Bermuda Triangle: Gerlach, Rove, DeLay

How much are we judged by the company we keep? In politics your friends and enemies can be a fundraising bonanza or a millstone around your neck. Possibly both at the same time. Rep. Jim Gerlach, of PA’s 6th district is having that trouble even as we speak. He squeaked through the election last time and faces Lois Murphy on the ballot again a year from November. (Read here for a description of the district.)

Gerlach has seen some controversy lately over his associations with Karl Rove and Tom DeLay. This past July Karl Rove headlined a fundraiser for him. Just getting in cost $1000, but a lucky few paid $2500 to sit in on a round table with the two. (Events like this, held by most in office, are, in my opinion, part of the reason for voter apathy. How can what I think make a difference if I don’t have $2500 or am not willing to pay $2500 to get a politician’s attention?) The event happened in the midst of the Valerie Plame affair and Rove’s name was coming up in the grand jury. Oddly enough, the CAFTA vote came up just days later (Gerlach voted for), and not long afterwards Laura Bush came to the area to help raise funds for Gerlach, too.

(Read here for a description of the event, here for a description of protests outside, here for a more general description).

While that might make some fodder for Lois Murphy’s campaign, it might not have long enough legs to last until next fall. Fortunately for Murphy, Gerlach also have close ties to Tom DeLay. In fact, he is ranked (by someone who sits down and does such things) as among the congressmen closest to DeLay. He voted in favor of weakening ethics rules to keep DeLay in power, and to allow him to stay in power even if indicted. For those working people who can be fired for so much as a bad urine test or being late on the job a few times, the idea that you can keep a position even after being indicted might seem a bit much. Gerlach has received a lot of money from DeLay’s PAC. Last October (these figures are old, you can get more recent ones from Open Secrets, see resource list on this blog), the only Pennsylvanian to receive more was Pat Toomey. Plus, Gerlach was the only congressperson from Pennsylvania to contribute to DeLay’s legal defense fund.

In an article from the Houston Chronicle, Gerlach discounted the idea that DeLay’s problems could make problems for him:

Gerlach said the Texan's ethics controversies would have little impact in the district, saying that most voters here "don't know who Tom DeLay is."

At the same time, Gerlach said the House ethics investigation should proceed and "let the chips fall where they may."

Indeed. I’m sure there are many voters in PA-06 who might take some offense at his suggested that they don’t know who DeLay is. Even if they don’t, his cavalier attitude towards their knowledge of current events might lead them to look it up. We’ll have to see.

While researching this piece, I ran across two quotes, which put side by side, show politics at its most offensive. John Brabender, Gerlach’s media consultant, a service he also provides to Rick Santorum and serves as godfather to one of Santorum’s children, said this in reponse to the Rove controversy:

"In this country we respect people's rights and until a time that some court or somebody proves that somebody has done something wrong, that we treat people with respect," Brabender said.

And yet, the first Gerlach / Murphy campaign was most noted for Gerlach’s campaign literature that tied Murphy to the Taliban (quote from a campaign volunteer):

Campaigning in late October for Lois Murphy, who challenged incumbent Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach in Pennsylvania’s 6th district, I experienced the power of a lie. Gerlach campaign telephone message ads linked Murphy to the Taliban (MoveOn supports her, MoveOn “supports” the Taliban, ergo Murphy = Taliban-lover). Who would swallow that, I thought, especially since Murphy is a feminist? But…it worked. “Are you with the Taliban lady?” said a potential voter when I approached his door. He threatened to set his dog on me.

Somehow those two just don’t seem to match up. I hope Gerlach is wrong and that voters in his district do know who Tom DeLay is and how closely they were associated. I hope that Gerlach doesn’t resort to such awful tactics. I hope that Lois Murphy wins.