My recent list of scandals that prompted formal investigations of Republicans sparked some interest, but an even longer list would include GOP scandals that haven’t been investigated but should be.
And near the top of the list would have to be Tom DeLay’s tax-exempt charity, Celebrations for Children. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s low, even for DeLay.
As was first reported in the New York Times in November, DeLay has created a new fundraising scheme that offers wealthy GOP donors extravagant benefits under the auspices of helping abused and neglected children.
Last fall, DeLay started distributing brochures with pictures of fireworks and a golf course to potential fat-cat contributors. The fundraising pitch tells donors that their money will be helping a children’s charity and their contributions will therefore be tax-deductible and unreported under campaign finance laws. Of course, donors are also made aware of a series of other goodies available at this year’s Republican National Convention.
DeLay, among other things, is offering donors private dinner with himself and his wife; the chance to participate in a golf tournament; a late-night party with a rock group; access to a luxury suite for elected officials and donors; as well as the yacht cruise, tickets to Broadway shows and more.
The good news is, however, that two of the nation’s largest campaign finance groups are going after DeLay’s scheme with a vengeance.
Democracy 21, a Washington group committed to campaign finance reform, sent individual letters to every member of the U.S. House yesterday, asking for someone — anyone — to request an Ethics Committee investigation into DeLay’s “charity.”
House ethics committee rules prohibit investigations based solely on an outside group’s complaint. But a complaint is deemed to be lodged if any House member forwards an outsider’s allegations with a letter saying the information is filed in good faith and warrants a review.
Democracy 21’s action is meant to put each House member on the spot — either challenge DeLay’s operation or silently condone it — said the group’s president, veteran open-government advocate Fred Wertheimer.
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“Tax-exempt charitable organizations are not supposed to be used as political playthings by Members of Congress,” his letter says. “The DeLay scheme will allow House members to attend, free of charge, such events as Broadway shows, golfing tournaments, yacht cruises, dinners, parties and other events, with the events being paid for by a ‘charitable’ organization and funded by big donors to the ‘charity,’ many of whom are likely to have important interests pending in Congress.”
In their defense, DeLay’s staff told reporters that the “charity” has been cleared by the House ethics committee. As The Hill noted, that’s not true.
Although DeLay’s staff has told the press that the charity was vetted and cleared by the House ethics committee, the panel’s chairman, Rep. Joel Hefley (R-Colo.), denied the assertion.
“We have not approved it, nor have we disapproved it,” Hefley said, indicating that the committee would likely take action on the matter later this year. He declined to give a timetable.
Even better, Democracy 21 isn’t the only one who’s going after the DeLay’s Celebrations for Children. The Hill added:
Common Cause has made inquiries about DeLay’s charity with [New York Attorney General Eliot] Spitzer (D) that may lead to a formal request by the group for his office [to] investigate the charity.
An official at Common Cause said: “We’ve had contact with the office, and they are aware of the situation. The New York attorney general is one of the most aggressive enforcers of charities in the country.”
Spitzer, who would arguably have jurisdiction over the matter because DeLay’s charity would raise money in New York during the convention, which begins Aug. 29, could imperil the majority leader’s plans.
For years, DeLay has evaded penalties for a variety of scandals, but this one’s not going away anytime soon. (Of course, neither is the investigation into his fundraising schemes in Texas, which is already before a grand jury.) At a minimum, it’s encouraging to see Common Cause and Democracy 21 dig their collective heels in.
Stay tuned.