SHAKING THE JAR

The Republican Illinois District 6 hopefuls are starting to take shots at each other.

From the Sun-Times:

The ethical questions dogging House Majority Leader Tom DeLay boiled over into the west suburban 6th Congressional District race Thursday, as one Republican pledged support and another called on the Texas congressman to relinquish his leadership post.

"What I read in the paper, whether it's correct or not, just seems to be an embarrassment for the Republican Party," said former DuPage County Recorder of Deeds J.P. "Rick" Carney. "To stay in his leadership position seems arrogant to me."

But state Sen. Peter Roskam, who worked for DeLay 20 years ago, voiced support.

"Trotting out some of ... these old accusations that are two and three and four years old is a little bit tiresome," Roskam said. "I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt." ***

Carney even took a poke at Roskam for running in the neighboring 13th Congressional District in 1998.

"If he loses this race, he'll run in the 14th [Congressional District], when [House Speaker J. Dennis] Hastert retires," Carney said, laughing. ***

Roskam also dismissed questions about whether he was too conservative, opposing abortion and most gun control and gay rights measures. ***

Roskam, 43, is a lawyer who lives in Wheaton. He worked as an aide to DeLay in 1985 and part of 1986, but said he has "not had any contact with him essentially for 20 years."

"I think everybody agrees that he's one of the most effective legislators in Washington, D.C.," Roskam said. "Knowing what I know now about what Tom DeLay's been accused of, my attitude would be to support him." ***

DeLay has been embarrassed by news reports raising questions about who finances his overseas travel and his ties to lobbyists, including Jack Abramoff, who is being investigated by a federal grand jury and a U.S. Senate committee.

Carney, 58, who also lives in Wheaton, quipped that Roskam might not want to advertise his past work for DeLay.

"He should keep that to himself," Carney joked. ***

"Do we want a congressman to serve the 6th District who is ultra-conservative, or are we going to go in the direction that all America is taking, a more moderate stance?" Carney asked. "I am for freedom. I'm for America being the home of the free."

The story did not reveal Mr. Carney's views on other controversial issues like "motherhood" and "apple-pie".