Friday, November 14, 2003
np: afghan whigs - congregation
ah, to revel in the smarmy genius that is the afghan whigs. savour it, boys.
so, the senate democrats' judicial nominee fillibuster was a success. as noted in the previous post, roy moore is out of the alabama courts. (although probably heading for a gubernatorial campaign.) and there's reportedly a new tom waits album in the works for a spring release. life is dazzling some days.
but then you get disturbing reports. like this one from the new york times (log-in needed):
It is an unusual charity brochure: a 13-page document, complete with pictures of fireworks and a golf course, that invites potential donors to give as much as $500,000 to spend time with Tom DeLay during the Republican convention in New York City next summer — and to have part of the money go to help abused and neglected children.
Representative DeLay, who has both done work for troubled children and drawn criticism for his aggressive political fund-raising in his career in Congress, said through his staff that the entire effort was fundamentally intended to help children. But aides to Mr. DeLay, the House majority leader from Texas, acknowledged that part of the money would go to pay for late-night convention parties, a luxury suite during President Bush's speech at Madison Square Garden and yacht cruises.
...
"They are using the idea of helping children as a blatant cover for financing activities in connection with a convention with huge unlimited, undisclosed, unregulated contributions," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a Washington group that helped push through the recent overhaul of the campaign finance laws.
Other lawmakers may well follow Mr. DeLay's lead. Already Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader, is planning to hold a concert and a reception in conjunction with the convention as a way of raising money for AIDS charities.
...
Mr. Richardson said the goal was to give 75 percent of the money it raised to children's charities, including some in the New York area. He said the charity also planned to hold other events at the Super Bowl.
But because the money collected will go into a nonprofit organization, donors get a tax break. And Mr. DeLay will never have to account publicly for who contributed, which campaign finance experts say shields those who may be trying to win favor with one of the most powerful lawmakers in Washington.
they go on to make some lame excuse about 'convention parties happen regardless, this way we give some money to charity.' bullshit. cos donations made to convention parties are not tax deductable. this is a sham, pure and true.
