TARGET THE CORRUPT REPUBLICAN: Kentucky Focus

I want to focus on a new target: the Kentucky Republican Party. So far the Ohio and Missouri Republicans were looking to be the most corrupt state parties in the nation, but looks like the Kentucky Republicans are giving them a run for their money. This is partly drawn from a Daily Kos diary from a while back.

Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher's (R) administration is facing a slew of indictments for corruption. Fletcher's administration, which took office in January 2004, is suspected of violating the state's merit system laws and using politics as the basis for hiring or firing government employees. The state GOP's response has been to cry "political witch-hunt"! But the truth is the spoils system of political appointments is back in place in Kentucky.

From the Louisville Courier-Journal:

The state Transportation Cabinet kept a "hit list" of "politically motivated merit job actions," according to affidavits for search warrants filed in court yesterday.

The affidavits include a Feb. 16 e-mail message between two administration officials stating: "Sadie asked for a list today."

It was not immediately clear which list was being sought. But as part of its investigation into allegations of political favoritism in civil-service hiring, the attorney general's office filed with the affidavits two alleged hit lists. One of the purported hit lists remained under seal yesterday.

Gov. Ernie Fletcher confirmed yesterday that he had opened a personal e-mail account under the name "Sadie" in his office. Sadie is the name of his deceased golden retriever. Fletcher said he was unaware of a "hit list," and e-mail messages filed in support of the affidavits include denials by two administration officials that such a list existed.

This scandal is now reaching the Kentucky Republican Party chairman and two state officials. From a Salon.com article:

A grand jury indicted Kentucky's Republican Party chairman and two state officials Monday on charges alleging they conspired to violate state personnel laws.

The allegations revolve around the state's Merit System jobs and whether a few Republican officials conspired to hire and fire employees based on their political views. Merit System rules prohibit such actions.

All three men indicted Monday have close ties to Gov. Ernie Fletcher.

Basil Turbyfill is in charge of filling political positions for Fletcher, and Bob Wilson is part of the governor's Personnel Cabinet. GOP Chairman Darrell Brock was director of local government in Fletcher's office before he took the party job this year.

Let's remember something here. The "spoils system" was once the way our nation did politics. This was ended on the Federal level by the Civil Service Act of 1883 which made it illegal to fill various federal offices by the spoils system. Kentucky also has a law, the Merit Law, that makes the spoils system illegal. Sadly, the Kentucky Republicans seem to feel we need to go back to an earlier, more corrupt form of government.

Here's the important part. Please write a letter to the editor to as many newspapers as you can (national, your local papers and, if you like, Kentucky papers) complaining about the pattern of corruption in the Republican party, from Tom DeLay to Ohio's Coingate to Kentucky's devolution to the corrupt spoils system of government. Remember, it is due to grassroots anger that Tom DeLay, Randy Cunningham and the corrupt Republicans in Ohio are on the run. LetÕs make it clear that this pattern of Republican corruption is nationwide and discredits the entire party as long as they refuse to clean house.

Target the Corrupt Republican Campaign: Revisit Tom DeLay

The battle against Republican corruption continues.

You can get the latest information on Tom "Corruption" DeLay from the Daily DeLay.

The Public Campaign Action Fund is conducting a phone call campaign to urge two ranking members of the House Ethics Committee to investigate DeLay's scandals.

Please take a minute and make two telephone calls today to these members to respectfully request that they act without delay. Recent news coverage, historical precedent, and the fact that DeLay's PAC has made donations to 226 or the 232 Republican members of the House all call for an outside counsel to be appointed in a matter such as this. There is no impartial jury pool of members of Congress from which to launch an investigation. Period.

    Call Ethics Chairman Doc Hastings in his district office in Pasco, WA at 509-543-9396, or his Washington, DC office at 202-225-5816.

    Call Ranking Democratic Rep. Alan Mollohan at his district office in Wheeling, WV at 304-232-5390, or his Washington, DC office at 202-225-4172.

When you call, be firm and respectful. Tell the person who answers the phone that you want the Ethics Committee to appoint a highly-qualified, independent-minded outside counsel to investigate Tom DeLay

Please emphasize that the reputations of Congress, the Republican Party and the entire American Government is on the line here.

