GOP Rep. Shays: "My Leadership Doesn't Get It"...

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/12/09/gop-rep-shays-my-leade_n_11990.html

The growing ethics scandal surrounding former lobbyist Jack Abramoff could explode in the coming months and put at risk Republican control of the House, Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., warned today. "There will be bad stories that come out that are embarrassing to Republicans and will cause them trouble," Shays said at a briefing. "I'm holding my breath." Shays, a moderate often at odds with the more conservative leadership, said GOP leaders do not yet understand the magnitude of the ethics problems swirling around the House -- including Abramoff's relationship with Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, the former majority leader. "If I were leadership, I would be very concerned about the next few months and try to understand what's going on," Shays said. "I am very uneasy that my leadership doesn't get it now. They're going to get it in November if they don't get it now."

A longtime proponent of ethics reform, Shays said members have found lobbyist favors "seductive." For instance, he said a former DeLay aide took him out for dinner last year and only after he called the restaurant afterward did he learn that the dinner cost $86 -- more than the $50 threshold permitted under ethics rules. He said he sent the restaurant a check for the cost of the meal. Shays again said DeLay should not return as majority leader even if he is cleared of state money-laundering charges, and his moderate colleagues agree. "Moderates for the most part would believe that having Tom DeLay back would be a disaster," Shays said. He predicted that the House Republican Conference will hold an election for a new leader.

___________________________________________________

Come on over Chris, the water's fine (or maybe to the Independent side?)...

[Catch22Dem]

1. I don't know much about Shays, but

You gotta give any politician credit for doing this:

"For instance, he said a former DeLay aide took him out for dinner last year and only after he called the restaurant afterward did he learn that the dinner cost $86 -- more than the $50 threshold permitted under ethics rules. He said he sent the restaurant a check for the cost of the meal."

[tjdee]

2. Poor Chris Shays is out there by himself....poor guy.

I remember feeling bad for him a few years back when he was on the floor basically saying that the Dems have all different colors/genders on their side, and that his side did not look like that yet.

But he wants to hang out and *stay* a Republican, after everything that's happened....well...what's there to say.

[xchrom]

3. "There will be bad stories that come out''

bad stories?

like someone is making this shit up?

must be coming from the bureau of making shit up huh, rep shays.

looks like the leadership isn't the only one who doesn't ''get it''.

[wakeme2008]

4. Maybe Shays has heard his repugs members talk about WHAT could be

be found out about THEM.

[xchrom]

6. lol -- indeed -- like he didn't already know.

[tularetom]

5. I don't understand why this guy

is still a repub. When a subhuman asswipe like Zell Miller disagrees with his party he loudly and ignorantly announces the fact and jumps ship to the joy of the media and his new asshole buddies in the pub party. But here's a guy with thoughtful differences with his party, he knows they aren't gonna change and yet you don't hear anything from him like "I haven't changed the party has left me". Why doesn't he switch parties? Does he really think getting rid of Delay is going to change anything. No. The formula is get the religlous dumshits all worked up over Xmas, homos getting married, and abortion and they will come out in great numbers to vote for tax breaks for rich repub fatcats. So in the end Shay's constituents come out OK (I assume he represents a well to do district). Hmm, maybe I do understand why he is still a repub.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

7. Maybe he thinks the country is going through a cycle (no doubt

a destructive, fuck-up-the-country-and-the-rest-of-the-world-while-we're-at it cycle), and will at some point, swing back to the middle where he is comfortable. If only my crystal ball weren't broken...

[speedoo]

8. He represents a VERY well to do district.

It includes the entire Connecticut gold coast.... Greenwich, Darien, etc.

His constituents are on average very well educated and affluent. Most are moderate in their politics and I believe there are very few RW'ers there. In other words, moderate republicans, which is exactly what Shays is.

Also keep in mind that Shays is very senior... he is probably approaching 10 terms in Congress.

Congressional Dems, IMO, need to quietly court Shays as an ally, rather than try to convert him to a Democrat.

[sallyseven]

9. He represents Bridgeport. That is not wealthy.

They are poor. He thinks that there is still a republican party under all the filth of the neo cons. Give him a break.

[Autumn Colors]

12. Yes, he represents Bridgeport

And which constituents do you think contribute more to his campaign on a regular basis - the poor in Bridgeport or the CEOs in Greenwich?

Thankfully, there are some wealthy, though more liberal leaning celebrities in this district who probably help to temper the financial influence of the conservative CEOs.

EDIT: I would also have to wonder how many of those Bridgeport people make it to his town meetings as well (as opposed to the more conservative, well-off people of his district). They're probably working 2 jobs to pay their bills and don't have the time to attend one. Those Town Meetings are usually in the Westport area anyway (home to people like Paul Newman, Martha Stewart, etc).

[Autumn Colors]

10. I live in Shays' district

I always get responses to my emails to him (form letters, but they usually at least quote some part of my letter in them) and he often holds Town Hall Meetings (sometimes attended by people like Paul Newman).

He votes with the republicans on far too many things for him to ever be what I would consider an acceptable democrat if he were to switch parties. He would be way too close to Lieberman, who I hope gets unseated by some democratic challenger next year (and I hope the same thing for Shays).

Yes, Shays does the right thing on some issues, but he differs on too many other issues and I don't think sticking another party name on him is going to change that.

EDIT: For example, he was only 1 of 5 dissenting GOP votes on the Terri Schaivo bill, but he voted with the republicans to renew the PATRIOT Act.

[Al-CIAda]

11. Don't worry so much Chris, the invisible hand of e-voting is the hand that

rocks the world.