GOP Guru Richard Viguerie: Republican Hot Tubbers And Crooks Hold Office

CINCINNATI (TBB) -- Fundraising mastermind Richard A. Viguerie told CPAC that the Republican Party he loved has become immoral, corrupt and hooked on power. "When most of the Congressional Republicans first ran for office, they ran against the sewer that Washington had become. But after a few years in Washington most of them act like they've discovered that Washington isn't a sewer after all -- it's a hot tub."

He didn't name names, but it seems obvious he tossed House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Butler County, in with the Washington hot-tub GOPers. He said the congressonal leadership took the party "over a cliff" in last year's elections. Viguerie became an important figure in the Reagan era when he helped the party regain and consolidate power. He was a genius at raising money by direct mail, which has been somewhat overtaken by the Internet as a source of political funding.

He says the White House and GOP Congress spent like Democrats, and shelled out trillions to stay in office and buy votes. Those were the kind of words that Republicans used to hurl at Dems. Now they are flinging them at each other, and Viguerie was unstinting.

"The voters spoke in November, and what was the first thing the Republicans did? They kept in power all the leaders who had taken them over the cliff! Obviously, the initials GOP now stands for Go On Partying. Or Give up On Principles." He called on conservatives to break away from the party and form their own movement. And he said CPAC had moved in the right direction. "I congratulate CPAC for not having the chairman of the Republican National Committee at CPAC for the first time in memory."