Ethics Tips From "The Hammer"
Here in the nation's capital, irony sometimes takes a heaping spoonful of steroids and facts become stranger than fiction.
The latest example? Take a guess at who's headlining an upcoming political training seminar offering "explicit discussions of ethics."
The answer is Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader who resigned last year after being indicted on campaign finance abuses in Texas and who remains under federal scrutiny in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
DeLay, a.k.a. "the Hammer," is set to kick off a May 31 Campaigns & Elections seminar, where he will hawk his book, "No Retreat, No Surrender," and talk political strategy ... and, who knows, maybe even ethics. (After all, Michael Scanlon, a former top DeLay aide who pleaded guilty in the Abramoff lobbying investigation, delivered his graduate thesis on congressional ethics last year; so why shouldn't the Hammer be able to join in the absurdity of it all?)
A witty, lampoony e-mail invitation from Campaigns & Elections reads: "Due to strong language (e.g. going negative, oppo, scandal) and adult situations (e.g. networking, politics, education) the Campaigns & Elections political training seminar is not intended for everyone. Some programming will include former Congressman and DCCC Chairman Vic Fazio, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, political strategist Joe Trippi and gratuitous depictions of successful campaigns, explicit discussions of ethics and an extreme passion for politics."
The invitation warns: "Attend at your own risk!"
Treacherous waters, indeed! DeLay, the feisty and frustrated shark that he is, just this week challenged federal prosecutors probing his ties to the imprisoned Abramoff to "fish or cut bait. Do something."
A Democrat who voiced outrage over DeLay's participation in the event forwarded the invitation to The Sleuth. No one is more aware of the Democrats' ire than DeLay himself -- he absolutely relishes the role of driving them crazy.
"You should see the responses we've received from some very angry Dems," DeLay spokeswoman Shannon Flaherty said via e-mail. "Looks like they're going to boycott it, which is all the better because if they're this upset over the invitation, wait until they see his presentation."
Actually, though, according to Campaigns & Elections publisher Jordan Lieberman, more Democratic political junkies than Republicans may wind up attending the DeLay forum. Democrats, he said, are "absolutely fascinated" with the controversial former majority leader.
"Like him or not, he engineered redistricting in Texas, was among the post powerful of majority leaders. He was feared and loathed by his opponents because he was good," Lieberman said. "I think people have a lot to learn from him regardless of how they feel about him."
Footnote: Lieberman, by the way, is no relation to Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), though Lieberman the publisher found out recently that he and the senator have a random connection -- they use the same exterminator.
Exterminator ... hmmm. Wasn't that DeLay's line of work before getting into politics?
By Mary Ann Akers |
May 10, 2007; 1:00 PM ET
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Posted by: Dr. Gene Nelson | May 10, 2007 08:39 PM
DeLay is a thug.
Posted by: | May 11, 2007 08:01 AM
Amazing how the democrats flush out of their space ship at the very mention of a REPUBLICAN, either by name, party or history. We know, we know, the Democrats are the annointed, God appointed (while even denying God) and annointed keepers of the public's earned money and any other available coin, to dispurse to potential voters of any faith or party just as long as they get the votes they pay for. All others are sentenced to vicious and vacuous salacious name calling, to attract a fawning press hoping to win prizes with a misleading headline. They prompt vomiting. That's throw-up to Chicago politicians like Emanuel Transmission who seems to be writing the playbook.
Posted by: Jeepers | May 11, 2007 12:06 PM
Nor can Mehtap! I want to say that your site better throughout the World Wide Web :)
Thank you. Keep it.
Posted by: uropian | May 11, 2007 12:23 PM
I love reading apologists for corruption,i.e.,anyone who can defend Tom Delay...especially by attacking someone else...no fall from grace was more deserving...Mr Poster Boy for Abramoff Inc...
Posted by: waggs | May 11, 2007 03:11 PM
I agree with delay on one thing; i wish the courts would "fish or cut bait." He needs to be officially charged and put on trial so all shadows about him are put to the test and then he is either exonorated, or put in jail.
Posted by: jake lindsay | May 11, 2007 03:12 PM
Jeepers - what does any of what you're saying have to do with the fact that Tom Delay is a criminal? It's like you're defending the virtue of cancer just because people die in car accidents on a daily basis. If every single Democrat in the country was a scheming, rapacious crook, it still wouldn't make Tom Delay innocent, or change the fact that having him headline a discussion about ethics is beyond absurd and off into some realm of Dadaist theatrical performance.
Get a grip, will you?
Posted by: | May 11, 2007 09:17 PM
DeLay is just another typical republican two faced liar who would sell his own mother for an election victory. This man is evil through and through. From his bug spraying start to his leadership position in the congress, he is all about himself and all others be damned.
Posted by: ron mccown | May 12, 2007 02:35 AM
This must be the epitome of "do as I say, not as I do."
Logic, let me introduce you to the nearest window.
Posted by: Stephie | May 13, 2007 01:47 AM
The bugman is in a fog...
Posted by: nikolai | May 13, 2007 04:05 PM
Entschuldigen Sie dass nicht auf Ihrer verwandten(nahen) Sprache, aber ich konnte(durfte) nicht werden festgehalten werden. Mir hat Ihre Web-Seite sehr gefallen. Es ist es zu lesen. Die Erfolge Ihnen auf die Zukunft sehr interessant. Esl und bei Ihnen wird die Minute erscheinen, Sie konnen(durfen) auf meine Web-Seite vorbeikommen, er befindet sich in die Unterschriften.
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Posted by: jerydooge62 | June 5, 2007 08:10 AM
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Former Rep. Tom DeLay is "front and center" in one of the most harmful aspects of the Abramoff Scandal - the expansion of controversial special visa programs while millions of experienced American citizens are permanently displaced from their high tech careeers by the tidal wave of "fresh (inexpensive) young blood - mostly via immigration from third-world nations.
An AP news story on April 5, 2007 noted that according to Microsoft Spokeswoman Ginny Terzano, one-third of Microsoft's 46,000 [15,333] U.S. employees hold work visas or are legal permanent residents (This author estimates that more than 90% of the 15,333 Microsoft employees hold work visas, based on the statistics at http://www.JobDestruction.com)
Google on the term "Abramoff Visa" to learn how Microsoft lawyer - lobbyist (and felon) Jack Abramoff and his network have been involved in procuring changes in the H-1b law beneficial to Microsoft in 1996, 1998, and 2000.
This is a government subsidy worth billions annually that excludes American citizens from these good jobs.
When this author contacted Jack Abramoff via mail on January 31, 2006, prior to Abramoff's incarceration, he received the following reply:
Here is a transcript of a call from an unidentified female caller to my residence number phone answering machine.
Calling party number (202) 349 - 4033 Time: 12:09 PM CST 02 14 2006
"Hello, this is Jack Abramoff's office calling. Uh, regrettably, Mr. Abramoff is unable to assist you with your request of your letter dated January 31st 2006. So I just wanted to let you know. Thank you very much. Bye bye."
The tape has been archived.
For more details contact the author at c0030180-at-airmail-dot-net or call him at area code 214 with local number 455 - 8065. Dr. Gene A. Nelson