"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
A 3rd DeLay Trip Under Scrutiny
1997 Russia Visit Reportedly Backed by Business Interests
By R. Jeffrey Smith and James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, April 6, 2005; Page A01
A six-day trip to Moscow in 1997 by then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay
(R-Tex.) was underwritten by business interests lobbying in support of
the Russian government, according to four people with firsthand knowledge
of the trip arrangements.
DeLay reported that the trip was sponsored by a Washington-based
nonprofit organization. But interviews with those involved in planning
DeLay's trip say the expenses were covered by a mysterious company
registered in the Bahamas that also paid for an intensive $440,000
lobbying campaign.
It is unclear precisely how the money was transferred from the
Bahamian-registered company to the nonprofit.
The expense-paid trip by DeLay and four of his staff members cost
$57,238, according to records filed by his office. During his six days in
Moscow, he played golf, met with Russian church leaders and talked to
Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, a friend of Russian oil and gas
executives associated with the lobbying effort.
DeLay also dined with the Russian executives and two Washington-based
registered lobbyists for the Bahamian-registered company, sources say.
One of those lobbyists was Jack Abramoff, who is now at the center of a
federal influence-peddling and corruption probe related to his
representation of Indian tribes.
House members bear some responsibility to ensure that the sponsors for
their travel are not masquerading for registered lobbyists or foreign
government interests, legal experts say. House ethics rules bar the
acceptance of travel reimbursement from registered lobbyists and foreign
agents.
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DeLay has got to go.
--
Bush and the NeoConvicts who control him
are destroying the once-great United States.
What does this have to do with boating?
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