Reply #167: Christine Delay receives a salary from ASG for basically nothing. [View All]

[DulceDecorum]

Christine DeLay, Tom's wife, also receives a salary from ASG.
(http://www.corpwatch.org/news/PND.jsp?articleid=2188)
Her approximately $40,000 a year salary, though, is "for her job as chief executive officer of Americans for a Republican Majority." According to Tom DeLay's communications director, "DeLay's wife is paid through the Alexander Strategy Group primarily as a bookkeeping arrangement... She does not keep an office at the firm and often works out of the couple's home." (http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/2835510.htm?1c)
But Christine DeLay is not listed among the firm's 17 staff members on ASG's website.
<snip>
Enron was ASG's biggest client; they received at least $411,000 from Enron between 1999 and 2001.(http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/2835510.htm?1c) Ed Buckham and ASG were involved with a "secret 'grassroots' campaign -- spearheaded by Enron -- to deregulate energy markets... An outline for the plan was faxed to Tom DeLay's Washington office. It was printed on Alexander Strategy letterhead complete with Ed Buckham's name in print. The only problem was that Alexander Strategy's CEO was still in the employ of the federal government at the time... Alexander Strategy Group was, as Enron promised, awarded the $750,000 contract to drum up support for electric power deregulation -- a goal that Enron believed would open the $300 billion a year electric markets to Enron. The stealth campaign would operate out of an energy consortium dubbed, 'Americans for Affordable Electricity' -- a name that Californians would find bitterly ironic just three years later."
(http://www.alternet.org/print.html?StoryID=13104)
The North Carolina-based private military contractor Blackwater USA hired ASG for crisis management, public and media relations as Blackwater - and private military contractors in general - came under increased public scrutiny following the public killing and mutilation of four employees in Fallujah, Iraq on March 31, 2004.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/wiki.phtml?title=Alexander_Strategy_Group


The Alexander Strategy Group and The Harbour Group are two parts of a strategic alliance with Washington-based law firm Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman, LLP. Swidler's Managing Partner Barry Direnfeld hailed these additions as "a jolt of expertise, energy and excellence on a broad range of client challenges. It's an incredible infusion of talent, giving us an unparalleled capacity to solve the most complex business problems."
The Alexander Strategy Group is led by Ed Buckham and Tony Rudy, former top aides to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. The Harbour Group government affairs and communications practices are led by Managing Directors Richard Marcus and Joel Johnson.

About Alexander Strategy Group
Alexander Strategy Group (ASG) is a lobbying and political strategy firm with offices in Washington and Hong Kong. ASG's partners have worked extensively with the Executive and Legislative branches of government, been involved in numerous Presidential and Congressional campaigns, forged alliances with numerous conservative advocacy groups and worked at the highest levels of the international arena. Taken together, the principals' diverse background allows them to offer a complete package of representational services to clients in the United States and worldwide.

About Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman
Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman, LLP is a law firm with nearly 300 lawyers in offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City. The firm's diversified roster of national and international clients includes Fortune 100 companies, smaller business enterprises, and families and individuals. The firm has more than twenty different practice areas, including antitrust, corporate, litigation, telecommunications and government affairs. The firm ranks as the sixth largest lobbying firm in terms of annual revenue among the top twenty law firms in Washington.

About The Harbour Group
The Harbour Group, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of SBSF that develops public relations campaigns, crisis communications tactics, and legislative strategies for business clients nationwide. Members of THG have held prominent positions in both houses of Congress and in the White House, and have extensive experience working with the media. They have strong working relationships with key decision-makers in all branches of the government, with the media, and with third-party groups such as consumer advocates and labor organizations. Through this combination of experience and expertise, the group provides a powerful advantage in shaping the development of legislative and policy strategies that impact clients' business objectives. The Harbour Group is uniquely positioned to tackle the most complex policy initiatives and communications campaigns at the national, state, and local level.
http://www.harbourgrp.com/news_pr_013003.html

"We have provided access to key Members of Congress and staff and helped the client develop the messaging and materials they need to turn congressional contacts into legislative support."
-- The Harbour Group
http://www.harbourgrp.com/ab_prac_legstrat.html

"The fundamental components of each campaign are shrewd thinking to establish the client's strategic direction, persuasive message development, and fast-track implementation to ensure the client is 'first to market" with its story.'
-- The Harbour Group
http://www.harbourgrp.com/ab_prac_pr.html

Together, The Alexander Strategy Group and The Harbour Group offer unparalleled access to Washington decision makers on both sides of the aisle. With decades of senior-level experience formulating public policy and legislative strategy, The Alexander Strategy Group/The Harbour Group powerhouse provides the skills and tools needed to succeed in the nation’s capital. The individual members of our firms have built careers tackling complex policy initiatives and intricate communications campaigns.
We offer our clients a rare combination of veteran communicators, tested policy makers, and savvy strategists. Our team includes presidential advisors and high-ranking aides to Congressional leaders. We have worked on political campaigns, represented international governments and corporations, and conducted local, state and federal issue campaigns. Our government affairs work is supported by seasoned public relations counselors with expertise in coalition management, corporate positioning, media relations, merger and acquisition strategy, local and national event staging, product launches and issue advertising.
http://alexanderstrategy.com/alliance.asp

.... such as Brian Darling former legal aide to Senator Mel Martinez of Florida(R).

As Senator Martinez said the other day, "The court ordered decision to stop all nutirents and remove her feeding tube was made without any legal represenation of her interests. A federal habeas corpus proceeding will ensure her right to another hearing is followed before the court ordered decision to end her life is followed through."
Brian Darling, Martinez's chief counsel, told Drew Ryun, our Director of Governmental Affairs, that the Republican leadership is taking this bill very seriously. Oftentimes it takes weeks or months to get a piece of legislation to the floor for debate. Darling told the ACLJ that Republican leadership wants this measure on the floor by Monday or Tuesday of next week. There is a full court press going on right now on the legislative side to save Terri Schiavo. Republican staffers have told the ACLJ that this issue is garnering bi-partisan support.
http://www.aclj.org/News/Readwr.aspx?ID=1293