1. In 1997, Rep. Tom Delay and four aides take a six-day trip to Moscow, underwritten by business interests lobbying in support of the Russian government. “The expenses were covered by a mysterious company registered in the Bahamas.”
Cost: $57,238
2. In 2000, DeLay participates in an expense-paid trip to London and Scotland that sources said was indirectly financed in part by an Indian tribe and a gambling services company. Cost: $70,000
3. In 2001, DeLay takes trip to South Korea. The trip is financed by a tax-exempt group created by a lobbyist on behalf of a Korean businessman. Cost: $106,921
All of these trips violated House Ethics rules. The Washington Post: Free Registration front-pages the story this morning. Regarding the first trip, they report:
DeLay also dined with the Russian executives and two Washington-based registered lobbyists for the Bahamian-registered company, sources say. One of those lobbyists was Jack Abramoff, who is now at the center of a federal influence-peddling and corruption probe related to his representation of Indian tribes.
Ah! See how it all ties in? Abramoff was involved in both the Russian trip and the trip to England and Scotland:
:::Read More:::
Also, Abramoff not only joined DeLay in Moscow but also helped organize DeLay’s subsequent London trip. Abramoff also filed expense reports indicating he paid for some of DeLay’s hotel bill in London, according to a copy obtained by The Post.
Edwin A. Buckham, who was DeLay’s chief of staff in 1997 and then became a Washington lobbyist for major corporations, participated in two of the three trips. In 1997, he visited Moscow twice — once with DeLay — and on one of these trips he returned via Paris aboard a Concorde jet with a ticket he told the Associated Press in 1998 had been financed by the National Center.
So, did the Russians get any return on their investment? Was there any quid pro quo? You be the judge.
Unlike some House conservatives who scorn such support as “corporate welfare,” DeLay proved to be a “yes” vote for institutions bolstering Russia in this period. For example, DeLay voted for a bill that included the replenishment of billions of dollars in IMF funds used to bail out the Russian economy in 1998.
The rest of the WP article is fascinating and I highly recommend reading it for a glimpse into how shadowy these ties are between Washington lobbying firms, Russian energy interests, and the Russian intelligence agencies. When they team up to wine and dine powerful Congressmen like Tom DeLay, it creates a witch’s brew of intrigue and corruption. Even the Washington Post is left at somewhat of a loss to explain whose interests were being served.
But what is clear is that the case for removing Tom DeLay from office is building. And that day cannot come too soon. At least, it can’t come too soon for those of us that expect ethical behavior from our representatives.
Naturally, the slithering snake sees things differently:
Right. You believe in taking money from foreign businessmen so that you can go golfing with foreign dignitaries, and decide U.S. policy based on their agenda…not ours. We DO want “destroy everything you believe in”.
Postscript: I note that Markos is hoping that DeLay will last another six months. He is hoping that DeLay will become an albatross around the Republican’s necks. I understand his reasoning, but I am eager for our first big-time frog-march. I want to see DeLay in handcuffs, and I want to see them lower his head into the patrol car. The longer he survives the greater the likelihood that he’ll slither out of the trap. I vote for a resignation within the month, with indictments to follow.
Following the Money
The Seattle-based Preston Gates Ellis law firm is attracting more attention as the Tom DeLay investigations widen
— That’s Gates as in Bill Gates’s dad.
FYI — The author, Rick Anderson, is a longtime Seattle reporter and former columnist for the Seattle PI.
The link’s up there but I forgot to add that this comes from The Seattle Weekly. Another snippet from Anderson’s story:
There’s a conspiracy to destroy everything the Bugman stands for? Damn! Why don’t I get these memos? Who do I have to cozy up to to get recruited? Huh? C’mon! I don’t want to be left out! I want to conspire! Please!!!
Please?
I want to help…send me a memo and I’ll join.
But it doesn’t look like he needs any help – but LOVE Nancy Pelosi just ripping on him…
Some days it’s good to be a Californian – beating up Gropinator yesterday and hammering on the Bugman today!
“Britain’s Richest Man” is a Russian oligarch who owns a football (soccer) club in London. He made most of his money through buying previously state-ovned oil corporations. His company manages to make huge profits by cycing oil sales through a miriad of offshore subsidiaries to avoid Russian taxes. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/profile/abramovich.shtml
I mention this because not only is the guy involved in oil but the club he owns is Chelsea. His name is Roman Abramovich. Any relation to the “Jack Abramoff” and “Chelsea Commercial Enterprises Ltd”?
Who said there are no coincidences? Sherlock Holmes?
Trying to keep track of all Delays links to various corrupt practices is pretty mindblowing. He’s like the proverbial spider in the center of a web spinning out his tentacles of corruption everywhere and not just in this country. He’s pretty much a equal opportunity corrupter.
I know the repukes are going to try mightly to convince the public that us darn liberals just want to get rid of good ole boy delay cause well cause he’s such a good ole boy, fighting the good fight against all us godless liberals.
Our biggest stumbling block is going to be the tv media and how they will pursue or slant stories on Delay.
I saw one of DeLay’s attorney’s on O’Really’s show tonight. Bighead was pretending to be all outraged about the huge payments to Roachboy’s family by his contributors. The Lawyer was claiming that these were just payments for campaign work – no big deal. I don’t think Rove could have staged this better himself. Roachboy’s contributors don’t care if he pays his family. The issue is between him and his own constituency. This is not really in the same ethical league as the lobbying and campaign contribution crimes. Bighead’s feigned outrage just draws attention away from the big stuff. Really Rovian if you ask me.