Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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. Democrats: GOP congressmen should return DeLay money Seanna fldcox THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The state Democratic Party on Tuesday called on Republicans in South Carolina’s congressional delegation to return money they received from Texas Rep. Tom DeLay’s political fundraising organization and asked Rep. Joe Wilson to return contributions from a recent event DeLay attended. “Our Republican congressmen need to separate themselves from Tom DeLay and his serious legal and ethical problems,” said state Democratic Party Chairman Joe Erwin. “Tom DeLay s money is tainted, and these congressmen should give it back now.” Among South Carolina Republicans, Wilson has received the most money from the Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee, or ARMPAC. Wilson does not plan to return any of it, his spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore said. Jay Ragley, political director of the state GOP, called the Democrats’ requests ridiculous. “I’m sure the Democratic Party would like all our congressmen to resign immediately and never run again,” he said. “That’s a political ploy the Democrats are trying to pull over the public’s eyes.” A Texas grand jury indicted DeLay on Monday for a second time in less than a week, a development the former House majority leader called “an abomination of justice.” DeLay and two political associates are accused of conspiring to get around a ban on corporate campaign contributions by fimneling money through a state political action committee, Attorney Dick DeGuerin, part of U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay's defense team, talks with the media in Houston on Tuesday. Texans for a Republican Majority. Defense attorneys asked a judge to throw out the conspiracy to violate the election code charge, which forced DeLay last week to step down from his House leadership post, arguing the charge was based on a law that didn’t take effect until 2003. Monday’s indictment on conspiracy and money laundering charges came just hours after that request. Lawrimore said Texas prosecutor Ronnie Earle’s “latest accusation is simply another political maneuver designed to make up for the vagueness of his first baseless charge.” Lawrimore said Wilson plans to keep the money raised at an Aug. 19 golf tournament at Hilton Head Island that DeLay attended. The annual event raised about $20,000 last year, but Lawrimore didn’t have a total for this year. “Congressman Wilson believes - the S.C. Democratic Party should spen<J less time on partisan politics and more time on helping South Carolina families,” she said. Wilson and Rep. Gresham Barrett, R-S.C., have contributed $5,000. each to DeLays legal defense fund. “As the target of baseless partisan attacks, his legal expenses continue to add up,” Lawrimore said.' Colleen Mangone, a spokeswoman for Barrett, said he likely would return the $10,000 he received in 2002 if DeLay were convicted. Other Republicans, including Reps. Kenny Hulshof of Missouri, Jeb Bradley of New Hampshire anci Heather Wilson of New Mexico, have returned money from ARMPAC, saying they want to distance themselves from DeLay. Kep. dod ingns is tne only GOP member of South Carolina’s delegation who did not receive money from Americans for a Republican Majority. Although Inglis recently began accepting PAC money, he didn’t take any for his 2004 campaign, his spokesman Price Atkinson said. “He has never taken any money' at all from DeLay,” Atkinson said. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., has no plans to return the $7,000 he has received from ARMPAC since 2003, DeMint spokesman Wesley Denton said. The money Sen. Lindsey Graham received came from the federal political action committee and “were not the subject of the Texas inquiry,” Graham spokesman Kevin Bishop said. “Senator Graham has no intention of returning the contribution.” DOMINO ”1 AM A BOUNTY HUNTER” JACQUELINE BISSET DABNEY COLEMAN MACY GRAY BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN MO'NIQUE DELROY UNDO MENA SUVARI IAN 2IERING wm* LUCY LIU CHRISTOPHER WALKEN lin«miMn mmmrnrn umIMIIII Aiyiiffw m huh mm immhe mm ui mmw iiraii womuk thmhhul anmn m in siiiim iiii mm ih m ini: iisiii w»iif *aif» .**'** WWW.DOM»«3MOVIE.CaM £ IN THEATRES OCTOBER 14™ V • f? - * -* DATE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2005 TIME: 8:00 PM LOCATION: RUSSELL HOUSE THEATER TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: RUSSELL HOUSE INFORMATION DESK ■ w-1 Li ■ L i ki SB u Ul T/ZTiu Ui ■ ■ 'll I i § i i J ^JK %Ii n b Jib w UlffiSS FREE GAMEROOM AND “COCK”TAILS OCT. 6, 2005 8 PM-MIDNIGHT GOLDEN SPUR GAMEROOM —- 777-7716 WWW.SA.SC.BDW/ADP