John and Alice Martin. This Florida couple, longtime Democrats and active in the National Education Association, taped a cellular telephone conversation between Gingrich and several GOP allies which dealt with a strategy for responding to the ethics committee charges against the speaker. The Martins say they began taping the conversation while on a Christmas shopping excursion simply because they thought it would make a good gift for their soon-to-be-born grandchild. Realizing its possible significance, they contacted their congressional representative, Rep. Karen Thurman (D-Fla.), who sealed the tape in an envelope. Thurman gave the tape back to the Martins who delivered the tape in person to Rep. McDermott on a trip to Washington, D.C. The taping and distributing cellular conversation is illegal, and the Justice Department, now in possession of the tape, has launched an investigation.
Jim McDermott. McDermott, the ranking Democrat on the House ethics committee, broke the ethics committee's code of silence in late September to complain Republicans were dragging their feet on the probe. One of Gingrich's fiercest critics, McDermott found himself in hot water over his handling of a possibly illegal tape recording of a cellular telephone conversation involving Gingrich and several Republican allies. McDermott recused himself from the Gingrich case on Jan. 14 over the tape incident.
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Seattle Times...
McDermott has not let consistency, or even national mourning, stand in the way of his pursuit of dollars.
In 1995 he blasted then-Rep. Randy Tate when the GOP congressman set up "coffee clubs" at which $100 contributors were promised insider briefings. It created two classes of constituents, McD rightly argued.
A few years later, however, a club called "Jim McDermott's Agora" was created for $1,000 McD donors, with the inducement of candid private conversations with policy-makers and an "insider's newsletter" prepared by the campaign staff.
After the Sept. 11 attacks, most House members suspended fund raising or donated proceeds to charity.
McDermott brought Rep. Nancy Pelosi (since elected House Democratic whip) to Seattle on Sept. 16 for three fund-raising parties. The events raised $34,417.50. Asked if he would donate any of the dollars to 9/11 related charities, McD said last fall: "We're looking at it. We'll do what's appropriate."
Not a cent went to charity: $33,917 found its way into the congressman's campaign fund and $500 went to legal bills in Boehner's suit. (McD and his wife have privately given $3,500 to disaster relief.)
The Boehner lawsuit has ground on through rulings by district and appellate courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court. In the latest act, McDermott's lawyers have served subpoenas on three Republicans who worked with him on the Ethics Committee, including its former chairwoman Rep. Nancy Johnson of Connecticut.
Defenders would argue McDermott uses his safe perch to vote against defense money, visits Third World countries that rarely see a U.S. congressman and introduces legislation to help low-income working people who lost jobs after 9/11.
But sadly absent in this lawmaker is a sense of accountability and respect for federal wiretap law.
A tough election would be good for the 7th Congressional District, and for its congressman.
It's just a nice personal touch to pick the bribe money up yourself.
Bonding, you know.