"He's bad for our air, bad for our children, bad for our country." and "He's" a Texas Republican !
By ANGELA K. BROWN
Associated Press Writer
FORT WORTH, Texas — About 50 people showed up at the train station Friday afternoon to protest U.S. Rep. Joe Barton's weekend campaign fund-raising trip to San Antonio for supporters on a chartered train.
Holding a sign that read, "All Aboard the Gravy Train," Anna Brosovic said she was concerned because Barton, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, seemed to be surrounding himself only with the wealthy and influential.
"Joe Barton's little trip epitomizes the culture of corruption that has taken over the Republican Party since they swept into power," said Brosovic, of Arlington, a Democrat who lives in Barton's district. "It's democracy for sale."
Barton and most of his supporters boarded the train before protesters arrived. Other groups of protesters planned to meet the train as it stopped later in Austin and San Antonio.
No one from Barton's campaign immediately returned calls seeking comment Friday. But the Barton camp has said chartering a train from Fort Worth-based Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. was no different than any other high-dollar fundraiser.
The cost was $2,000 per individual or $5,000 per political action committee, according to Barton's campaign, which released few details about the trip. Information on the trip's cost and who attended will be included in campaign finance reports due to be filed with the Federal Election Commission by Feb. 23.
Iraq war veteran and college professor David T. Harris, the Democrat running against Barton in November for congressional District 6, said the trip was in poor taste in light of the federal bribery investigation stemming from the work of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
"I don't think there's anything underhanded, but it's bad timing," Harris said.
Barton became Texas' most powerful member of Congress after U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay left his job as House majority leader following his September indictment on money laundering and conspiracy charges. Barton's committee has broad jurisdiction over government and federal programs and is considered one of the most powerful in the House.
Barton, first elected to Congress in 1984, has faced a growing number of critics in recent years, including some environmental groups that have dubbed him "Smokey Joe."
Many of the protesters who held signs and booed when the train pulled away don't live in Barton's district. But they said they were concerned about his influence in the House.
"People should be voting him out of office," said Hadi Jawad, co-founder of the Crawford Peace House. "He's bad for our air, bad for our children, bad for our country. He's ascending in the Republican Party as a power broker."
___
On the Net: Rep. Joe Barton's campaign: http://joebarton.com
David T. Harris: http://www.followmetodc.com
source: http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/gen/ap/TX_Barton_Train.html
-------------------
Here, take a deep breath with the folks northeast of Brownwood
<< Home