Former GOP congressman (who supported Kerry) leads effort to oust DeLay

Houston Chronicle ^ | April 16, 2005 | GEBE MARTINEZ

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WASHINGTON - A former Republican congressman who was a moderate ally of former President Bush is leading an effort to find a 2006 Republican primary election opponent for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

Former Rep. Pete McCloskey, whose eight terms in Congress ended before DeLay arrived in 1984, said Friday that he will meet in Houston this month with perennial DeLay opponent Michael Fjetland and "any Republican who is willing to challenge Mr. DeLay."

"It takes guts to challenge him," said McCloskey, who was known as a party maverick and endorsed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004.

But, he said, he and moderate allies are embarrassed by the controversies surrounding DeLay, R-Sugar Land, including three admonishments of him last year by the House Ethics Committee.

"The stench coming out of the DeLay operation" does not represent the GOP that he served with in Congress, McCloskey said.

He called his effort the "revolt of the elders."

McCloskey and nine other Republicans who are former House members complained in a letter delivered Friday to House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., that recent changes in House ethics rules were an obvious move to protect DeLay.

The new rules, drawn up by Republican leaders, make it harder to pursue ethics investigations against lawmakers. DeLay and his backers argue they make the process fairer to the member under review.

A spokesman for DeLay dismissed McCloskey's effort to unseat the leader.

"Republicans from across the district as well as across the country and within the (GOP) conference have been rallying around Majority Leader DeLay because of his effective leadership," Dan Allen said.

President Bush called DeLay a very effective leader this week and applauded his offer to answer questions about his conduct to the ethics committee.

McCloskey said he plans to meet Fjetland to learn more about DeLay's solidly Republican 22nd Congressional District, which covers most of the southern suburbs of Houston.

Fjetland first ran against DeLay in the 2000 GOP primary and received 16.7 percent of the vote. He challenged DeLay again in 2002 and won 20 percent of the vote.

After the 2002 redistricting, Fjetland ran as an independent and received 2 percent of the vote in the 2004 general election. Democrat Richard Morrison got 41 percent. DeLay won with 55 percent, his lowest showing in recent elections.

McCloskey said GOP moderates are concerned with the harsh partisan tone in Washington and the party's move to the right, which has been critical to the GOP's success in recent elections.

_____________________________________________________________

These Republicans who are former congressmen signed a letter criticizing House ethics committee rules changes put into place by Republican leaders after the panel admonished Houston Majority Leader Tom DeLay:

• Mark Andrews, North Dakota

•John H. Buchanan, Alabama

• M. Caldwell Butler, Virginia

• Paul Findley, Illinois

• Bud Hillis, Indiana

•J ames Johnson, Colorado

• Richard W. Mallary, Vermont

• Wiley Mayne, Iowa

• G. William Whitehurst, Virginia

• Pete McCloskey, California

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It looks like people who weren't good enough, are grudge holders and LIBERALS.

THE RULE CHANGES:

............. Among the rules changes the House approved Jan. 4 — in a 220-195 vote, with no Democrats in favor of the change — two have been most contentious.

The first rule places a limit on the amount of time the committee may consider an ethics case before it is summarily dismissed. Mr. DeLay said that under the old rules, Democrats would trap an accused Republican member in a "limbo" for an unlimited period before exonerating him. Mr. Mollohan said those limits damage any hopes of a thorough investigation.

The second contentious rule gives a member — and witnesses — greater latitude in choosing an attorney. Mr. DeLay said that is a basic matter of due process. Mr. Mollohan said it will allow the accused and witnesses to hire the same lawyer, which would allow for greater collaboration among subjects of an investigation. ..............

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1384160/posts

AND

.......Among the changes is a requirement that a majority of the ethics panel -- which has equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats -- must approve an investigation before it proceeds. ....

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20050330-021952-9669r.htm

[FairOpinion]

An excellent article going over exactly why the Dems are after Tom DeLay:


Assault on DeLay is All About Politics

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1384832/posts

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Thanks!

From your LINK:

***....Many of the recent news "scoops" that have been running on the front pages of major newspapers are little more than rehashed accusations that have appeared elsewhere. Despite sensational headlines and hyper-inflated allegations, these stories fail utterly to provide evidence of any wrongdoing by Tom DeLay....***

[Southack]

Pete McCloskey?!

McCloskey hates Pat Robertson, hates Jews, calls gay marriage a made-up "red herring" issue, and claims that General Patton's son cut the ears off of VC in Vietnam.

Oh, and he endorsed Senator Kerry over GWB for President.

What's his story? McCloskey was the victim of a Nixon/Buchanon dirty trick. McCloskey ran against Nixon in the GOP primaries back in 1972, and the Nixon plumbers arranged a "donation" to be made to his campaign from a gay group.