MoveOn.org is also leading the attack against DeLay's corruption.

The next step is to send a message to the Republican representatives who keep DeLay in power as Republican House leader. Today MoveOn volunteers are delivering petitions to Republican representatives at their hometown offices. We're also putting radio ads on the air in the hometowns of representatives who are expected to have the closest elections in 2006--connecting the representatives directly to Tom DeLay's scandals.

The goal of the ads is to demonstrate that representatives who continue to shield DeLay from accountability will pay a political price. We're running the ads in seven congressional districts. Six of the targeted members of Congress are close associates of DeLay, and they're expected to have a close election in 2006 (see the P.S. for more on them). The seventh, Rep. Melissa Hart of Pennsylvania, was appointed to the House Ethics Committee where she'll rule on DeLay's ethics charges--even though she recently contributed to DeLay's legal defense fund.

That's exactly the sort of abuse of power that DeLay is guilty of and one reason he needs to be fired as majority leader. Chronic rule-breakers shouldn't get to appoint a close friend as their judge. Congresswoman Hart's constituents need to hear about what she has gotten mixed up in.

If some Republicans in Congress begin to understand they could lose their next election because of Tom DeLay's abuse of power we'll embolden them to rebel against DeLay and then there is a real chance we could score another win this year: getting Tom DeLay fired as Republican leader. That's the sort of big news that will make it clear what the Republican leaders in Congress have been up to.

Will you make a contribution to keep these ads on the air while members of Congress are home this week? CLICK HERE to contribute now.

MoveOn.org also has these good DeLay resources:

More on DeLay's list of offenses.

Rankings of connections between DeLay and every member of Congress.

House Democrats expose DeLay's missteps.

The media mostly ignores the Republican scandals. It is up to us to force the nation to notice that the Republicans are dragging America down an immoral, corrupt path that is competely incompatable with Democracy. Come on folks! Hit them hard!

Target the Corrupt Republican Campaign (Randy Cunningham of California revisited)

This is an update on an earlier action. This week we have had a partial success in our Target the Corrupt Republican Campaign. Randy Cunningham (R-CA) announced he will not run for re-election. This comes as something as a surprise for such an entrenched politician. It seems the smell of scandal following him has made him too vulnerable for re-election. So he will bow out in 2006. This is only a partial victory, though, because in reality he should resign and be prosecuted for his criminal corruption.

Rep. Cunningham, who sits on the powerful Appropriations defense subcommittee, has taken bribes from a defense contractor around the same time that defense contractor began getting big government contracts. His house was recently raided by the FBI looking for evidence of his corruption. Cunningham also had the nerve to evoke 9/11 to push the flag burning Amendment, claiming that those who died in 9/11 would want the amendment passed. When the New York Rep. Nadler (from Brooklyn) called Cunningham on this shameless exploitation of NYC’s, Nadler's mike was shut off as if Cunningham has the right to talk about 9/11 but a NYC Rep. doesn’t!

Well, under such extensive scrutiny, Rep. Cunningham has decided not to run for reelection. Chalk one up for the good guys! If only Tom DeLay, Roy Blunt and Mike Oxley would give up their seats now that their corruption is becoming so well known.

This emphasizes what I have been saying for months now--we have to hammer away at each and every corrupt Repubclian, exposing the neo-Cons for the greedy bastards they are.

Please join me in saying goodbye to Randy Cunningham with a small donation to a San Diego Democratic Group. Maybe we can teach the Repubs a real lesson here and push San Diego closer to the blue.

Target the Corrupt Republican Campaign (Conrad Burns in Montana)

This week I want to return to an earlier target: Senator Conrad Burns of Montana. I will review his corruption in a minute, but first, the reason why I want to return to him is because Senator Burns just spearheaded an effort to ALLOW PESTICIDE TESTING ON HUMANS! Here is a
Daily Kos diary on the subject.

