delay and abramoff links

I know you will be shocked to imagine that GOP House-Majority-Leader-in-Suspension sleaze-chief Tom DeLay would have anything to do with sleazy business, but this long story in the Washington Post describes the ties between DeLay, disgraced GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the US Family Network, Russian oil, the International Monetary Fund, Choctaw Indians, Marianas textiles interests, townhouses, and a job for Tom DeLay's wife.

The US Family Network (USFN) was founded by DeLay's former chief of staff, Edwin Buckham. It was funded entirely by corporations linked to Abramoff who had no apparent interest in the USFN's agenda, the promotion of "moral fitness." It never had more than one staffer and despite being a non-profit, paid half-a-million bucks to Buckham's lobbying firm, which employed Christine DeLay, wife of Tom. Some of the USFN's money was spent to finance attack ads against Democratic candidates; some of it was used to buy (with cash) a townhouse on Capitol Hill used by Tom DeLay for fundraising.

One thing you can say about Tom DeLay, he's an honest crook. When Russian oil interests gave USFN $1 million, DeLay went to bat for them and helped pressure the IMF to lend Russia a few billion dollars... Read the article for more details.

Tom DeLay, the very embodiment of the modern Republican Party. Hip-deep in corruption and sleaze, serving his corporate masters.