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Washington Bids “Au Revoir” To DeLay
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s last day in Congress is Friday, and the soirees are aplenty. Tonight DeLay hosts his own appreciation dinner for his security detail. Friday, he will address the Capitol Police, and his wife Christine will help him host an open house in his offices. (Y’all stop by!)

But the real fete was Monday night, when the Texas Congressional delegation held a dinner in his honor — in a French restaurant: Le Paradou, a posh “jacket preferred” French eatery. It was an odd choice, given DeLay’s frequent excoriation of the French for their unwillingness to invade and occupy Iraq — and his needling of former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) for his knowledge of the language.

A spokeswoman for DeLay denied that the restaurant was French (“This is an American restaurant (last I checked the owner came here from France some 30 years ago) that serves French cuisine,” she told AP), but she revealed that DeLay himself was French. (AP, The Hill)

Runoff for disgraced congressman’s seat may be bellwether
A special election today in San Diego to fill the seat of a congressman imprisoned for bribery has become a test of voter discontent with Republican leadership and frustration over the porous border with Mexico. In the race to replace disgraced former Republican Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, Republican nominee Brian Bilbray, a former three-term congressman from a neighboring district, would in any other time be a heavy favorite against a Democratic opponent. California’s 50th congressional district tilts heavily Republican in registration. A Democrat hasn’t won here in modern times, and President Bush twice carried the district by 10 percentage points. (USA Today)

Parties on Edge in California
Cardiff school board member Francine Busby (D) has pushed ex-Rep. Brian Bilbray (R) to the limit in the special election runoff that was forced by Cunningham’s resignation and subsequent incarceration after he admitted to taking bribes. Republicans acknowledge that she effectively has exploited Bilbray’s post-legislative career as a lobbyist in a San Diego-area district that has experienced multiple corruption scandals of late, including at the local government level. But Bilbray, a longtime, staunch opponent of illegal immigration despite other views considered moderate by Republican standards, successfully has nailed Busby on that subject. His support for the hardline House immigration bill — and his opposition to the Senate bill — has been well-received by voters and the local newspapers. (Roll Call)

All eyes on California-50
Trying to leave nothing to chance, Republicans sought to ensure victory in today’s runoff election to replace imprisoned Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Calif.), while Democrats sought to shape the post-election spin by arguing that even losing is winning. (The Hill)

Study finds thousands of trips taken by lawmakers, staff
Private groups, corporations or trade associations – many with legislation that could affect them pending before Congress – paid nearly $50 million since 2000 to send members of Congress and their staffers on at least 23,000 trips overseas and within the United States, according to a study released Monday. The trips included at least 200 journeys to Paris and 150 to Hawaii, room rates of up to $500 a night and some high-flying on corporate jets that cost up to $25,000 a trip, according to a report by the Center for Public Integrity, American Public Media and Northwestern University’s Medill News Service. (KR, The Hill, NYT)

DeLay Trips Rank High on Most Expensive List
Departing Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and his staffers took two of the 10 most expensive privately sponsored Congressional trips between January 2000 and June 2005, according to a report released Monday by the Center for Public Integrity. (Roll Call)

Dems Hold Steering Meeting as Jefferson Dilemma Looms
With emotions still raw over House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) recent request that Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) relinquish his seat on the Ways and Means Committee while he faces a government bribery investigation, House Democrats are convened a meeting Monday evening of their Steering and Policy Committee. The committee is charged with determining panel memberships, among other matters. The steering committee, which is stocked with Pelosi loyalists, could discuss Jefferson’s situation or vote to take him off the tax-writing panel. (The Hill, Roll Call)

Surprising Accusation in Safavian Case
The perjury trial of a former White House official David Safavian closed today with a surprising accusation that he’d urged convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff in 2003 to sell any Tyco International Ltd. stock he owned because the government was considering banning the company from receiving and maintaining lucrative government contracts. (WSJ)

Safavian denies concealing Abramoff ties
Former Bush administration official David Safavian acknowledged Monday that he gave advice and some “nonpublic information” about federal properties to Republican influence-peddler Jack Abramoff but denied trying to conceal that from investigators. (AP, NYT)

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