A few weeks ago there was some discussion about Tom DeLay using a children's charity for fund raising purposes. Today's
WaPo has another article. Looks like Delay is sending out a 13 page brochure(invitation) to a few of his friends.
Here are some of the goodies:
(...)
For a donor in the $500,000 "Upper East Side" category, for example, benefits include being named a sponsor at private dinners with DeLay before and after the convention and at other events, the opportunity to bring nine friends to a special golf tournament, 12 tickets to a Broadway show, 25 tickets to "the Members reception before/during/after Presidential acceptance speech" and a private yacht cruise "w/TD" [with Tom DeLay].
What is it with this guy and yachts? Anyway, a complaint has been filed with the IRS:
(...)
The complaint by Democracy 21 and the Campaign Legal Center alleged that "DeLay, Republican officeholders and candidates and Republican party officials will receive systematic opportunities to meet and network with wealthy individuals, corporate officials, lobbyists and other donors in an inherently partisan political environment. . . . They will also have opportunities to solicit contributions from these donors for the 2004 elections."
Of course, DeLay, being the compassionate conservative that he is, is throwing a hissy fit cuz he thinks it's just a left-wing "publicity-seeking screed put out by a Democratic front group." Seems George Soros gave Democracy 21 a couple hundred thousand dollars.
Anyway, even if this goes nowhere with the IRS, I hope it gets some coverage. Using a children's charity to raise funds for his cronies is just sleazy and (insert your own appropriate adjective).