A Week After DeLay Resigns, Green Still Refuses to Get Rid of Dirty Money

MADISON – A week after indicted former Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay finally stepped down from Congress, Mark Green still refuses to get rid of more than $30,000 in tainted campaign cash he took from DeLay.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Executive Director Michael Murphy said Green should finally do the right thing and clean his campaign of his dirty DeLay money. Green has refused to do so, however – even though he could donate the money today if he really wanted to. [Source: Wisconsin State Statutes 11.25(2)]

“For more than a year now, Mark Green has steadfastly stood by Tom DeLay, even as he was indicted on felony charges and resigned in disgrace from Congress,” Murphy said. “Wisconsin families deserve to know why Green refuses to cut his close ties to corrupt leaders both in Washington and Wisconsin.”

Green’s refusal to get rid of the DeLay money is just one example in a long line of ethical lapses. While he was in the state Assembly, Green was Chair of the Assembly Republican Caucus – and he has yet to answer questions about his involvement in the caucus scandal.

Why won’t Mark Green answer the following questions about his ethical lapses?

Why does Green refuse to do the right thing and get rid of his dirty DeLay money?

Why does Green continue to claim ignorance of the caucus scandal, when documents show he was deep in the thick of the illegal campaign work? As Caucus Chair of the Assembly Republicans, Green and his staff both benefited from and were involved in the illegal campaign work done by state employees. [Source: Wisconsin State Journal, 2/24/06]

Why did Green destroy all of his state electronic files and the files of an aide named in the caucus scandal when he left office in 1998? What was in the files Green destroyed? [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/12/006]

Why did it take Green four tries to get the right answer on whether he’d pardon convicted former Assembly Republican Speaker Scott Jensen?

Why was Green’s congressional office such a favorite of the convicted GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and why did they try to cover it up? Email records show that Green’s congressional chief of staff and now campaign manager repeatedly requested and received skybox ticket freebies from Abramoff, who has admitted to bribing members of Congress in exchange for official acts. [Source: TalkingPointsMemo.Com, 10/10/2005]