ILGOP Calls on Dan Seals to Reject Steny Hoyer's 'Dirty Money' (UPDATED)

Dem Majority Leader Steny Hoyer took a break from his vacation schedule during the current congressional recess to stump for Dan Seals in Chicago today (as we all know, Seals has a hard time holding events in the 10th District). As noted below, the Illinois Republican Party today called on Democratic congressional candidate Dan Seals to reject campaign support from Hoyer after Hoyer blocked a vote on key ethics legislation and then took a lobbyist-financed vacation to Puerto Rico.

The Seals fundraising event, which was held under a shroud of secrecy, wasn't posted on Seals' website or publicized. Perhaps that is because Hoyer's draw is limited to special interest groups. The public interest non-profit Public Citizen reported in 2006 that Hoyer was the number-one recipient of special interest campaign support in the nation.

In fact, Hoyer blocked a bill sponsored by 10th District Congressman Mark Kirk that would kill the pensions for members of Congress convicted on any of the 21 public integrity felonies outlined by the Justice Department. Instead, Hoyer -- attempting to protect his colleagues currently under investigation like William Jefferson -- allowed a watered down version of Kirk's bill come to the floor. The weakened bill only included 4 felonies and Hoyer blocked amendments that attempted to strengthen the bill.

No wonder Seals brought Hoyer in quietly and limited the audience to Democratic partisans and special interest groups. Wonder if he made any money.

TA has been wondering while Seals has been so silent in the media lately. Maybe a focus on events like these is one of the reasons.


See the IL GOP Press release below:

For Immediate Release - March 19, 2008
Contact: Lance Trover 312-201-9000
LTrover@ILGOP.org

ILGOP Calls on Dan Seals to Reject Steny Hoyer's 'Dirty Money'

--> Hoyer took lobbyists on Mexican resort vacation after blocking Kirk ethics reform bill
--> In 2006, Hoyer ranked #1 in the nation for special interest campaign contributions

CHICAGO – The Illinois Republican Party today called on Democratic congressional candidate Dan Seals to reject campaign support from U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) after Hoyer blocked a vote on key ethics legislation and then took a lobbyist-financed vacation to Puerto Rico.

According to the National Public Radio's Marketplace on February 20, 2007, Hoyer took a "lobbyist-financed, springtime getaway" to the Rio Mar Beach Golf Resort and Spa in Puerto Rico last May. Hoyer's office confirmed that "more than 60 lobbyists" were scheduled to attend the event. The NPR report came less than one month after Hoyer, the Democratic Majority Leader, blocked a vote on a bill to strip congressional pensions from members of Congress convicted of felonies.

"Steny Hoyer protected felon congressmen on the House floor and then took a lobbyist-financed vacation to Puerto Rico," said Lance Trover, spokesman for the Illinois Republican Party. "We call on Dan Seals to reject any offer of campaign support from Steny Hoyer until Mr. Hoyer allows an up or down vote to deny pensions to congressional felons."

On January 24, 2007, the Washington Post reported that Hoyer blocked an ethics reform bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk that would have revoked the congressional pension of any member of Congress convicted of a felony. Kirk's plan listed 21 crimes, including wire fraud and tax evasion, but Majority Leader Hoyer blocked its consideration. Hoyer is coming to Chicago on Wednesday to stump for Kirk's opponent, Dan Seals.

"Kirk could not offer his bill yesterday -- the vote was taken under a suspension of the rules, which limited debate and blocked amendments," the Post reported. "A parade of Republicans protested the way the bill was handled, objected to last-minute changes in language and said they were being locked out of meaningful participation."

According to the Post, Hoyer opted for "a watered-down version of legislation proposed by Republican Rep. Mark Steven Kirk," which listed only five felonies and would not take effect until 2009 -- potentially shielding Democratic Congressman William Jefferson who is currently on trial for bribery.

According to the Washington Post, Hoyer is one of the top 10 earmarkers in the House for 2008. Additionally, the public interest non-profit Public Citizen reported in 2006 that Hoyer was the number one recipient of special interest campaign support in the nation. "We are lucky to have an independent reformer like Mark Kirk in Congress," Trover said. "When it comes to ethics, Hoyer and Seals represent the Blagojevich wing of the Democratic Party."

UPDATE: I kept trolling the Internet tonight and finally came up with a reference to the Hoyer event. It's on the Il Dem Net site. There is no location given, though; apparently you had to call the campaign to find out where the event was, and no doubt give your identity and be vetted by the Seals crew. And you probably also had to give the Secret Seal handshake when you showed up.

Although there appears to be a link to the Seals campaign site on the page, it doesn't click through to an actual reference to the event. Why so shy, Dan? And why not have the event in the 10th District? Afraid there's not enough hard-core lefties to make it worthwhile?