In short, Barbara Boxer first spearheaded an effort to BAN pesticide testing on humans and this was approved by the Senate. Burns countered with an amendment ALLOWING human testing of pesticides to continue but instructing the EPA to study if it's being conducted ethically and whether the benefits outweigh the risks to volunteers. WHAT??? This is a continuation of what I have commented on before (and maybe need to review again) that the Republicans are trying to poison Americans! From Bush telling the EPA to lie about the toxicity of the smoke from the WTC (leading to severe illness in many NY firefighters) to trying to lower arsenic standards for drinking water, to testing pesticides in humans, the Republicans want to poison Americans! Let me remind you that pesticides are generally neurotoxins. They are neurotoxins in people, but the lethal dose is much higher in humans than in insects, so we can use them. But testing an unknown neurotoxin in humans is seriously unethical!

So Senator Burns (R-MT) wants to allow human testing of poisons. Let's remember who Burns is.

U.S. Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) has broken his 1995 pledge not to seek re-election in 2006 and has now been tied to the expanding scandal surrounding GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

"[A] Western-state Democratic leader is demanding an investigation into how the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe got a $3 million federal education grant from a program originally intended to benefit only poor Tribes. Bob Ream, the chairman of the Montana Democratic Party, formally requested a Senate Ethics Committee investigation into how former Saginaw Chippewa lobbyist Jack Abramoff might have improperly influenced Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., the chairman of the Senate subcommittee that oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

"Is it a coincidence that Mr. Abramoff, his associates and wealthy Tribal clients made $137,000 in campaign contributions to Sen. Burns' soft-money corporation prior to the appropriation? Ream said. "Is it a coincidence that Mr. Abramoff and his team arranged for Sen. Burns' chief of staff and an appropriations staffer to take a private jet to New Orleans for a trip to the Super Bowl?"

See also:the Great Falls Tribune.

Let's get this guy! First off, let's get those letters to the editor rolling. Write a letter complaining about Burns' connection with the Abramoff scandals and his support of testing poisonous materials on humans. Point out that both corruption and using humans as lab rats are considered immoral by most Americans and it is disgusting that this man is a Senator.

It is my understanding that a couple of Democrats are gearing up to run against Burns, so I can't point you to a specific candidate, but I can point you to Frontier PAC, an excellent, new organization that is targeting Burns as well as other Western state races.

And let's not forget the extremely successful, of late, Democratic Party of Montana. They swept on the state level in 2004 and have been an excellent example of populist politics. Give them support in honor of the people that Conrad Burns is poisoning with pesticides.

Target the Corrupt Republican Campaign (Ohio Focus)

I have been spending some time targeting 5 particularly corrupt Republicans. Well, it is time to add numbers 6 and 7 and they are BOTH from Ohio. So the state that brought us such dubious, possibly fraudulent elections in 2004, now brings us three disgustingly corrupt politicians.

Rep. Mike Oxley (R-Ohio): Ohio Congressman Mike Oxley, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, suggested that a congressional probe of mutual fund companies might be dropped if its Washington-based trade group, the Investment Company Institute fired a prominent Democrat and replaced her with a Republican. Check out these Washinton Post stories: Here and Here

The Toledo Blade also ran a series documenting Oxley's questionable connections to the corporate special interests that he is supposed to be regulating entitled "The Price of Power Politics." -

This series documents Oxley's many ties to corporate special interests and his efforts to block real accounting reform.  Not to mention, the numerous worldwide trips he takes on the corporate dime.

So let's keep Mike Oxley as one of this week's targets.

But now we have two more Ohio Republicans who show themselves to be disgustingly corrupt.

Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH):

From the Campaign for America's Future:

Rep. Ney is emblematic of everything that's wrong with Washington. He uses the power of his office to do favors for influence peddlers that have nothing to do with his voters back in Ohio. What kinds of favors? When a Texas Indian tribe wanted to open a casino, tribal leaders sent him on a luxury trip to Scotland and give him more than $30,000 in campaign donations. When a Washington lobbyist wanted to buy a Florida gambling cruise line, he gave Bob Ney the biggest campaign contribution the law allows and Ney, in return, used the power of his office to put pressure on the cruise-line's owner to sell. When a foreign company wanted to sell planes in the Middle East, its lobbyists flew Bob Ney to London to gamble with them. All of this wheeling and dealing has linked Ney to some of the most notorious corporate lobbyists in Washington, and it's gotten him in hot water.

