DeLay: To Serve Well is to Serve Humbly; Asks for Prayers for Congress on National Day of Prayer

Thu May 5, 5:32 PM ET

To: National Desk

Contact: Dan Allen or Shannon Flaherty, 202-225-4000, both for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay

WASHINGTON, May 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) today delivered remarks on the importance of humility in public service and asked for continued prayers for the U.S. Congress at the annual National Day of Prayer service. Below are excerpts from his remarks.

"No man or woman of any faith or of no faith can truly love, truly serve, truly persevere, truly dare mighty deeds, truly hope for the future or truly honor the past, without a humble heart.

"So it is for humility, then, that, on behalf of the legislative branch -- both houses, both parties -- I ask for your prayers today. Because the only way we can serve well is to serve humbly, as servants both to God and our nation.

"For all the troubles in our world today, we can never forget that humanity has never before possessed a greater capacity for virtue than at this moment. With a richer, healthier, and more populous planet than at any time in history, mankind has never been blessed with a greater garden, nor with greater means of protecting it.

"And while all these gifts carry with them unprecedented temptations toward pride, so do they carry unprecedented opportunities for humble service - here in Congress, across America, and around the world in the hearts of all people of all faiths.

"Here in Washington, the seat of the most powerful nation in history, these days pose unique challenges and offer unique opportunities. For however dangerous, these days we live are the envy of all times and men.

"Think of what we could accomplish if we checked our pride at the door, if collectively we all spent less time taking credit and more time deserving it. If we spent less time ducking responsibility and more time welcoming it. If we spent less time on our soapboxes and more time on our knees.

"No matter what your faith, no matter what your political persuasion, your prayers for our increased humility, for our ever-humbler service to God and neighbor are needed and wanted."

This man is a lowlife, scumbag son of a biitch. I cannot believe the absolute whorseshit that comes out of his mouth. I bet he wants everyone to be humble, when HIS asss is on the line. Hey Tom, shove your false righteousness up yer kiester, you weasel eyed sack o' dogsheet.

I despise scum like this who act like Scarface one minute and Jimmy Swaggert the next.

If there is a hell, that cockroach will have his own superheated lava pool.

Awwwwww. Son of a nug, he's just soooooooo cute.

Great. Tom DeLay is on CSPAN talking about humility of all things. Unreal. Unbelievable.




How despicable, how disgusting can this man be?

"Just think of what we could accomplish if we checked our pride at the door, if collectively we all spent less time taking credit and more time deserving it," DeLay told the 54th annual National Day of Prayer gathering on Capitol Hill. "If we spent less time ducking responsibility and more time welcoming it. If we spent less time on our soapboxes and more time on our knees."



DeLay drew appreciative smiles when he added, "For in God, all things are possible, ladies and gentlemen. And even greatness from lowly sinners like you and me -- especially me."

Appearing before TV cameras and 300 people in the ornate Caucus Room of the Cannon House Office Building, DeLay said: "No matter what your faith, no matter what your political persuasion, your prayers for our increased humility, for our ever-humbler service to God and neighbor are needed and wanted."

This man lies about everything. Even God. How can any reasoning, thinking person believe this hogwash??


"Throughout human history, all evil, all sin and indeed all suffering is ultimately a product of human pride and self-conceit," DeLay said. "At the same time, all heroism, all virtue, all true progress is ultimately a product of humility and self-sacrifice, from the obedience of Abraham and Moses, to the courage of Jesus on the cross."


Astounding.


Oh my god!!

Look at this crap. Is he backpedalling on the threat to judges, backing off the radical evangelical totalitarianism?


"We pray to give thanks for our freedom," Bush said. "Freedom is our birthright because the Creator wrote it into our common human nature. No government can ever take a gift from God away. And in our great country, among the freedoms we celebrate is the freedom to pray as you wish, or not at all."

Like that moron Bush saying people who are not believers can be patriots too.

Nothing but damage control. That's all it is. Worthless slug.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5050501547.html

Shirley Dobson said in an interview that a purpose of the day was to acknowledge grace at a time when "in many ways, our nation has made decisions on right and wrong that don't really line up with biblical truth, and yet God continues to pour out his blessings on us."

