaits trial on campaign finance charges in Travis County, and the federal investigation involving former lobbyist Jack Abramoff continues to unfold. He has denied wrongdoing.

The nearly half-million dollars that the Republican lawmaker raised in the period that included time before and after winning the March 7 primary was more than triple the amount he raised in the previous 45 days.

DeLay's campaign raised money even after he apparently had decided to pull out of the race.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3800125.html

[countmyvote4real]

1. Anybody or corporation that contributed to this criminal should

be investigated. I can presume that around 30-40% MIGHT be ideological contributions, but rest must be tit or tat.

[rpannier]

2. Isn't this like...

fraud?
Raising money for re-election, eventhough you have no intention on doing so.
This is one of those rules that needs to be re-written and tightened.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. Why, yes it is.

Now why would Congress pass an exception to fraud? :freak:

[Judi Lynn]

5. Absolutely. It would seem if he's not running, he should give it back.

It's a slap in the face to the voters that he feels free to do this so openly.

Republican "think tanks" are probably the authors of all these crimes for which laws haven't been passed, yet. They are good at new crimes no one has thought to prohibit, like the New Hampshire phone jamming crimes.

[leesa]

7. Republicans like being treated this way. Look at all the money they're

giving to Burns, it will probably end up the same way. Eventually, they might wise up as these guys end up in jail and their money is wasted.

[yellowcanine]

8. Yes it is. It is a loophole that DeLay drove his exterminator truck

through.

[ktlyon]

11. if money was given for election, that is what should be used for

not personal reasons

[Media_Lies_Daily]

3. He may not have enough money to defend himself against....

...all of his current, and future, legal charges.

Awww. Too bad.

[Tempest]

9. Especially when you consider the RNC forked out $2.5 million

For Tobin's defense of the N.H. phone jamming charges.

[joefree1]

6. He'll need it when he runs for cell block captain

Or to keep from becoming someone's b****.

[gratuitous]

10. I wonder how his contributors feel?

Surely if they felt they'd been deceived, they'd demand the return of their contribution, wouldn't they? Is it just that none of them have made their demand public, or are they still looking for some kind of payback for their investment?

DeLay's corruption has been observable for anyone with eyes; are his backers that cynical, that deluded, that oblivious, or what?

[warrens]

12. His lawyers are going to get every penny, and then some

He better save at least a few thousand to buy cigarettes with. That way he can buy off the larger, more aggressive of his new peers...at least for a little while.