Perhaps the best quote from this film is from Ronnie Earle the Texas Prosecutor who has indicted Tom DeLay on charges of money laundering: "In a lot of organized crime investigations and prosecutions the defense tactic is to deny the allegations and attack the accuser. That is the tactic they have used. This is not about Democrats and Republicans, this about cops and robbers." This is the story of the ongoing battle between two ambitious true believers; Earle who says: "You can't break the law in Texas and brag about it," and DeLay who says: "By the time we finish this poker game, there may not be any Federal Government left. Which would suit me just fine."
"The Big Buy: Tom Delay's Stolen Congress" is the latest film from Robert Greenwald of Brave New Films and was produced by Mark Birnbaum and Jim Schermbeck. Overall, what we're viewing is a professional documentary, which while perhaps not really breaking any new journalistic ground tells the compelling tale of the rise and fall of Congressman Tom DeLay in an entertaining way without spilling over into the semi-propagandist mode espoused by Michael Moore and others in this genre.
Readers of Daily Kos know the story, but DeLay was able to take control of the US House of Representatives rising to the position of Majority Whip, basically by gerrymandering the voter districts in the State of Texas. Then funneling corporate contributions to campaigns of various Republican yes man candidates in Texas and across the country in violation of Texas State law. The filmmakers make the case that this is how DeLay did it where Newt Gingrich had failed... the Republican Revolution.
Black and White Montage ... Crime scene film noir feeling and theme music plus overall American twangy country reverb surf guitar feeling throughout.
Bev and Jackie, two nice little ladies from Sugar Land Texas, a town that grew up from slave and prison labor indentured servancy. Bev Carter and Jaqueline Blankenship, righteous ladies in a righteous State, righteous church ladies actually. Republican Activists from Sugar land, Bev got in trouble with her fellow republicans for endorsing Tom Delay's opponent, Jackie just hates him for his hypocrisy it seems.
Beverly Carter the publisher of the Ft. Bend Star, Sugarland Texas "Tom Delay did not get religion until he saw how the the Christian Coalition was making such inroads in Ft. Lee County."
Jackies husband was in business with Delay in a failed venture. Jaqueline Blankenship "When there is one person in the party trying to dominate the Sugarland politics and American politics, then there's something wrong here.
You're either a Tom Republican or your not a Republican."
Molly Ivins "I think he became born again after one term in Washington, he found God, and so now you've got mixed in with corrupt politics he got a kind of righteous certitude, which was really an extraordinary cocktail.'
Craig McDonald "Tom Delay has perfected the dark art of raising corporate money in all of its various forms to use it for his own political purposes."
"Around 2000 Tom Delay decided to redistrict Texas. Re-redistricting midterm. People who had voted for one member of congress then got someone they hadn't voted for."
Jim Hightower Former Texas Commissioner of Agriculture "In the Texas legislature he was ranked as furniture by one local publication in terms of his legistlative performance, but then he got religion or he found God."
"It is about $50,000 that American Indians paid him to play golf in Scotland"
"CAFTA, energy bill, Congress gave more than 2 billion dollars of new subsidiesl, by a majority of less than 5 votes."
Mussolini: "Facism represents the merger of state and corporation"
The Hammer- Before he was called this they called him "Hot tub Tom."
According to Paul Burka, a senior editor in Austin Texas: "DeLay got to be called the Hammer because he would put the hammer down on Democratic lobbyists who were calling on Republican Congressmen.
Molly Ivins a syndicated columnist: "Tom DeLay made it vitually impossible for a Democratic Lobbyist to have any employment on K street." "I think he became born again after one term in Washington, he found God, and so now you've got mixed in with corrupt politics he got a kind of righteous certitude, which was really an extraordinary cocktail.'
The DA- Ronnie Earle: the Travis Co. Prosecutor has jurisdiction.
"Texas law makes it a felony for a corporation to contribute money to a political campaign."
"What we've got to do is we've got to turn off the tap."
"You know people talk about money being the mother's milk of politics... but really it is the devil's root"
"Being called partisan by Tom Delay is like being called ugly by a frog. "
"We can no longer exist as a Democracy unless we come to grips with this and put a stop to it."
The Killer D's May 2003 - Busting quorum, house was at a standstill because Texas Democrats skipped town to Oklahoma.
Lon Burnam, Forth Worth, Eddie Rodriguez Austin, Garnet Coleman, Houston, Terri Hodge, Dallas , Trey Martinez San Antonio, Martin Frost. Among others.
Ardmore OK, beat the Republicans by taking advantage of the rules that existed. "Tom Delay would not take no for an answer." "the Governor and the Asst. Gov. were saying we don't want to go on the 3rd rail. Tom Delay got in 5 hardline candidates in the Texas House, and gave a 10 vote margin.
Earle's Grand jury investigation of "Texans for a Republican Majority" yielded several indictments of major corporations.
Senior Aide of Delay Tony Rudy - plead guilty to conspiracy charges with lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Topping the list of Congressmen who accepted some of the TRMPAC 2.4 million $57,000 Tom Ferguson of Union County NJ
The inevitable news clips of his resignation as House Majority Whip and ultimately of course from Congress itself.
In the end this film is pretty much in line with "DRAWING THE LINE Will Tom DeLay's redistricting in Texas cost him his seat?" by JEFFREY TOOBIN published in the New Yorker, although it obviously was researched in parallel and confirms much of Toobin's rendition of events. http://www.newyorker.com/...
Even if you've read everything you're going to enjoy this film if you enjoy Daily Kos. If you buy the DVD you get a nice commentary section with the film makers as well as other features. Do IT!
http://tomdelaymovie.com/
Previously Greenwald has released several progressive documentary films including the titles: Iraq for Sale, the War Profiteers, Wal-Mart: the High Cost of Low Price,
Out-Foxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism, and Uncovered: the War on Iraq. You can order these films at bravenewfilms.com, however I have absolutely no financial interests.