Who is Bob Ney supposed to work for? The citizens of his district, of course, not some lobbyist who wants to buy a casino in Florida. Where should he be focusing his job-creation efforts? On the working families in Ohio, not on an Indian tribe in Texas. Who pays his salary? We, the American people, do. Who pays for the phone he uses to talk to his lobbyist friends? We, the people, do. Rep. Bob Ney: another out-of-touch politician wasting our tax dollars to fulfill the wishes of lobbyists while the real needs of our country go unaddressed.

Go here to find out more about Bob Ney's corruption.

Then petition House Speaker Hastert demanding an investigation of Bob Ney's behavior.

And, if you can, donate to put an ad on the air publicizing Rep. Ney's corruption.

But then there is also the Governor of Ohio and his crew!

Corrupt Republican Target #7: Governor Bob Taft (R): (and his little Sec of State, too)

Popularly known as "Coingate," Gov. Taft's administration has apparently mismanaged a major state fund and failed to keep it free from corrupting political influence. From Common Cause:

The story begins with Thomas Noe, a rare-coin dealer and Republican financial backer, who has been a player in Ohio politics for years.  Noe is at the center of a major scandal and is under investigation for the loss of up to $12 million worth of rare coins that were part of a dubious $50 million investment by the state workers' compensation fund he was responsible for managing.

While Noe cannot account for millions of Ohio taxpayers' dollars, he has contributed thousands to the campaigns of President Bush and state Republican leaders, including Governor Bob Taft (R), Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell (R) and Attorney General Jim Petro (R).

Even the state Supreme Court has been affected by the Noe scandal.  Recently, 5 of the 7 justices recused themselves from cases involving Noe because they had received contributions from him.

And the fallout from the "Coingate" scandal has reached beyond Ohio.  Noe is a focus of a federal investigation in his role as a Pioneer for President Bush's 2004 reelection campaign, responsible for raising at least $100,000 for the President.  He is accused of violating federal campaign finance law by reimbursing donors who gave to the President's campaign committee.

While Noe's beneficiaries are falling over backwards to disassociate themselves from him, Ohioans are waiting answers as to how their tax dollars fell through the cracks.

Given the wide swath of Noe's influence in a state dominated by the Republican party in all branches of government, the only way that we can get to the truth is to enlist an independent investigator to thoroughly examine these allegations.

Start by demanding an independent investigation.

Now comes the meat of this week's action. It is time to write the media about the deep, deep corruption of Ohio's Republicans. Above is ample meat to show that through every level of politics, from Ohio Sec. of State to Congress to the Governor, Ohio Republicans are not running a clean operation.

Start by writing the national and your local media.

But also write the media in Ohio. They have to hear from across the nation that people do not like seeing this kind of corruption.

Keep up the pressure folks! We need to keep hammering at this issue of Republican corruption.

Target the Corrupt Republican Campaign (Missouri Focus)

Having spent a fair amount of time getting the media realizing that Tom DeLay is corrupt as a two-bit third world dictator, it is now time to get them realizing that his likely replacement (if his downfall comes soon) is at least as corrupt.

Roy Blunt (MO-7) and his son Matt Blunt (Governor of MO) are among the most corrupt politicians in America today. Here are some excerpts from Blunt Facts regarding the corruption of the Blunt family in Missouri politics:

Rep. Roy Blunt (MO-7) tried to help Philip Morris (one of his big donors and employer of his son, Andrew, and his then girlfriend, Abigail Perlman) by inserting a tobacco industry backed provision attacking internet cigarette sales into the, get this, Homeland Security Bill.

From CBS NEWS
Reported June 11, 2003

GOP Whip Tried To Aid Tobacco Pals

(CBS) House Majority Whip Roy Blunt is coming under fire for trying to help tobacco giant Philip Morris USA in last November's homeland security bill.

Blunt's ties to the company include large campaign donations from the company - $150,000 since 2001 to committees affiliated with Blunt. His son, Andrew, also works as a lobbyist for Philip Morris back in his home state of Missouri.

The Washington Post reports that just days after he was named to the House's third-highest leadership post, Blunt - who has close personal and political ties to Phillip Morris - tried to slip a pro-tobacco provision into the bill creating the new Department of Homeland Security.
When Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., found out about Blunt's idea, he immediately yanked it out of the bill. Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Tex., also said he opposed Blunt's effort and "worked against it" when he found out about it.

