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Should Paula Jones Replace Dan Burton?
House Oversight Committee Chair Dan Burton is out of control - but compares himself to Paula Jones
Heartbreaker Paula Jones 
Dan Burton - Battered Congressman
Friday, September 26th 1997: All of a sudden Republicans are scrambling to debate campaign finance reform. You might think that Tom Daschle and Bill Clinton are responsible for this new found rush to conscientiousness, but don't be fooled. The GOP scenario isn't to change the system, it's to put further pressure on Attorney General Janet Reno and the White House and get the focus off Dan Burton before he makes a fool of himself and the Speaker.
Look at the announcements.
Speaker Newt Gingrich, already fined $300 thousand for using charities to launder campaign funds, calls the 1996 campaign, "the total meltdown of legality on the side of the Democrats" as he floats the trial balloon of a campaign fundraising debate on the floor of the House before the end of the year. "We do not yet have a clue of how big and how thorough the illegality and illegitimacy of the '96 election was." Well sure he does -- he played a starring role. "Every week there is a new story unfolding," Gingrich said. "There are clearly congressional seats that are now tainted, where they were won with illegal votes, they were won with illegal money," he said. Of course, he failed to elaborate.
Trent Lott, the Senate Majority Leader, calls for debate on the Senate floor today - startling even the best political pundits with his undercutting of Fred Thompson's Oversight Committee which ahs spent the past week boring us to death.
So, what's going on?
Newt Gingrich - Knows how to pick a chairman
Well, one problem for Gingrich is Dick Gephardt who's threatening to disrupt the House unless campaign finance comes to the fore. Trent Lott senses that Republicans are again being viewed as the "evil ones" for failing to make radical changes to fundraising law. So both GOP leaders have decided to call the Democrat bluff and try and take leadership on the campaign finance issue while at the same time making such outlandish charges that Janet Reno will be forced to appoint an independent counsel. It's too bad she can't appoint one to investigate the House and Senate as well, but special prosecutors are reserved only for the White House under the theory of conflict of interest. [Thank you MP]
This doesn't mean, however, the Reno's people are not well into investigating direct indictments of Republicans. Several ongoing investigations promise to finger some prominent Elephants next year.
A second, and perhaps more severe problem is the continued decaying reputation of Rep. Dan Burton, Chairman of the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee who has an open-ended tab to molest Democrats as it begins it's investigation of campaign misfeasance this month. Burton, who can't seem to run a tight ship, has already had to abort his opening hearing because no one showed up. Now, after granting a few "key witnesses" immunity, he'll try again. Burton himself has been under attack for extorting money from foreign nationals and attempting to destroy the career of a private lobbyist. (See "Dan Burton, Fox in the Henhouse")
Burton accepted an invite from AT&T, who had business before another of his Committee's, to play golf in its Pro Am tourney. AT&T also brazenly threw a fundraiser for Burton during the tournament. Burton shook down a lobbyist for Pakistan, Mark Siegel, for a $5,000 contribution -- threatening to blackball the man if he didn't come through. Siegel testified before a Federal Grand Jury on the matter. Burton was forced to return contributions from Sikh religious groups which were illegally made -- but only after the Sikh contributions were exposed. Burton and his staff lobbied the Department of Education to get favors for a contributor who runs a medical school in the Caribbean. Burton had to return $500 to ex-Zairian President Mobutu's lobbyist because this last $500 exceeded the legal limit Burton could take from the lobbyist. This, after Burton took the max contribution and banked honoraria from the Mobutu agent.
But yesterday's scathing piece in the New York Times by Elaine Sciolino may have opened Gingrich's eyes to the very real chance he has a nut running what could be the "Greatest Show on Earth" on his own House floor. Director of Indiana's Democratic Party, Mike Harmless, said "If he (Burton) just is himself in these hearings he could self-destruct on national TV." Like an image out of "Joe Tynan" Burton looks kookier every day. Burton supporters excuse his off-the-wall style as a remnant of a childhood steeped in poverty and brutality according to Sciolino. That's odd coming from a right wingers who seem to have little compassion for the less fortunate.
Burton and his brother seem to hype their wanting beginnings. Burton's brother Woody -- an Indiana state legislator told Sciolino, "In those days the slang was 'poor white trash,' and a lot of people called us that. But Rep. Paul Kanjorski calls it like he sees it: "People who suffer for disabilities never feel adequately provided for -- they lose their sympathy for others. Dan Burton is one of these people," Kanjorski said.
According to the Times, Burton's father was a piece of work. Burton describes his Dad and a con man who lived with his family in trailer parks and motels in 38 states, beat his wife and kids, spent two years in prison for kidnapping his wife while Burton and his siblings waited in a home for their mother to recover. Burton claims he has a violent temper himself, but denies he beats his own wife and kids, telling ABC news in 1994, "I didn't do that, wouldn't do that."
Could Paula do a better job?
Burton uses his tough childhood to excuse his wacko behavior and his constituents, over the past sixteen years, seem to love him returning him to Congress term after term. Among other "oddities" Burton:
While Burton may be certifiable, it's Gingrich who's chewing his nails wondering what might come next from the man he entrusts to deliver a death blow to Democrats. One has to wonder if Gingrich is all there, although the Speaker has placed some "handlers" on Burton's committee to watch his every move, Gingrich must have been in a coma they day he allowed Burton to take the helm on this sensitive issue.
Could it be that Gingrich will cut Burton short by bringing campaign fundraising issues to the floor before Burton makes a fool of him?
Maybe, just maybe, that's the plan.
For a real chucklesee Dan Burton's FEC statements by clicking here
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