Tuesday 6 December 2005

Cheney Backs DeLay At Fundraiser, Despite Upheld Charges

VP Promises Former House Leader "Strong Iraq Press"; Cheney Takes Cut From Gate For New "Bunker" Fund

Representative Tom DeLay's (R-TX) comeback was derailed yesterday as a Texas Judge let stand two substantial charges of money laundering, after dismissing a third charge of conspiracy to violate the election code by making an illegal corporate contribution.

The charges against DeLay, that forced him to resign from his House Majority Leader post, involve $190,000 of corporate donations that the state says was routed through Republican National Committee to Texas-based Republican political actions committees and then to Texas Republicans running for office in the Texas legislature.

According to the New York Times, Dick DeGuerin, DeLay's lawyer, said, "We won more than they did," contending that the remaining charges would be "impossible to prove."

DeLay denies the charges and, as a precautionary move, as reported by The Garlic, DeLay signed a deal with a Japanese firm to handle his money laundering.

"Tommy know more ways to skin an armadillo that anyone else in Texas", said Billy "Spurs" Hollingworth, editor of the newsletter, "On The Take", that tracks Tom DeLay.

In an effort to deflect the news that he will have to stand trial, DeLay got a boost of support from Vice President Dick Cheney, who appeared at a hurricane-postponed GOP fundraiser in Houston last night, singing the praises of DeLay, saying that "he valued the support Mr. DeLay has shown to the president and vice president in both the good times and difficult times. He's not a fair-weather friend."

The fundraiser had been scheduled for September, until Hurricane Rita struck, with the top-dollar tickets selling for $4,200.

In addition to praising DeLay, Cheney also offered the Bush Administrations support.

"I can tell you now", said the Vice President, "that the Iraqi press will be giving you very favorable coverage and, I will predict, that you will win the unanimous endorsement of every single newspaper over there".

As to the charges against DeLay, the Vice President laid blame on "the lying liberal media and that candy-ass, "#@%$!" Senator John McCain", drawing a boisterous response from the crowd.

Cheney, upon leaving the event, refused to confirm or deny that, over this past weekend, he held Senator McCain, against his will in the Secret Bunker, in an effort to have McCain drop his position against allowing any torture of captured terrorists.

DeLay will be facing former U.S. Congressman Nick Lampson, who served four terms in the U.S. House before his Southeast Texas district was redrawn to elect a Republican in a DeLay-engineered plan, in the 2006 Congressional Elections.

Cheney's appearance, and support, at the DeLay fundraiser was said to come at a steep price.

The Vice President, according to Hollingsworth, "was getting 40% of the gate".

"He's calling it 'The Bunker Fund'. It goes towards all the things they can't pay for over-the-table. The Iraqi media, the secret prisons and the legal fund, for Scooter Libby. I hear that they're building another fund to defend against the torture cases coming down the road".













In boasting of that the U.S. economy was "booming", President Bush cited that "even hats are very popular and selling extremely well this holiday season".