That Darn DeLay

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and his lobbyist/gift ethics scandal continues to be bad news for Colorado politicians.

We've written before about how DeLay's troubles could affect potential gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis, and now DeLay's troubles are reaching Congressman Bob Beauprez. In May Beauprez was linked to DeLay for receiving $20,000 in campaign funds from the embattled Texas Republican, and just the other day the Associated Press ran a story about travel paid for Beauprez and his wife by special interest groups that the Congressman didn't report in a timely manner:

Two members of Colorado's congressional delegation failed for months or years to file appropriate disclosure forms for travel paid for by special interest groups, an Associated Press review has found. Republican Rep. Bob Beauprez and his wife traveled to Spain and Israel last fall on a $21,000 trip paid for by a private foundation, and Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette took a $410 special interest trip to San Diego in 2002. Neither filed disclosure forms with the House Ethics Committee until early May, according to records reviewed by the AP...

...Beauprez's trip, which cost $21,226 for him and his wife, was among the more expensive trips reported in the past few months. It was paid for by the Michael Cherney Foundation, which has various charity projects in Israel, including help for bombing victims.

What does this have to do with DeLay? Well, if DeLay's troubles didn't continue to receive national attention, the AP probably doesn't bother looking into this story. DeLay has thrust every member of Congress under the spotlight when it comes to taking gifts from special interests, and the press is looking closer because of his troubles. This new report will come back to hurt Beauprez in a Republican primary for governor, and certainly in a general election, and here's why...

What was Beauprez doing on this trip that cost $21,000? According to his spokesman: Beauprez had been invited to speak at a summit on tolerance and anti-Semitism and America's relationship with Israel. But that's not all.

Progress Now, the unabashed left-wing political group in Colorado, dug up some pretty interesting follow-up on this story. Normally we wouldn't pay much attention to anything Progress Now says, but this time they've got the Web links to prove their case. Beauprez was actually speaking about alternative organizations to the United Nations.

So what? Well, suddenly the potential attack ad against Beauprez just got a lot worse: "Bob Beauprez has traveled across the world on the checkbook of special interests to speak against the United Nations." 

And it's all because of Tom DeLay.

(Now before you get all riled up and send in angry comments that we're out to get Beauprez, just try to take this at face value. We're hear to report on Colorado politics, and this is an important event in the 2006 governor's race. This attack will come next summer, and this will be the genesis of it.)

Comments

[tommix]

Don't forget Tom Delay's favorite up north...Marilyn Musgrave who took a little help form 'that darn Delay' her self. Now, even the beet farmers are mad at her.

What a difference a Delay makes.

[Kenevan McConnon]

It took the Democrats 40 years of controlling the house to reach this level of corruption; it looks like it only took the Republicans ten. I guess Republicans are quick learners when it comes to sacrificing principles for a nice junket. Beauprez, Musgrave, and McInnis are neck deep. When will Coloradans learn? NEVER TRUST A TEXAN!

[Gunnison]

Oh Come on Man! That is absolutely absurd! Foreign travel paid for by special interests has been widely accepted by both Republicans and Democrats alike. Recently, 43 House Members including 19 Dems have recently disclosed 200 unreported trips paid for by special interest groups since the Delay debacle. Congressman Jim Matheson (A Democrat) just recently disclosed a $24,000 trip to Australia last fall.

Although it may be unethical it is not illegal. It is the house rules that need changing not its members. Both parties take advantage of the system.

By the way, your Governor is a TEXAN and has done a lot of good things for COLORADO!

[UNethical Organization]

"Bob Beauprez has traveled across the world on the checkbook of special interests to speak against the United Nations."

This is an attack ad? This only solidifies the base and those wary of the UN (read: most of Colorado). If this is the best the Dems got, bring it on!

[brio]

Reluctantly, I agree with UNethical. Speaking against the UN is not going to upset anyone who wasn't already going to vote against Beauprez. This isn't going to make a direct difference, unless the Dems can come up with a better way to describe it (and there may not be one). It may make an indirect difference, because of the taint of corruption from the top (i.e. Delay) affecting the rest of the Republican House (ala Dems a decade ago).

[Alva Adams]

We're not saying this is something that is going to sink Beauprez's candidacy by any means. Our main point is how the DeLay scandal keeps reaching into Colorado to cause candidates trouble. This will absolutely come up at some point for Beauprez (as to how effective it will be, we'll have to see), but it probably never would have generated a news story if it weren't for DeLay.

[Scandal]

If DeLay continues to get bogged down in this, and eventually gets kicked out, this is a direct tie between BB and DeLay. THAT's the ad. The UN thing isn't that strong, and I think Colorado Pols imaginary attack ad proves that they're a bunch of Democrats. But beyond that, taking $21k from a lobbyist - BB can be bought, and we can't trust him. This is going to be an attack ad, just not with the UN.

