Is the tap turning off for Tom?

DeLay defense fund donations slow

Donations to Majority Leader Tom DeLay's defense fund have slowed considerably in the last few months. Some of his critics hope to cut the money flow even more with a new line of attack launched Wednesday demanding that corporate donors stop covering his legal bills.

The Tom DeLay Legal Expense Trust took in about $50,000 during the first quarter of 2005 – far below the pace that pumped in $430,000 during the second half of last year.

[...]

In recent weeks, leading conservatives have expressed concern that the drumbeat of allegations about Mr. DeLay's foreign travel and fundraising tactics have tainted his image and threatened his political future.

The latest barrage came Wednesday from the Center for American Progress. The Democratic think tank, founded by Bill Clinton's former chief of staff, John Podesta, launched a campaign to try to embarrass corporations that have helped pay Mr. DeLay's legal bills. Its new Web site, www.dropthehammer.org, spotlights donations from American Airlines, Bacardi USA, Nissan USA, RJ Reynolds and Verizon, and some of the legislation those companies have sought help with over the years.

"Consumers shouldn't have to facilitate Tom DeLay's unethical behavior with their purchases," said Laura Nichols, a vice president of the center. "We demand that these companies ask for their money back and drop their support of Tom DeLay."

At American Airlines, which gave $5,000 in late 2002, spokesman Tim Wagner said that "we were told that Mr. DeLay, a member of Congress from our headquarters state of Texas, was facing substantial legal bills that he was unable to pay personally because of their size and his limited resources." He added that American made no further donations.

Uh huh. As has been asked elsewhere, maybe he should ask his wife for the money.

If and when the amount of money DeLay can raise and spread among fellow Republicans falls below the amount of trouble he's causing them by being such a corrupt sleazeball, then he'll be truly on his way out. They don't love him for his sparkling personality, that's for sure. Via The Daily DeLay. Check out the links they have to a bunch of reports on DeLay's paybacks to various industries, too.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on April 07, 2005 to Scandalized! | TrackBack