Several Republicans told the Post they felt a pro-tobacco provision had very little support and that Blunt's actions could have proven "embarrassing" to the party and its new Whip.

Some Republicans also expressed concern that Blunt's close personal relationship with a Phillip Morris lobbyist named Abigail Perlman may have influenced his actions.

Matt Blunt, Gov. of Missouri, used taxpayer's money, including Federal money, to urge people to vote. Problem was, he plastered his own name and face all over the ads even though he was a candidate. He used OUR money to plug himself.

From SPRINGFIELD NEWS-LEADER
Published September 1, 2004

Blunt faces ethics complaints after primary advertising

By Kelly Wiese
Associated Press

Some former Republican gubernatorial candidates and a group backing Democratic candidate Claire McCaskill have filed ethics complaints against Republican nominee Matt Blunt over newspaper ads encouraging people to vote.

The Associated Press reported last month that Blunt, the secretary of state, spent almost $48,000 in public money on statewide newspaper advertising that includes his name and picture, urging voters to turn out for the Aug. 3 primary.

Blunt easily defeated five little-known opponents in the Republican primary for governor to face McCaskill, the state auditor, in November.

Blunt used federal funds to pay $47,984 to the Missouri Press Association to place the ads twice during the primary campaign in 295 daily and weekly newspapers across the state, the association said...

Out-of-state donors who needed support from Roy Blunt in Congress donated large amounts of money to his son, Matt Blunt's, campaign.

From THE HILL - Newspaper for and about Congress
Published July 9, 2003

Rep. Blunt's son aided by donors from out-of-state
by Sam Dealey

Campaign finance records show that Matt Blunt, the son of House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), received significant contributions from out-of-state sources during his successful 2000 race for Missouri secretary of state.

Many of the contributors seemingly lacked a direct interest in the down-ballot state race but had significant interests pending before Matt Bluntís father.

At the time that the contributions to his son's campaign occurred, Roy Blunt was a rising GOP star and an aggressive fundraiser. After the elevation of J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to Speaker in 1999, Blunt was named chief deputy whip.

He also won a seat on the powerful House Commerce Committee, with assignments on subcommittees with jurisdiction over finance and hazardous materials, oversight and investigations, and telecommunications, trade and consumer protection.

Missouri state records show contributions to Matt Blunt's campaign came from firms and individuals with business pending before Roy Blunt's subcommittees. Although some of the companies have significant interests in the state, others do not.

Top executives at Freddie Mac, for example, contributed $4,000 to his campaign. On Nov. 6, 2000, Senior Vice President Gary Lanzara and Vice President Lelan Brendsel gave $1,000 each. Two weeks later, Freddie Mac lobbyist David Glenn and his wife, Cherie, also contributed $1,000 apiece. Cherie is listed as a homemaker; the couple reside in Great Falls, Va.

Contributions from telecommunications-related entities accounted for over $10,000. Railway transportation companies also contributed more than $6,000 to Matt Blunt's campaign. John Scruggs, a top lobbyist for Altria, formerly Phillip Morris, contributed $1,000. Other contributions came from companies and executives in--or representatives for--such heavily regulated industries as healthcare, insurance, chemicals and defense technology.

By far the biggest outside contributors to Matt Blunt's campaign, however, were colleagues of Roy Blunt. Campaign finance documents show 84 House lawmakers made 95 contributions to the secretary of state campaign, totaling more than $65,000.

"What it looks like is that people were giving not because of an independent desire to help Matt Blunt but because he was Roy Blunt's son," said Larry Noble of the Center for Responsive Politics. "Clearly, there are questions raised by the fact that so much money came from out-of-state donors, and it looks like the givers have interests where Mr. Blunt might be able to help.

