DeLay And The Lobbyists

Via "The Rant" at Capitol Hill Blue, we are given the lowdown from lobbyists themselves as to the way Tom DeLay (R-TX) conducted business a Majority Leader. those who know DeLay best say the charges are only part of many laws the Congressman has broken in his climb to the top of the collections of scoundrels, crooks and con artists in Washington. “Everyone knew Tom DeLay was on the take from the day he arrived after the 1984 elections,” says Arnie Wilson, who lobbied Congress for the oil industry from 1974 through 1990. “He had his hand out the day he walked into his office.” Elizabeth Hastings, who lobbied for health care from 1981 through 1992, remembers asking DeLay for support on an insurance bill in 1986. “He gave me a laundry list of what he wanted for his vote,” Hastings says. “It included, of course, maximum contributions to his PAC plus a contribution to some obscure fund in Texas and an invitation to speak at our conference that year in Hawaii. He wanted us to fund the trip for himself, his family, and extend the stay for two weeks after our conference ended. I couldn’t afford that kind of commitment and he voted against the bill.” ------ Matt Stone lobbied Congress for more than 30 years, retiring in 1995. DeLay, he says, kept a record of how much he and other lobbyists ponied up on political contributions, free trips and gifts and pulled it out during meetings. “He’d pull that list out and say ‘Matt, you’re a little light this year’ and then talk about places his family would like to visit,” Stone says. “Next thing you know, we’re sponsoring Rep. DeLay and his family on a trip to Europe.” Happy Thanksgiving Tommy, you have been voted this year's "Turkey of the Year". Read on.....