Posted May 31, 2007 by Meredith McGehee

DeLay, Doolittle and Ney

Five years ago, when the U.S. House of Representatives was going through several rounds of consideration of the so-called “Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act,” better known those days as “Shays- Meehan” after its bipartisan cosponsors Chris Shays (R-CT) and Marty Meehan (D- MA), there emerged three leading opponents on the Republican side of the aisle. They were what we reformers called “the aptly named” DeLay (Tom of Texas), Doolittle (John of California) and Ney (Bob of Ohio, now residing in federal prison in West Virginia). 

As the Shays-Meehan bill began to gather momentum and build stronger support across the aisle, these three stepped up their efforts to oppose efforts to ban corrupting soft money and ensure that campaign ads masquerading as issue ads were treated just like other campaign ads under the law.

In his fight against the bill, then- Majority Whip Tom DeLay reportedly reached out to staff from Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the leader of the opposition to reform in the Senate, to help draft killer amendments.  Rep. Ney, Chairman of the House committee with jurisdiction over the issue, came up with his own amendments designed to derail the bill.  And Rep. Doolittle fashioned himself the champion of reform opponents and often appeared on the House floor and issued “Dear Colleague” letters to his fellow members, arguing against Shays- Meehan and generally opposing just about ANY campaign finance regulation. 

These three self-appointed opponents of campaign finance reform crusaded against what they characterized as the misguided fantasies of good government types.  They argued that concerns about the corrupting influence of large amounts of money flowing into our political process and to our politicians were overblown.   

Despite their vigorous opposition, the Shays-Meehan bill became law with bipartisan support in both Houses and was upheld by the United States Supreme Court. 

Today, one of the three amigos is in jail because of a “money in politics” scandal involving super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.  Another resigned from Congress under a cloud in the middle of his term after being indicted in Texas state court because of a “money in politics” scandal involving laundering large contributions; several of his former top aides have been convicted of crimes stemming from their relationships with Abramoff.  And the third, still in Congress, recently had his house raided by the FBI reportedly searching for evidence related to his leadership PAC and his wife’s dealings with Abramoff. 

It seems fair enough to ask:   Is it simply a coincidence that these three anti-reformers are up to their eyeballs in trouble for shenanigans involving money in politics? 

OK, so they probably can claim with some legitimacy that their opposition to Shays-Meehan, in particular, and their antipathy to almost any campaign finance regulation, has its origins in a certain ideological libertarianism and their notion of modern day conservatism.   

But the intensity of their opposition was fueled by their desire to play the Washington money game at its highest levels.  Their involvement with Jack Abramoff and his enterprises is exhibit A of that desire.  As House Whip, Tom DeLay constructed a money operation unparalleled in American politics and, earning his nickname “The Hammer,” used that power to reward and punish other Members, staff and lobbyists.  In exile from the House, he remains unbowed and unapologetic, blaming his downfall on partisan opponents rather than his own failings, moral or otherwise, and seemingly oblivious to his “contributions” to the Republicans’ defeat last November. 

Former-Rep. Ney’s dizzying fall from grace involved accepting an all expense paid trip to London – including thousands of dollars in poker chips at a casino - from a thrice-convicted felon seeking favors as well as the now infamous junket with Jack Abramoff to play golf at the Old Course in St. Andrews Scotland.  Rep. Doolittle meanwhile accepted nearly $150,000 in contributions from Abramoff and his clients while his wife Julie was paid handsomely for “work” she performed for the now-convicted lobbyist and collected a healthy 15% cut of all funds she raised for her husband’s campaign committee and leadership PAC. 

Corruption in politics knows no party.  It is not a Republican or Democratic problem.  Corruption is the constant, tempting companion of power, whoever wields it.  Fanned by hubris, power can and often does blind the powerful who are the last ones to realize how far they have gone over the line.

In modern day politics—at a time when candidates for President are raising $25 million in just three months, more than a year and a half before the election—it is easy for those outside the process to simply tune out and assume that the whole process has no relation to their daily lives.  It is a reasonable reaction. But one in which citizens become cynical and apathetic—a dangerous development for a democracy.

The pursuit of money also has a corrosive effect on the politicians immersed in it.  A politician can begin to believe that people are giving him (or her) money because they like him, and because they think he is wise and good and charismatic: they take him to lunch because he’s a friend; they travel with him because he’s such a good companion;  they believe he is the embodiment of the ideas they believe will save the Republic.  It’s easy for a politician to begin to believe in all of this and to “fall in love” with the notion that the ends justify the means and his motives are all that counts.  A politician begins to lose sight of the fact that it’s the office and the power that attracts, along with the opportunity for access and possibility of “reward.”

Opponents of reform such as Sen. McConnell often like to say that reformers believe that money is evil.  And they follow that with the claim that the Supreme Court has stated that money is speech.  Both are just flat out wrong. 

Money is a tool, which can be used for good or evil.  Large amounts of money are a temptation that when poured into politics, makes for a combustible cocktail.

The downfall of the aptly named trio of DeLay, Doolittle and Ney should be a sad cautionary tale for all those who seek elected office.  The embrace of the pay to play money game in Washington brings with it the threat of a highly communicable disease.  These three caught it.