Stallings: New leadership does not excuse past misdeeds

Stallings: New leadership does not excuse past misdeeds
Wednesday, February 1, 2006

BOISE, Idaho – As the next Congress gathers in Washington this week, former Congressman and Idaho Democratic Party Chairman Richard Stallings said he is looking forward to new leadership that doesn’t have ties to Tom DeLay, the Republican House Majority Leader who is being investigated on corruption charges and has been indicted in his home state.

However, Idaho has closer ties to DeLay than many Idahoans might realize, Stallings said. For the past five years, Rep. Butch Otter has served as one of DeLay’s top lieutenants. Since his freashman year in 2001, Otter has been an Assistant Majority Whip for the House Republicans.

“While Congress is moving forward with reforming the Culture of Corruption in Washington, we must still ask tough questions of those who were involved in any past misdeeds,” Stallings said. “I want to know how close Butch Otter was to DeLay. If they were joined at the hip, the people of Idaho have a right to know that.”

Otter intends to run for the Idaho Governor’s office later this year, even as he holds his current position as congressman from the 1st Congrssional District.

Stallings said it should be clear to everyone who watched President Bush’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday that Republicans and Democrats have never been so divided along party lines. For the good of the country, we must reverse this ugly trend, Stallings said.

“It is time for the real statesmen in Congress to step forward and heal the partisan rancor that has filled this body for the past five years,” Stallings said. “It’s interesting to me that President Bush is leading the call for civility, since the bad feelings were brought on largely by his own presidency and administration.”

Stallings said Idaho Democrats invite Republicans, independents, and anyone else who is committed to reforming the business-as-usual Washington to join us in this important cause.

“We believe honest, cooperative leadership is the first step towards a stronger America,” Stallings said. “Americans should be able to trust that the government to serve their interests, not just those of the wealthy and well connected.”