I just received this email from Nebraska Democrats. Interesting!

[Rainbowreflect]

Dear Friend,

Yesterday, the NDP community put pressure on Jeff Fortenberry to do the right thing and donate the dirty money he received from Duke Cunningham. Together, we got a press release out, put the facts on the website and got a great response from a petition.

And just this morning, the Omaha World Herald reported that Fortenberry answered our call and will donate $4,000 to the People's City Mission in Lincoln. You can read more about it here:

http://www.nebraskademocrats.org/greatjob

Not only did your actions bring attention to Fortenberry's connection to the culture of corruption in the Republican Party, it ended with a very worthy charity receiving a plump donation just in time for the holidays.

But our work is not done. If Nebraska's Congressmen continue to need reminders to do the right thing, we deserve new ones. And Jeff Fortenberry still refuses to get rid of the $20,000 he received from Tom DeLay. We need to continue to stand up for the values of Nebraska, hold our elected officials accountable for their actions and provide the fresh alternatives that voters want.

Today, you have made a difference -- but we must continue the fight. Thank you.

Regards,

Amanda McGill
Communications Director
Nebraska Democratic Party

P.S. The NDP will be launching our first 2008 Presidential Straw Poll next week. This is a great opportunity for our opinions to impact the national debate at an early stage. So tell your friends, and get ready to vote for our next President!

[Omaha Steve]

1. The OWH article

Published Thursday
December 1, 2005

Fortenberry money from tainted source going to charity

BY ROBYNN TYSVER


WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska said Wednesday that he would donate to charity the $4,000 his campaign received last year from disgraced former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California.

Fortenberry said he would give the money to the People's City Mission in Lincoln.

He made the announcement after Nebraska Democrats called for him to give up the "dirty dollars."

Republican Fortenberry was elected last year to replace longtime Republican Rep. Doug Bereuter.

"To help restore confidence in the institution of Congress, (Fortenberry) believes it is the right thing to do to donate the money," said Paul Webster, his chief of staff.

Fortenberry received $4,000 from Cunningham's political action committee, American Prosperity, in October 2004, shortly before he won his first election to Congress in Nebraska's 1st District. The investigation into Cunningham's financial transactions was not made public until July.

Cunningham resigned from Congress this week after admitting that he had accepted $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors. He now faces jail time.

Democrats said the Cunningham scandal was an example of corruption within the Republican ranks.

"These campaign contributions are yet another chain linking Fortenberry to the culture of corruption in the Republican Party," said Steve Achelpohl, chairman of the Nebraska Democratic Party.

Cunningham's campaign committee donated to many Republican candidates. Key donors to the committee were defense contractors.

One of the donors was the defense firm MZM Inc. of Washington, D.C. - the same firm that purchased Cunningham's house for $1.6 million.

The house sale played a pivotal role in Cunningham's downfall. An investigation into Cunningham's affairs began after it became known that MZM bought the house and then sold it a year later for a $700,000 loss.

U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle of Iowa, also a Republican, on Tuesday donated to a local charity the $1,000 that he received from Cunningham's group.

Contact the Omaha World-Herald newsroom

Copyright ©2005 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or distributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.


http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1673&u_sid=2074662

[TheFarseer]

2. Is anyone going to run against this bush-bot?

I haven't seen that anyone is. Maybe we can club him to death with the Tom Delay money or the fact that he's a complete idiot and has no business in Congress, or the fact that he doesn't represent any part of Nebraska, but rather blindly supports GW and his corporate masters. Any of those issues is a good place to start.

[Dave Sund]

3. Former Lt. Gov. Maxine Moul

Has strongly hinted at a run, according to the NDP's blog.