Free Republic

This morning, Representative Tom Delay was indicted in an alleged conspiracy to funnel soft money into Texas state legislature races. While the charge may be without merit and politically motivated, the initial damage was done. Almost immediately, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert announced that David Dreier, a socially moderate amnesty supporting California Congressman, would be Delay'’s temporary successor. Since Delay and others knew of the pending indictment, it is clear that the House leadership and White House anointed the smooth-talking Drier. The House Republican Conference was supposed to accept the nomination. However, members voiced their dissent at the conference...

On a sweltering June afternoon, Eric Cantor was making his way on foot through Pouncey Tract Park in Henrico County and the track at Short Pump Middle School. And not a bead of sweat appeared on his forehead or the back of his oxford cloth shirt. Perhaps that is appropriate for a man who, on a regular basis, finds himself in the company of the president of the United States, discussing the issues of the day. "It never ceases to amaze me that I'm in those meetings," Cantor said. "Sometimes, they are very intimate, not a lot of people are...

Leading Jewish Republicans are rejecting Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean's characterization of the G-O-P as "pretty much a white, Christian party." On "Fox and Friends," Republican Party Chairman Ken Mehlman said that would surprise "a lot of folks who attended my Bar Mitzvah." Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor, who's Jewish, calls Dean's remark "hateful" and dismissive of "tens of thousands of Republican Jews across America." Some prominent Democrats have distanced themselves from Dean's comments. But on N-B-C's "Today" show, Dean defended his characterization of the Republican Party, insisting that the G-O-P has "the agenda of the conservative Christians."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Danny Diaz 202-863-8614Richmond, Virginia – RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman formally endorsed Jerry Kilgore for Governor of Virginia at a luncheon in Richmond this afternoon. Jerry Kilgore previously served as Virginia’s Attorney General after being elected in November 2001 with over 60% of the vote. Prior to his term as Attorney General, Kilgore served as Secretary of Public Safety for then-Governor, George Allen. “Jerry Kilgore is a proven leader with a clear and consistent record of serving the people of Virginia well,” Chairman Mehlman said. “There is no doubt in my mind that Jerry will be an...

He may be under attack by a phalanx of left-wing groups, mostly financed by billionaire George Soros, but House Minority Leader is backed to the hilt by Soros' fellow Jews. And they have good reasons for backing the embattled Republican. DeLay is one of Israel's most stalwart supporters in Congress. "DeLay is arguably the best friend Israel has in Congress," Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, which adamantly opposes the creation of a Palestinian state told the Jewish weekly Forward. "He's not simply a guy who you go for help. He gets other guys to help. A...

WASHINGTON, D.C. It's beginning to dawn on gloating Democrats who hoped the GOP had gone too far in the Terri Schiavo case that the spectacle may turn out to be a plus, not a minus for conservatives in the larger ongoing values debate. And in other areas, conservatives seem to be on a roll: While Dems may think they have stalled Bush's Social Security changes, the GOP now believes it has turned the corner in that debate and will win. In foreign policy, GOP backers rub their hands in glee at the very thought of the Rice-Hughes duo at State...

Statement from Rep. Eric Cantor, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart and Rep. Jim Ryun on Senator Kerry's Speech Today in Florida 10/24/2004 3:38:00 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: National Desk, Politics Reporter Contact: Christine Iverson of the Republican National Committee, 202-863-8614, Web: http://www.gop.com WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Representatives Eric Cantor (R-Va.), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Florida) and Jim Ryun (R- Kan.) issued the following statement today regarding a speech on faith and values by Senator Kerry today in Florida. "Senator Kerry managed to give 'a major speech on faith and values' today without mentioning either one in any detail. Protecting the sanctity of marriage...

Statement from Rep. Eric Cantor, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart and Rep. Jim Ryun on Senator Kerry’s Speech Today in Florida(title edited for length) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Christine Iverson202-863-8614Washington, DC—Representatives Eric Cantor (R-VA), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Florida) and Jim Ryun (R-Kansas) issued the following statement today regarding a speech on faith and values by Senator Kerry today in Florida. "Senator Kerry managed to give 'a major speech on faith and values' today without mentioning either one in any detail. Protecting the sanctity of marriage and promoting a culture of life are issues of importance to people of faith across all cultures, creeds...

A Republican congressman has joined with African-American clergy and other members of Congress to demand that the House and Senate restore free speech to houses of worship. North Carolina Rep. Walter B. Jones joined with Reps. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) Thursday to drum up support for Jones' bill, the Houses of Worship Freedom of Speech Restoration Act (HR 235). "There is a muzzle upon the clergy. As ministers, we are obligated to speak about the moral and political issues of the day, and taking away that right is harassment. It is wrong, and it is extortion," said...

Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), an ambitious member of the House leadership team intent on becoming a major fundraiser, is employing a rare tactic to steer $400,000 to 40 lawmakers in competitive races. The fundraising approach, known as bundling, is a favorite of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). Bundling legally allows more money to bypass political action committees, which are restricted to giving $10,000 to a congressional candidate for the primary and general elections. At a coffee scheduled to be held today at the Capitol Hill Club, Cantor acted as an intermediary between his K Street donors and his congressional...

[snip]But Rep. Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican and chief deputy majority whip, said the NJDC poll was sponsored by a partisan group and should be taken as a partisan poll.     "The fact that they're taking a poll indicates they are somewhat nervous about Bush's success with Jewish voters," said Mr. Cantor, who is the only Jewish Republican in the House and often speaks to Jewish groups to try to bring the Republicans' message.     He said Mr. Bush has been a great friend to Israel and that Mr. Kerry "sent shock waves" through the Jewish community when he said earlier this year...

(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) says the 9/11 commission is taking too long to respond to his concerns about Commissioner Jamie Gorelick's involvement in erecting a "wall" between intelligence and law enforcement agencies. As CNSNews.com has reported, Gorelick -- who served as deputy attorney general in the Clinton administration -- wrote a memo in 1995 setting up guidelines for Justice Department investigations. Those guidelines discouraged U.S. intelligence agencies from sharing information with the FBI. A senior U.S. government official told CNSNews.com that the 1995 memo created a "roadblock" to the probe of the 1996 Clinton re-election fundraising scandal. And...

<p>Top Republican House lawmakers, including Majority Leader Tom DeLay, say the commission investigating the failures leading up to the September 11 attacks has degenerated into partisanship that "not only undermines its credibility, it undermines the war effort and endangers our troops."</p>

<p>April 17, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - Two leading congressional Republicans yesterday accused the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks of descending into partisan finger-pointing instead of examining problems that allowed the deadly hijackings.</p> <p>"Partisan mudslinging, circus-atmosphere pyrotechnics and gotcha-style questioning do not get us closer to the truth. They serve as dangerous distractions from the global war on terror," House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said in a letter to the commission.</p>

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two leading congressional Republicans on Friday accused the commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks of descending into partisan finger-pointing instead of examining problems that allowed the deadly hijackings. "Partisan mudslinging, circus-atmosphere pyrotechnics, and gotcha-style questioning do not get us closer to the truth. They serve as dangerous distractions from the global war on terror," House of Representatives' Majority leader Tom DeLay said in a letter to the commission. DeLay of Texas and Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, a member of the House Republican leadership, said the commission has lost credibility, with some members more focused...

Senate Democrats are seeking to counter defections by some major Jewish donors to the Republicans by stressing their party’s pro-Israel stance. The lawmakers met privately last Thursday with nearly 80 Jewish interest groups to make their case. Although Jews make up slightly more than 2 percent of all Americans, they have played a wider political role for both demographic and financial reasons. Jews are concentrated in such battleground states as Florida and Ohio. In the era of soft money, an estimated 50 to 70 percent of large contributions to the Democratic Party and allied political units came from Jewish donors....

<p>Senior citizens soon will get free comprehensive physicals when they enter the federal program. And they'll be getting free blood screenings to detect diabetes and cardiovascular problems.</p> <p>With Congress on a break, Rep. Eric I. Cantor spent the past couple of days talking to local senior citizens and doctors about the complicated and controversial changes in Medicare that were signed into law last year by President Bush.</p>

<p>Roxane G. Gilmore, first lady of Virginia from 1998 to 2002, is a classics professor fascinated by, among other things, the epic poetry of Homer. She is also a major player in the Jamestown quadricentennial in 2007. But Gilmore is looking to do other things - such as politics.</p>

RMN Question of the Day: Within the last year on the hill Richmond Congressman Eric Cantor voted withPresident Bush 100% of the time. The explanation 1. He's a "Bush Yes Man"! 2.It's his leadership responsibility as Deputy Majority Whip 3. He's just right on all the issues...click here to answer. CONGRESSMAN ERIC CANTOR, A YES MAN OR CORRECT 100% OF THE TIME?

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer’s (D-Md.) speech Monday to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) will cap a yearlong strategy aimed at preventing an exodus of Jewish voters from Democratic ranks. In response to renewed Republican efforts to capture Jewish voters and donors from the Democrats’ traditional base, Hoyer has implemented a multiprong plan to make support for Israel a touchstone of Democratic policy, say lawmakers, aides and party operatives. In addition to leading a 29-member congressional delegation to Israel last August, Hoyer has urged non-Jewish Democrats to voice support for Israel. At the same time, he has sought...