 |
|
|
 News from Around the Americas | December 2005 
Protesters Greet Cheney at DeLay Fundraiser
 Juan A. Lozano - Associated Press
| | Tom DeLay, his wife Christine, and daughter Dani DeLay Ferro, hurry to attend a fundraiser with Vice President Dick Cheney in Houston. A Texas judge has recently upheld money laundering charges against DeLay, who was forced to step down as House Majority Leader in September when he was indicted for his role in the Texas campaign financing controversy. (Tim Johnson/AP) |
Houston - Protesters bearing signs that read "The GOP is in an ethics free-fall" and chants of "Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Dick Cheney Has To Go," greeted Vice President Dick Cheney as he stopped in Houston on Monday to speak at a campaign fundraiser for embattled U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay.
Cheney spoke to more than 300 Republican supporters, many local political leaders, who paid anywhere from $500 to $4,200 to attend the private fundraiser. GOP heavy-hitters like Texas senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison, who were scheduled to attend, stayed in Washington, D.C., to attend the White House Christmas dinner.
The media was not allowed to attend the event and nearly 200 protesters were kept several hundred feet away from the hotel where it was held.
Protesters lined the street in front of the hotel, located inside the Galleria mall, holding up signs for passing motorists and used a bullhorn to lead chants criticizing Cheney and President Bush for their handling of the war in Iraq. Others had signs critical of DeLay's legal problems.
DeLay, R-Sugar Land, had to step down in September as majority leader after a Travis County grand jury indicted him in a campaign finance investigation.
DeLay and two Republican fundraisers are accused of illegally funneling $190,000 in corporate donations to GOP candidates for the Texas Legislature. The direct use of corporate money for political purposes is illegal in Texas.
Earlier on Monday, a judge dismissed a conspiracy charge against DeLay but refused to throw out the far more serious allegations of money laundering.
Neither Cheney nor DeLay spoke to the media before or after the fundraiser. But several local GOP leaders told reporters that Cheney expressed his support of DeLay during a 15-minute speech.
"President Bush and Vice President Cheney believe in U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay. They know he's an effective leader in D.C. in moving forward the Bush agenda," said Jared Woodfill, the Harris County GOP chairman. "Clearly this is showing the White House's support of Tom DeLay."
Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt called the protesters outside the fundraiser "professionals" who were brought in from out of town and not representative of voters in DeLay's district. He also said he was relieved that some of the charges against DeLay were dismissed on Monday.
"U.S. Rep. DeLay has a strong lead in that district ... and I'm going to predict he will win re-election," he said.
David Smith with the Progressive Workers Organizing Committee said most of the protesters, like himself, were locals dissatisfied with DeLay's leadership.
"We're concerned about corruption at the highest levels of government, no matter which political party it is," he said.
Mike Malaise, campaign manager for DeLay's likely Democratic opponent next year, former Rep. Nick Lampson, said Cheney's visit Monday was a sign that GOP leaders are worried about the congressman's chances for re-election.
"I think Tom DeLay has a lot of concerns about this race," he said. "It is very telling he is having to call in the administration to bail him out." |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us