DeLay Trip Was Charged To Lobbyist's Credit Card

[Nbadan]

DeLay Trip Was Charged To Lobbyist's Credit Card
By R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 24, 2005; Page A01


A plane trip to London and Scotland in 2000 by then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) was charged to an American Express card issued to Jack Abramoff, a Washington lobbyist at the center of a federal criminal and tax probe, according to two sources who know Abramoff's credit card account number and to a copy of a travel invoice displaying that number.

DeLay's expenses during the same trip for food, phone calls, and other items at a golf course hotel in Scotland were billed to a different credit card also used on the trip by a second registered Washington lobbyist, Edwin A. Buckham, according to receipts documenting that portion of the trip.

House ethics rules bar lawmakers from accepting travel and related expenses from registered lobbyists. DeLay, who is now House Majority Leader, has said that his expenses on this trip were paid by a nonprofit organization, and that the financial arrangements for it were proper. He has also said he had no way of knowing that any lobbyist might have financially supported the trip, either directly or through reimbursements to the nonprofit organization.

The documents obtained by The Washington Post, including receipts for his hotel stays in Scotland and London and billings for his golfing during the trip at the famed St. Andrews course in Scotland, substantiate for the first time that some of DeLay's expenses on the trip were billed to charge cards used by the two lobbyists. The invoice for DeLay's plane fare lists the name of what was then Abramoff's lobbying firm, Preston Gates & Ellis.

Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12416-2005Apr23.html)

Tom Delay just keeps on giving doesn't he?

[Nbadan]

From the same article above...


Multiple sources, including DeLay's then-chief of staff Susan Hirschmann, have confirmed that DeLay's congressional office was in direct contact with Preston Gates about the trip itinerary before DeLay's departure, to work out details of his travel. These contacts raise questions about DeLay's statement that he had no way of knowing about the financial and logistical support provided by Abramoff and his firm.

And, to icing the cake, he LIED about the value of the kickback, er, factfinding trip:


The new receipts obtained by The Post add more detail about these expenses, make clear that the total expenses for all of the participants were at least $50,000 more than was previously known, and connect Abramoff directly to the payment of some charges.

[Useruser666]

Then make him pay it back. Although it seems pretty dumb for the lobbyist to use his own credit card for something so obvious.

[MannyIsGod]

Then make him pay it back. Although it seems pretty dumb for the lobbyist to use his own credit card for something so obvious.
Uh, and then forget about it?

[exstatic]

:lmao That's beyond arrogant to blatantly lie about such a thing when your pet lobbyist charged it all on his card. Then again, we're talking about DeLay here.

Yeah, it's all about politics, DeLay. It has nothing to do with the fact that you're a fucking liar.

[Useruser666]

Uh, and then forget about it?

Did I say that Manny? :rolleyes

[Clandestino]

i believe 90% of our politicians are crooked from the city level on up... shit, our next mayor has already been busted twice in like 2 weeks! (campaign finance stuff and then double take)

[MannyIsGod]

Did I say that Manny? :rolleyes
I asked a question. If you had said that, I wouldn't have had to ask a question.

[Useruser666]

So you can put words into my mouth until I rebuke what you're saying? Pffffftttt.....

[MannyIsGod]

Chris,

You posted what you thought should be done. It didn't include anything but paying it back. I then questioned you if you wanted anything else done.

How did I put words in your mouth?

[Useruser666]

I said he should be made to pay it back. I didn't say weather that was all to be done, or what if any other punishment should be levied. You asked that "question" for one purpose, to insinuate that was all I was proposing. This is most likely because you believe me to be conservative in nature, and not wanting to see a conservative politician punished for being dishonest. Both of which are totally wrong.

[MannyIsGod]

I said he should be made to pay it back. I didn't say weather that was all to be done, or what if any other punishment should be levied. You asked that "question" for one purpose, to insinuate that was all I was proposing. This is most likely because you believe me to be conservative in nature, and not wanting to see a conservative politician punished for being dishonest. Both of which are totally wrong.
And I asked a question. Which, btw, is still unanswered.

[cherylsteele]

Uh, and then forget about it?

Not forget about it.......if he were to pay it back does not make it right. If you steal something from the store and then pay it back after getting caught should we forget about it?

[Useruser666]

And I asked a question. Which, btw, is still unanswered.

Fine, I will add that what ever review is proper for such an infraction needs to be undertaken. Follow the process as it is set in law.

I still stand by my opinion of the intentions of your wording Manny.

Cherry, he didn't steal the money, so that's not an applicable example. The wrong doing in this case would be the unethical taking of money from a lobby. That is fundamentally different.

[Nbadan]

The wrong doing in this case would be the unethical taking of money from a lobby. That is fundamentally different.

How many times can a Congressman be admonished for House ethics violations before everyone says enough is enough? Delay is not only hurting his own legacy, he is now setting a unfortuante legacy for Texas politicians in Federal government, and the Republican Party as a whole.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

If we held all Congressmen on both sides to the ethics standards they're supposed to have, we wouldn't have a Congress.

And quit pretending its just Republicans doing it, democrats are just as crooked.

[exstatic]

And quit pretending its just Republicans doing it, democrats are just as crooked.
Hmmm. Where was all of this equanamity from 1992-2000?

I have a theory that it's the lobbies gunning for Mr. DeLay. They don't like to be limited to dealing with only one side of the aisle, which he is doing his damndest to implement by mandating that only Rebublicans be hired as lobbyists. I mean there is no investigation, per se, going on right now, yet they land this prize bit of info on lobbyist credit card receipts. It's not like they could be subpoenaed with no investigation being allowed by the House GOP majority. How did they come up with them if they weren't fed directly to the House Dems?

[Nbadan]

It's not like they could be subpoenaed with no investigation being allowed by the House GOP majority. How did they come up with them if they weren't fed directly to the House Dems?

Exactly, and rumor on the Hill is that its Karl Rove himself maybe the source who is torpedoing Delay because of the growing evangilical interference on the long-term NeoCon agenda and because of the whole Terry Schaivo fiasco.

[mookie2001]

hey Dan would you have Karl Rove to your house for dinner?

if so, what would you say to him?
i'd like to be there too

[Useruser666]

hey Dan would you have Karl Rove to your house for dinner?

if so, what would you say to him?
i'd like to be there too

:lol

Karl Rove is the devil bobby!