The Big Buy: Tom DeLay's Stolen Congress
Encyclopedia
The Big Buy: Tom DeLay's Stolen Congress is a 2006 documentary by Mark Birnbaum and Jim Schermbeck that follows the rise of Tom DeLay
from a Texas businessman to the Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives
. The movie examines the controversial 2003 Texas redistricting
engineered by DeLay and his organization Texans for a Republican Majority
, and DeLay's ties to other Congressional figures and businesses.
The conservative National Review
referred to the documentary as "The Ronnie Earle
Movie." The filmmakers were interviewed on The Big Buy DVD noting that the National Review was digging for a story against Earle. They noted they were not given access to secret testimony, evidence, or anything else that the public was not allowed to get. Earle gave them "extraordinary access" to personal interviews while Earle chopped wood or worked a late night in his office.
—Tallahassee Democrat
—New York Times
—Dallas Morning News
—Daily Variety
—Village Voice
—Film Journal
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006. He was Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005, when he resigned because of criminal money laundering charges in...
from a Texas businessman to the Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. The movie examines the controversial 2003 Texas redistricting
2003 Texas redistricting
The 2003 Texas redistricting refers to a controversial mid-decade congressional redistricting plan appealed to the United States Supreme Court in League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry...
engineered by DeLay and his organization Texans for a Republican Majority
Texans for a Republican Majority
Texans for a Republican Majority or TRMPAC is a general-purpose political action committee registered with the Texas Ethics Commission. It was founded in 2001 by former Republican Texas U.S. Rep...
, and DeLay's ties to other Congressional figures and businesses.
The conservative National Review
National Review
National Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
referred to the documentary as "The Ronnie Earle
Ronnie Earle
Ronald Dale "Ronnie" Earle was, until January 2009, the District Attorney for Travis County, Texas. He became nationally known for filing charges against House majority leader Tom DeLay in September 2005 for conspiring to violate Texas' election law and/or to launder money...
Movie." The filmmakers were interviewed on The Big Buy DVD noting that the National Review was digging for a story against Earle. They noted they were not given access to secret testimony, evidence, or anything else that the public was not allowed to get. Earle gave them "extraordinary access" to personal interviews while Earle chopped wood or worked a late night in his office.
Screenings and Awards
- Grand Festival Award, Documentary —Berkeley Film and Video Festival
- Official Selection —Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, Spindletop Film Festival, Dallas Video Festival
Review Quotes
- "The Big Buy is more feisty and fun than a drunken barbecue in Beaumont.”
—Tallahassee Democrat
- "The Big Buy presents its evidence clearly and with a welcome sense of humor.”
—New York Times
- “In tone and texture, the film suggests a hard-boiled mystery of the 1950s with a brassy film noir soundtrack and a Raymond Chandler feel.”
—Dallas Morning News
- “Mark Birnbaum and Jim Schermbeck methodically assemble a damning case against U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay”
—Daily Variety
- “The filmmakers capture a battle for the soul of a state and country”
—Village Voice
- “Birnbaum and Schermbeck create a film noir atmosphere. The stylistic choice seem appropriate given the dark, disturbing subject matter and the chilling presence of anti-hero DeLay.”
—Film Journal
External links
- The Big Buy Official
- Movie Trailer
- THE BIG BUY -- a new film we're distributing by Robert GreenwaldRobert GreenwaldRobert Greenwald is an American film director, film producer, and political activist.-Early life:Greenwald was born and raised in New York City, the son of Ruth and Harold Greenwald. He attended the city's High School of Performing Arts...
- IMDB