Without further DeLay

14 Jun 2005 // The House of Representatives doesn't seem particularly concerned with the ethics charges aimed at Majority Leader Tom DeLay -- but not everyone is indifferent to the allegations. In fact, some people are taking them quite seriously.

MoveOn.Org, for example, organized a nationwide petition drive to remove DeLay, R-Texas, from office. Members of the online organization, which accuses DeLay of funneling campaign contribution money to family members and diverting funds from a children's charity to celebrations at the Republican convention (among other evils) collected about 500,000 signatures and delivered them to Republican representatives in early June.

About 10 local members of MoveOn.Org participated in the delivery of the petition. On June 1, a clear and 98-degree day, they gathered in front of U.S. Rep. Jon Porter's office on Green Valley Parkway near Sunset Road dressed in shades and straw hats. Eventually, they marched into the office and presented a receptionist with the petition.

"On behalf of the 682 undersigned residents of Nevada's 3rd District, we are pleased to present you with the attached signatures and statements," the petition read. "The following have all signed onto the following simple statement: 'Republicans in Congress should fire Tom DeLay as majority leader because of repeated and flagrant ethical misconduct.'"

Fifty pages of signatures and statements followed the text. One statement simply read, "Get rid of the bum!" Another elaborated, "Tom DeLay is only the icing on the congressional cake. Oust him and all of the other nutcase Jesus freaks infesting the House and Senate. It is outrageous that they hide behind their fake moral sheepskins and rape America!"

Crowded into the lobby of the office, the MoveOn members held signs ("Tell DeLay to Go Away!") and talked among themselves.

"We're trying to save Congress," one of them said.

"We're trying to save our democracy," another corrected. "The people in Congress certainly aren't."

Finally, after signing the office registry and being told that Porter wasn't available, the members trickled out of the office. They shuffled down a carpeted hallway, destined for the curb of Green Valley Parkway.

What did the petitioners want? Event leader Dyan McCarthy ran off a list: "No. 1, that Rep. Porter will be made aware that there are concerned citizens here regarding Tom DeLay's unethical behavior. Two, hopefully he'll take a stand publicly against this unethical behavior. And three, our most ardent wish is that he should support the removal of DeLay as majority leader."

Added member Milton Sutton: "I'm hoping that Congressman Porter will understand that it's more important to represent your people than corporations or Tom DeLay. Don't support someone who you know is corrupt. Don't go so far to the right that you turn everyone off. I'm not saying you always have to be in the middle, but at least be fair. If you're not fair, that concerns me."

The members seemed particularly concerned with Porter's close ties to DeLay. They pointed out that Porter accepted $25,000 in campaign contributions from DeLay's political action committee, that he consistently votes with the majority leader and that he voted for DeLay for majority leader.

While the petitioners -- who rallied on the curb for about 30 minutes -- had plenty to say, Porter's office has been conspicuously quiet. The receptionist who accepted the petition referred all inquiries to the Washington, D.C. office, which failed to return phone calls prior to deadline.

However, when asked by CityLife in April if DeLay should step down until the ethics charges are settled, Porter's office reluctantly released a statement.

"I believe that any and every member of the House of Representatives who is suspected of violating House ethical standards should be fully investigated, whether that member is the majority leader, the minority leader or the most junior elected official," the statement said. "Unfortunately, despite enormous House-wide support, including my own, to investigate the allegations against Mr. DeLay, the Democrats on the committee have refused to meet to begin any investigation. Majority Leader DeLay has said all along that he wants to appear before the ethics committee to address the recent accusations. The Democrats, however, would prefer to attack his character for political purposes rather than officially investigate these allegations."

McCarthy, whose contact information was attached to the petition, has also not recently heard from Porter or his staff.

"We want Rep. Jon Porter to take a position against the flagrant ethical misconduct of Rep. Tom DeLay," said McCarthy. "We regret to say that he has yet to take a stand on this matter. Unfortunately, DeLay's list of offenses is very long. Despite DeLay being rebuked by the House Ethics Committee, Porter still has not spoken out against DeLay's misconduct. We want Porter to know that Nevadans do not want someone of DeLay's low caliber to be House majority leader. We want our representative to actually represent our views in this matter and support DeLay's removal from his current influential position."