Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Northup's Spokeswoman about keeping $36,000 from corrupt congressmen -- No Comment!
Davis to donate funds from Foley
PLANS TO KEEP MONEY FROM 3 DISGRACED REPS
By John Cheves
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER
WASHINGTON - Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Ky., will give a $1,000 donation he took from Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., to a non-profit, he said yesterday. Foley resigned Friday following reports that he had sent inappropriate e-mails to young men in the House page program.
But even as Davis sought to distance himself from the growing GOP sex scandal, an aide said Davis will keep $45,000 he has taken since 2002 from campaigns and political-action committees of three other House Republican colleagues who fell from grace this year. They are:
n Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas, who resigned and is under indictment for alleged campaign-finance crimes. DeLay gave Davis $30,000.
n Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California, who is in prison for taking bribes. Cunningham gave Davis $11,000.
n Bob Ney of Ohio, who awaits sentencing on federal corruption charges for his involvement with Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Ney gave Davis $4,000.
The donations from DeLay, Cunningham and Ney were legal and won't be returned, said Justin Brasell, Davis' chief of staff. However, in a statement, Davis said he's giving the $1,000 from Foley's PAC to Boone County Court Appointed Special Advocates, a non-profit program for abused and neglected children.
"I am appalled by the actions of Mr. Foley," Davis said. "Had he not resigned, it is my belief that he would have been expelled from the House, and rightfully so. The people of this country will not tolerate this kind of behavior, and neither will I."
No other member of Kentucky's congressional delegation took money from all four of the disgraced House members, although Rep. Anne Northup, also a Republican, received more than anyone but Davis. She has taken a combined $36,000 from all but Foley since 2002.
"We're not going to comment on any of this," said Northup spokeswoman Katie Greenan.
Republican members of Congress who took money from Foley's Florida Republican Leadership PAC are scrambling to unload it, now that Americans are hearing of his sexual approaches to underage House pages, said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington.
It's ironic that Davis -- and so many others -- are keeping the donations from colleagues who sold their offices for money, she said.
"The Foley scandal certainly is troubling, but it had nothing to do with money or campaign fund-raising or influence-peddling," said Sloan, a former federal prosecutor and congressional aide. "Whereas the scandals with DeLay, Cunningham and Ney are all about money. The way they got their money was corrupt, so I'd argue that all donations from them are tainted and should be returned."
Brasell, the Davis aide, said his boss does not feel compelled to return money from colleagues who have been indicted, imprisoned or forced from office, because some Democratic members of Congress have kept donations under similar circumstances.
"Congressman Davis has been outspoken in his condemnation of corruption in Congress," Brasell added.
But actions speak louder than words, said Jim Creevy, campaign manager for Democrat Ken Lucas, Davis' challenger in the Nov. 7 election to represent Northern Kentucky in Congress.
PLANS TO KEEP MONEY FROM 3 DISGRACED REPS
By John Cheves
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER
WASHINGTON - Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Ky., will give a $1,000 donation he took from Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., to a non-profit, he said yesterday. Foley resigned Friday following reports that he had sent inappropriate e-mails to young men in the House page program.
But even as Davis sought to distance himself from the growing GOP sex scandal, an aide said Davis will keep $45,000 he has taken since 2002 from campaigns and political-action committees of three other House Republican colleagues who fell from grace this year. They are:
n Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas, who resigned and is under indictment for alleged campaign-finance crimes. DeLay gave Davis $30,000.
n Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California, who is in prison for taking bribes. Cunningham gave Davis $11,000.
n Bob Ney of Ohio, who awaits sentencing on federal corruption charges for his involvement with Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Ney gave Davis $4,000.
The donations from DeLay, Cunningham and Ney were legal and won't be returned, said Justin Brasell, Davis' chief of staff. However, in a statement, Davis said he's giving the $1,000 from Foley's PAC to Boone County Court Appointed Special Advocates, a non-profit program for abused and neglected children.
"I am appalled by the actions of Mr. Foley," Davis said. "Had he not resigned, it is my belief that he would have been expelled from the House, and rightfully so. The people of this country will not tolerate this kind of behavior, and neither will I."
No other member of Kentucky's congressional delegation took money from all four of the disgraced House members, although Rep. Anne Northup, also a Republican, received more than anyone but Davis. She has taken a combined $36,000 from all but Foley since 2002.
"We're not going to comment on any of this," said Northup spokeswoman Katie Greenan.
Republican members of Congress who took money from Foley's Florida Republican Leadership PAC are scrambling to unload it, now that Americans are hearing of his sexual approaches to underage House pages, said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington.
It's ironic that Davis -- and so many others -- are keeping the donations from colleagues who sold their offices for money, she said.
"The Foley scandal certainly is troubling, but it had nothing to do with money or campaign fund-raising or influence-peddling," said Sloan, a former federal prosecutor and congressional aide. "Whereas the scandals with DeLay, Cunningham and Ney are all about money. The way they got their money was corrupt, so I'd argue that all donations from them are tainted and should be returned."
Brasell, the Davis aide, said his boss does not feel compelled to return money from colleagues who have been indicted, imprisoned or forced from office, because some Democratic members of Congress have kept donations under similar circumstances.
"Congressman Davis has been outspoken in his condemnation of corruption in Congress," Brasell added.
But actions speak louder than words, said Jim Creevy, campaign manager for Democrat Ken Lucas, Davis' challenger in the Nov. 7 election to represent Northern Kentucky in Congress.