Beyond that, though, this should be a bigger story here in the state! BB took 21 THOUSAND dollars for a vacation! That's more than what a lot of Coloradans make in a year. THAT'S the big deal, guys!

[Phoenix Rising]

Scandal said:
Beyond that, though, this should be a bigger story here in the state! BB took 21 THOUSAND dollars for a vacation! That's more than what a lot of Coloradans make in a year. THAT'S the big deal, guys!I have a big issue with this kind of trip. How does it take $20k+ to take a trip? I didn't spend more than $5k to go to Hawaii for 2 weeks on my honeymoon, and I booked some not-cheap hotels! $70k for DeLay to golf at St. Andrews, $21k for Beauprez's trip to Israel, $24k to send Matheson Australia - it takes some serious work to rack up that kind of bill.

[Dan]

The trip was "paid for by the Michael Cherney Foundation, which has various charity projects in Israel, including help for bombing victims."

This just shows that Beauprez can be bought by lobbyists (Scandal)? And, only took ten years for Republicans to reach this level of corruption (McConnon)?

Boy, you libs better get something a lot better than this. Didn't affect me as a taxpayer. I have no right how to tell a non-profit how to spend its money. I know where Beauprez stands on Israel and obviously, so does Cherney. Hopefully, the Ds do run the lame attack ads and Beauprez can keep talking about standing with Israel and court the Jewish community. Bring it!

[Phoenix Rising]

It's amazing how quickly the Republicans have changed from "To restore accountability to Congress. To end its cycle of scandal and disgrace." to general acceptance of something tantamount to a bribe.

On one trip, Beauprez was given a third of an average Coloradoan's yearly salary as a gift. It used to be that Republicans yelled and screamed over issues like this. Guess citizen legislators and honest government aren't really big players on the GOP side any more. We'll have to inform the voting public.

[Kenevan McConnon]

Dan,
You might be comfortable with your representatives being on the take. I'm not, and I think anyone that puts country before party doesn't like it either. I'm a McConnon first, an American second, and a Democrat third. The current crop of Republicans seem to put party and money before country. It's pathetic.

[Dan]

These liberal rants are simply played out. Now, Beauprez, who has consistently said he stands with our ally, Israel, is beholden to the special interests. The special interest in question has various charity projects in Israel. This group sprung for Beauprez and his wife to visit Israel, better their cost than mine.

Just doing a quick search, two first class plane tickets to Israel from Denver cost $10,500. Right there is half the cost. Now should he have objected to first class? Maybe. Should he have shopped around for a cheaper flight on Expedia? Maybe.

Again, these lame negative ads may come out and will give Beauprez a platform to talk about what he saw this wonderful charity doing in Israel. BRING IT!

[Phoenix Rising]

You mean, that wonderful "charity" that was asking him to speak out for alternatives to the U.N. (hmm, wonder if that's because the U.N. doesn't appreciate Israel's treatment of the Palestine issue in violation of Geneva Conventions...)? Now I know the U.N. doesn't play well to a big crowd out here and I agree that the U.N./Israel part probably isn't a useful play, but I think you're doing your GOP-headed best to ignore the fact that our elected officials aren't paid to take "gifts" of that size or origin while they're in a position to vote on issues.

And you've managed to completely ignore that fact (and those allegations) while "responding" to Kenevan and I.

[candyraver]

The comments on this thread about BB being "on the take," "beholden to special interests" etc. are some of the most asinine things i've read yet. How about before you declare him guilty of anything other than flying to israel to make a speech, you look at his voting record post-trip. try to find a chink in the armor - and then keep trying. it's a shame that the delay scandal has made it so politician must automatically be guilty of impropriety (or worse) simply by getting on a plane to make a speech.

It never fails to amuse me, watching all you sharks go into full-feeding frenzy mode at the first drop of blood - even when there's no blood to be found.

I know it's politics and all, but come on kids - put those thinking caps on once in a while.

[Phoenix Rising]

The purpose of House Ethics rules and the whole discussion of these exhorbitant trip gifts is the trust of the government by the people, not the actuality of corruption.

Distinguishing the difference in Bob Beauprez's votes pre- and post- trip is an exercise in futility, especially considering we as taxpayers (a) weren't informed about the trip or its sponsors at the time and (b) don't have any idea what really happened during the trip itself. You have to be joking if you want concrete proof for each potential violation - I mean, how often is it that we get someone coming up and saying "I had to vote for Medicare reform or Tom DeLay would sack my re-election campaign!" Oh, wait...