For him, there is no posturing, as with some on the Hill who publicly support the McCain-Feingold legislation, but privately hope for its demise. And while President George W. Bush has said he would consider signing a reform bill, he is hoping his old friend from Texas can find a way to kill a measure that candidate Bush routinely denounced. A spokeswoman in Tom DeLay s office declares the congressman has ruled out doing interviews about his stated efforts to kill campaign finance reform. Therefore, he would not comment for this article. I reject these claims because the men and women I serve with in the Congress are upstanding and honest.
Critics make a hollow argument by suggesting that political contributions corrupt elected officials.
McCain and Feingold got their bill through the Senate last month, but Rep. Delay has promised a tough fight in the House. Part of the reason for his declining interviews, according to his press aide, is that DeLay does not want to give away his strategy for sinking McCain-Feingold. However, the public opinion wave that moved the Senate to act after faltering six times before, may be cresting. Experts say it could be a tiny ripple soon. Delay is the key, and I m not talking about his last name, declares Steve Weiss, of the watchdog group Center for Responsive Politics.