Finally, Governor Matt Blunt has tried to prevent the U.S. Attorney's office from investigating his family's scandals by putting the wife of U.S. Attorney Todd Graves (U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri) on the Blunt Family payroll to the tune of a cool half million dollars a year, and he used taxpayer dollars to do it. This is described in the Kansas City Star. And here is an excerpt from a petition to Attorney General Gonzales demanding an investigation of this corruption:

It has recently been reported that United States Attorney Todd Graves and his family will personally benefit from no-bid state contracts valued at more than $3.6 million given by Missouri Governor Matt Blunt. This raises serious ethical and legal questions concerning Mr. Graves’ ability to perform his job, which includes investigating and prosecuting public corruption in federal, state and local government, including the Blunt administration, those who might attempt to influence the Blunt administration, or Blunt’s father, the United States Congressman from Missouri’s 7th District.

Awarding these contracts to the Graves family effectively undermines any attempt by the United States Attorney’s Office to investigate claims of public corruption as they did against former Speaker of the House Bob Griffin or Attorney General William Webster...

On Feb. 9, 2005 the Blunt administration announced that Tracy Graves, wife of United States Attorney Todd Graves, had been given a no-bid contract to run the second most lucrative motor vehicle fee office in Missouri, located in Gladstone. As the fee agent, Tracy Graves will gross more than $2.6 million over the next four years of Governor Blunt’s term. US Attorney Todd Graves’ brother-in-law, Todd Bartles, was also awarded a $1 million no-bid contract to run the Sugar Creek Motor Vehicle Fee Office.

In addition, two congressional staffers to Congressmen Sam Graves, who is the brother of United States Attorney Todd Graves, were also given no-bid contracts, even as they continue to be on the Federal Government’s payroll. Congressman Sam Graves’ Deputy Chief of Staff Dean Brookshier was given a no-bid contract to run the Chillicothe office and Field Representative Naomi Boss was awarded the Keytesville office.

This arrangement goes far beyond the appearance of impropriety. One could reasonably argue that this lucrative contract will ensure that the Blunt administration is never investigated for corruption or wrongdoing as long as United States Attorney Graves and his family are personally getting rich off of the administration.

We also strongly feel that United States Attorney Todd Graves has violated the U.S. Department of Justice’s Standards of Conduct, specifically section 1-4.320, which states:

Conflicts of Interest. Employees may not engage in outside activities that create or appear to create a conflict of interest with their official duties. Such a conflict exists when the outside activity would: (1) require the recusal of the employee from significant aspects of his or her official duties (5 C.F.R. § 2635.802(b)); (2) create an appearance that the employee's official duties were performed in a biased or less than impartial manner (5 C.F.R. § 2635.502); or (3) create an appearance of official sanction or endorsement (5 C.F.R. § 2635.702(b)).

It is our sincere hope that you would obtain all correspondence, including emails and phone records, between the Graves family, the Blunt transition team and the Blunt administration in connection with these arrangements. It is essential to know who approached whom in regards to this arrangement and what promises were made.

An added concern is the fact that in his official capacity, United States Attorney Graves also was a member of the interview and hiring team for the Missouri Department of Public Safety Director. This was an official governmental body that was responsible for the review of applicants and the selection of the final panel of nominees to the Governor. Such participation now makes it impossible for United States Attorney Graves to effectively investigate or prosecute misconduct by the Department of Public Safety in the expenditure of federal dollars, including Homeland Security Funds.

Can we tolerate this kind of corruption in American politics? The Republican party includes Roy Blunt in its leadership. This, along with their defense of Tom DeLay's corruption, is a dark stain on the reputation of the Republican party.

PLEASE write letters to the editor about the Blunts based on this information.

Target the Corrupt Republican Campaign (Randy Cunningham of California)

This week's action is personal. I want to target a Corrupt Republican from California who not only is the epitome of what is wrong with greedy neo-Con politics, but who also is one of those disgusting bastards who have been exploiting 9/11 for their own personal gain.

Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham from San Diego County, used 9/11 to push the flag burning Amendment, claiming that those who died in 9/11 would want the amendment passed. When the New York Rep. Nadler (from Brooklyn) called Cunningham on this shameless exploitation of NYC's, Nadler's mike was shut off as if Cunningham has the right to talk about 9/11 but a NYC Rep. doesn't! This clearly shows what Republicans think of New Yorkers--we are silenced and shunned by the party that continuously uses our tragedy for their partisan politics. How could Rep. Cuunningham even DREAM of using my friend's death on 9/11 for his purposes? My friend who died on 9/11 was in favor of civil rights and freedom of expression, and he would NOT have wanted this amendment passed. How DARE Rep. Cunningham presume to speak for my friend. How DARE he presume to speak for New Yorkers. He does not know us. He does not represent us. He should stop exploiting New York's tragedy for his gain.