Dobson said the charges against DeLay seem vague, and said she believes he is a man of faith and good character. "If there's something there, let's bring it out and deal with it," she said. "Otherwise, let's leave him alone."



He smiled as he hustled past reporters. A television correspondent asked DeLay how he had chosen his topic, and the lawmaker replied, "Humility is something I work on every day." Stepping into an elevator, he said he found the audience's response "very heartwarming."

Maybe how to kill it.

They are replaying Tom DeLays clips. lol!!

Even THEY can't believe those words came out of Tom DeLay's mouth!!

I hope he gets beaten. that man needs to go as soon as possible.

Yes, painting hisself as some kind of "humble servant" is really over the top.

Comedy at its most ironic.

This is so much bigger than Whitewater. Unbelievable.

Lobbyist Had Close Contact With Bush Team

By SHARON THEIMER
The Associated Press
Friday, May 6, 2005; 2:47 AM

WASHINGTON -- In President Bush's first 10 months, GOP fundraiser Jack Abramoff and his lobbying team logged nearly 200 contacts with the new administration as they pressed for friendly hires at federal agencies and sought to keep the Northern Mariana Islands exempt from the minimum wage and other laws, records show.

The meetings between Abramoff's lobbying team and the administration ranged from Attorney General John Ashcroft to policy advisers in Vice President Dick Cheney's office, according to his lobbying firm billing records.


Abramoff, a $100,000-plus fundraiser for Bush, is now under criminal investigation for some of his lobbying work. His firm boasted its lobbying team helped revise a section of the Republican Party's 2000 platform to make it favorable to its island client.

In addition, two of Abramoff's lobbying colleagues on the Marianas won political appointments inside federal agencies.

"Our standing with the new administration promises to be solid as several friends of the CNMI (islands) will soon be taking high-ranking positions in the Administration, including within the Interior Department," Abramoff wrote in a January 2001 letter in which he persuaded the island government to follow him as a client to his new lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5050600072.html


Can you say chaaaaa-chinnnngggg!!!!!!?

How many rightwingers actually think that Bush is humble? lol.

several callers have indicated they do.

Good thing none of yer dems are like that, isn't it?!?

Excusing DeLay because some democrats did the same thing doesn't cut it. DeLay is the house speaker.

He can take the heat that goes with the position. Seems to me a Dem House Speaker got booted over the same thing.

So DeLay should be booted, too.

Right?

Bee, I don't remember ANY democrats being as critical of ANY of "their guys" as they are of the other side of the aisle...that's why I find most lefties so truly disengenuous!

First off, I'm not the left. I didn't like Clinton the whoredog either. Impeachment over the sex thing was just ridiculous though.

I always bring up Rostenkowski and our Illinois boys the Daleys of Chicago. There's some crooks for ya.

But the actions of these hypocritical ex-Contract for America advocates sickens me. To use that angle to get elected and behave as they are now ... we got a new medical district, what did your congressman get?

Every honest, decent person should be able to identify what DeLay is.

Just his actions in the last 3 months should show that.


But they can't, because that would be admitting error. Loyalty to the party above all else. Never mind decency, dismiss the fact they swore to bring honor and integrity to DC, nevermind all that. It's for the good of the party.

Unity above everything.

Morals and values my arse. What a sham that is.

Seems to me Clinton was impeached with a dem majority. Over a blowjob. In spite of public opinion at the time. DeLay shouldn't expect better treatment then that.

The dems just follow the polls bee! Like every other politician!

Never met a politician yet I could really like.

Well, I think I'll agree with you there. Although there must be a few around.

I usually like the ones that don't get elected. I hate the two party system because most of the candidates are cut out of a tiny little mold, dictated by a narrow little platform.

I would like to tell Mr. Delay a little story about a man I know who actually lives by the motto "In God, all things are possible," and has, even more, since his wife was taken by a cancer that rushed over her like a sandstorm starting two months after their first child was born. She was gone in a few more, the last two torturous in hospital treatment and the last two weeks blown up like an inflamed whale with total liver dysfunction.

This man is humility and God's grace personified. When my brother was sick with a similar disease, he'd been given a thousand dollars by a little church and he wanted to send it to my brother who was then out of work, while he was not.

