Back-scratch Fever

When Tom DeLay scratches your back, he usually expects a full-body, deep-tissue massage in return.

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Below, a look at how well some congressional Republicans learned from the master, based on how much they took from DeLay’s Americans for a Republican Majority PAC and how much they pitched in when he got into legal hot water. Illustration by Erik T. Johnson.

 

Members of Congress

Amount received from DeLay’s PAC

Amount given to DeLay’s legal defense fund

Leader’s Pets

Rep. John Doolittle (Calif.)

$4,355

$10,000

Ex-Rep. Billy Tauzin (La.)

$10,000

$15,000

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (Calif.)

$5,000

 

$5,000

Rep. Henry Bonilla (Texas)

$20,000

$15,000

Bet Hedgers

Rep. Tom Feeny (Fla.)

$10,000

$5,000

Rep. Kenny Marchant (Texas)

$10,000

$5,000

Rep. Jo Bonner (Ala.)

$10,000

$5,000

Yellow-Bellied Ingrates

Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (Fla.)

$20,000

$1,000

Rep. Jim Ryun (Kan.)

$25,000

$1,000

Rep. Bob Beauprez (Colo.)

$30,000

$1,000

Rep. Rob Simmons (Conn.)

$39,500

$1,000

Rep. Robin Hayes (N.C.)

$39,722

$1,000

All figures 2000-2005. Sources: Public Citizen, Center for Responsive Politics

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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