But let us also not forget that this is the same Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham who sits on the powerful Appropriations defense subcommittee and has taken bribes from a defense contractor around the same time that defense contractor began getting big government contracts. This is what we are going to target him for. Here is an article on FBI investigators actually raiding Cunningham's home looking for evidence of his corruption.

And here is an article covering the scandal in more detail.

Here's an excerpt:

WASHINGTON - Mitchell Wade, founder of the defense contracting firm MZM Inc., pressured employees to donate to a political fund that benefited Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham and other members of Congress, according to three former employees of the company.

Wade, who took a $700,000 loss on the purchase of Cunningham's Del Mar home and allows the congressman to stay on his yacht while in Washington, demanded employees make donations to the company's political action committee, MZM PAC, they said.

"By the spring of '02, Mitch was twisting employees' arms to donate to his MZM PAC," said one former employee. "We were called in and told basically either donate to the MZM PAC or we would be fired."

Many companies have PACs, but campaign finance laws prohibit employers from pressuring workers to contribute to the PAC. They may encourage contributions, but not compel them.

Here is the page on Cunningham from the Campaign for America's Future.

Please write the media, including national, your local media and San Diego papers. Write them complaining of the corruption of the Republican Party. You can mention DeLay and the Ohio Republicans as well as Cunningham, showing how this is now typical of the criminal behavior of the Republican Party.

And let's help out the San Diego Democratic clubs, if you can. Here is a list of the San Diego Dem groups.

Donating to them will help them defeat Cunningham in 2006. We need to make a big deal of this. This guy cynically broke the law and then he gets all self-righteous using 9/11 to try and push the flag-burning amendment. We need to nail him. So please write some letters to the editor and give to help the San Diego Dems.

Target the Corrupt Republican Campaign: Tom DeLay

I have started a campaign to publicize the corruption of the Republican Party. The current Republican leadership is among the most corrupt bunch of criminals I have ever seen. This campaign of mine in essence started with the DeLay scandals. I have been heartened that even the mainstream media has picked up the DeLay sleaze stories. In essence, we have already scored a victory against DeLay because now his name is associated with the word "scandal" even in the mainstream media. Don't underestimate the value of doing that. But ideally we would bring him down like we brought down Gingrich. And it is possible if we keep hammering at his scandals. So DeLay is still a target.

But it is more than just DeLay. I have been looking to target a series of Republican Congresscritters to expose their ethical lapses. This campaign began some time ago on Daily Kos and in my own Progressive Democrat newsletter (now being blogged). People have been pressuring me to put this campaign on a blog for easier publicity. After much delay, here is the beginning of the blog.

I will begin where the scandlas began--with Tom DeLay.

TOM DELAY:

First, read up on what little Tommy DeLay has been up to:

Salon.com.
Truthout.org
Mindfully.org
Ethics Scoreboard

Then start lobbying your Representative demanding DeLay resigns and/or calling for an independent counsel to investigate DeLay's corruption. Doesn't matter if your Representative is a Repub or Dem. BOTH parties need to be pressured to take a strong stand against corruption.

Then focus on the ethics committee. Let them know you are sick of DeLay's scandals and you want him investigated and forced to resign:

Here are the 10 ethics committee members you need to call:

* Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA): 202-225-5816
* Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL): 202-225-3515
* Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX): 202-225-4236
* Rep. Melissa Hart (R-PA): 202-225-2565
* Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK): 202-225-6165
* Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-WV): 202-225-4172 (Ranking Minority Member)
* Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH): 202-225-7032
* Rep. Gene Green (D-TX): 202-225-1688
* Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA): 202-225-1766
* Rep. Michael F. Doyle (D-PA): 202-225-2135


Finally and MOST IMPORTANTLY, hit the issue in your local media. Start writing letters and calling talk shows demanding that DeLay resign.

Even though this may seem like "old news," truth is we have to keep rabble rousing about DeLay's corruption because the Repubs want us to forget about it. I am here to say that we will NOT forget about it.