Pete McCloskey
Posted on 04/17/2005 9:12:45 AM PDT by kingattax
WASHINGTON - A former Republican congressman who was a moderate ally of former President Bush is leading an effort to find a 2006 Republican primary election opponent for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
Former Rep. Pete McCloskey, whose eight terms in Congress ended before DeLay arrived in 1984, said Friday that he will meet in Houston this month with perennial DeLay opponent Michael Fjetland and "any Republican who is willing to challenge Mr. DeLay."
"It takes guts to challenge him," said McCloskey, who was known as a party maverick and endorsed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004.
But, he said, he and moderate allies are embarrassed by the controversies surrounding DeLay, R-Sugar Land, including three admonishments of him last year by the House Ethics Committee.
"The stench coming out of the DeLay operation" does not represent the GOP that he served with in Congress, McCloskey said.
He called his effort the "revolt of the elders."
McCloskey and nine other Republicans who are former House members complained in a letter delivered Friday to House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., that recent changes in House ethics rules were an obvious move to protect DeLay.
The new rules, drawn up by Republican leaders, make it harder to pursue ethics investigations against lawmakers. DeLay and his backers argue they make the process fairer to the member under review.
RESOURCES NAME RECOGNITION
These Republicans who are former congressmen signed a letter criticizing House ethics committee rules changes put into place by Republican leaders after the panel admonished Houston Majority Leader Tom DeLay: • Mark Andrews, North Dakota •John H. Buchanan, Alabama • M. Caldwell Butler, Virginia • Paul Findley, Illinois • Bud Hillis, Indiana •J ames Johnson, Colorado • Richard W. Mallary, Vermont • Wiley Mayne, Iowa • G. William Whitehurst, Virginia • Pete McCloskey, California A spokesman for DeLay dismissed McCloskey's effort to unseat the leader.
"Republicans from across the district as well as across the country and within the (GOP) conference have been rallying around Majority Leader DeLay because of his effective leadership," Dan Allen said.
President Bush called DeLay a very effective leader this week and applauded his offer to answer questions about his conduct to the ethics committee.
McCloskey said he plans to meet Fjetland to learn more about DeLay's solidly Republican 22nd Congressional District, which covers most of the southern suburbs of Houston.
Fjetland first ran against DeLay in the 2000 GOP primary and received 16.7 percent of the vote. He challenged DeLay again in 2002 and won 20 percent of the vote.
After the 2002 redistricting, Fjetland ran as an independent and received 2 percent of the vote in the 2004 general election. Democrat Richard Morrison got 41 percent. DeLay won with 55 percent, his lowest showing in recent elections.
McCloskey said GOP moderates are concerned with the harsh partisan tone in Washington and the party's move to the right, which has been critical to the GOP's success in recent elections
Pete McCloskey
Nothing quite like outsiders messing in our business to get a Texan's back up. Who Sugarland elects as their representative is Sugarland's business. How the House Republicans structure their leadership is their business.
I've heard enough. Nothing to see here folks.
RINO. Also resembles a pedophile priest who got busted a few years back.
This tells me all I need to know about this human pile of garbage. If he had not endorsed Bush and either not voted or voted for anyone else other then Kerry then maybe he could be considered a Republican. This just shows that the "Moderate Republicans" are nothing more then Libs infiltrating the party. They will do to the Republican Party what the Queer "Priests" & "Ministers" are doing to the Churches.
Pete McCloskey has always been a certifiable whack job.
And who said Washington is not TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL ?? I have never seen such back-stabbing, betrayal, lack of support...and now the Repub veterans are easily bought by the DNC ???
isn't that amazing ?
Tessio doesn't like him either.
THAT McCloskey was played by the great Sterling Hayden. A crooked cop or traitorous politician deserve the same treatment, however.
bttt
Evidently they still haven't figured out which way the wind is blowing, in spite of all the evidence.
How time flies-it seems like only yesterday one could count on this pest to side with the Demotraitors--
McCrazy is McCloskey's legacy
But, he said, he and moderate allies are embarrassed by the controversies surrounding DeLay...
And he's not embarassed for having endorsed John the F'ing gigolo Kerry??????
Any reason why any rational person should care what this clown thinks?
McCain....McDermott....McCloskey....think about it
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.