I would not for one sub-atomic split of one second mention such a man as that to such a creature as Tom Delay.

Who personifies sacrilege.

We had Gary Trudeaus roomate from Yale running in the Green Party here. Rode his bike all round the distict to meet constituents. I liked him quite a bit. Problem was he was running against Rosa DeLauro, whom I happen to like.

I was in the Green Party for years until the petty bickering locally made me leave. I try to vote for the lesser evil, usually. Some years I'm so fed up I just vote for the challenger, be they Dem, Rep, Lib or Green.

Hard to build a party when everyone wants to get in on the ground floor with their platforms. People just argue because they know winning is an exxtreme longshot so why not try to have it all their way within the party. The major parties are coalitions of interests, but the minor parties are mostly very narrow special interests. When I was younger I voted straight Dem for the most part, now I vote against the incumbent unless they're really good, and usually they aren't.

Not quite.

President Clinton was impeached by the House near the end of the 105th Congress, 1997-1999 (Speaker was Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA), President Pro Tempore: Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-SC)) and tried in the beginning of the 106th 1999-2001 (Speaker: Rep Dennis Hastert (R-IL), Senate remained unchanged as to leadership) Source: http://thomas.loc.gov .
Thus, the Republicans held both Houses of Congress during the approval of the Articles of Impeachment and the Trial. The articles were not found pursuasive in the trial.

Just for the record.

My bad Russ. Thanks.

I do believe that I am correct about public opinion, though. That was when I joined MoveOn, it started in protest to all the timee they were wasting on it.

now you're talkin'!!

I know folks like that! The best.

Fees Were Cloaked in Guam Lobbying Deal
# The Pacific island's Superior Court didn't disclose in May 2002 that it had hired Jack Abramoff to plead its case in Washington.

By Walter F. Roche Jr. And Chuck Neubauer, Times Staff Writers

AGANA, Guam — Investigators here are looking into a secret agreement reached three years ago between island court administrators and lobbyist Jack Abramoff, now the target of unrelated criminal and congressional corruption inquiries in Washington.

In 2002 Abramoff was retained by the Guam Superior Court to help fight a judicial reform bill pending before Congress. It was an unusual arrangement for a public agency. No separate contract was authorized, and Abramoff's lobbying fees were disguised in a series of small checks funneled through a California lawyer under an existing contract, records and interviews show.


The middleman, Laguna Beach lawyer Howard Hills, said in an interview that he backed out of his role after processing 36 separate checks in $9,000 increments totaling $324,000.

It helps to know that any transactions for over $10,000 must be reported to the feds.




http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/na...eadlines-nation

Sheesh.

How sneaky is that.

Really doesn't play well on the reprise.

How about this then?

Two Former Aides to DeLay Paved Way for Lobbyist's Deal

# Their work on Saipan helped get a contract for a lawyer now the target of a corruption probe.


By Walter F. Roche Jr. and Chuck Neubauer, Times Staff Writers

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands — Two former top aides of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's brokered a political deal here five years ago that helped land island government contracts worth $1.6 million for a Washington lobbyist now the target of a federal corruption probe.

Using promises of U.S. tax dollars as bartering chips, Edwin A. Buckham and Michael Scanlon traveled to these remote Pacific islands in late 1999 to convince two local legislators to switch their votes for speaker of the territory's 18-member House of Representatives. They succeeded.


Once in office, the new speaker pressed the governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to reinstate an expired lobbying pact with Jack Abramoff, now under grand jury and congressional investigation.

Within months of the visit, Abramoff's law firm had a contract paying $100,000 a month from the Marianas government. Also, the island districts of the legislators who switched sides soon won federal budget benefits from Congress, apparently supported by DeLay.

Although Abramoff collected most of his fees from the island government, his lobbying efforts most benefited owners and operators of apparel manufacturing firms using the territory's cheap labor.

The lawyer-lobbyist, whose fees then were reportedly as high as $500 an hour, helped beat back congressional efforts to raise the minimum wage here to $5.15 an hour.

New details of the Buckham-Scanlon overseas mission that benefited Abramoff, and the trade of political favors nearly half the globe from Capitol Hill, come from interviews, government documents and e-mails reviewed by The Times.

