You know the story about Tom DeLay and the cigar in the restaurant?

[proud2BlibKansan]

When he was asked to not smoke because it was against the law to smoke in that restaurant, He said "I AM the government!"

Is this really true? I checked Snopes but couldn't find it.

[Faygo Kid]

1. It's true. Politicians and cigars - apparently not a good combo.

[LA lady]

2. with not am

From what I found he was told he couldn't smoke in the restaurant cause it was in a Federal Govmt building and he said "I'm WITH the Federal government" but when told that didn't matter, he and his party left. It was at Ruth Cris Steakhouse.
see Washington Post.com

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Found it - thanks!

A couple of years ago, Tom DeLay was chomping on a cigar at a Washington restaurant with some lobbyists. The manager went over to tell him he couldn't smoke because the restaurant was located on property leased from the federal government, which bars smoking. "I am the federal government," DeLay replied, in words that will follow the onetime exterminator from Sugar Land, Texas, like ants at a picnic.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7614140/site/newsweek/

[atommom]

4. Well, let's hope they're fire ants.

[pnorman]

5. Here's what I Googled:

>
>
Khandker: "I'm sorry, sir, but this is a federal building, and it's against the law of the federal government."

DeLay: "I am the federal government."

But Khandker stood his ground, and DeLay and several cigar-chomping compatriots left for the smoke-filled Caucus Room before the cheesecake course.
>
>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A57541-2003May14

As the title says: "Close, but no cigar", Ms. LA lady!

pnorman

[LizMoonstar]

6. i have a random question -

if one has a cigar/cigarette/pipe, unlit, and has no intention of actually lighting and smoking it, is it permitted to have it?

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. I have no idea

[eppur_se_muova]

7. Kudos to the manager. He knows who works for whom. nt