Brady's actions questioned
By MICHAEL MARKARIAN President Human Society Legislative Fund

In the wake of the Michael Vick indictment, readers may wonder why U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX/ 8th) was among about three-dozen lawmakers who recently sided with dog fighting and cockfighting interests and voted against the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act. This legislation upgrades penalties for illegal transportation of fighting dogs - one of the crimes Vick has been charged with - from misdemeanor to felony penalties.

Ironically, the Congress upgraded this law and President Bush signed the measure in May - just after the alleged crimes had occurred with Vick and his co-defendants. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 368 to 39, and then cleared the Senate unanimously.

The vast majority of members of Congress supported this legislation to put a stop to precisely the type of behavior that Michael Vick was charged with last week - participation in a multi-state network of cruel and degrading dog fighting activities. Humane organizations and more than 400 law enforcement agencies supported the federal bill, yet Kevin Brady showed his true colors by giving dogfighters a free pass.