The latest disclosures coming out of the Marianas may add fuel to the year-long political scandal swirling around Abramoff and his ties to congressional leaders, especially DeLay. The Republican majority leader lately has sought to distance himself from the besieged lobbyist he once called a close friend.


http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na...dlines-politics

Snoore

whoo hoo!!


Ethics panel balks at subpoena

Texas attorney general refuses to back agency's challenge

By Jay Root and John Moritz

Star-Telegram Austin Bureau

AUSTIN _ The Texas Ethics Commission is refusing to provide information to prosecutors looking into questions about Republican campaign fund-raising, drawing a rebuke from Attorney General Greg Abbott, officials said Friday.

Abbott, a Republican, told the Ethics Commission that he disagreed with its decision to fight a subpoena from Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle.

And, Abbott said, he would not represent the agency in court. That means the commission, which oversees state campaign finance regulations, will have to hire outside lawyers if it wants to continue to try to quash the subpoena, officials said.

``We disagree with the Ethics Commission on the appropriate course of action to take and we've told them that we're not going to represent them,'' said Abbott spokeswoman Angela Hale.

Earle, a Democrat, is investigating accusations that conservative and Republican-allied groups engaged in an ``organized effort'' to pour up to $2.5 million in illegal corporate money into the 2002 elections.

Three associates of U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, have been indicted on felony campaign-finance-abuse charges. All have denied wrongdoing.

Prosecutors are seeking the identity of a person who requested and then withdrew a request for an Ethics Commission opinion touching on how corporate money can be used in elections _ a question that's at the heart of the Earle investigation.

The law allows corporate money to be spent only on administrative expenses, generally items such as rent, utilities and office supplies. Campaigns cannot use corporate money for direct political expenses.< Officials say the Ethics Commission cited a confidentiality statute protecting the identity of those who request opinions and decided to fight the district attorney.

Rudy Magallanes, a spokesman for Earle, said it is not uncommon for prosecutors to subpoena _ and receive _ information that is confidential by statute.

``This office is sensitive to the concerns of the Ethics Commission that relate to the confidentiality of the requested information and we share those concerns,'' Magallanes said. ``As with all other confidential matters this information will be carefully safeguarded.''

Because the cases are pending, Magallanes said he could not comment on the specifics of the information being requested.

Natalia Ashley, assistant general counsel at the Ethics Commission, confirmed that the agency voted to file a motion to quash the subpoena, but she said she was unable to give any details or explain why te commission is going to court over the issue.

Earle's inquiry has led to the indictments of eight companies that were accused of making illegal corporate donations ranging from $25,000 to $100,000. Prosecutors have dismissed felony indictments against four of those corporations, and all of them have denied wrongdoing.

A grand jury also indicted three DeLay associates: Jim Ellis, director of DeLay's Americans for a Republican Majority; Warren RoBold, a Washington-area Republican consultant and fund-raiser; and John Colyandro, who headed Texans for a Republican Majority. All deny wrongdoing.

The first major court hearing is set for Wednesday when attorneys for Ellis and Colyandro will seek to dismiss the indictments against them. RoBold has a minor court hearing a day earlier, officials said.< At the center of the controversy involving Ellis and Colyandro is the accusation that they engaged in money laundering _ a first-degree felony _ by seeking to clean up illegal ``soft money'' corporate contributions by converting them into regulated ``hard money.''


http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/legislature/11585695.htm

I think I'll make an exception to my Quaker principles, and ask God for something:



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...av=most_emailed

"Dear Lord, yes, please give Tom DeLay what he's praying for--a lesson in humility! Amen."

AMEN!

amen.

I seem to have stumbled into a prayer meeting.

Oh, this isn't just a prayer meeting. This is a Meeting for a Special Purpose, and we're gonna take down a minute in support of Mr. DeLay's special request, expressing our meeting's wholehearted endorsement and support of Mr. DeLay's quest for humility.

(Sorry, that was a Quaker joke.)

All right, I'll throw in a bit o the Catholic jargon.

That Representative DeLay be granted his wish for humility.

Lord, hear our prayer

Did I hear an amen from the amen corner?