Dirty pool. McCloskey's been bitter against his own Party ever since.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Interesting information.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"These Republicans who are former congressmen signed a letter criticizing House ethics committee rules changes put into place by Republican leaders after the panel admonished Houston Majority Leader Tom DeLay:

"• Mark Andrews, North Dakota"

I don't know what his problem is, though Andrews is the last Republican ever elected to a federal office in ND, and that was 25 years ago (perhaps now we know why).

"•John H. Buchanan, Alabama"

Buchanan jumped the shark in the late '70s after having started out elected a Goldwaterite in '64. After being taken out in a GOP primary in 1980, he took over the radical-leftist group "People For The American Way."

"• M. Caldwell Butler, Virginia"

Butler an old-line RINO from Roanoke, one of the first to stab Nixon in the back in the '70s.

"• Paul Findley, Illinois"

Radical liberal anti-Semite, anti-Zionist nutjob. He lost his GOP House seat to the more "moderate" 'Rat... the ultraliberal Dick Durbin !

"• Bud Hillis, Indiana"

Odd one. Seemingly voted general OK while in Congress, though skirted the RINO line. Has been out of the limelight for nearly 20 years.

"•James Johnson, Colorado"

RINO who left Congress before Reagan became President.

"• Richard W. Mallary, Vermont"

RINO twit who held the distinction of being the first Republican to lose to a 'Rat for a Senate seat since before the party was founded (that being Pat Leahy). Made a political comeback recently only to get blown out when he was a big time supporter of gay marriage.

"• Wiley Mayne, Iowa"

Embittered RINO who lost his seat back in '74.

"• G. William Whitehurst, Virginia"

Another odd one, he voted Conservative. At 80, it's probably just senility.

• Pete McCloskey, California

Ah, yes, the "Grand Dame" of the RINOs. The head of the Angela Davis wing of the GOP. This nutjob ran a primary challenge to Nixon in '72 and often made such 'Rat stalwarts as Ted Kennedy look like reactionary rightists. I doubt he ever voted GOP in his entire life ('cept for himself).

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

RINO traitors trying to bring down DeLay.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Great stuff!

I guess they're from the wing of the party that DeLay leans on to get the job done.

[fieldmarshaldj]

It may turn out the one thing all those individuals have in common is that they all may (emphasis: may) be anti-Semites or anti-Zionists. DeLay may, in fact, be Israel's numero uno supporter in Congress. Seeing Paul Findley's name stood out like a sore thumb, as he proudly called himself Arafat's #1 supporter in Congress and wrote a series of hateful books that would've been on Hitler's Book-of-the-Month Club. If I were DeLay, I'd hit at the fact that many of his opponents are fairly blatant Jew-haters, and want him out of Congress because that would be a mighty blow against Israel.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Good point.

Communists and socialists hate him too. He gives them no quarter.

[Republican Wildcat]

What is the point of sending a letter after all of these years out of Congress? Ridiculous.

[fieldmarshaldj]

C'mon, you know why. The media is looking for anyone remotely claiming an "R" after their name to engage in DeLay bashing.

[RasterMaster]

"A former Republican congressman who was a moderate..."

RINO's one and all! They just knew they couldn't get elected as DOGCATCHER with a 'D' beside their names.

[Republican Wildcat]

yes, yes, I know...also for their part a combination of the McCain syndrome and the former politician syndrome (like the 9/11 commission members).

I'm a bit slower given the fact the sun is rising outside and I've yet to get any sleep.

[niteowl77]

Wiley Mayne, Iowa

Now there is a name from the shadows! Mayne was my congresscritter before I could even vote, and a soul less generous than myself might play the ageism card, crediting this curtain call to senile dementia.

But I won't.

No, he's just one of the surviving old-time, striped-pants, country-club Republicans that did little other than make Democrats look like stand-up, regular guys. Come to think of it, Berkely Bedell (a Dem who came to the same seat) was an improvement.

Anyone remember Mayne's political protege, Fred ("Gopher" from the The Love Boat) Grandy?

[TNCMAXQ]

I'm surprised they didn't get Lowell Weicker to join them!

You are right, Mallory of VT managed to lose to Pat Leahy of all people. That began VT's downward slide, I'm afraid.

[Jabba the Nutt]

"A former Republican congressman who was a moderate ally of former President Bush..."

This will fool only uninformed people. McCloskey was a bigtime liberal, no moderate he and no ally of former President Bush. They're really desperate, if they're bringing that fossil McCloskey out to attack Delay. What a joke!

[Condor51]

"Republicans from across the district as well as across the country and within the (GOP) conference have been rallying around Majority Leader DeLay because of his effective leadership," Dan Allen said.

Darn tootin'
Last Monday I called his DC office and my IL Rep (R) Judy Biggert "urging" her to support Delay during this smear campaign.

And Delay's 'person' was happy to hear from me, more so than my own Rep's 'person' (which is still bugging me a bit).

[mewzilla]

Gee, the Chron kinda left those bits out, didn't it?

I love the internet :)