3 Minnesotans in U.S. House got DeLay PAC donations

09/30/2005

Greg Gordon,
Star Tribune Washington Bureau Correspondent
September 30, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Seizing on a New Hampshire congressman’s return of $15,000 to one of Rep. Tom DeLay’s political action committees, Democrats on Thursday chided three Minnesota House members who accepted more than $65,000 from the same PAC.

But unlike Rep. Jeb Bradley, R-N.H., the Minnesota Republicans showed no signs of returning any cash to DeLay, who is temporarily sidelined as House majority leader after his indictment on campaign finance charges.

DeLay’s leadership PAC, Americans for a Republican Majority, gave $30,000 to Rep. John Kline and $29,500 to Rep. Mark Kennedy between 2000 and 2004. Rep. Gil Gutknecht got $5,778 between 1994 and 1998, but has taken no money in the past seven years.

The donations came from a different DeLay PAC than the one caught up in his legal problems.

Former DFL state Chair Mike Erlandson contended DeLay channeled far more donations to the Minnesota members and other House Republicans because his “stranglehold” on the GOP establishment enabled him to direct “how their donor base gives.”

Spokesman Bill Burton of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said Kennedy, Kline and Gutknecht “benefited from the Tom DeLay machine.”

Kline’s office noted in a statement that the donations came from a DeLay PAC “bearing no connection” to the Texas PAC alleged to have broken state law and only refunds illegal donations. Kennedy’s Senate campaign spokeswoman, Heidi Fredrickson, said he “has no plans to return the money.” Gutknecht declined to comment.