Montgomery County, MD Green Party Blog

Associates Say Reelection Fears, Not Criminal Probe, Led to Republican’s Decision

Huzzah! Couldn’t have happenned to a nicer guy…

The decision came three days after Tony C. Rudy, his former deputy chief of staff, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and corruption charges, telling federal prosecutors of a criminal enterprise being run out of DeLay’s leadership offices. Rudy’s plea agreement did not implicate DeLay in any illegal activities, but by placing the influence-buying efforts of disgraced Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff directly in DeLay’s operation, the former aide may have made an already difficult reelection bid all but out of reach.

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HR 4694, ironicly called the “Let the People Decide Clean Campaign Act”, is a bipartisan bill that would effectively bar third party congressional candidates from spending any money on their campaigns.

The bill would grant nominees of parties that had averaged 25% of the vote for House races in a given district in the last two elections full public funding. All others would be required to submit petitions signed by 10% of the last vote cast for partial funding, and 20% petitions for full funding, a prohibitively large number.

While third parties have raised the alarm about this bill, what has gone unnoticed is that it would effectively institutionalize incumbancy in the House. The 2004 election was the least competitive in history. The average margin of victory was 40%–meaning 70% to 30% in a two way race. Scores of races were uncontested.

The sponsors of this bill are attempting to establish permanent incumbancy, even to the point of deliberately cutting themselves out of uncompetative races. For all practical purposes, this would be the end of a democratic Hosue of Representatives.

If this bill becomes law, Greens should wage a massive civil disobedience campaign against it. We should stand candidates in every district we possible can, and each one of them should publicly take a $1 donation in violation of the bill.

Lets see if the Republocrats have the guts to face that kind of publicity.

This is either the height of hypocrisy or else the Republicans are trying to create a false reason to derail or modify the legislation.

House Republicans made a last-minute attempt Saturday to limit individual political donations to independent organizations. It was a move aimed at hampering Democratic-aligned groups that were powerful in 2004 and could threaten GOP candidates next year.

As Congress rushed to finish for the year, Republican leaders met privately and sought to attach the campaign finance legislation _ which has idled in the House for months _ to a defense bill that was ready for final passage.
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Because of the stalemate, it’s possible that Congress will not send a bill setting Pentagon policy to the president’s desk for the first time in more than 40 years.

Gone would be legislation, sponsored by Graham, that would put into law military procedures for the detention and prosecution of terror-war suspects held at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison.

The ban on mistreating prisoners, sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., also is included in the defense bill. His measure also is part of the Senate-passed version of a separate military spending bill and is expected to be attached to the final House-Senate version of it.

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