IMO, the Sermon On The Mount is all we need, folks:

http://www.bibletexts.com/texts/som.htm

It may be all we need, but it seems that Tom DeLay needs a bolt of lightning and a booming voice from heaven.

I can't believe he's so prideful as to have arranged publicity for his sermon on humility. It's so mindboggling, it's hysterically funny.

Once God gets done laughing, maybe He'll give old Tom what he prayed for!

Certainly makes the folks who support him AFTER that speech look really stupid.

The thing about evangelicals is that if you specifically identify yourself as a sinner, like he did, and ask forgiveness, which he kind of did, you must be forgiven. The risk is not being forgiven by god yourself.

But even in the midst of my Christian experience I wouldn't have bought his stories. Some want to believe soooo badly they will. I didn't act quite like that. They are acting pretty weird.

I know you have an entire department set aside for Mr. Delay, davey, but do note this for the Ministry.

The of the Ministry of Irony and Vice has a hall for DeLay, but it's not on the irony side.

…hopefully with a long willow rod in the hands of a large troglodyte.

I just can't see a Republican flogging another Republican.

I like Princeton’s idea…standing across the street from each other…..Debating

YEAH PRINCETON!

Immensely proud of those students….

take it nationally...

For example do you think tom delay’s constituents would stand-up and protest against a group of local people protesting against his political tactics, or is there just a larger chance that the constituents are SCARED?

Since congress finds it in their infinite wisdom to ignore the constituents with the least amount of money, therefore, in the minority. Would the news pick-up protesters protesting in the home districts of the congressmen who vote against the wishes of their constituents and votes in favor of the power nod money?
I like Princeton’s idea…standing across the street from each other…..YEAH PRINCETON!

Immensely proud of those students….

For example do you think tom delay’s constituents would stand-up and protest against a group of local people protesting against his political tactics, or is there just a larger chance that the constituents are SCARED?

There is a need for new congressmen….
and
The senators no longer are interested in the preservation of the US and the constitution.
They appear to be more concerned with running the world rather than their duties to the United States of America and the Preservation of the Constitution.

Oh, I forget, since they will not preserve the LAND for future generations
Why would they want to protect the CONSTITUTION for Future generations…?

[I]repuslickans are complete lying thieving hypocrites??? NAWWW!![I]

Spokane Mayor's City Hall Computers Seized

By JOHN K. WILEY
The Associated Press
Monday, May 9, 2005; 5:15 PM

SPOKANE, Wash. -- City officials have seized Mayor Jim West's City Hall computers for an investigation into whether he improperly used them to visit gay online chat rooms.

West, a longtime Republican foe of gay rights, has acknowledged offering autographed sports memorabilia and a possible City Hall internship to someone he thought was an 18-year-old man in a gay online chat room. The man was actually a computer expert hired by The Spokesman-Review as part of a journalism sting operation.


City officials on Monday were organizing an independent investigation into West's possible misuse of city computers, City Attorney Mike Connelly said.

On Thursday, The Spokesman-Review reported on West's online activities, along with allegations that West molested boys while he was a sheriff's deputy and Boy Scout leader in the late 1970s and early 1980s. West denied the molestation claims but acknowledged that he had visited a gay chat room and had relations with men.

West was in meetings Monday morning and did not immediately return a call for comment from The Associated Press.

He also disputed a story in Sunday's Spokesman-Review that quoted a city councilwoman as saying West told her that he had masturbated in his office. West said he was at home, not in his office, when the simulated online sex occurred, the newspaper reported.

The Spokesman-Review called for West's resignation, saying in an editorial Sunday that he can no longer govern effectively. The Seattle Times also called for West to step down.

Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton said she has received requests for recall information, but no one had filed petitions necessary to start the process.

A national gay advocacy organization called on West to step down.

"This man _ whether he's straight, bisexual, or gay _ deserves nothing but scorn," said Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Washington, D.C. "He needs to resign immediately."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5050900849.html

other links same story


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5050900099.html


http://cgi.bellinghamherald.com/cgi-bin/br...&ty=news_update

News: Da mayor sez he's takin' a few weeks off.

Sounds like he's been off for quite some time.