Blunt-DeLay Ties Draw Scrutiny

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Constituents of Rep. Roy Blunt today held a press conference call to announce the formation of the Missouri chapter of a national Congressional reform organization.  They are forming Missourians for a Cleaner Congress in response to growing concerns over Rep. Blunt’s connections to individuals and corporations under indictment or criminal investigation.

The founding members of Missourians for a Cleaner Congress discussed details of Rep. Blunt’s acceptance of tens of thousands of dollars from individuals and corporations under indictment and criminal investigation, and hiring of a consultant who faces a felony charge of money laundering in the Texas political corruption scandal.

Rep. Blunt has taken contributions of more than $53,000 to his political action committee from four of the corporations that were indicted in the Texas scandal (Cracker Barrel, Bacardi USA, Sears, and Williams Co.).  He also hired Jim Ellis, a consultant to embattled Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who faces a felony charge of money laundering in the Texas political corruption scandal.

The close ties to DeLay run deep, including $165,000 Blunt has taken from DeLay’s political action committee (ARMPAC), (For copies of the disclosure reports, click here and here) the $5,000 Rep. Blunt in turn contributed to the Tom DeLay Legal Defense Fund, and $10,000 to the DeLay Foundation.  As House Majority Whip, he is a potential successor to DeLay if the Majority Leader has to step down because of the continuing ethics investigation into him.

Missourians for a Cleaner Congress unveiled a letter they are sending to Rep. Blunt that outlines these concerns and asks him to support their five-point platform to clean up Congress, and to take the lead in reporting all his contacts with corporate lobbyists on the Internet, where constituents can read them.

Their letter notes that “with public approval of Congress at 26 percent in a recent national poll and just two percent of Americans thinking that Congress is doing an ‘excellent’ job, we think that Congress needs to act to restore public confidence that the institution is serving our needs – and not those of high-powered lobbyists. You can help turn the tide, Congressman Blunt.”

“Congressman Blunt, your website says your record ‘reflects the values and interests of Southwest Missourians,’” said Jack Hembree, a retired U.S. Army officer and businessman from Springfield.  “We are concerned that the behavior we have described instead suggests you have picked up the values of Washington’s lobbyist culture of cutting corners, perks and privilege instead of representing our values and interests in Washington.”

Hembree was joined by Stephanie Johnson, a disabled retired human services administrator, Mitch Potts, a disabled Navy veteran, Vicky Trippe, a retired school teacher, and Norma O’Dell, a retiree, all of Springfield, as the founding members of Missourians for a Cleaner Congress.  The national Campaign for a Cleaner Congress has a platform of simple reforms to give Americans the cleaner Congress they deserve, and is listed at www.cleanercongress.org.