Lobbyists give money to DeLay: Film at 11

So sorry I'm missing this event tonight, but we had to go grocery shopping.

High-profile lobbyists and Republican operatives will gather for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres tonight in hopes of raising more than $200,000 for embattled U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay's re-election campaign and proving that he still has powerful friends in high places.

They are hardly strangers. In fact, many are former DeLay aides.

"We thought it would be good to have an outpouring of support for Tom, and not just moral support, but to have an effect on his re-election" bid next year, said DeLay's former communications director, Stuart Roy, now a GOP consultant and a host of the fundraiser.

DeLay, a Sugar Land Republican, has been indicted in Travis County on charges related to campaign financing. The indictments forced him to step down as House majority leader, and now he faces possibly his most difficult re-election campaign.

Roy and the nearly 70 others on the organizing committee were required to either donate $2,000 themselves or raise $5,000 for DeLay. The 100-plus people invited were asked to contribute between $500 and $2,100, the maximum individuals can give to a candidate in each primary and general election.

Roy said the intent is to "get new money in the door that you wouldn't have otherwise raised," from people who often just donate to political action committees rather than candidates.

For that kind of money, I hope they at least got an open bar and better munchies than those little cocktail weenies. It's the least DeLay can do for his peeps, you know?

Speaking of money, I want to call your attention to a difference between the article above and this one in the DMN. First, from the Chron story:

Former Rep. Nick Lampson, who lost his seat after Texas' congressional district lines were redrawn under a plan orchestrated by DeLay, is seeking the Democratic nomination against DeLay in the 22nd Congressional District.

The DeLay campaign took in more than $2 million between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, the latest figures available, according to PoliticalMoneyLine, which tracks contributions. Lampson raised about $690,000.

And from the Morning News:

Mr. DeLay holds a wide financial lead over his likely opponent, former Rep. Nick Lampson. The Democrat, ousted a year ago after redistricting that Mr. DeLay helped engineer, has raised $826,000 so far to Mr. DeLay's $2.2 million. Mr. DeLay has also been busy raising money for his legal defense, bringing in $318,000 in the last three months.

I don't know where the Chron got their number for Lampson, but it wasn't from Political Money Line, which for some odd reason has nothing on Lampson since December of 2004. I can tell you that the Lampson campaign confirmed the $826K figure that the DMN used to me - it's what they reported at the end of Q3. As of yesterday, they were almost at the $1 million mark, according to a fundraising email I got. Perhaps if the Chron had spoken to someone on Lampson's team, as the DMN clearly did, they'd have gotten more accurate information.

It should also be noted that Lampson didn't start his campaign until May, so he's raised his total in less than five months, while DeLay's $2.2 million is for three full quarters. Neither paper made that distinction.

Anyway. Public Citizen has more on DeLay and his lobbyist benefactors. Check it out.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on November 17, 2005 to Scandalized! | TrackBack