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October 08, 2004
Local Politics not as usual (Will Fort return Delay's dirty money?)
I know I've mentioned this here before, and I know most readers could care less, but it's kind of exciting to have a congressional race going down to the wire in my district for the first time since I was in kindergarten.
Recent polls have indicated that Matt Connealy (D), a fifth generation Nebraska farmer, and Jeff Fortenberry (R), a ten-year Nebraskan who spent most of his life in Baton Rouge, are within the margin of error of each other. The Fortenberry campaign's main focus seems to be on linking Connealy to John Kerry as if Nebraskans don't know that they're both Democrats. Connealy's going to be a rubber stamp for Kerry and Nancy Pelosi, they say. Connealy has adopted Kerry's jobs plan. Rubber Stamp! Rubber Stamp!
Why all the focus on rubber stamps? Nebraskans like to labor under the impression that their representatives are somewhat independent. My recently retired congressman, Doug Bereuter, is a good example of someone who lived up to the expectation. The current Democratic Senator, Ben Nelson, votes with Bush more often than not, but Chuck Hagel, who likes to appear independent on the Sunday morning talkies, hasn't seen a piece of Republican legislation for which he wouldn't vote.
I wonder what Jeff Fortenberry's Rubber Stamp factor is? We know he has had fundraising visits from Dick Cheney and Dennis Hastert. Would they be here supporting him if they thought he'd act independently in Washington? Hastert fronts probably the most partisan congress ever assembled and extreme measures are often taken to keep the party in line.
But from where else is Fortenberry's fundraising coming? DoesARMPAC sound familiar? If you've been paying attention at all to the Tom Delay ethics implosion, you know that ARMPAC is part of the vast Delay fundraising machine. You might also know that several individuals connected to Delay and ARMPAC have been indicted in Texas and that more indictments may be on the way.
The DCCC has a good question for all the candidates, including Jeff Fortenberry, who have taken money from Delay:
What Did They Have to Offer DeLay in Exchange for His Support?
The House ethics committee yesterday voted unanimously to admonish Republican Leader Tom DeLay (TX) for attempting to trade political favors for a vote on the Republican Medicare bill. The committee wrote that DeLay’s “promise of political support… goes beyond the boundaries of maintaining party discipline, and should not be used as a basis of a bargain for Members to achieve their respective goals.”
The public admonishment of DeLay comes a week after his leadership PAC, ARMPAC, was named in a felony money laundering indictment in Texas. ARMPAC’s executive director Jim Ellis, a top aide to DeLay, was indicted yesterday by a grand jury for money laundering, a first-degree felony.
ARMPAC has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to dozens of Republican House candidates [see list below] – many of whom have refused calls to return the money after the indictments last week.
I smell burnt rubber.
Oh, and it appears that the Lincoln Firefighters have just endorsed Matt Connealy. Not a surprise considering Fort's record on the Lincoln City Council. "As a member of the Lincoln City Council, Fortenberry expressed opposition to pay raises for firefighters in 1997 and voted to eliminate six firefighting positions in 1998, said State Firefighters President Mike McDonnell."
Opposing raises and eliminating first responders jobs? Sounds like Fortenberry was practicing his rubber stamp act for the Republican congress way back in the late 90's.
Posted by Half-Cocked at October 8, 2004 09:13 AM
Comments
Totally off-topic, Steve, but I suggest you go purchase the new Tom Waits album, Real Gone post-haste.
Posted by: Kevin at October 8, 2004 02:16 PM